Using a Cup from the Sand to Help You Get in the Cup

The October issue of Golf Magazine has an unusual short game drill. Joe Hallett -- you may know him because he teaches Stacy Lewis on the LPGA -- mentions this drill as a way to help you hit better sand shots from greenside bunkers. It's on page 41 of the issue (and, if you have the Digimarc Discover app on your phone or iPad -- it's a freebie app, btw -- you can scan the photo there and see a demo video).

All you need is one large plastic drink cup. (Based on the photos in the mag, I'd guess it's a 9-ounce cup.)

Here's how you do the drill:

• Drop your ball in the sand.
• Set the cup over the ball, upside down. You don't put anything (like more sand) in the cup, you just want to cover the ball with the empty cup.

Hallett says the rim of the cup is about the right size for the amount of sand you want to 'take out' with your swing. And since the cup hides the ball, you'll tend to concentrate on the sand you want to hit.

• Address the cup just as you would normally address the ball.
• Then make your swing. Try to enter the sand just behind the back edge of the cup and exit the sand just past the front edge.

If you do it correctly, Hallett says that both the cup and the ball should land on the green.

Oh, and one other thing. He says you might want to find a part of the practice area where you'll get a little privacy. After all, it might look a bit strange to some folks...