JUST GET THE BALL BACK INTO PLAY
One of the fastest ways to rack up a big number is to leave your ball in greenside sand; according to Shot Scope, 22% of golfers make this mistake. Your bunker technique need not be fancy but it does need to be effective… and one of the simplest approaches is to play the shot as a deliberate duff.
Practise your duff
We all know the feeling of catching the ground before the ball. While such contact is, of course, unhelpful on dry land, it is basically what we are looking to do in sand, where we take the sand from under the ball. When you think of a bunker shot as a deliberate duff, it feels a lot easier. So before you step down into the sand, find some long grass beside the bunker. Rehearse a full, slow swing that gets down to the roots. Try to make the ruffled grass area as long as possible; it encourages a shallow base to the arc, which helps you get the club through to a full finish.
Go square
When it comes to bunkers, simpler is better. On anything but the shortest bunker shots, there is no need to mess with alignment and swing shape. Simply stand square and play the ball just inside your lead heel.
Duff it out
As you prepare to play the shot, channel that ‘duff’ stroke you practised in the long grass. Keep your eyes on the sand entry point, a couple of inches behind the ball. Now just repeat that long, slow, flat-bottomed stroke, swinging along your toe line to the flag.
Need for speed
Sand is heavy, and will slow the club down. This is why making a long swing either side of the ball is so important; the full backswing gives you the ability to create the speed needed to get through the sand, while the full followthrough ensures you deliver it. Make sure your hands reach shoulder height either side of the ball.