The Best Examples of Bunker Practice Drills for Sand Shots (That Actually Work)

Let’s jump straight into the good stuff: concrete, on-the-range examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots you can use today.

Think of these as little “training games” rather than chores. Each one targets a specific skill: contact, height, distance, or pressure. Rotate through them and you’ll stop guessing in the bunker and start planning.

Drill 1: The Line-in-the-Sand Contact Drill

If you only keep one example of a bunker practice drill for sand shots in your routine, make it this one. It trains the single most important skill: where the club enters the sand.

How to set it up
Draw a straight line in the sand, perpendicular to your target line, about 3–4 feet long. Set up with the line just ahead of the middle of your stance, as if it were the back of the ball.

What to do
Hit 10–15 swings with no ball, trying to enter the sand on the front side of the line every time. The divot should start just in front of the line and extend forward toward the target.

What you’re training

• Consistent low point of your swing
• Proper weight forward and rotation
• The feel of “splashing” the sand instead of stabbing at the ball

Once you can land the club on the front side of the line 8 out of 10 times, place balls directly on the line and repeat. You’ll be shocked how quickly contact improves.

Pro tip: If your divots keep starting behind the line, move the ball slightly forward in your stance and feel more weight on your lead foot.

Drill 2: The Dollar Bill Splash Drill

This is another classic example of a bunker practice drill for sand shots that almost every good coach uses.

How to set it up
Draw a rectangle in the sand about the size of a dollar bill: roughly 2.5 inches by 6 inches. Place a ball at the front edge of the rectangle, closer to the target.

What to do
Your goal is to remove the entire “dollar bill” of sand, starting just behind the ball and exiting just in front of it. Hit 10–20 shots focusing on:

• Entering the sand near the back of the rectangle
• Exiting near the front edge
• Keeping your speed up through the sand

Why it works
This drill trains you to use the bounce of the club and take the right size “splash” of sand. Too small a divot and the ball won’t get out. Too big and you’ll leave it short.

This is one of the best examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots because it gives you a clear visual and a consistent “task” instead of just telling you to “hit an inch behind the ball.”

Drill 3: The 3-Land-Zone Distance Control Drill

Getting out of the bunker is step one. Controlling distance is step two. This drill adds structure so you’re not just randomly blasting balls.

How to set it up
Pick a green-side bunker where you can see the putting surface. On the green, imagine three landing zones:

• Short zone: 5–10 feet onto the green
• Mid zone: roughly halfway to the pin
• Long zone: just short of the hole

If you’re practicing on a range bunker without a green, pick three spots at different distances.

What to do
Hit 5 shots trying to land the ball in the short zone, 5 in the mid zone, and 5 in the long zone. Change nothing but your swing length and speed.

What you’re learning

• How a slightly longer or shorter swing changes carry distance
• How different sand conditions (fluffy vs. firm) affect distance
• How to “see” a landing spot instead of just the flag

This is a great example of bunker practice drills for sand shots that translates directly to the course, because real bunker shots are all about picking and trusting a landing spot.

Drill 4: The One-Club, Three-Trajectory Challenge

Modern golf trends (watch any 2024–2025 PGA or LPGA coverage) show players hitting a variety of bunker trajectories: high soft floaters, medium stock shots, and lower spinners. You can train the same skill with one club.

How to set it up
Use your sand wedge or lob wedge. Pick a single target—say, a hole cut 15–20 feet from the bunker edge.

What to do
Hit three types of shots with the same club:

• High shot: Open the face more, lower the handle slightly, and aim a bit left to account for the open face. Use a longer, softer swing.
• Medium shot: Your normal bunker setup and swing.
• Lower shot: Slightly square the face, move the ball a hair back, and make a more assertive, shorter swing.

Rotate: high, medium, low. Try to land all three within a circle about 6 feet around the hole.

Why this matters
On the course, you’ll face high lips, downhill pins, and long bunker shots. Having three trajectories with one club gives you options without complicating your bag.

Drill 5: The Up-and-Down Pressure Game

Bunker practice often gets boring because there’s no consequence. This drill adds just enough pressure to feel like real golf.

How to set it up
You’ll need a bunker, a hole on the green, and your putter. Drop 5–10 balls in different lies: some good, some plugged, some on slopes.

What to do
Play each ball as a mini “hole”:

• Hit the bunker shot
• Putt out

Keep score:

• 2 strokes = up-and-down (par save)
• 3 strokes = bogey
• 4+ = worse

Try to beat your personal best each practice session.

Why this is one of the best examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots
It connects your bunker work to scoring. You’re not just getting out of the sand—you’re learning how to finish the hole. This mirrors how performance coaches talk about “strokes gained” and short-game efficiency in modern golf.

Drill 6: The Plugged Lie Confidence Builder

Every golfer dreads the fried-egg lie. If you never practice it, of course it feels scary. This drill removes the mystery.

How to set it up
Gently step on a few balls in the bunker to create plugged lies. Don’t bury them too deep at first; you can make it tougher as you gain confidence.

What to do

• Square the clubface more than normal
• Play the ball a bit back in your stance
• Lean more weight onto your lead leg
• Make a steep, aggressive swing, hitting the sand right behind the ball

Your goal is simply to get the ball out and onto the green. Don’t worry about distance control at first.

Why it works
Practicing this situation turns a panic shot into a routine one. Having a clear example of a bunker practice drill for sand shots from plugged lies means you won’t be guessing under pressure.

For a nice explanation of why steeper angles help in sand, you can read more about impact and turf interaction concepts in resources from the PGA of America and coaching discussions on USGA.org.

Drill 7: No-Bunker, At-Home Sand Swing Rehearsal

Not everyone has daily access to a practice bunker. This is a practical example of a bunker practice drill for sand shots you can do in your yard, garage, or simulator bay.

How to set it up
Lay down a thin towel or small hitting mat. Place a tee or coin 1–2 inches in front of the towel’s back edge.

What to do
Rehearse your bunker swing trying to brush the ground where the sand would be—just behind the tee—without digging the leading edge into the turf.

Focus on:

• Lowering the handle slightly
• Keeping your wrists soft
• Rotating your body through instead of chopping down with your arms

While this won’t replace real sand practice, it keeps the motion fresh between range sessions.

For injury prevention tips while practicing repetitive swings, check out general overuse guidelines from the Mayo Clinic and NIH.

Drill 8: Random-Lie, Random-Target Challenge

On the course, you almost never get the same bunker shot twice in a row. This drill mimics that randomness.

How to set it up
Scatter 10 balls around the bunker: uphill, downhill, near the lip, further back. Pick 3–4 different targets on the green.

What to do
For each ball:

• Randomly pick a target
• Choose the shot: high, medium, or low
• Play it as if you’re on the course—just one chance

Keep track of how many balls finish inside 6 feet, 10 feet, or 20 feet.

Why it’s powerful
This is one of the best examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots that prepares you for real rounds. You’re not grooving one perfect lie—you’re learning to adapt.

How Often Should You Use These Bunker Practice Drills?

You don’t need to live in the sand trap to improve. Aim for:

• One focused bunker session per week during your main golf season
• 10–15 bunker shots as part of your warm-up on days you play

A good rhythm might look like this:

• Start with the Line-in-the-Sand or Dollar Bill drill for contact
• Move to the 3-Land-Zone drill for distance
• Finish with the Up-and-Down Pressure Game or Random-Lie Challenge

This way, you’re touching all the key skills: contact, distance, trajectory, and scoring.

If you’re working with a coach or physical therapist—especially if you have back, shoulder, or wrist issues—make sure your bunker practice volume fits within their guidance. General sports injury and workload advice from sources like NIH.gov and MayoClinic.org can help you organize safer practice habits.

FAQs About Bunker Practice Drills for Sand Shots

What are some simple examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots for beginners?

Start with the Line-in-the-Sand drill and the Dollar Bill Splash drill. Both focus on where the club enters the sand and how much sand you take. These are gentle on the body, easy to set up, and give instant feedback.

Can you give an example of a bunker practice drill I can do without a sand trap?

The At-Home Sand Swing Rehearsal is perfect. Use a towel or small mat and practice brushing the ground behind an imaginary ball. You won’t see the ball fly, but you’ll groove the motion and low point control you need once you’re back in real sand.

Which are the best examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots that help with pressure?

The Up-and-Down Pressure Game and the Random-Lie, Random-Target Challenge are excellent. Both add consequences—score tracking, different lies, and only one attempt per ball—so practice feels more like an actual round.

How many bunker shots should I hit in a practice session?

Quality beats quantity. Around 30–50 focused shots is plenty for most golfers. Split them among 2–3 drills instead of mindlessly raking and firing. If your body starts to feel tired or your attention drifts, stop—fatigue can change your mechanics and increase injury risk.

Do I need a lob wedge to practice these bunker drills?

No. Most of these examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots work great with a standard sand wedge (54–56 degrees). A lob wedge (58–60 degrees) can help for very high shots or tight pins, but your technique matters far more than the club.

Putting It All Together

If bunkers have been your personal hazard zone, you now have multiple, concrete examples of bunker practice drills for sand shots that you can plug straight into your practice routine:

• Contact drills like Line-in-the-Sand and Dollar Bill to fix fat and thin shots
• Control drills like 3-Land-Zone and One-Club, Three-Trajectory to manage distance and height
• Pressure drills like Up-and-Down Game and Random-Lie Challenge to make practice feel like golf
• Specialty work on plugged lies and at-home rehearsals for days you can’t get to the practice bunker

Pick two or three to start, stick with them for a few weeks, and you’ll notice your mindset change. Instead of hoping to just escape the bunker, you’ll start expecting to give yourself a real putt to save par.