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There are many different ways to play a bunker shot but adopting a shallow swing can have multiple benefits.

A shallow swing allows a golfer to move the club under the ball and take less sand. This sends the ball out very high and loaded with back spin. The shallow swing (or splash bunker shot) has multiple benefits but can only normally be played from good lies around the green and from fairway bunkers. If the lie is poor, a blast bunker shot featuring a steeper swing could be required. Use this following technique to execute a correct splash bunker shot.

• Open the blade of your club before taking the grip, the higher you want the ball to go the more you open the club face.
• Place your hands about halfway down the grip for more control.
• Hold the club more firmly with the back two fingers of the top hand, this will help keep the club face open through impact.
• Take a square stance with the ball slightly forward in the stance and club face aimed right of the target. Putting the ball further forward in the stance will help shallow out the angle of attack.
• Move the left foot, hips and shoulders left until the club face aims at the target.
• For a shallow swing, keep the weight even on each foot.
• Make a long smooth swing along the body line, hinging the wrists upwards. The wrist hinge should be gradual and not sudden as this will steepen the angle of attack.
• Swing the club through and slide it into the sand an inch behind the ball.
• Keep the swing smooth and flowing under the ball. Extend through the balls and finish in a full position.
• The ball should fly towards the target on a carpet of sand. The steeper blast bunker shot will see much more sand leave the bunker with the ball.

Because of the relatively small amount of sand taken in comparison to the blast bunker shot, using a shallow swing from a poor lie might not have the same result. If the ball becomes more buried or the lie is poor, use a blast style technique instead.

In general, players take too much sand from bunkers resulting in a heavy strike and no control. Golfers only need to take a very fine layer of sand between the club and ball to ensure lovely contact and spin on the ball.

When hitting from fairway bunkers, the club needs to contact the ball cleanly. Any contact with the sand first will lead to a heavy strike. This technique is very different from the greenside bunker shot and should not be confused.