The top players make this part of the game look easy and bunkers sometimes do not even appear to be hazards at all. Remember that the sand wedge is designed for the purpose and a bunker shot is the only time you will get away with a slight miss hit.

1. When you set up to the ball with the sand wedge, imagine that the flag stick is at 12 o'clock on a clock face. Open up the clubface before you grip so that it points at one o'clock and then aim your feet, knees, hips and shoulders all left of target at 11 0'clock.

2 Place 60 per cent of your weight on the left leg, position the ball directly opposite the front heel and keep the grip end of the club pointing at the zip on your trousers so that the hands are just a fraction behind the ball.

3. Keeping the weight on the front leg, shuffle your feet into the sand and maintain a little extra flex in the knees, swing the club back, predominantly with the hands and arms along the line of the body to approximately shoulder height.

The combination of the body alignment at address, a forward ball position and a hands and arm swing will create a steeper swing that allows the club to strike the sand before the ball and explode the ball onto the green.

The key is to make the adjustments at address and trust a positive swing both back and through, allowing the club to do the work and the angle of attack to strike the sand before the ball.