The long green side bunker shot is one of the hardest in all of golf.

Having said that if you'll practice the following technique, the next time you're faced with this shot you just might find it a little bit easier.

Here is the typical scenario:

You find yourself with a good lie in a green side bunker but this is no ordinary shot. The pin is a good 20 - 30 yards from your location. Now, normally, you would take out your sand wedge and try to take a mighty swing that nips the ball cleanly. Sometimes this shot comes off and the ball flies out of the bunker and lands somewhere near the flag stick, making you one of the proudest golfers of all time but most times, however, the result is far less desirable. Most likely an ugly thin shot that flies over the flag, over the green, and into the bunker or worse that lies just beyond the green or worse yet, you flinch and hit the shot fat leaving your golf ball in the bunker and your golf club in jeopardy of being broken, tossed in the water, or being left for some other unsuspecting duffer.

Never fear, here is the answer that will help you when confronted with this situation.

1. Do not take out your sand wedge. Instead choose your pitching wedge or even 9 iron. The pitching wedge when used in this situation will release and roll further than your sand wedge and your 9 iron will release and travel farther than your pitching wedge.

2. Take your normal stance in the bunker with your feet pointing approximately 20 - 30 degrees left of the target. Note: If you play left handed reverse the verbiage and the technique will work for you as well.

3. Open the face of the pitching wedge or 9 iron relative to your target. This will expose the back edge of the club effectively applying bounce to the club. The "bounce" will prevent the club face from digging into the sand which would leave your golf ball in the bunker or well short of the hole.

4. Take a nice smooth swing and hit 1 to 2 inches behind the golf ball just as you would with a normal green side bunker shot.

5. Accelerate to a full finish and watch the ball fly toward the hole and release after hitting the green. The ball will roll out and finish somewhere near the hole

6. Practice with each club a bit to get a feel for how far the ball will fly and how far it will roll once it hits the green when you use this technique and I guarantee you'll save yourself some shots.

Enjoy your golf.