Sand Bunker
A sand bunker is a sand-filled depression in the course that, as a hazard, defends fairways and greens.
The sand bunker is the best-known form of hazard in golf. It lies as a Fairway Bunker to the side or in the middle of the line of play, or as a greenside bunker directly around the Green. The sand is deliberately not a good surface: The ball sits worse, the stance is unstable, and the club may not touch the sand before the stroke. Bunkers shape the strategic picture of a hole — they punish the line that is too short, too long or off line and reward precise planning.
From the bunker you play the classic explosion shot with the sand Wedge. An example: Your ball lies two meters in front of the bunker lip, five meters from the flag. You open the clubface, dig your feet in slightly and strike the sand about three centimeters behind the ball. The sand carries the ball softly onto the green. Details on the technique can be found in the Bunker Shot. Afterwards the etiquette matters: Rake up the marks with the rake and leave the bunker the way you would want to find it.
The most common mistake is the tense attempt to hit the ball "cleanly". With the explosion shot you never hit the ball but always the sand — anyone looking for the contact produces thin shots over the green. A second fallacy: The bunker is no reason to panic but a calculation task. Anyone who holes out from sand and green in two strokes records a Sand Save. And anyone who, from the fairway, would rather choose the bunker than the Rough behind it often plays the better Sand Par.
FAQ
May I make a practice swing in a sand bunker?
No, in the bunker you may not touch the sand with the club before the stroke — neither during the practice swing nor during the backswing or when grounding it behind the ball. Only digging in your feet and resting the club on the ground are allowed. Breaches cost penalty strokes in stroke play, so better rehearse your swing outside the bunker.
What must I do after the shot from the sand bunker?
Rake your footprints and the ball's marks smooth with the rake and leave the bunker on the flat side. Depending on the local rules, the rake lies in the bunker or at the edge — afterwards you put it back there. Good etiquette means leaving the bunker the way you would want to find it yourself.
Is it sometimes smarter to play the ball deliberately into the bunker?
Yes, that can be the right tactic: A shallow greenside bunker is often easier to play than the deep rough behind it, because out of the sand you get the ball up cleanly and soft. Professionals deliberately choose the bunker as the safe side for hard-to-reach flag positions. The prerequisite, of course, is that you master your explosion shot.