Long greenside bunker shots are one of the most difficult shots to play in golf with lots of sand and distance – 30 or 40 yards – between the ball and the green.

The biggest issue with this shot is not to get caught in two minds. You can either play this shot with your sand iron, taking a full swing and hitting the sand hard. But this strategy is a very difficult and high risk play. Alternatively, you could play to take the ball cleanly off the top of the sand, playing the shot more like a gentle pitch, which is the percentage play. But whichever shot you choose to play you need to be fully committed to that one.

Disregard the sand iron and the full swing, hard splash shot and play a long greenside bunker shot with your pitching wedge or even 9 iron dependent upon the distance to the green and flag.

Take your pitching wedge and hold slightly lower down on the handle than usual as you want to clip the ball cleanly off the top of the sand so holding lower down will shorten the distance between your shoulders and the club head, promoting a cleaner strike. Set up with a solid stance but don’t wriggle your feet into the sand as much as for a splash bunker shot – remember you want to take the ball cleanly off the top of the sand and not lower it into the sand.

Play the ball from the centre of your stance again to encourage a clean strike and work on swinging with an easy swing from a stable and stationary position. Keep your height as you swing and strike the ball first. Concentrate on making an easy swing and listen for a clean, crisp strike as you play the shot and turn through into a balanced follow through position.

Clip the ball cleanly from the top of the sand and this will get you playing long bunker shots accurately.