This story is for you if...

• You've experimented with many bunker techniques without success.
• Experiment? Heck, just get me out of the sand!

The Problem

You haven't had the kind of consistent success on bunker shots that builds confidence.

The Solution

The biggest protection against missing is to make an aggressive swing and take a lot of sand.

THE EASY WAY TO BLAST IT OUT

STEP 1

Use your sand wedge and set up to the ball with the clubface slightly open and with your toe line pointing 10 feet left of your target. Dig your feet into the sand and aim a few feet left of the hole. Don't overdo it — most players cut across the ball too much on bunker shots, and aiming too far left will exacerbate this problem. This shot should feel like your normal swing.

STEP 2

Make a 75% backswing with normal rotation, then try to enter the sand two or three inches behind the ball and leave a dollar-bill-sized divot. Make an aggressive move with a full follow-through. To reach a pin on the other side of the green, take a shallower divot (like you're skimming the surface). If the pin is close, shorten your backswing and take a bit more sand.