:tales from the trap:

The beach is always seen as a threat to golfers, but it almost completely unavoidable at times. Other times, it may be to your advantage to hit in the trap in order to stay in play or get to the green in the lowest number of strokes. Whatever the case may be, with a little practice you can become comfortable hitting out the sand. With anything, this confidence is earned through lots of practice!
While you address the ball--remember not to ground your club in the sand or its a penalty--open your stance and your club face too. As you draw your club back keep in mind your distance from the hole. As you begin to follow through the ball, take a dollarbill length divot out of the sand and follow through with your swing, ending up in the position of the club pointing at the target. Remember practice makes perfect and not every golfer is the same so adjust it to what is most comfortable and yields the best results for you.

photo from gettyimages.com