Don’t get anxious about your bunker play. Our expert LPGA and PGA Instructors give their best advice for playing out of the sand.
When rain or lack of sand leaves a greenside bunker packed tight and firm, a standard splash shot will bounce off the ground and blade the ball over the green. LPGA Top 50 Instructor Kellie Stenzel shows you how to adjust your setup to safely dig the ball out.
Struggling to hit different distances out of the sand? Christina Ricci shows the power of controlling your finish. Learn why short bunker shots require a calmer tempo and an abbreviated finish, while long shots require more speed and a high, complete follow-through.
When your ball lands on a slope in the sand, a standard bunker setup won’t cut it. LPGA Instructor Maria Palozola breaks down how to read the grade and adjust your body alignment so you can cleanly splash the ball out every single time.
Finding your ball plugged in a greenside bunker can be intimidating. Cathy Kim breaks down the exact club selection, clubface setup, and swing adjustments you need to pop the ball out safely.
Don’t let a fairway bunker ruin your score. Erika Larkin shows how ball position and a quiet lower body can help you pick the ball clean and get it back in play toward the green.
Don’t let a deep bunker create anxiety. Dennise Hutton and Anne Rollo demonstrate the simple “club-swap” method to handle different lip heights while keeping your setup and swing exactly the same.
Stop fearing the sand. Expert instructor Trillium Rose breaks down the essential wide-base setup and a “Railroad Track” drill that ensures you bottom out the club perfectly every time for a crisp, clean splash.
Stop skulling or leaving it in the sand! Christina Ricci cuts straight to the most critical bunker setup detail: correctly opening the clubface before you grip it. Guarantee that you maximize the wedge’s bounce and explode the ball out high and soft.
Greenside bunkers don’t have to be intimidating. Shawna Elliott shows how to turn the sand into your friend. The secret lies in a stable, wide base and the ability to consistently “splash” the sand behind the ball. Learn the simple drill involving a physical line in the sand that will help you find the right entry point and eliminate the lateral motion that causes most bunker frustrations.
Are you leaving your ball in the bunker or “thinning” it across the green? Meredith Kirk shares her favorite “Bunker Buster” drill using a simple sand mound to teach you the most important skill in the sand: blasting through the impact zone to create a consistent spray.
Standard bunker advice—opening the face and swinging “out-to-in”—can often be too complex and lead to inconsistent results. Alison Curdt shares a simplified approach that uses a square clubface and a specific “toe to the sky” backswing to ensure you clear the sand and get the ball onto the green in a single stroke.
Lindsay Knowlton from Iron Lady Golf covers stance, weight distribution and aim in her quick demonstration of how to play consistent sand shots out of a greenside bunker.
