This month’s tip will be a refresher on hitting out of our firm, hard, wet bunkers. This is the easiest type of bunker sand to escape and with the proper technique the bunkers should only present a minor problem to overcome. Follow the procedure outlined below and you should have no problem getting out of the sand.

1. Position the ball forward in your stance. It should be opposite your left big toe.
2. Slightly open your clubface. You open your clubface by fanning out the toe of your sand wedge. Try not to move the heel of your club.
3. Adjust your body weight so that 75% of your weight is on your left foot. This helps create the proper angle into the ball.
4. Keeping your weight 75% on your left foot, swing the club back twice as far as you would for a normal pitch shot from the same distance.
5. Aiming at a point approximately 1 inch behind the ball, swing the club through the ball with considerable force. You should displace the sand entirely out of the bunker.
6. Follow through to a relaxed finish.


If you work on this technique on our wonderful short game practice facility by the pool you will improve your bunker play and eventually improve your score.