The Short Pitch

There you are facing a bunker in front of you - water to the left, and a narrow approach to the green. You need to pitch over the trap 45 yards to the pin. Whatever will you do?

Grab your lob or pitching wedge and grip it further down the club. You want to reduce the width of your stance and bend your knees as you address the ball. Open your stance - for right handed players your feet should point left of the target. Now reduce the length of the swing about 3/4 of a full swing.

On your down swing let gravity do most of the work. Remember to lead with your hips and follow through. Do not over accelerate keep the motion fluid and relaxed. Come down onto the ball and try not to scoop it up - the loft of the club will do all the work for you.

If all goes well you too may be jumping for joy as the ball disappears into the hole.

The Sand Bunker

You find your ball in well raked sand sitting happily less than a foot from the bunker lip. Your probably thinking what do I do now? Do not despair.

Grip your sand wedge lower on the club after opening the club face. You are going to widen your stance and aim to left of the target to compensate for the open club face. The ball should be ahead of center - aim to strike the sand 2 inches behind the ball. I like to settle into the sand twisting so my shoes sink and grip.

Pick a spot in the sand behind the ball (rather than the golf ball itself) and focus on this point of impact during your swing- which should be shorter on the backswing and longer on the follow through. Do not flip your wrist on the follow through.

A good sized divot in the sand is about 6 inches in length (2 inches before the ball and 4 inches after) and an inch or two deep. Any more sand than this and it becomes very difficult to get the ball out of the bunker without making a very aggressive swing.