Playing from a bunker is a skill which is useful to have in your golf game. Many pros will play to a bunker on purpose if the green is too firm to rely on stopping the ball quickly or if they are coming in with a mid to long iron.

Playing a bunker shot need not be a concern if you learn a few simple rules to getting out of the sand first time.

1; Feel with your feet. Is the sand firm or loose, generally speaking the looser the sand the more open your clubface should be.

2; Dig in. Wriggle your feet to get down on to the firmer sand underneath, this will give you a good foundation on which to build your swing

3; Choke down on the club. This allows a greater degree of control and because you dug your feet in you will be slightly nearer the ball.

4;Have an open stance. Your feet should be aligned left of the pin and your club face should be open i.e. aligned right of the pin.

5. The lower body remains fairly quiet with the majority of your weight on the front leg and the club brought up fairly steeply.

6;Accelerate through the ball. You are aiming to strike the sand a fraction behind the ball, this will create a bow wave of sand which is what actually drives the ball forward.

7; Follow through on the downswing. This is a full shot and by following through to the top you take away the chance of slowing down through impact and duffing it.

Here is a short video of how to play a bunker shot.

Playing A Bunker Shot — powered by eHow.com

When faced with this shot you must concentrate on your balance, lets face it balance is something that most golfers have a problem with any way. By bending your knees a little more and retaining the angle of your spine you should be able to get down onto the ball and keep a well formed swing moving through the ball.

As this video shows you the heels must stay put and the swing is slightly foreshortened, these two tips alone will improve your wedge shots from a sloping lie.

Remember, the wedge shots are your money shots and will respond to practice. Wedging is a feel shot and nothing can give you the feel like experience.