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Bunker Play--The Secret of Great Bunker Play

Often, golfers are so thoroughly frightened by the prospect of bunker play that they'll do almost anything to keep from hitting their ball into the sand. But in reality, hitting from a sand trap is often a relatively easy shot. If you ask a pro, he or she would much rather play from the sand than from the rough. But how can you improve your bunker play and get rid of your sand phobia?

Bunker play involves two basic kinds of golf shots depending on how your golf ball lands. The golf ball may be perched on top of the sand, or your ball might end up buried in the sand. These two bunker shots require two very different techniques. Let's take a look at these two shots.

Suppose your ball is lying on the surface of the sand. Your initial setup for this shot is crucial. Start by aligning your body to the left of the target. This shot will be easier when you're well anchored, so use your toes to dig into the sand. Take a wider stance than normal. The end result that you're going for is called the bounce effect. The design of the sand wedge is what makes this shot work.

Start your backswing along the line made by your feet. During the backswing, hinge your wrists. At the height of your backswing, your lead arm should be parallel to the ground. Your target for the club is a spot about two inches behind the ball.

Accelerating smoothly, swing through the sand beneath the ball. You must trust the design of the sand wedge. You may find this hard to believe, but your goal is to not hit the golf ball, but rather to move a fistful of sand toward the green, taking the ball with it.

The sand will act to cushion your swing, so be sure to account for that. A pretty good rule of thumb is to visualize a fairway shot about twice the distance to help you measure the proper amount of power for your downswing. The golf ball should have quite a bit of backspin when it drops onto the green, so keep this in mind as you pick your target spot.

If your ball is buried in the sand, then put your sand wedge away and get out your pitching wedge. A sand wedge is designed to slide through the sand. What you need for a buried lie is something that cuts into the sand instead-a pitching wedge.

Your stance for a buried lie will be completely different. Stand square to the target with your club face square as well. Hitting the golf ball out of a buried lie is going to take more than a polite tap. You want to strike into the sand behind the ball. Don't shrink back from a good solid hit. Using a pitching wedge to hit a buried lie will result in a low shot with no backspin. Be sure to allow for some run as you aim.

The real secret to great bunker play is follow-through. Don't just whack the club into the sand. A full follow-through is what allows the club to work. The best way to master bunker play is to include some shots from the sand in your practice schedule. Try at least 10 to 15 shots from the bunker in every practice session. Concentrate on improving your stance and becoming familiar with the way it feels to hit through the sand. After you've perfected your bunker play and banished your fear of sand, you may actually find yourself targeting the bunker in your next round of golf.

Unlock your hidden potential and instantly unleash your own personal perfect golf swing, add 30 yards of accurate distance to your drives, and knock 7-10 strokes off your game.