10 golf books you need to read

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A good golfing read is like nothing else. Regardless of your experience or level of interest in the game, some truly brilliant golf books are out there to scratch your itch.

In this article, we’ve put together something for everyone—from the more technical and mental elements of the game to the captivating storytellers and tours of great courses that whet your appetite no end.

Golf is blessed with some incredible writers and teachers to help us play better and enjoy it more, so what better way to spend a day off than settling down and getting lost in a good golf book?

 

10 golf books you need to read

golf books

 

1. Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

For many of us, if given the choice of watching one golfer from the past, it would be Ben Hogan. Elements of his swing are still talked about and mimicked today, and his ball-striking was sensationally good.

His most famous book, co-written with Herbert Warren Wind, focuses on breaking down the golf swing into its main fundamentals: grip, stance, posture, and the swing itself.

Interestingly, Hogan was not right-handed. In the book, he writes: “I was born left-handed—that was the normal way for me to do things. I started golf as a left-hander because the first club I ever came into possession of, an old 5-iron, was a left-handed stick.”

A must-read for any golfer, Five Lessons was initially released in 1957 as a five-part series in Sports Illustrated magazine.

 

2. Harvey Penick’s Little Red Golf Book

Penick’s brilliant collection of insights and anecdotes is the biggest-selling golf book of all time.

Co-written with Bud Shrake, part of the beauty is the ease of how the stories are told, as well as how easy it is to dip in and out of as a reader. If you’re looking for genuine nuggets to help with your swing or mind game, you’ll find them here.

Penick’s coaching CV backs all this up, too—he coached Hall of Fame members Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Mickey Wright, Betsy Rawls, and Kathy Whitworth. Ben Crenshaw went on to win the Masters in 1995, just days after being a pallbearer at Penick’s funeral. 

 

3. Golf is Not a Game of Perfect – Dr Bob Rotella

You’re missing a trick if you haven’t read any of Dr Bob Rotella’s work. There are many titles to choose from covering multiple aspects of the game, but this one will certainly help your mental game.

Rotella’s genius shines right through in his golf books. His conversational nature as he guides you through a series of mental shortcomings that all of us, even those at the top, share is somewhat comforting.

He’s worked with the likes of Nick Price, Tom Kite, and Davis Love III, and he famously even helped Padraig Harrington to his first Major title at Carnoustie in 2007. 

“There is nothing that Bob Rotella would tell me that I don’t already know, but he’s reminding me and encouraging me, and keeping me going down the line right lines.”

 

4. The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever – Mark Frost

Mark Frost was the co-creator of the TV series Twin Peaks, but in the golfing world, he’s best known for writing some of the very best golf books in the game.

The Greatest Game Ever Played tells the remarkable story of amateur Francis Ouimet’s stunning US Open win at Brookline in 1913, while The Match features how Ouimet’s 10-year-old caddy, Eddie Lowery, made a bet that two of his employees, Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi, could beat any two golfers of fellow millionaire George Coleman’s choice.

Coleman would show up to Cypress Point with none other than Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. Frost is maybe the most remarkable storyteller in golf, and this is an absolute must-read for any golf lover.

 

5. Journey Through The Links – David Worley

The links courses of Britain and Ireland represent the greatest collection of courses anywhere on the planet. Other parts of the globe have their huge merits, but the links that play home to The Open, and the hundreds of others, are the envy of every golfer.

Author David Worley spent 10 years putting this book together, looking at 155 of the greatest links on these shores. There are more than 500 photos to pore over, and a brilliant taster of these fast-running, windswept courses.

This book is both something for the coffee table and also a guide for your next golf trip to the seaside. What’s more—there’s a foreword from five-time Open champion Peter Thomson.

 

6. To the Linksland: A Golfing Adventure – Michael Bamberger

Michael Bamberger remains one of the most respected golf writers, and in 1991, he did what many of us would love to do—step away from the day job to explore the ‘wider world’ of golf.

The first part of this exploration involved caddying on the then-European Tour, where he would carry the bag of Peter Teravainen and rub shoulders with many European greats, including Seve Ballesteros.

From there, Bamberger headed to Scotland and visited the likes of the Old Course, Cruden Bay, Prestwick and Royal Dornoch. He would also meet Crieff GC teaching pro John Stark, who would feed his golfing soul with some of the game’s supposed ‘secrets’.

One particular highlight of this book is the account of a trip to Machrihanish—a place any golfer should visit at least once in their life. Bamberger writes beautifully, and he’s picked the perfect topics to show us in this one.

 

7. Every Shot Counts – Mark Broadie

Or, to give it its full title – Every Shot Counts: Using the Revolutionary Strokes Gained Approach to Improve Your Golf Performance and Strategy.

Needless to say, this one is for the stats fans, and given how the game (at least at the elite level) is now so stats-led, this book was way ahead of its time when first published in 2014.

Mark Broadie is a Columbia Business School professor, who led the PGA Tour in developing its strokes gained putting stat. Broadie had access to the Tour’s ShotLink data and used it to develop the metric.

Regarding strokes gained, the PGA Tour states: “Strokes gained is a better method for measuring performance because it compares a player’s performance to the rest of the field and because it can isolate individual aspects of the game.”

So, thanks to this, a player can now compare themselves in every aspect, and the measurements are exhaustive, to know where their game sits.

 

8. 3 Releases: The Short Game System – Dan Grieve

If you don’t follow Dan Grieve on Instagram, you’re missing out. Grieve is the head pro at Woburn and one of the best short-game coaches in the world.

In this brilliant book, he breaks the short game down into just three shots: the chip and run, a soft-landing spin shot, and the lob shot—presenting clear and simple directions on how to implement them into your game.

There are also instructions for your bunker and pitching in the form of photographs of swing sequences and practice drills. So many amateurs have little understanding of the short game, and this book really helps to de-mystify what goes on around the greens.

Grieve has also helped several leading tour pros, including Charley Hull and Georgia Hall.

 

9. Every Shot Must Have a Purpose – Pia Nilsson, Lynn Marriott & Ron Sirak

Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott are two of golf’s leading coaches, and although Every Shot Must Have a Purpose was written almost 20 years ago, it’s still one of the most thought-provoking golf books out there.

Nilsson and Marriott help piece together the physical, technical, mental, emotional and social parts of a player’s golf game to help produce swings that can be repeated under pressure. This isn’t a book that runs through the usual grip, stance, takeaway, and follow-through drills—instead, it’s a book to help implement a clearer vision of what you want to do with a shot and to then repeat it time after time.

Co-founders of Vision54—a score they believe is possible—this coaching duo have worked with a range of notable golfers, including Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen.

 

10. Caddy For Life – John Feinstein

Any self-respecting list of golf books would have to include at least something by John Feinstein. He’s one of sport’s greatest storytellers, and Caddy For Life is as moving as it is brilliant.

Bruce Edwards spent most of his caddying career on the bag of Tom Watson, and together, they would form a brilliant partnership that would dominate the game. But it’s their amazing friendship that shines through in this book, and how Edwards deals with his diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease, which attacks nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Edwards sadly passed away in 2004 aged just 49, and Feinstein provides the perfect eulogy with this truly beautiful book.

What are the perks of winning the Masters?

Posted by & filed under Masters.

The article below was written by Steve Carroll of National Club Golfer.

Yes, you get a Green Jacket, but there are a whole host of other benefits that come with winning the year’s first major. We outline some of them.

Winning a major championship is incredible enough, but when it’s the Masters there are so many bonuses that just elevate the winner’s achievement into the stratosphere. From donning the famous Green Jacket, to being able to come back to Augusta National for the rest of your life, the perks of winning the Masters are simply incredible.

Let’s look at what comes with winning the first major of the year at the glorious Georgia course…

 

Perks of winning the Masters

The green jacket – and you can keep it for a year

Bobby Jones had many good ideas – Augusta National itself being one of his finest – but he drew on inspiration for the Green Jacket.

The now famous ‘coat’ was said to be born from the red hunting jackets that club captains wore at Royal Liverpool, and which he saw on a visit to Hoylake.

Another theory is that the members wore them so they could be easily identified as members, and the first handed out to a Masters champion was Sam Snead in 1949.

The colour is Pantone 342 and they are made by Hamilton Tailoring Co, in Cincinnati. For the first 12 months after winning, winners can take the jacket away from Augusta National. After that, it must remain on the property and worn when visiting the club.

Jon Rahm revealed some of the strict rules that govern the wearing of the green jacket – and that players must agree to by signing a document!

These include: no jeans, no short, no public appearances without the club knowing, and no alcohol while wearing the jacket.

 

Perks of winning the Masters: It’s quite the trophy…

Some trophies are absolute monstrosities. Some look like they’ve come out of a quick trip to a bargain basement outlet. Not this one. This is one of the fabulous perks of winning the Masters.

The Masters Trophy, which depicts the famous clubhouse, was first awarded in 1961 and is forged out of 900 separate pieces of silver, according to the Masters website.

The original trophy stays at Augusta National, but winners get a sterling replica of it which they can keep.

 

What’s this – a gold medal too?

It’s a bit grander than you might receive for winning a club competition. Measuring 3.4 inches in diameter and weighing a pound, this gold medallion shows the Founders Circle which is in front of the Augusta National clubhouse.

There is also a silver medallion for the runner up, which is the same size as the gold medal, but is silver and weighs slightly less.

 

The prize money isn’t bad, either

Jon Rahm picked up £3.24 million in a record year of prize money in 2023, which saw a total purse of $18 million. That was up from $15 million in 2022 and $11.5 million on 2021.

 

Perks of winning the Masters: You get a lifetime exemption

If one visit to Augusta National’s perfect fairways and greens is enough to captivate, imagine being able to return every single year. Masters champions have a lifetime exemption to play in the tournament if they wish. There is no age barrier to entry. The players, themselves, can decide if they’ve had enough.

 

Don’t forget the Champions Dinner

One of the highlights of Masters week, winners gather on the Tuesday of the tournament to swap stories and reminisce at the Masters Champions Dinner.

It was Ben Hogan who started the annual tradition in 1952, when he invited the 11 surviving winners to dine with him. It’s more formally known as the Masters Club, and the winners are joined by the current Masters chair.

The defending champion selects the menu and former winners often fly in just to attend and take advantage of what has become one of the game’s most cherished evenings. Truly one of the great perks of winning the Masters.

 

Access to the Champions Locker Room

A very exclusive place for a very exclusive group. Found on the second floor of the Augusta National clubhouse, with a veranda looking out over Founders Circle and Magnolia Lane, the Champions Locker Room is a secluded spot to gather the thoughts during another Masters run.

Each locker has a plaque engraved with the champion’s name and the dates they were victorious. The list of champions through the decades can often see a current competitor doubling up with a true legend of the game.

 

You are locked in to the other majors

Winning the Masters brings exemptions into the PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open.

Not only can you play the Masters every year, but you’ll get five years of qualification free starts into the other big three events too, as well as a half-decade exemption on the PGA Tour.

How many of these Rules of Golf changes do you still use in your game?

Posted by & filed under Debates.

The article below was written by Steve Carroll of National Club Golfer.

It’s been five years since the introduction of the biggest alterations to the laws of the game for a generation. Some of what was revealed was huge, but how many of them are now routine when you go out for a round?

It’s hard to believe it’s five years since the Rules of Golf were completely turned on their head. 2019 brought some of the biggest changes to the game since 1984 and staples of the laws, such as how you dropped a ball, were changed forever.

There was a huge song and dance in some quarters. Remember Haotong Li and his caddie? Or Rickie Fowler’s gesture after forgetting to go from knee high?

But how many of them have remained a big deal? These few Rules of Golf changes outlined below were enormous at the time. But have you just got used to them now? Do you bother with some of them at all? Let’s take a look…

 

Rules of Golf changes: Have you got used to these four big alterations?

Leaving the flagstick in the hole

Covid gave us no choice for a while, your course manager was worried the hole was going to get mangled, Bryson DeChambeau had it all worked out to the last scientific detail. Rule 13.2a (1), which allowed players to leave the flagstick in the hole, came with a whole lot of noise.

The flagstick was going in and out like the hokey-cokey. Groups were trying to work out who wanted to do what and then trying to remember to repeat the trick on every hole. It was a bit of a merry-go-round.

But it’s all settled down now, hasn’t it? If you’re a distance from the hole, the flag stays in. The closer you get, the more likely it is that it will come out. And because you can use Ready Golf in stroke play, if someone likes the flagstick to remain planted (that would be me) they can just fit in conveniently around everyone else. It’s become easy.

 

Tapping down marks on the line of your putt

A very big no-no before 2019, Rule 13.1c (2) basically gave you carte-blanche to repair almost any damage you encountered on the putting green.

Chief among the list were ball marks, shoe damage – read spike marks – and “scrapes or indentations caused by equipment or a flagstick”.

Some had visions of golfers unable to snap out of an obsession with fixing any little imperfection they found on a green before finally settling down to putt – even though you could still be penalised for unreasonably delaying play.

What did we do at club level with this new-found freedom? Well, in my experience, not a lot. You might find a player fixing the odd dent but I’ve yet to see anyone in a medal get out their magnifying glass to mend anything that might hinder their ball’s path to the hole.

You do see it a bit more on tour, but it’s still cursory and quick. If you’re looking for the root cause of slow play in the professional game, you won’t find it here.

 

Grounding your club in a penalty area

I was so used to keeping my club suspended in the air when mired in a penalty area, as you would with a bunker shot, the idea of suddenly being able to ground that club felt a bit odd.

Among all the other big changes, this one passed a few of us by and I’d heard of a couple of altercations in the first few months after they were introduced as players were confused about which rules applied.

It’s found in Rule 17.1b. In one sentence which says, when talking about playing the ball as it lies, that you may do so “under the same Rules that apply to a ball in the general area.”

Probably not much help if your ball is nestling in the bottom of a stream but if it’s held on the bank, but still within the stakes, being able to ground your club can make a big difference to the chance of successful recovery.

It may have taken us a while to get to grips with it. But it’s turned out to be a hugely positive change.

 

Three minutes to search for a golf ball?

Could you ever find a ball in just three minutes? It had been hard enough to get plenty of players to cease and desist after the clock timer had hit five.

Pace of play was one of the reasons cited for reducing the amount of time you could spend searching for a ball in the 2019 rules and, anecdotally at least, this one might be hitting the mark.

With five minutes to hunt, I’d have hardly ever pulled up the drawbridge on a search after 90 seconds or so. Now both in my own game and when refereeing, I’ve seen players far more ready to give up the ghost quicker if their ball is nowhere to be found.

Has this actually sped up the game? Undoubtedly. Could we still do with more than three minutes in certain circumstances? If you’ve ever approached a ball planted in a thicket of heather, you might put up your hands in prayer and ask for more. 180 seconds always seems like precious little time in such circumstances.  

The dos and don’ts of buying and selling golf equipment

Posted by & filed under Interviews.

Whether we’re looking to add to our armoury or offload some of our old and no longer-needed gear, buying and selling golf equipment is something we all do.

In this article, we’ll look at what to look out for when getting involved in the second-hand market—whether that be buying or selling golf equipment.

 

The dos and don’ts of buying and selling golf equipment

Paul Snowden has been running Eagle Golf in Leeds since 1980. Here, they’ve always been in the business of re-selling used clubs alongside new ones—providing a brilliant opportunity to get your hands on some quality equipment at far more affordable prices.

We quizzed Paul on what things to be aware of when either looking to offload some old gear or, indeed, buying second-hand.

 

What should you be aware of when buying from a private seller?

selling golf equipment

When it comes to golf clubs especially, look for things like bent shafts, and inspect them from a 90˚ angle both ways, checking for dents. Sometimes, there may also be a bend in the hosel, as clubs can be knocked about at the range.

Also, look out for shafts that might have been replaced, and that might not match your set. Many clubs will have been fitted for the previous owner, so check how they have been put together and ensure they work for you.

Rust spots don’t tend to affect anything from a performance point of view—that’s more cosmetic.

 

What won’t you buy in?

Pretty much anything that we can re-sell, we will buy in.

There won’t be much interest in odd irons or cheap package deals as they’re mostly alloy metals, so we wouldn’t buy them. We also have to be wary of fakes. For example, the Scotty Cameron putters are worth a lot, so people often make copies.

However, there are fewer fakes about than there used to be. The more recent models have a serial number on the shaft, near the grip—which helps you identify genuine ones.

A lot of fakes can still be quite difficult to spot, though. I had someone in the shop a couple of years ago who had bought a set of clubs abroad for his wife. They weren’t expensive but certainly weren’t cheap either, and when you swung them, a couple of the irons were ridiculously heavy—so we could tell they were fakes.

Sometimes, the difference between a genuine club and a fake can be very subtle.

 

What are the benefits of buying golf gear from an established business?

selling golf equipment

You’re always taking a chance if you’re buying equipment from an individual. But if you’re buying from an established retailer, they’ll have vetted everything closely.

With us, you have to buy the product before taking it away, but you get a 14-day exchange period, so if you don’t like it, you can exchange it.

We’ll also advise you and fit you for second-hand clubs so you can save quite a bit of money on a new set. Technology moves on but in reality, a lot of equipment that was produced 5-10 years ago will have very little difference to what’s being produced today. One thing that has changed, though, is lofts, which have got stronger.

My biggest piece of advice if you’re buying second-hand clubs is to do so from somewhere you can actually try them out. 

 

What types of savings might we expect from buying second-hand gear?

selling golf equipment

If you’re looking at a previous driver model, you’re probably looking at savings between £100-150 for a club in good condition. So, you’ll still be getting a premium driver from a couple of years ago but for around half the price.

A fairway wood, for example, that was made 10 years ago will still perform well today, too. However, beware of buying at the end of a selling cycle for top-end clubs, as there are often even further price reductions of around 20-30% at the end to make way for new models.

The TaylorMade driver cycle is usually 12 months, while Ping is around 18-24 months.

 

How does part exchange work when buying and selling golf equipment?

This varies. What we do is work out what we can sell a club for depending on its condition. If a driver is worth £300 in the shop, we might give you £300 if you were spending £700 on top. If you were spending £300 in the shop, we might give you £200-225. Customers can spend any money they get from clubs on whatever they like with us.

 

Are more people buying second-hand now?

selling golf equipment

I’d say we probably sell more second-hand clubs than brand-new ones. The price of irons has changed significantly in the last couple of years, and they’ve become very expensive.

Currently, it’s probably about 75-25% in favour of second-hand purchases, but that’s our business model. People often think that buying second-hand gear just means taking a club away, and that’s it—but we can provide proper feedback on how a club is performing for them. We can measure the clubhead speed and do a static club fitting with irons to determine what lie and shaft length customers need.

 

Are second-hand clubs more suitable for beginners and high handicappers?

selling golf equipment

You could go to a great fitting centre and, of course, that’s the best way to do it if you have the money, but you can also get lucky and find a set of second-hand clubs that are suited to you (or are even better) elsewhere.

Every club has different characteristics, but if you’re just starting out, it’s a good idea to buy some top branded ones—a set of irons from 10 years ago might cost £100-150, and you know that the quality will still be there. 

For more, visit www.eaglegolfleeds.co.uk

10 reasons to keep playing golf in winter

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All of us should probably play more golf in winter. It’s far too easy to over-eat and under-exercise during the winter months, but you’ll certainly reap the benefits if you make yourself play more.

We say this year after year, but it rarely happens—however, be sure to make this winter your busiest golfing one yet.

Here are 10 reasons to keep playing golf in winter.

 

1. Extend your season

golf in winter

If you live in the UK, you’ll be considerably shortening your season by putting the clubs away over the chillier months. Pick the right day and wear the right clothes, and it doesn’t have to be the miserable experience that some often predict.

If your course is open to start with, that’s generally a sign that you should be out there having a laugh, racking up a few pars and making the most of the game. 

 

2. It’s the perfect form of exercise

golf in winter

You’ll appreciate this after even just a couple of holes. The blood will be pumping, and you’ll be so pleased with yourself that you’re no longer stuck to the settee.

Many of us spend large chunks of our weeks sitting in offices, in front of laptops or glued to our phones, but golf is the perfect stimulus to declutter your brain and forget about all of that.

You don’t need to check your emails every five minutes—they’ll still be there when you’ve tidied things up on the 18th after a five-mile walk in the great outdoors.

 

3. Play whatever you want

golf in winter

Golf doesn’t always have to mean 18 holes. During winter, courses are unlikely to be packed, so you can get out there, play your favourite loop of holes and call it a day.

Clubs will often put on shorter competitions and introduce fun formats at this time of year, which makes a welcome change from banging your head against the medal brick wall. There’ll be team competitions, perhaps a chance to meet some new faces, or even to try and rattle up 80+ points in a two-from-four better ball (and then discover that you’ve still come up 10 points short!)

 

4. Lighten the load

golf in winter

Winter golf is a great opportunity to use a half set and familiarise yourself with what’s in your bag.

Go with your even-numbered irons one week and then the odds the next. You’ll soon start seeing your home course through a different set of eyes, and you’ll need a bit of creativity and strategy to tackle certain holes.

You could even leave the driver at home and hit some different clubs into some greens. Hit chips with different clubs, take two extra clubs on the par 3s and learn a bit more about your game. Also, it’s a lot easier to carry a bag with seven clubs rather than 14, and it will speed up your decision-making, too.

 

5. Winter golf is flattering

golf in winter

You might not be getting any run, and it might only be a few degrees in temperature, but the course will be set up shorter and still be very playable.

Be sure to pack your pitchmark repairer, though, as the ball will generally stick wherever you’ve put it.

Hit a great shot, and you’ll get a great reward. Get the right conditions and you can shoot some very tidy scores playing golf in winter, with balls staying on fairways, the odd bunker being out of commission and preferred lies in operation. Fill your boots!

 

6. Golf in winter is cheaper

golf in winter

You don’t have to try too hard to find a great deal at this time of year and play a great course at a fraction of the summer green fee.

If your local course doesn’t cope too well in the winter months, you could do much worse than heading to the coast and treating yourself to a day on the links. If you strike it lucky with the elements, you won’t regret it, and you can tick off a fantastic day out, too.

Many clubs will even have deals with other local clubs for a Play and Stay Sunday-Monday offer where you can chalk off two great tracks.

 

7. The afters

golf in winter

If you can get out to play golf in winter, you should be pleased with yourself. Your mental and physical health, friendships and golf game will get a huge boost when you might otherwise just be sitting at home.

And as such, you can treat yourself accordingly with a couple of well-earned drinks afterwards, or even take advantage of the club carvery. Your work is done for the day. Not to mention, you’re also getting more from your membership.

 

8. Perfect lesson time

You may hear this a lot, but winter is the perfect time to finally sort your game out. Again, there will be offers, and, more importantly, there is time to take advantage of them.

Many clubs now have indoor facilities so you can grab a coffee, block off a midweek evening, and improve your golf. You can work on any element of your game to start knocking shots off your handicap. The technology these days is incredible, and the PGA pros will tailor your lessons to your requirements.

For many of us, golf is our favourite hobby, and golf lessons are an investment to enjoy it even more.

 

9. Break out the winter wardrobe

The chance to layer up and still look great is one of the game’s great pleasures. You’ll generally know if you’re going to get wet, so you can dig deep into the wardrobe and make the most of your insulated tops.

Modern golf gear is spectacularly good—so much so that there’s almost more chance of getting your temperature right in the winter than when the sun’s out. And who doesn’t love a good golf bobble hat?

 

10. Get your money’s worth

Last but not least, being a golf club member can be a pricey affair, and if you’re only going to play for seven or eight months of the year, that makes it even more expensive.

However, even just by getting out two or three times a month during the winter, you’ll be doing yourself a favour on many levels.

How to get out of bunkers every time

Posted by & filed under Playing Tips.

The article below was written by Jack Backhouse of National Club Golfer.

Getting out of bunkers should be fairly straight forward, but so many golfers struggle with it.

Bunkers are the marmite of golf. Some players love them and have no issue at all getting the ball out and near the flag, and others play in fear of ever entering the sand, knowing they are just as likely to leave the ball in the bunker than get out of it, and there isn’t often anything in between.

 

Getting out of bunkers every time

The first place to start when having a hard reset in bunkers is figuring out where your golf club first makes contact with the sand at impact. This is really the most important factor when it comes to getting the ball out of the sand and onto the green with control.

How you can do this is, without a golf ball, is draw a line in the sand about 3 feet long, and then make some swings trying to hit the line with your club. By doing this, you will clearly see where you are entering the sand and if it is too far forward or too far back from where it needs to be. Ideally, the golf club would hit the sand 1 inch behind the ball, and this is the same regardless of whether there is no sand, loads of sand, or if you are standing on any kind of slope.

Golfers should train themselves to hit the sand 1 inch behind the ball, keeping the ball position the same and then control their distance by varying the length of swing and club head speed, but always hit the sand in the same place. A great drill for this is to put an alignment stick down in the sand roughly 4 or 5 inches behind the ball and hit some shots trying to avoid hitting the stick. Moving your sand entry point closer to the ball will allow you to hit the ball high with spin and with more control than you have ever had before.

It also helps to have a specialised wedge to use in the sand, not just the sand wedge that comes as part of an iron set. This is because they are designed with specialised grinds and lower leading edges that help the club move through the sand smoothly and not dig. Keeping the divot shallow and even helps get the ball out more often too.

You can then train your touch and feel out of bunkers by hitting a lot of shots to varied targets at different distances. Knowing how hard to hit the ball is a skill that can only be developed by hitting the sand correctly, and then by hitting a lot of different length golf shots.

Learning how to get out of bunkers every time will help you play with more freedom and confidence, as you won’t be struck by fear when hitting shots to a green surrounded by them. Tour players often prefer to be in bunkers than on grass because of the spin control the sand allows you, so get out into your practice bunker and nail your sand entry point.