Fall 2026

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT B Y L A I RD SMA L L Bunker Play: Why the Sand Isn’t Your Enemy here’s a persistent myth in golf that refuses to die: The bunker is a trap. The very name suggests punishment, a place where good scores go to unravel. But watch the best players in the world and you’ll see a very different story. For them, a greenside bunker shot is not only manageable—it’s often preferable to a delicate pitch over the same hazard. The difference lies not in talent alone, but in understanding the true objective of a bunker shot and developing a consistent divot in the sand. This is where most amateurs struggle—entry point varies, strike depth changes, and results are unpredictable with thin shots sailing over the green or heavy strikes never escaping the bunker. Unlike shots from grass where we strike the ball first, greenside bunker play is the only shot in golf where we don’t…we strike the sand first. Ideally, the divot begins behind the ball some- where between two and five inches, travels underneath it, and exits just beyond—roughly the length of a dollar bill. When the ball sits centered within that “dollar bill” of sand consistently, you have a reliable formula that works across virtually any sand condition—and it’s “money!” Green side bunkers are a specialty shot which requires a different approach, and setup plays the most crucial role. Position the ball in the middle to slightly forward in your stance. Favor your lead side through the entire swing—about 60 to 80 percent of your pressure—and feel as though your sternum is pointing at, or even slightly ahead of, the ball. Your shoulders should feel level, maybe even noticing that your nose is directly over the ball. Many players shift weight forward but allow the shoulders to tilt back, creating too much tilt or side bending away from the target which leads to inconsistency in where the club enters the sand. The clubface should be slightly open or pointing to the right of your intended target line. This can feel counterintuitive and scares most players who feel the ball will shoot right; but as you are hitting the sand, the ball will go where the sand goes—not where the club face is looking. To practice, draw two parallel lines in the sand about a foot apart, per- pendicular to your stance.Your goal is to enter the sand at the first line and exit at the second without a ball. This trains your awareness of where the club interacts with the sand. Once you can consistently con- trol that entry and exit, place a ball centered between the lines and repeat the motion. Sand dramatically slows the club through impact, so the motion must be positive and assertive. A firmer grip—particularly in the last three fin- gers of the lead hand and the middle fingers of the trail hand— helps stabilize the club as it moves through the resistance of the sand. In terms of motion, think in terms of your arms rather than the club. A minimum swing of 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock ensures enough energy to carry the sand—and the ball—out of the bunker. Your objec- tive should be to throw some sand onto the putting surface. One might feel they need to swing as though they would hit two thirds more to carry the ball one third. The ultimate focus is simple: move sand. If you can consistently dis- place the correct amount of sand in the right place, the ball will respond accordingly. Master that, and the bunker transforms from a source of anxiety into an opportunity. The next time you find yourself in the sand, remember—you’re not trapped. Golf is a game we play for a lifetime—be a lifelong learner. Laird Small recently retired from a nearly half-century career as a golf professional. Most well known for his 19 years of leadership of the Pebble Beach Golf Academy, Small is a PGA Master Professional, one of GOLF Magazine’s top 100 teachers in America and was 2003 National PGA Teacher of the Year. The difference lies not in talent alone, but in understanding the true objective of a bunker shot and developing a consistent divot in the sand. T 110 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 6