The amount and depth of sand can vary from bunker to bunker, and it is useful to try and gage this when stepping in and settling to the shot. To maintain the consistent volume of sand we have learnt to take in practice, we should adjust how far down we grip the club accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to grip down the shaft the equivalent amount to how far our feet sink into the sand.

So we are still in the bunker and we are yet to hit a ball! The reason for this is simple. Whereas most bunker lessons begin with ‘hit the sand one inch before the ball...’ I would liken this to demanding an imperfect player to hit a perfect shot. So far we have learnt where we are able to hit the sand, and now have the knowledge that is crucial to achieving consistent results.

Let’s finally put a ball in place of the line we drew, and concentrate solely on repeating the exercise of hitting the sand with the swing which produced the clean splash in practice, and we will only adjust the length of our swing to achieve the correct distance to the target. A simple thought is to use the length of swing required to get the sand to hit the part of the green where you would first like the ball to land. If you are able to overcome the urge to hit the ball first, you might be surprised to see the ball pop out of the bunker with little effort. Now you can continue by practising your aim, stance and feel of the shot, and the effects these changes have on the flight of the ball. You will begin to understand why the bunker shot can be the source of much satisfaction in your game, rather than the beginning of your worst nightmare on the course.So we are still in the bunker and we are yet to hit a ball! The reason for this is simple. Whereas most bunker lessons begin with ‘hit the sand one inch before the ball...’ I would liken this to demanding an imperfect player to hit a perfect shot. So far we have learnt where we are able to hit the sand, and now have the knowledge that is crucial to achieving consistent results.