At this time of year bunkers can be very inconsistent, you can find yourself with either a very firm lie where rain has compacted the sand, or you might be in a freshly raked area. The correct setup for each shot is dependent on the condition of the sand. If the sand has been recently raked then you want to use your normal bunker technique, opening the face aiming slightly left of target and moving the ball forward in the stance to create a shallow angle of attack.

However if the sand is hard and compacted down you want to keep the face squarer at address reducing the bounce on the club and helping it get into the firmer sand. As the face is squarer you don’t need to aim as far left and you also want to move the ball further back in your stance. This will increase the attack angle again helping to get the club into the sand and under the ball.

From a firm lie remember the ball will always come out a little lower with less spin so expect more roll when the ball lands but make sure to always commit to the shot by finishing with your belt buckle facing the target.

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A big thanks and happy golfing.

Andrew