It is always frustrating when you think that you have made a good Golf Swing and yet, you miscalculated the distance, making your Golf Ball land into a Golf Hazard - Water Hazard, Sand Trap, Under a Tree or a Divot. However, one of the greatest achievements in Golf is to have your ball in a Bunker, almost completely buried, and then be able to hit it out of the hazard and towards the hole. Making good Golf Shots from Golf Course Hazards is the greatest challenge and will give the biggest sense of accomplishment. In this section, know how to make a Bunker Shot and how to deal with other Golf Course Hazards:
Sand Traps & Fairway Bunkers Description: A Bunker is a depression situated around the Golf Course. If it contains sand, it is called a Sand Trap. If the Bunker is on the Fairway, it is called Fairway Bunker. You won't have a penalty shot hitting into this hazard, the only trouble is that you'll have to get your ball back to the Fairway and into the Green.

Solution: To get the ball out of the Sand Trap or the Fairway Bunker, use the sand wedge or pitching wedge. Forget about distance, this shot requires a lot of accuracy. However, if you are still a bit too far from the Green, you can also use the Six-Iron for more distance. Open your stance and make a point that is 20 yards outside the Bunker. Slightly dig in the sand with your Golf Club and pick the ball directly off to the surface. Be sure to hit the ball and the sand at the same time.

Bunker Lies
A Lie in Golf is the position your ball is in after you make a Golf Shot. A Lie may be good or bad. If you hit your ball towards the Fairway, you will definitely have a good Lie and it will be easy for you to get your ball into the Green. However, if you hit your ball in a Sand Bunker, you will have a bad Lie. If you are a bit lucky, your ball may just sit on a flat surface, if not, your ball can be hopelessly buried in the sand. To get your ball back to the Fairway or onto the Green, you will first need to analyze the Type of Lie your Golf Ball is in. A special Golf Club called the Sand Wedge can then be used to try and hit your ball out of the hazard and back on track towards the hole. In this section, you will learn the Different Types of Lie and How to Deal with Bad Lies.
Good Lie
Description: Hitting into the Bunker is a problem golfers must sometimes face. The only thing you can hope for is to have your Golf Ball sit on an area of relatively flat surface also known as a Good Lie. A Good Lie is the easiest to deal with, in case your ball falls into this Hazard.

Solution: To get the ball out of the sand, open your stance and try digging your feet into the sand so you won't lose balance when you take this shot. Focus on a spot that is about two inches behind your ball, slide your Golf Club towards it and take it off the sand. See the animation at the right.
Fried Egg Lie
Description: The name Fried Egg Lie is taken from the way your Golf Ball looks like. It looks like an egg yolk and the explosion around it looks like cooked egg white.

Solution: Use an aggressive Bump and Run Shot. Open your stance and rotate the Golf Club Grip to make the clubface point more at the Golf Ball and less on the sky. Then try hitting the ball and the sand at the same time.

Buried Lie
Description: Your Golf Ball is in a Buried Lie if it is buried deep into the sand with a large part of the Golf Ball under the sand. This is a harder Golf Lie to deal with than a Fried Egg Lie.

Solution: You can do the same trick you did with your Fried Egg Lie. Use a Bump and Run Shot but you need to swing harder. Use a Pitching Wedge instead of a Sand Wedge to "blast" the Golf Ball out of the sand.
Water Hazards
Description: The thing most beginner golfers dread is to make a shot in front of a Water Hazard - a pond, a lake, or a swamp situated along or across the Golf Course. It is really disconcerting to face a Water Hazard especially when you are still having a hard time getting your ball airborne and knowing that hitting into it will cost you a Penalty Stroke.

Solution: If there is a Water Hazard in front of you, all you need to do is focus on a spot that is about 15 yards past the Water Hazard. Keep your eye on that spot, make it your goal and take a full, aggressive swing. Take a good margin in your target. It is better to swing too far than to swing your ball into the water hazard.

Trees & Other Obstacles
Description: Missing the Fairway may mean your ball will get stuck in the trees surrounding the Golf Course or you will have to take a Blindshot or take a shot without seeing your target.

Solution: To get out of tight situations in the Golf Course, like being stuck in the trees, try to find a small opening that leads to the Fairway. If there is an opening, use a three or four-iron Golf Club and make an aggressive Bump and Run Shot. This will give your Golf Ball a low, quick hop, then it will come running along out of the opening and back to the Fairway. Don't make your ball fly since the tree branches get more and more tangled as you go higher; you do not want your ball to get caught between branches.

Blindshots
Description: As mentioned earlier, your ball may sometimes accidentally fall into the area where you can no longer see the Green or even the Fairway. Trees, rocks or other obstacles may block your vision of the Green, making it difficult to take a shot.

Solution: In taking Blindshots, the trick is to try to find your vision. Walk or drive ahead and look at your target. Search for some marks that will guide you when you go back to your ball. For example, you found a tree growing in the background behind your target. The top of this tree will be your aim when you take your Blindshot.

Swamps and Weedy Areas
Description: At some point in your Golf round, you may see yourself facing a weedy area, a swamp or other similar obstructions.

Solution: If your distance to the Fairway is around 150 yards or shorter, do the same trick you did with the Water Hazard in front of you. Aim for a 15-yard point past the Golf Hazard and use a Mid-Iron Golf Club to give your shot extra loft. Doing this will give you a greater error margin and better chance to overcome that Golf Hazard.
Dealing with other Bad Lies
Your ball will not always be in a good position for your next shot. It may sometimes land in a Divot which is almost like a miniature Sand Trap, or under a tree. These Kinds of Lies also require some specific Golf Skills and Techniques. 

In a Divot
Description: A Divot is the mark or the gash of dirt and grass you take with your swing. In some instances, your ball may also fall into one. It is often frustrating to find your ball landed on a Divot that some other player just left behind. It is part of Golf Etiquette to repair Divots. Most golfers carry a Divot repair kit with them as they go through their rounds.

Solution: When your ball ends up landing in a Divot, it is advisable to use a Golf Club with more Loft to propel your ball out of it. Then, adjust your Golf Stance in a way that the ball is positioned further back. Then make a steep Golf Swing and come down quickly on the ball. Your Golf Ball will most likely roll more than normal since there will be no Backspin on this shot.

 Under a Tree
Description: Accidentally hitting your ball into the Rough can leave you with your ball under a tree. Tree branches get more and more tangled as you go up, so you also risk the danger of getting your ball up in a tree when you accidentally make your ball fly really high.

Solution: When your Golf Ball lands Under a Tree, the Golf Clubs three or four-iron will be good choices. Your goal here is to make the ball roll along out of the Golf Hazard. Take your shot as if you are making a hard Putt. Keep your shot low to avoid getting your ball caught up in the tree branches.

 Hardpan
Description: A Hardpan is a rock solid surface. The problem with hitting in a Hardpan is that you get too much roll, thus, getting additional distance. When you take your shot from a Hardpan, your Golf Club will have a tendency to bounce off and make it easy to top the ball.

Solution: It is best to play this Golf Hazard with a nine-iron or a Pitching Wedge and use the same technique as for Fried Egg Lie.

 Pine Needles or Leaves
Description: Since there are trees along the Golf Course, leaves or pine needles are also everywhere. Though you may sweep away these obstructions, you may also sometimes need to take your shot with your ball surrounded by leaves. These leaves act like a Sand Trap.

Solution: To get out of this problem, use the shot you make for a Fairway Bunker. Open your stance, focusing on a spot located two inches behind your ball, slide your club, and take your shot.

 Awkward Golf Stance
Description: An Awkward Golf Stance is when you stand on an uneven surface, making it more difficult to get a good stance. For instance, with one foot inside and the other outside the Bunker or on a steep slope.

Solution: To deal with an Awkward Golf Stance, bend your knees and attempt to create a level position. Swing a little harder than normal using a Sand Wedge to make it through.

Trying to get your ball out of trouble will not be easy. It requires you to have a lot of patience, a lot of practice and a good Follow-Through.