Sand-based golf courses present a range of unique shots you will not face elsewhere.One of those is the long escape shot from sandy wasteland.

There are some similarities between this shot and a fairway bunker shot. One, you’re hitting from sand. Two, the most important aspect of the shot is to hit the ball first, then the sand.

That’s where the similarities end.

Unlike the fairway bunker shot, you can ground your club in sandy wasteland. Then you basically play this shot like a normal shot from the rough.

Ideally you want to hit the ball with a descending blow and send it out on a relatively low trajectory, again unlike the fairway bunker shot where you need to clear a lip.

Basically, you just have to set up to play a low shot. To do this, grip down the club slightly, place the ball in the middle of your stance and set your weight forward a little to encourage a downward blow.

It is also important to ensure your feet are grounded in the sand a little so you don’t lose your footing. To that end, it is advisable not to swing too hard at the ball to you remain balanced through the shot.

As you can see here, Stuart Appleby has hit the ball first (pic 1). His hands are ahead of the impact point and the ball is on its way. He has also held the clubface open into the follow-through (pic 2), just as you would when playing from the rough, so as to not turn the clubface over and hook the ball.