How To Take A Sand Shot

Hi Golfer

Many golfers are afraid of getting their balls into sand traps or bunkers. If you watch the pros, they would almost prefer to have their balls in the bunker instead of being in the heavy rough around the greens. Anyway, the sand shot is fairly simple and the following basic tips will certainly help.

Taking a sand shot is one of the few shots where you avoid making direct contact with the ball. In a sand shot, you try to make contact with the sand just behind the ball and let the sand propel the ball out of the trap. The easiest way to do this is to take your normal stance. Try and anchor yourself a bit in the sand so you do not slip.

Then move your feet away from the target so that the ball can move towards your foot that is closest to the target. The ball might be even with your front foot. Now from this position, open your club face such that it will be lying more with the face pointing towards the sky.

This will help the club glide through the sand. Once you have this set up make your normal swing. The club should contact the sand just before the ball and send the ball on to the green. You will be able to control the distance by how hard you swing.

This is the easiest and simplest way to get out of a sand trap. A good practice would be to get into a bunker and make some swings without a ball and see if you are making contact with the sand. The club should glide through the sand and the spot you hit should be consistent.

I mean the same spot most of the time if not all the time. Not having a consistent bottom of the swing is a problem with all your shots so practicing this for all shot and with all clubs would also help you in all your game. Make the sand trap your friend!

Happy Golfing

Chijioke Onwunle

P.S. - Get a good golf instructor and read good golf books. You can't teach yourself golf. Read and practice what you have read under your tutor.Knowledge is power