Getting Out of a Greenside Bunker

Are you intimidated when it comes to hitting your ball out of the sand? Having trouble getting your ball to go in the direction you desire? If you answered yes to these questions, the following tip can help you become a better bunker player.
As with all golf shots, you need to make sure your setup is correct. Here are three things you need to do when setting up to the ball (for right-handed golfers):
1) Open your stance.
2) Open your clubface.
3) Position the ball inside your left heel.
Opening your stance means aiming your body left of your target. Opening your clubface means turning the club so the
grooves are facing up. It is extremely important that the opening of your stance and clubface are done together. If you
open your stance and not your clubface, your shots will go left of the target. If you open your clubface and not your stance, your shots will go right of your target. To get a better understanding of what happens when you open your stance or clubface, go into a bunker and draw two lines parallel to each other. Set up square to your target (your feet on one line and your clubface on the other) and open your stance – see how your club is aiming left of your target. Go back to square and open your clubface – see how your club is aiming right of your
target. After you have opened your stance and your clubface, you should go into a bunker and practice your setup. You can do that by drawing a line to your target and then a ball line perpendicular to that target line. You want to set up your left heel on the outside of the ball line. Open your clubface to the desired amount of loft you want, then adjust your stance so that your clubface is aiming at your target. Practice this setup until you become comfortable with it and you should find your shots traveling closer to your target. Remember, golf can be fun. Enjoy the game and always loosen up before practice or play.