Getting the ball out of a bunker effectively is a difficult concept to master. To do so a player must understand the specific differences between a sand shot and a normal shot. The swings are completely different, setup is different, and contact is very different. This drill will specifically help your setup and swing path into the ball, an essential part of sand fundamentals.

The sand trap. This simple course feature has been a thorn in the side of many golfers, especially beginners. More often than not, a professional however, relishes the chance to hit from a greenside bunker when faced with the alterative of a chip from deep rough. Why? Because, with a few simple rules, hitting a bunker shot is rather easy.

You have more control over the direction of your shot, where it lands, the spin it holds, and how much it’s going to roll. You can be on the offensive, not defensive and getting up and down is a mere formality. Does this sound like your sand play? Likely not… but here’s how to get your game there.

Open Everything

You need to open up everything - this basically means align everything to the left of your target (assuming your right-handed) your feet, hips, shoulders everything. The most common fault I see, is a body that is aligned well, but shoulders that are not. Your shoulders dictate your swing path, so your shoulders are the most important area to fix. The clubface needs to be open as well, it, however, should face the target. Your open body and clubface make it easier for you to swing with a shallow path which is our next secret.

How many of you struggle getting out of the sand consistently? How often do you actually manage to get up and down from the sand? Bunkers are usually considered hazards you want to avoid, but with a little practice and confidence, you can play from bunkers like you can chip around the greens.

Bunker shots should be controlled almost entirely by your arms, not your body. This applies to nearly ever bunker shot, from fairway to greenside bunkers. This especially relates to bunker shots from uneven lies. Why? Well, for the same reason that you dig your feet into the sand in the first place… balance and stability.  Sand is an uneven, unstable surface that you’re attempting to perform a very dynamic motion on.

The single most important factor in judging distance in sand play is the length of your backswing. Your swing speed should not be rushed or slowed down in attempts to make the ball go the right distance.

Although fried eggs sound good on your breakfast table, they are a sad sight out on the golf course.  The fried egg I'm referring to is the plugged lies you occasionally get in bunkers, with a crater of sand surrounding your ball.  They can be hell to get out of with any sort of accuracy and spin.  I want to give you guys some keys behind a common swing technique used in this particular situation that is called the "cock & pop".  With some practice, you should be able to get out of these lies quite handily with little problems.

Greenside bunker shots create a lot of frustration for players of all skill levels. Beginners tend to chop the ball out of the sand; this creates a very steep angle of approach. Angle of approach refers to the angle at which the club meets the ball.