Try this safe sand play

You try to take a lot of sand on greenside bunker shots. You used to spin these shots, skimming the sand under the ball, so the ball would fly all the way to the hole and check up.

But when there’s enough green to work with, try the chunk-and-run. With more room for error, it’s a better shot for most amateurs. But understand, when you say "a lot of sand," you are talking the depth of the divot, not the length.

When you really dig the club in the sand, the follow-through is shorter. The ball won’t fly as far but will roll more. There’s less backspin, so it won’t grab and then stop on a dime. The roll-out is consistent—the ball rolls like a putt—so it’s easy to predict.