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Your Trusted Source For Golf Sand Trap Lessons For The Set Up

This is the Advanced Golf Sand Trap Setup Lesson. This lesson is designed to help you make the changes necessary so that you can hit great sand shots. You will need to make these adjustments especially if you have followed the Advanced Sand Play Grip Lesson.

The two lessons truly go hand in hand because the open stance has to be used with the open club face. They balance each other off so that the ball will fly towards your target. Follow the steps in the setup routine that follows in this lesson so that you can get that great balance and hit great sand shots.

Click Here To Review The Advanced Sand Play Grip Lesson

Golf Sand Trap Set Up Tip # 1 – Hover the Club

  • There is a rule in golf that says you can not touch the sand before you are making impact during your actual swing.
  • When you get in the sand beside your ball make sure that you hover your club above the ball. Aim the open face of your club at your target.
  • Stand with your feet together.
  • Place your feet so that the ball is lined up in between your toes.

Golf Sand Trap Set Up Tip # 2 – Feet Apart and Ball Position

  • Spread your feet so the outside edges of your feet are shoulder width apart. This will give you the balance that you need in order to make your swing. It is also a little narrower than a full swing setup, which will naturally make your swing a little steeper. You will need a steeper swing to splash your ball out of the bunker.
  • Position your feet so that your ball is lined up with your left instep. This will allow your club to enter the sand behind the ball. Your club will then slide under the ball letting the sand carry the ball softly out and onto the green.

Golf Sand Trap Set Up Tip # 3 – Open Your Stance

  • Your feet are spread shoulder width apart but they are still square (parallel) to the target line.
  • Now...take your left foot and slide it back away from the target line. This will put your feet into a open position. The line along your heels should be pointing way left of your target line.
  • The open clubface with the open stance will balance each other off so that you can hit your shot toward your target. Please see the Advanced Sand Play Open Stance Test Lesson for more information on how far you want to open your stance, in relation to how open your clubface is.

Golf Sand Trap Set Up Tip # 4 – Knee Flex and Hip Alignment

  • With your stance open stand up straight with your knees locked.
  • Pop your knees from being locked so that they have a little flex. If you were to look down with your knees bent your knees should cover the laces of your golf shoes. If you can't see you your shoes then you have bent your knees too much. If you can see the knots on your shoes then your legs are too straight.
  • Your hips should follow your knees and hips and be in the open position.

Golf Sand Trap Set Up Tip # 5 – Hips and Shoulders

  • With your knees flexed, push your butt backwards so that it feels like it is out past your heels. This will keep your back straight and create space for your arms to hang comfortably from your shoulders.
  • Your will want your shoulders to be open just like your feet, knees, and hips. It is very important that they are in the open position. It is only when they are open that we can have the proper swing path for this type of sand shot. Please see the Advanced Sand Play Swing Lesson to learn more about the proper swing path.
  • Click Here To Preview The Advanced Sand Play Swing Lesson

Golf Sand Trap Set Up Tip # 6 – The Address Position

  • Once you have your body positioned...dig your feet into the sand. You will want the sand to come up over the edges of your shoes. This will give you much better stability in the sand.
  • It also lowers your starting position. This means that since your club is attached to you it will follow wherever you go. If you stand on top of the sand then your clubs starting point will also be on top of the sand. If you dig your feet in and lower your body into the sand then your clubs starting point will be lower in the sand. This is good because you want to hit the sand first and slide your club under the ball. Digging your feet in will help accomplish that during your swing.
  • Remember to keep hovering your club throughout the entire process...or else it it a two stroke penalty.
  • Your weight should be leaning a little onto your left foot. Pre-setting your weight forward makes the swing much simpler to execute, but also helps make the swing a little naturally steeper.

Thank you for taking the Advanced Golf Sand Trap Setup Lesson. Make sure you practice this routine so that you set up properly every time. It is only with a good setup that you can be a great player from the sand.

Once you have a handle on the the grip and stance, make sure you do the Open Stance test before you move onto the swing. It will help you determine how far open you should setup for the Advanced Golf Sand Trap Shots.

Click Here To Go To The Open Stance Test Lesson

Good luck with your practicing and playing. May you reach your golf goals sooner with the help of free-golf-lessons.com.

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PGA Tour Winner Quick Lesson

Congratulations to Steve Stricker on his victory at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

I believe the commentators said he has won 9 times in his 40s. That is amazing!I also agree with Sir Nick and Johnny Miller that his swing will be copied in the future. Technology has reduced the need for hand action in the golf swing to generate power. Watch the old videos of Bobby Jones to see how much action he created compared to that of Steve Stricker.

A great objective for any player is to eliminate any unnecessary movement. Stricker does a great job of that. His hands stay very quiet on the backswing. His wrists hardly hinge at the top of his backswing. You can see from the above video that his backswing is all shoulder turn.

His downswing starts from the hips and he simply turns everything through the golf ball at the same time. His hands and wrists release naturally without any effort. This is a great way to have a consistent rhythm through the golf ball on every shot. This swing delivers enough power to win on Tour.


European Tour Winner Quick Lesson

Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen and his victory at the 2012 Africa Open.

Louis burst onto the scene with his dominating performance at the Open Championship. Many have predicted multiple wins for this player. His victory this past weekend is likely one of many to come.

In the video above pay really close attention to when the video ends. Take a look at his left foot. Notice how all his weight his on his left heel. This is a great sign that he has cleared his hips properly.

One of the key reasons for starting the downswing with your lower body is to clear your hips out of the way to create more room for your arms to swing through impact. It is a great indicator as to how well you cleared your hips, when almost all your weight is on your heel.

If your weight is leaning on you toes or even the middle of your foot then you have not rotated and cleared your hips enough through your downswing and past impact. You really want to feel the pressure of your weight on your heel like Oosthuizen.

Make sure you start your downswing with your lower body. At the top of your backswing; either pull your left knee or your left hip (right handed player) towards the target. Also make sure your hips keep rotating through impact and into your finish position with your weight on the heel.