Be aware that the more you open the face the further right of the target it will aim. We need to counteract this by continuing to open our stance (feet point to the left of the target for a right handed golfer) until the leading edge of the club points directly at it. From here we will swing along the path our feet have created, effectively cutting across the ball.

Let’s start with a slightly open stance and an open club face. Try to develop a feel for the effects opening and closing the face of the club has on the sand. Simply draw a line in the bunker just ahead of the centre of your stance, and aim to hit 3 inches before the line through to 3 inches after it. Keep practising and making adjustments until you feel you are getting closer to the line. Don’t be disheartened if you start catching the sand one foot before the line, as this drill gives you instant feedback as to why you may not have been hitting good bunker shots in the past.

At this point we should have found the bottom of our swing arc, and we will be able to hear and see the amount of sand we are taking. We are listening for a splash as the club hits the sand. To give a visual indication of how much sand we should be taking I have placed a 10 euro note underneath the ball. This volume of sand is most likely to achieve the correct splash when the club bounces off the
surface of the bunker.