shoot out of them on a fairly regular basis.  Although we certainly hope that’s not the case, it certainly is possible.  Knowing how to effectively hit out of a sand trap is another huge part of a good golf game.

First, don’t be afraid of the bunker shot.  Sure, it can be intimidating, but you can develop good technique that will get you out of the sand and back on the grass – even on the green.

Establish firm footing and take an open stance.  Open the clubface by turning it to the outside before hitting the ball.  This will put loft on the ball and allow the back portion of the bottom of the club to bounce off the sand instead of having the leading edge dig into the sand.  You will want to use a wedge for this shot – preferably a sand wedge.

Distribute most of your weight to the left side of your body. You will swing the club back and through the same distance.  Don’t let the clubface close and accelerate through the ball.  Don’t let the club touch the sand (a big rules no-no) and concentrate on hitting the sand about two inches behind the ball.

What you are trying to do is take as little sand as possible without making contact with the ball.  You want the sand to life the ball out of the bunker.  As you make contact with the sand there should be a cupping of the left wrist.

Let me explain "cupping." Assume you are wearing a watch on your left wrist and the face, as usual, is pointing outward. When contacting the sand on the forward swing, you should try to take the back of your left hand and move it towards your watch face, thereby creating wrinkles underneath your left wrist.

This action is called "cupping of the wrist" and it is very necessary in producing quality sand shots. Since this motion prevents the club from closing, the ball is lifted in the air with backspin.

You will want to have a neutral grip on the club.  You don't want to use a strong grip for bunker shots because it's absolutely essential that the club face slides under the ball and into your finish without the club face closing.

A neutral grip is one that has the back of the left hand facing parallel to the target line and the right palm facing the same direction.