One my most dreaded places on the golf course - the greenside bunker.  Can you give me a visual on how to not hit the ball over the green when coming out of a trap, or plopping it about 2 feet in front of me (usually still IN the trap)?  I am in MN and have a heavier sand and often it's damp.  Is my clubface supposed to be wide-open?  Am I trying to scoop under the ball or descend down behind it?  Golf season is just about starting here!

Chipshot, thank for the question!

Almost every golfer, no matter what the ability, has had some trouble from greenside bunkers, but it can be an easy shot. All we have to do is make sure that have the proper technique for hitting a greenside bunker shot and the best drill in the world for the right mental picture and feel.

First, we need to make sure our set up is good enough to execute the routine greenside bunker shot. Always have a clear picture of the target line you desire and where you would like to land the ball, for right now we just need to concentrate on just getting the ball out consistently.

When you begin to address the ball in the sand always open the club face up before you set up to the ball. Too many times I see players set up with a square face to the ball then begin to roll the hands to the right to make the club appear open. Not so, once they swing back through more times then not it will begin to close and produce a very fat shot. So, let#%92s be sure we grip the club with club face open before we address the ball.

Next, I want you to make sure that your stance is open to the desired target line. We want to have an open stance to help swing the club with our feet line. It will feel slightly steeper to the outside and will produce a glancing blow to the sand with the club face open to help lift the ball airborne. You should have a mental picture of two lines in the sand now (you can actually draw them in the sand) one for the target line of the ball and one line for your feet slightly open. Now you#%92re set!

The club face open and hands set slightly behind the ball, good target line to pin and stance open well to the left. All we have to do now is incorporate the best bunker drill ever. So tune in next week and,,, I am kidding!

Step into the bunker at the practice range and lay a single dollar bill on the sand. Next, place a practice ball right on Washington#%92s face.

Now, we want to set up properly to the ball again like I talked about. Make sure your ball position is slightly forward and your feet just left of your target line, giving you an open stance. Again, always grip the club with the face open, never set up square and roll the hands and arms to the right to get the open face effect. We are good to go for dollar bills!

The next step is the fun part, because I want you to try and hit that dollar bill right out from under that ball. I want your full concentration on making sure you can thump old George out from under that shag ball. If you have done this correctly, the ball will jump up and out of the bunker on to the green. If you don#%92t get it the first time, keep at it. Be sure to swing along the path that your feet have set, which is slightly open. You will feel like the club is moving out and across, and that is what we want. You will eventually get it and remove the dollar and have the feel and mechanics to be a wonderful bunker player.

Let me know how it goes and if you have any more questions we will be here!~

Thanks so much for the great tips and great visual, too.  I know already two big errors I was making - not having an open stance and keeping my hands behind the ball-I really appreciated the visual of the club sort of sliding across the ball (following the open stance).  Our course isn't open yet, but as soon as it does I'll be trying out the dollar bill drill.

One more question...I carry a sand wedge (55 degree) but also have a 60 degree...when close to the green which one should I use, or does it matter?

You#%92re very welcome; I really know that dollar bill drill will work if you use the proper set up position and technique during the exercise.

For your second question, I really think its preference and the type of shot. I carry a 54 and a 60 and use them around the green as well as for short pitches. It#%92s really dependent upon the circumstances, so maybe give me some actual situations and I can give you a clear answer.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I came back to re-read the tips because I had some delay in playing after reading them (darn MN weather!)!  We don't have a practice sand trap where I play, but I've had the great misfortune to be in the bunker a few times this season.  My execution has been marginal at best - a couple flubs about 3 ft in front of me, but moreso, I've been blasting them over the green (I've had a couple good results, too, but couldn't tell you what I did different from the bad shots!).  I remembered to keep an open stance/open club face, and visualized the swing path and golf ball path, but I wonder if I just look up and not concentrate on hitting behind the ball a bit which causes me to pick it clean?  I try to watch other people I'm golfing with, but I just can't seem to get it all to come together.

Maybe it's just mental?

Chipshot, you really need to find a decent practice bunker to work on the drill and set up over and over; so you can gain some habit with your set up and feel and how much sand to take for different shots. 

Since you have seen some positive results I would imagine that your set up position is improving and that#%92s fantastic!

Get some big time repetition with the Dollar Bill drill and keep going with the improved stance in the bunker. It feels like a mental block because the fundamental side is not there yet. The more practice you have with it, the better you will feel eliminating the mental block you feel.

Just keep working on it and if the practice of the drill and set-up fail then come on back and we try a different approach. I know you will be great!

One follow up question on sand play - right now it seems like most of our bunkers have compacted wet sand in them, and probably clay underneath - it's like walking on a gravel road.  I set up the same as I have been - hands behind the ball - open stance, open club face - visualizing hitting behind the ball, but I skulled it and didn't much of any sand.  Should I be doing something different when it doesn't seem like there's much loose sand under the ball?

I'm far from an expert, but here is my 2¢:  if I can't dig my feet into a bunker I never try the wide-open wedge shot from a bunker because (1) depending on the amount of bounce on your wedge sole, the leading edge of the club will be above the ground, and (2) even if your wedge has very little bounce on the sole, the club itself is likely to physically bounce if you try to impact the sand behind the ball ... either of those conditions can cause a thin shot (and I have taken many strokes proving that theory) ...

So, depending on the conditions (amount of green available, depth of bunker, etc.) I usually do one of two things:  (a) reposition the shot and the club face so that the leading edge will tend to "bite" into the sand slightly so that I can aim about 1"-2" behind the ball and still take a fairly big swing without worrying about the ball sailing over the green, or (b) I play the ball back in my stance and try to hit a clean punch with my most lofty wedge (in my case, 60°) ... I'm pretty sure that most teachers would cringe at the latter suggestion, but I play little punch shots with my wedges all the time so I'm comfortable with that sort of shot and it works very well out of wet bunkers if the lip isn't too high ... and even my first suggestion probably isn't textbook, but is very effective at getting the ball out safely ... I think the main key is to find a method that will permit you to take a swing where you can have confidence in the shot so you will continue the clubhead through the shot ...

My last suggestion for hard-packed bunkers, wet or otherwise ... if possible, putt the ball ... I've done that many times with very good results ...

Mostly, you have to get out there and hit a bunch of shots out bunkers and see what works well for you ... I know that's sometimes tough ... for example, there isn't anyplace near my home in central Missouri with a public bunker practice area, so when I want to practice (usually in the spring) I just go out and play 18 by myself and during the round I stop and hit 2 or 3 shots out of 3 or 4 bunkers just to regain by "feel" ... it helps a lot ...

Good luck!

Thanks for the 2 cents - you're worth every penny! (all two of them)

It's the higher lips of the bunkers that have been causing me the most trouble - and some of them aren't the most manicured, so they have an over hang on them that won't ever produce a positive bounce if you hit into them (or to try to putt it out)...I've contemplated hitting down on the ball like a punch shot, and I suppose if I used my 60 degree I'd get some pop, but I think I'm afraid I won't be able to get it up fast enough.  Hopefully we'll get some new sand soon so it won't feel like hitting off the cart path.