Sand & Bunkers

Sand and bunkers are common hazards on all types of course. They often present more of a psychological challenge than a physical one. Nevertheless, they do call for an adjustment to ones set up.

It is not necessary to alter one's swing when playing from bunkers. Instead the stance should be adjusted to a more open stance as illustrated. A solid footing should be established by pressing the feet into the sand. The ball should also be moved forward in the stance as far as the inside of the left heel. The clubface should be held slightly open.

Contrary to the obvious, the goal is to strike the sand itself rather than the ball. In fact, the club never impacts the ball directly. Instead the ball is scooped out of the hazard by the forward motion of the sand. You should be aiming for a target point about 2 inches or 5cm behind the ball. When taking the swing the eyes should be focused on this point and not the ball.

Those are the basic principles. It is up to you to practice and perfect the procedure. Other points of relevance are that a sand wedge is best suited to dry powdery sand as it is specifically designed to glide through it. However, a pitching wedge is often more effective in damp or compacted sand.

Note that some golfers prefer to adopt a half swing when playing from a bunker. In these cases, their impact point is closer to the ball resulting in less sand being carried. As ever, it is a personal choice which can only be made with practice.