You're Correct!

This is for you if you are terrified of chipping over greenside bunkers and think that you need to play a flop shot to get over obstructions.

The situation
You are 20 yards from the green but there is a bunker in between the golf ball and the hole.

The mentality
This shot can be a scary shot depending on what experiences you have had in the past. This shot is all about maintaining a positive attitude and committing to the shot in front of you.
- First, understand that all of the wedges in your bag have enough loft to propel the golf ball over the bunker and get it to land and stop on the green. To maximize those chances make sure to choose the wedge with the most loft so that you have to do less to get the ball airborne.
- You do not need to help the golf ball into the air - no flopping, lifting, scooping or lobbing. Focus only on making a solid contact and attacking the shot which will see the ball rise up into the air as the club will do the work for you.

The shot

1. Set up
Set up to play a chip shot. Position the golf ball in the middle of the feet with the body weight positioned so that approximately 60% is on the front foot. The hands should be positioned forward, opposite the front knee, and the feet should be slightly closer together than normal.

All of these set up points will encourage a downward hit into the golf ball allowing the club the best chance to make a solid contact with the ball.

2. Shot
Hinge the wrists a little in the back swing before punching down into the ball. The aim is to strike downward with this shot and contact the ground after the ball. This makes the ball roll up the face of the club and lifts the ball into the air. Make sure to keep the wrists firm during the shot and the finish should reflect this as the hands should still be ahead of the golf ball after the shot.

Dont panic, hit down and through the ball confidently and trust the loft of the golf club to get the golf ball over that bunker.

This type of shot is very difficult to get right. It is too inconsistent for most golfers to play well and includes a large risk factor - if it goes wrong, it really goes wrong! Also to play this shot requires a perfect lie.

This is a waste of a shot - everyone should be able to get the ball over a bunker and onto a green with little effort and minimum risk using the correct technique.

You do not need to hit the ball incredibly high to get over a bunker. Taking a big swing with a lofted club for such a short shot is incredibly risky and if hit incorrectly will result in a far worse situation than just being behind the bunker. Play it simple and play the percentages.