Leaving It in the Bunker
The club digs too deep into the sand and the ball barely comes out, or stays in the bunker entirely.
Why it happens
This happens when the club enters the sand too far behind the ball or digs too deep, absorbing all its energy in the sand before ever reaching the ball.
Possible causes in your swing, and how to fix each one
Tap any cause to see its fix. Work through them one at a time, usually one or two are the real culprit.
1Hitting too far behind the ball
Taking too much sand before the ball soaks up the swing's speed.
2Decelerating through impact
Fear of the shot often leads to an incomplete, decelerating swing that doesn't have enough speed to move through the sand.
3Clubface too closed
4Weight favoring the right foot
This steepens the swing and drives the club too deep into the sand.
When to stop self-diagnosing
If you've genuinely worked through two or three of these causes over several range sessions and the miss keeps showing up, that's not a failure since it usually means the real cause is something you can't feel or see in your own swing. A single 30-minute lesson with a certified instructor, who can watch you hit balls, will find it faster than any website. Bring this page along and tell them what you've already ruled out; it'll save you both time.