Splish

Here's a fundamental golf tip to use when you find yourself in the sand on the golf course: it should always, of course, be your goal to get out the bunker on the first attempt.

When you find yourself there, don't freak out, stay calm and know you have good fundamental approach that is going to solve your problem.

There are two different approaches for bunker, depending on the how deeply your golf ball is buried.

We are going to go over now are to get out of the bunker with a good lie. This is commonly called a "splash" shot.

This shot displaces the sand beneath the golf ball, which lifts the ball into the air. You actually hit the sand rather than the ball.

As always the proper set up is essential to control both accuracy and distance.

1) Open the clubface. The shorter your shot, the more open the clubface. It is important that you open the face of the club before taking your grip. If you grip the club squarely and roll your arms open, you will naturally return to a square impact point.

As you're hitting the sand behind the golf ball, keep your grip comfortably at the end of the club.

To assure yourself of the proper loft be sure the shaft of your club points at the center line of the body. If the shaft leans ahead of the golf ball it will decrease your loft.

2) Rotate your body to an open stance, aiming the clubface at your target. Place your weight on your left side (if you are right handed). Your weight should stay anchored there through your golf swing.

Position the ball forward in your stance. This allows more flexibility in your shoulders, allowing you to swing the golf club down the line of your shoulders, allowing an out-to-in path for your swing that will slice the ball out of the trap.

Make sure your feet are dug squarely into the sand and stand a little further away from the ball than normal.

Digging your feet in will promote greater stability and ensure that the clubface contacts the sand and not the golf ball.

As you'll be gripping the club at full length, standing further away will automatically bottom out your swing to the same level of your feet. Stand the same distance away from the ball that you have dug yourself in. The distance and depth should correlate.

Your swing will mostly be a motion of the shoulder and arms, your weight still solid on the left side. Don't lock your lower body, but allow it follow naturally from the movement of your trunk.

The pacing of this shot depends on the distance your golf ball needs to follow: the further away, the more the pace.

If you follow these simple golf tips, they should help you when it comes time to "splash" your way out of the sand.--

Stan Thomas has been playing golf since before dirt covered the earth. He knows he'll never master the game, but he can't deny the quest.

He invites you to visit his websites:

http://www.golfimproveswing.com 

http://www.squidoo.com/golfimproveswing/