It’s always important to make smart decisions while on the golf course. Sometimes, that means using a three wood off the tee for control, rather than swinging away with the driver. Or, it might mean laying up with your second shot on a par five, even though you are tempted to go for the green. In addition to the course management decisions you make while playing on the grass, there are also important decisions to be made in the sand.

One key to good decision making in greenside bunkers is always keeping the goal in mind of getting out in a single shot. Sure, you’d like to hit that shot close to the hole to set up an easy putt, but that should be a secondary goal. First and foremost, the ball just needs to get out. That means planning your shot in a way that prioritizes safety and predictability. In other words, you shouldn’t be trying to pull off incredible shots from the sand, as those attempts are going to go wrong from time to time.

When you step down into a bunker to assess the situation you face, start by looking at the lie of the ball. Is it up on the top of the sand, or is it sitting down deep? A lot of this is going to have to do with the condition of the sand, but your lie will also be impacted by the manner in which the ball entered the trap in the first place. A shot which flies directly into the bunker from a high trajectory is going to be more likely to plug down into the sand than one which bounces and rolls into the trap. The lie of the ball is going to dictate what is and isn’t possible on your bunker shot, so never overlook the importance of this factor.

In the end, good decision making in the sand comes down to patience and being aware of the conditions that you are facing. Patience is important because you will wind up forcing a risky shot if you are too impatient to just ‘take your medicine’ and play a safe shot that gets you out of the trap. And, of course, knowing the conditions is crucial because the condition of the sand is going to say a lot about what is and isn’t possible with the shot at hand. Good sand conditions will make it possible to play a number of different shots, while poor conditions (such as wet and firm sand) will limit your options dramatically. As you gain experience in this game, you should get better and better at making the right choice based on the circumstances you face.