Matthew Fitzpatrick and Shane Lowry have shared some important tips on how to improve at bunker shots.

Hitting the ball from the sand is not only arguably the most difficult aspect of golf, but probably the least practiced.

It also doesn’t help that amateurs have been told for years to do something in bunkers that top players completely disagree with.

European Ryder Cup stars Fitzpatrick and Lowry have now attempted to teach how to hit better shots from the sand.

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Matthew Fitzpatrick wants amateur golfers to ignore outdated bunker advice

Fitzpatrick disagrees with the popular advice that you should have both an open stance and an open club face when hitting bunker shots.

“Growing up, it was like, aim left, open the face, and swing left,” the Englishman said. “But that’s not necessarily too helpful because you’re going to cut across the ball, and the ball is going to fall off the face and be short most of the time, and not generate spin.

“So, for me, make sure you’re square, and then you can still feel a little bit out to in on the swing. And then you can get the flight and the spin.”

Fitzpatrick insisted that the outdated golf tip causes players to “cut across the ball” too much and can even lead to shanks.

He also pointed out that to become comfortable with square alignment bunker shots, amateurs can simply draw a line in the sand and practice hitting it.

“I use some drills, but even your bog-standard strike line,” Fitzpatrick added. “I hit some warm-up shots where you’re just trying to hit the line and see where you are relative.

“Obviously, if you’re too far one way, you might need to adjust your setup or alignment or whatever it may be. I think it’s really easy to get more and more open and then start cutting across it.

“Then, it brings the face in a bit; it brings the shank in a little bit more. That dreaded word.”

Shane Lowry echoes Matthew Fitzpatrick’s bunker tip

Lowry agrees with Fitzpatrick’s dismissal of an open stance bunker technique, as that is not what modern professional golfers do.

Lowry, who is exceptional around the greens, affirmed that the setup is the biggest factor in a golf swing, and bunker shots are no different.

“I’m a full believer in golf that your setup is key,” the Irishman explained. “We were taught when we were younger to aim left and cut across it to get it up in the air, but as the years have gone on, everyone is taught more square to square in bunkers.

“I think, throughout the game… I play pro-ams all the time, and I think amateurs’ set-ups are where they go wrong from the start, and then it’s really hard from there.

“So, once I get my set-up correct, with my bunker shots, the ball is a bit forward, and the weight is always on my left side.”