How to Get Out of the Sand Trap

What appears to be an oasis of sand amidst a sea of green usually ends up being the bane of a golfer’s game.  As much as you might try to avoid hitting your ball into the sand trap, inevitably, it’s going to happen.  Successfully getting out of the sand and back towards the hole is difficult to master, but with a few tips, the situation won’t be as bad as you fear.  Here are a few tips the professionals use when they find themselves in this situation.

Seven Tips for Surviving Sand Trap Bunker Shots

1. Determine how much room you have.  When you land in a sandtrap, it’s advantageous to have more green between your ball and the hole.  It’s challenging to get much spin on a golf ball when hitting it from the sand, so it’s likely to roll much further than you want.  Keep this in mind when you decide where you want the ball to land on the green.
2. Select an appropriate club for the task.  A high loft wedge works well if you have a small amount of green to work with.  You’ll pop it up higher and hope it lands without much roll.  A lower loft wedge is a good choice if there’s more distance to the hole.
3. Achieve balance.  The sand will shift under your weight, so it’s crucial to get a good stance and concentrate on your balance.  Ground your feet into the sand until you have a solid base.  You will want to play the ball off your front foot.  You should have 80% of your weight on the front foot and only 20% on your back foot as you swing.  This should give the ball some backspin to limit how far it will roll.
4. Use a good grip.  Loosen your arms and use a lighter grip.  Doing so will help give you an earlier release of the hinge of your wrists and push the ball higher in the air.
5. Focus on the swing.  An outside-in swing pattern with a slightly bent wrist at the top of the swing will help loft the ball in the air and achieve a softer landing.
6. Don’t forget to follow through.  With this shot, you aren’t shifting your weight back and forth.  Instead, your weight solidly remains on your front foot.  That can easily throw off your swing.  Make sure you focus on the swing.  It needs to be full and complete.  If your swing stops when you make contact with the ball, it won’t be hard enough to get the ball where it needs to go.
7. Stay positive.  Getting discouraged when your ball lands in the bunker won’t do you any good.  Remember that even the best professionals hit balls into the bunker, and consider getting out of it a fun challenge of the game.

To learn more tips to help you improve your game, contact our Eagle Point Golf Club Academy.

We encourage our members and guests at the Eagle Point Golf Club to take advantage of personalized tune-up sessions.  These mini-lessons are designed to help golfers warm-up and fine-tune a handful of skills before hitting the greens.  During a session, we’ll start by introducing you to some easy warm-up exercises designed to achieve balance and alignment on the course.

Next, one of our professional trainers will observe your swing in a few different scenarios.  We’ll pinpoint specific issues getting in the way of your game, such as aligning the perfect swing on the chipping green.  Next, we’ll introduce a few simple exercises for you to practice to perfect your short game.  By targeting just a couple of critical items, you’ll be headed to your game in no time with a manageable number of techniques to put into practice.

If you’re ready to take your game to the next level, call the Eagle Point Golf Club at 541-826-8225 to inquire about golf lessons.  We’re excited to see your game improve!