Golf Travel 
Leaderboards 
Become a Member 
Shop 
Trade In quick coaching
How to Get Out of Deep Bunkers: 5 Keys for Success
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
Deep bunkers are one of the most intimidating shots in golf.
The walls can be steep, the stance can be awkward and the view from the bottom can make the hole feel a long way away. For everyday golfers, especially those used to shallower parkland-style bunkers, a deep bunker can feel like a penalty before the swing even starts.
But the play does not have to be complicated. The first key is understanding that the goal is not always to hit a great shot. Sometimes the goal is simply to hit the right shot.
That is an important distinction. Deep bunkers demand patience, smart decision-making and a technique that helps the club slide through the sand with enough loft to get the ball up quickly. If you can combine those pieces, you can turn a scary situation into a manageable one.
Start With the Smartest Exit
Before you think about technique, take a hard look at your options. In a deep bunker, the most direct line to the hole is not always the best line out of the sand. The lip may be too high. The ball may be sitting down. Your stance may not allow a full enough swing.
This is where everyday golfers can save shots by being honest.
Ask yourself:
- Can I realistically clear the lip?
- Is there enough green to work with?
- Is the ball sitting cleanly or buried?
- Do I have room to make a committed swing?
- Is sideways or backward the smarter play?
There is no shame in taking your medicine. In links golf, some bunkers are designed to make you think. A sideways shot that gets the ball back into play is often far better than leaving it in the bunker or blasting it into more trouble.
Use Loft and Let the Club Work
Deep bunkers require loft. For most players, that means using the most lofted wedge in the bag, usually a sand wedge or lob wedge. The mistake is trying to help the ball up with the hands. When golfers try to scoop the ball, the club often hits too far behind it, skips into the ball or gets stuck in the sand.
Instead, set the club up to do the work.
Try this setup:
- Open the clubface before you take your grip.
- Play the ball slightly forward of center.
- Set your weight a little more on your lead side.
- Widen your stance for balance.
- Dig your feet into the sand for stability.
Opening the face adds loft and bounce. Bounce is your friend in the bunker because it helps the club glide through the sand instead of digging too much. The goal is not to pick the ball clean. The goal is to move a pocket of sand under the ball and let that sand lift the ball out.
Make a Committed Swing
Most deep bunker mistakes come from fear. Golfers see the high lip, get nervous and slow down through impact. That rarely works. In a deep bunker, you need speed. Not reckless speed, but committed speed.
Think of the swing as a full motion with a soft landing. The club should accelerate through the sand and finish high enough to match the height you are trying to create. If the finish is short and tight, the ball often comes out low or stays in the bunker.
A good feel is:
Big swing, soft hands, full finish.
That may sound strange to players who are worried about blasting the ball over the green, but remember, the sand absorbs much of the energy. You are not hitting the ball directly. You are using the club to splash the sand and carry the ball out.
Control the Entry Point
In a standard greenside bunker shot, a good goal is to enter the sand about one to two inches behind the ball. In a deep bunker, that concept still applies, but the commitment level matters even more. If you enter too far behind the ball, the club loses energy and the ball may not climb. If you enter too close to the ball, you risk catching it thin and sending it into the lip or over the green.
Here is a simple checkpoint:
- Draw a line in the sand about two inches behind the ball.
- Make practice swings brushing that line.
- Step in and recreate the same entry point.
- Finish the swing without trying to lift the ball.
This drill helps train the low point of the swing. Deep bunker shots are not about perfect hand action. They are about predictable sand contact.
Adjust for the Lie
Not every bunker lie is the same. Links bunkers can produce clean lies, heavy lies, fried-egg lies and awkward stances against slopes. Your decision should change based on what the ball gives you.
If the ball is sitting cleanly, you can use the standard open-face splash shot. Add loft, use bounce and make a committed swing.
If the ball is sitting down or buried, you may need less face rotation and a steeper entry. In that case, square the face a little more, put a touch more weight forward and make a firmer, more direct swing into the sand. The ball will usually come out lower and run more, so plan for that.
If your stance is awkward, stability becomes the priority. Widen your base, dig in and make the biggest balanced swing you can make. You do not need perfect form from a bad stance. You need solid contact with enough speed to escape.
Deep bunker play is part technique and part discipline. The technique is built around loft, bounce, a stable setup and a committed swing. The discipline comes from choosing the smartest exit and accepting that sometimes the best shot is simply getting the ball back into play.
Use this simple formula:
Choose the right exit. Open the face. Use the bounce. Swing with commitment. Finish the motion.
Links golf will test your patience. Deep bunkers are a major part of that test. But when you stop fearing the lip and start focusing on smart choices and committed swings, these shots become much more manageable.
You may not love being in a deep bunker, but you can absolutely learn to handle it.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. Read his recent “The Starter” on R.org and his stories on Athlon Sports. To stay updated on his latest work, sign up for his newsletter and visit OneMoreRollGolf.com.
