| How to Make Unicorn Fudge Posted: 29 Dec 2020 04:00 PM PST Unicorn-themed food is all the rage and it's no wonder! It uses white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk or marshmallow crème for an over-the-top sweet flavor. Most unicorn fudge has colorful layers or swirls and lots of sprinkles. If you're short on time, make a quick 3-ingredient version. You can also make a bright rainbow unicorn fudge that's extra creamy. For another quick option, make sparkly unicorn birthday fudge in your microwave. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]3-Ingredient Unicorn Fudge - 1 14-ounce (397 g) can of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 1/3 cups (400 g) of white chocolate chips
- 3 different shades of food colouring
- Sprinkles or mini-marshmallows, for optional decoration
Makes 30 pieces [Edit]Rainbow Unicorn Fudge - 3 cups (600 g) of white sugar
- 3/4 cup (170 g) of unsalted butter
- of half-and-half
- A 12-ounce (340 g) package of white chocolate chips
- A 7-ounce (198 g) jar of marshmallow crème
- Pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple food coloring
- Rainbow sprinkles
Makes 30 pieces [Edit]Unicorn Birthday Fudge - 3 1/4 cups (552 g) of white chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup (170 g) of unicorn vanilla morsels, divided
- 1 14-ounce (396 g) can of sweetened condensed milk
- of vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (55 g) of rainbow sprinkles
Makes 24 pieces [Edit]3-Ingredient Unicorn Fudge - Line an loaf pan with parchment paper or foil. Tear off a piece of nonstick baking paper or foil and lay it in your loaf pan. Tuck the paper or foil into the corners so it comes up the sides, too. This makes it a whole lot easier to get your unicorn fudge out of the pan later.[1]
- Don't have a loaf pan? Don't worry! You can make this in an square pan instead. Your fudge will be shallow, but it will still taste delicious.
- Pour a can of sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan with white chocolate chips. It doesn't take long to mix up your fudge. Just set a medium-sized saucepan on the stove and spoon a 14-ounce (397 g) can of sweetened condensed milk into it. Then, add 2 1/3 cups (400 g) of white chocolate chips.[2]
- For the best-tasting fudge, use white chocolate chips that have cocoa butter in the ingredient list.
- Stir the sweet mixture and heat it over low until it melts. Turn the burner to low and start stirring! You don't want the fudge to scorch on the bottom of the pan, and stirring it constantly helps the white chocolate chips melt faster.[3]
- It takes about 5 minutes for all of the chips to melt into the sweetened condensed milk.
- Divide the mixture between 3 bowls. Once your sweet fudge mix is completely smooth, turn off the burner. Then, set 3 bowls on the counter and try to spoon the same amount of mixture into each bowl. It's totally okay if they're not perfectly even—just eyeball it.[4]
- Want your fudge to be even more colorful? Divide your mixture between even more bowls so you can add extra colors.
- Mix food coloring into each bowl to make 3 different shades. Now comes the fun part—dyeing your fudge mixture! Squeeze or drop a different shade of food coloring into each bowl. Blue, purple, and pink are classic unicorn colors. Then, stir the mixture really well and keep adding food coloring until the mixture is as bright as you want.[5]
- Use separate spoons for each color so you don't muddy the colors.
- You can also leave some of the fudge white if you want to represent the unicorn's hair.
- Spread each mixture into the loaf pan, one color at a time. Decide which color you want on the bottom of your unicorn fudge and spread it in the lined pan. Then, pick which color should come next and spread it on top. Finish your fudge with the last color.[6]
- Don't want your fudge to be in distinct layers? No problem. Once you finish spreading the colorful mixtures in the pan, take a skewer or knife and drag it through the fudge all the way to the bottom of the pan. This makes a fun swirl pattern!
- Scatter sprinkles or mini-marshmallows on top if you want extra-special fudge. Although your unicorn fudge is practically finished, why not make it even more fabulous? Pick your favorite sprinkles or grab a handful of mini-marshmallows and lightly press them onto the top of the fudge.[7]
- To make the fudge even more magical, look for star-shaped sprinkles.
- Cover the fudge and refrigerate it for 8 hours before you cut it into pieces. Spread plastic wrap over the pan and stick the fudge in the fridge so it hardens. This makes it a lot easier to cut. When you're ready to serve your amazing unicorn fudge, just lift it out of the pan using the baking paper and slice it into thin pieces.[8]
- Since you'll probably have leftovers, plan on storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
[Edit]Rainbow Unicorn Fudge - Line a square baking dish with foil and spray it with cooking spray. Get out a baking dish and press a piece of aluminum foil into it. Don't forget to bring the foil up along the sides of the dish, so it's easy to get the fudge out. Then, spray the foil with cooking spray so you can be extra sure that your fudge will come out![9]
- Don't have cooking spray? Just dip a pastry brush in a little vegetable oil and spread it onto the bottom and sides of the foil-lined dish.
- Put white sugar, butter, and half-and-half into a pot. Get out a big saucepan and pour 3 cups (600 g) of white sugar into it. Then, add 3/4 cup (170 g) of unsalted butter and of half-and-half. These are going to make your unicorn fudge taste deliciously creamy.[10]
- It's really important to use a big pan since the fudge will bubble up while it cooks.
- Don't have half-and-half? No problem! Just use of milk and of heavy cream or whipping cream.
- Boil the fudge over medium heat for 4 minutes while you stir constantly. Set your pan on the stove and turn the burner to medium. It'll take about 3 or 4 minutes for the mixture to start bubbling. Once it does, set your timer for 4 minutes and stir the fudge constantly to help the sugar dissolve.[11]
- Always be careful around hot sugar since it's really easy to accidentally burn yourself.
- Turn off the burner and stir in white chocolate chips with the marshmallow crème. Now you've got a sweet mixture, but you need to thicken it so it's fudgy! Add a 12-ounce (340 g) package of white chocolate chips and spoon in a 7-ounce (198 g) jar of marshmallow crème. Then, stir until the chips melt and the crème dissolves.[12]
- In a pinch, you can use about 3 cups (150 g) of mini-marshmallows instead of marshmallow cream. You may just have to stir the fudge more to dissolve the marshmallows.
- Divide the fudge into 6 bowls and stir a different color into each one. Now comes the fun part—making the fudge colorful! Set 6 bowls on your counter and try to spoon about the same amount into each one. Then, squeeze or pour food coloring into each one and stir it. Keep adding dye until your fudge is as vibrant as you like. You'll need these colors for your rainbow unicorn fudge:[13]
- Pink
- Orange
- Yellow
- Green
- Blue
- Purple
- Spread the colored fudge into the pan in the order of the rainbow. Time to assemble your rainbow. Start spreading the purple fudge into your prepared baking dish so it will be at the bottom of your fudge. Then, add the rest of the rainbow's colors one at a time until you get to pink.[14]
- If this sounds tricky to do, don't stress. Spread the colored fudge in the dish in any order you like or swirl them together.
- Scatter rainbow sprinkles on top of the rainbow unicorn fudge. To make your rainbow unicorn fudge even more magical, cover the top of the fudge with rainbow sprinkles. Then, press them gently into the fudge so they don't fall off later.[15]
- Add mini-marshmallows or star sprinkles if you have them in your pantry.
- Cover the fudge and chill it for at least 2 hours. You won't be able to cut the fudge until it hardens, so cover it with a piece of aluminum foil and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. When you're ready to serve your sweet treat, lift the foil out of the pan and set the fudge on a cutting board. Try to cut tiny, neat pieces that are around square.[16]
- To save some rainbow unicorn fudge for later, just put the pieces into an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks.
[Edit]Unicorn Birthday Fudge - Line a large pan and sprinkle 1/2 cup (85 g) of the unicorn morsels in it. Get out a baking pan and lay a piece of parchment or wax paper in it. To make it easier to get your unicorn fudge out of the pan, press the paper up onto the sides, too. Then, scatter 1/2 cup (85 g) of the unicorn vanilla morsels across the pan.[17]
- Can't find unicorn vanilla morsels? Don't worry! You can substitute the same amount of white chocolate chips.
- Mix 3 cups (510 g) of white chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk. This fudge comes together fast since you make it in the microwave. Find a large microwave-safe bowl and pour 3 cups (510 g) of the white chocolate chips into it. Then, pour in a 14-ounce (396 g) can of sweetened condensed milk and stir it so the chips are mixed in.[18]
- It's totally okay to substitute low-fat sweetened condensed milk, but don't use evaporated milk. Evaporated milk doesn't have any sugar, so your fudge wouldn't set up or be sweet enough!
- Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds and stir it. Don't cover the bowl when you stick it in the microwave. Just heat the white chocolate-sweetened condensed milk mixture for 30 seconds. Then, stir the mix to help the chips melt a little.[19]
- Wear oven mitts when you handle the bowl since it can get hot.
- Heat the mixture in 10-second increments until the chips melt. It might seem strange to heat the fudge mixture for such a short amount of time, but this prevents it from scorching. Just microwave the mixture for 10 seconds and stir it. Keep doing this until you don't see any chips and your fudge mixture is glossy.[20]
- It'll only take a few minutes total to completely melt the white chocolate chips.
- Stir in vanilla, salt, and 1/4 cup (50 g) of the rainbow sprinkles. Now it's time to make your fudge look fun! Carefully take the bowl out of the microwave and add of vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of salt, and 1/4 cup (50 g) of the rainbow sprinkles. Stir until your fudge mixture looks colorful.[21]
- Remember to save some rainbow sprinkles to scatter over the top of the fudge.
- Spread the fudge in the pan and top it with the remaining chips, morsels, and sprinkles. Fudge sets up pretty fast, so work quickly! Spoon the fudge mixture evenly into your prepared pan. Then, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup (42 g) of white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup (85 g) of unicorn vanilla morsels, and 2 tablespoons (5 g) of rainbow sprinkles over the top.[22]
- This is a great job for little helpers, although you might find sprinkles everywhere!
- Refrigerate the fudge for 30 to 45 minutes before you cut it into pieces. Cover the pan and stick it in the fridge to harden. Since you spread it in a big, shallow pan, it won't take long to set. Just cut it into 24 pieces and enjoy.[23]
- Keep the leftover fudge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Use your favorite colors to dye the unicorn fudge. Try pink, purple, blue, and yellow, for instance.
- You can never go wrong with extra sprinkles!
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]3-Ingredient Unicorn Fudge - loaf pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Spoon
- Can opener
- Measuring cups
- Bowls
- Spoons
[Edit]Rainbow Unicorn Fudge - baking dish
- Aluminum foil
- Cooking spray or vegetable oil
- Knife and cutting board
- Large saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
[Edit]Unicorn Birthday Fudge - baking pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large microwave-safe bowl
- Spoon
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Care for Dogs Posted: 29 Dec 2020 08:00 AM PST Are you considering bringing a dog into your home? Dogs are loyal and loving friends and usually give us back way more than we give them; however, they do require a lot of care to stay healthy and happy. If you are planning on bringing a dog into your home, there are many things to consider to ensure a long and healthy friendship. [Edit]Preparing Before You Get a Dog - Dog-proof your house. While many objects may seem harmless to your dog or you don't expect them to be interested in them, it is best to keep small objects and human toys off of the floor or any reachable areas where your dog will be spending time.
- There are many products in your house and yard that are dangerous to dogs and should be kept well out of reach by locking them in a storage area or putting them somewhere the dog doesn't have access to. Some of the more common ones include household cleaners, insecticides, fertilizers, and mouse and rat poisons.
- Both house plants and plants in your yard or garden can be toxic, including rhododendrons, chrysanthemum, and oleander. Identify the plants in your home and garden and then contact your veterinarian or look online at sites such as the ASPCA and Pet poison helpline for complete lists of pet toxins.
- Also, medicines both human and animal, can be toxic to your dog, especially if consumed in large amounts. Some of the foods that we eat, including chocolate, onions, raisins, and grapes, and even sugarless chewing gums, can be toxic to dogs as well and should be kept well out of reach.[1]
- Give your dog a designated area. Before you bring your dog home one of the first things to decide on is where your dog will be spending their time. Think about what areas of the house they will be allowed to access and what areas you want to keep off-limits. These rules should be enforced from the very beginning to avoid confusion.
- Your dog will need designated areas to eat and sleep and plenty of space to play and exercise. Initially, you may want to limit the areas the dog has access to so that you can watch them closely until you get to know them and their behavior better.
- The kitchen or another area that is convenient to clean is a good place to set up food and water bowls. Once you decide on a place, you will want to keep them there at all times.
- Next decide where your dog will sleep. Some people like to have their dog sleep in the bed with them, while others prefer to get a doggie bed or crate for them to sleep separately. Be aware that once a dog is allowed to sleep in your bed it can be much more difficult to get them to sleep on their own.
- The size and activity level of your dog will determine the space needed for play and exercise. Usually, the larger the dog, the more space they will need.[2]
- Purchase all the supplies that you will need. Your dog may come with some of these things, but you will need a collar and a leash that are appropriate for your dog's size, and a toy or two for starters. You will also need a food and water bowl, as well as food.
- If you know what food your dog has been eating, it is best to continue feeding them that same food, at least initially. Coming into a new home can be stressful for any dog and changing foods may add to this stress. If you decide to change foods later you can, but be sure to do so gradually over the course of 5 to 7 days. This will help to avoid problems such as diarrhea or tummy upsets that can occur when changing foods too quickly.[3]
[Edit]Meeting Your Dog's Basic Needs - Purchase a brand of food with high-quality ingredients. You could also make your own dog food. Don't feed your dog too much sugar, fried food, or other treats for people. These will harm your dog's health over time. NEVER feed a dog chocolate.
- Generally, large breed dogs should be fed a large-breed puppy formula until they are around one year of age. They then should be transitioned to an adult diet until changing to a senior diet at around six years of age. Small and medium breeds should be fed puppy formula until around one year of age when they should be changed to an adult diet.
- If a young dog becomes overweight it is fine to switch them to adult food (which is less calorific) before they are 12 months old.
- Feed your dog on a regular schedule. Different dogs have different needs when it comes to food. If your dog is under one year old, he or she may need several meals a day. This can be reduced to twice a day for most dogs when they are around six months old. It is normal for some dogs as they get older and usually less active, to only want to eat once a day.[4]
- Try to feed your dog at the same times every day. This helps your dog to know when mealtime is and helps you to know how much your dog is eating. This can be important if you are trying to housebreak a dog, if a decrease in appetite occurs, and also in preventing obesity.
- Monitor your dog's appetite and eating habits. The appropriate amount of food should be measured out to allow you to gauge how much your dog is eating. Allow your dog to eat for about 10 – 15 minutes and then the bowl should be picked up until the next feeding time. If they don't eat all of the food at this time they will be hungrier and more likely to finish it at their next feeding.
 - A good way to tell if your dog is getting enough or too much food is to monitor their weight and appearance. While for some more active breeds with certain body types, seeing their ribs can be normal, for most dogs that is a sign that they are not getting enough to eat. Also, if you can't feel their ribs then they may be getting too much to eat. Always check with your veterinarian if there is a question about what your dog should weigh or look like.
- Free feeding, which is having food always available, can be an easy way to feed; however, it is discouraged. The good eater is liable to gain weight, and the fussy eater doesn't get the excitement of mealtimes. Try to stick to feeding your dog on a regular schedule.
- Puppies that are becoming overweight may need adjustments to their feeding amounts and exercise routines. It is best to consult with your veterinarian before making any changes.
- Dogs should be switched to a senior diet at around eight years of age. This helps to prevent excessive calorie intake and weight gain that can occur in an older, less active dog. It is essential to always have fresh water available at all times.[5]
- Provide water at all times. Keeping your dog's water bowl full of freshwater is essential. Dogs need to be able to drink when they're thirsty, and there's no harm in them drinking as much water as they want. You can put a few ice cubes in the water to keep it nice and cold when it's hot outside.
- Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercises. Dogs need to be able to run around and play to stay healthy and happy. In general, take your dog for at least one, 30 minutes, walk a day, although this may not be near enough activity for a high energy dog.
 - Simply taking your dog outside to relieve itself isn't enough exercise. Make sure the dog gets tired out a bit every single day.
- The amount of exercise your dog needs will depend on their age, breed, health, and overall level of energy. Younger, very energetic breeds will require much more exercise than older, less active ones. Keep in mind that some breeds are not suited to as much exercise as others.
- If you can, find a place where it's legal to remove the leash and let him run around and stretch.
- To avoid damaging developing bones and joints in puppies, it is generally recommended to not take them running or do other repetitive high impact types of exercises, such as jumping from high places. As always ask your veterinarian for exercise recommendations.
- Interacting with your dog by playing a variety of games will keep your dog stimulated both physically and mentally while also helping to build a strong bond between the two of you.[6]
- Also depending on your dog's activity level and your schedule, doggie daycare can be a great way to give your dog the exercise they need while allowing them to interact with other dogs and people.
- Insufficient exercise can lead to boredom, which can cause many behavior issues including destructive ones. It can also lead to obesity, which can cause many related health issues and should be avoided at all costs.
- As well as exercise, mental stimulation is vital for a healthy dog. Consider playing games daily, training, and using puzzle feeders, as ways of preventing boredom.
[Edit]Keeping Your Dog Healthy - Groom your dog. Different dog breeds require different grooming strategies. As a whole, dogs should be brushed once a week or so to help them shed hair. Long-haired breeds may need more frequent brushing to avoid developing tangles and also may require regular trims. Some breeds get hot in the summer and feel better when they're shaved as it starts getting warm outside. Determine what grooming habits are best for your dog's fur and nails.
- Check for fleas and ticks while you groom, and remove them with a flea and tick comb. A quality flea prevention medication from your veterinarian may be needed.
- Bathe your dog every couple of weeks. Dogs don't need baths nearly as often as humans, but when they start to smell or get into the mud and other messes, it's necessary to give them baths. Try to use lukewarm water and natural, gentle shampoo that is made specifically for dogs and that will not irritate their skin.
- Dogs like to run around after a bath, so you might want to time the bath so that the dog can run around outside afterward.
- Bathing and grooming is also a good way to make sure you notice if your dog has a cut or bump that needs medical attention.[7]
- Make sure your dog has routine veterinary care. Regular veterinary check-ups can help prevent or detect problems early. Routine vet visits include a physical exam, fecal check, and a heartworm test. Your vet may also recommend routine blood work to check for underlying issues that haven't surfaced yet and are best treated as early as possible.
- Common regular medications that your vet may recommend include, heartworm preventative, regular dewormings, and flea and tick preventative depending on the season and what area of the country you live in.
- Make sure that your dog has had all of their necessary immunizations. This will help to keep them happy and healthy. The standard immunizations for dogs include Rabies, which is administered at 12 weeks of age or older and then every 1 to 3 years depending on your local laws and your vet's recommendations. Distemper, Parvovirus, and Hepatitis are usually administered together. Puppies should receive a set of four injections every three weeks starting at six weeks of age and then annually, as adults, again based on your Veterinarian's recommendations.[8]
- Consider getting your dog spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering are procedures that prevent unwanted pregnancies and can help to eliminate many health and behavioral issues. Neutering can prevent testicular cancers, prostate problems, urinary marking, and some aggressive behaviors in males. Spayed females have a greatly reduced incidence of mammary tumors and no possibility of uterine infections or uterine cancer.
- Ideally a puppy should have this done at around six months of age. Discuss this procedure with your veterinarian during your regular puppy visits or at the first visit after adopting an adult dog.
- Monitor your dog's general health. Knowing your dog's normal eating habits, activity levels, and weight will help you to recognize when things change and are easy ways to track their health. Monitoring regular potty habits will help you to notice any changes that can indicate health issues. Regularly checking your dog's mouth, teeth, eyes, and ears will help to identify problems as soon as possible. You should check for lumps and cuts regularly. You should observe for any changes in the way your dog walks or moves.
- Consult your veterinarian when you notice any changes in your dog's normal condition.
[Edit]Training Your Dog - Housetrain your dog. When bringing a new puppy or adult dog into your house, one of the first things to accomplish is teaching them to relieve themselves outside, instead of indoors. Dogs of any age can be trained with proper guidance.
 - Until trained, there are a few rules to follow that will help with the process. Limit the areas your dog has access to so that they can be watched closely for signs that they are about to go and can be immediately taken out. Establish a schedule for taking them out that includes, first thing in the morning, after mealtimes, anytime you come home, and just before bedtime.
- Puppies will need to go out more frequently when younger and as a rule can hold their urine for an hour for every month old that they are.
- Keeping your dog on a leash, even when indoors, will allow you to monitor them more closely until they are trained. Also, when taking them outside, keep them on a leash so you can teach them to go in a specific location and to be sure that you know when they have gone.
- You can use a word such as "go" to teach them to go to a specific location. If you catch them starting to go inside, tell them "no", take them outside, and tell them to "go". Always praise them when they go where they should.
- If they have an accident in the house, be sure to clean the area thoroughly to help prevent them from wanting to go in the same place again.
- Never spank or scold a dog for going inside. The dog will only learn to fear you.
- Crate train your dog. This will give your dog a place where they feel safe and content when you are not home and this is another popular option to prevent accidents.
- With this method, try to make the crate a fun place by giving a treat or toy and limit the amount of time that they spend in the crate to less than 4 hours at any one time, much less for younger puppies. When taking them out of the crate, immediately take them outside to their spot and don't forget to praise them when they go.[9][10]
- Teach your dog to play nicely. Dogs are generally good-natured and most play well with children. Still, some like to bite and scratch a little too hard while they play, so it's important to train them how to play nicely. Reward your dog for playing gently and ignore it when it starts to bite. Eventually, he or she will learn that it's more fun to be gentle.
- Teach your dog not to bark too much. Barking is a normal activity for dogs and is one form of their communication, but too much barking is a common and annoying action that many dog owners want to correct. There are many different types of barking and some require very specific actions to try to curb the problem. This is usually a slow and gradual process that also requires a lot of patience.
- There are some general guidelines for teaching your dog not to bark at every little thing. Identifying factors that cause them to bark and then eliminating them, such as closing the blinds or putting them in an area where they can't see what they are barking at is a good first step. When they don't stop barking, place them in a quiet room or their crate, with no stimulation, and allow them to calm down. Reward them as soon as they stop.
- A natural instinct is to yell at your dog for barking, but that can make them think that you are barking with them.
- If your dog is a compulsive barker, try increasing exercise and playtimes.
- Dogs that bark for attention should be ignored and never rewarded until the barking stops.
- This can be a difficult issue to correct and may require the help of a trained behaviorist or trainer. Bark collars should only be used after consulting with a trained professional.[11]
- Teach your dog a few commands and tricks. Basic commands, such as sit, stay, and come are helpful ways to keep your dog safe by helping to prevent them from straying too far and getting lost when off-leash outdoors. These also help to teach your dog their place in your relationship and to help them to bond more firmly with you.
- Spay or neuter your dogs to avoid accidental breeding. Spaying also reduces the risk for uterine and ovarian cancer in female dogs, and neutering reduces the likelihood of testicular cancer in male dogs. Neutered male dogs are also less aggressive.
- If you want to get a dog, adopt one from a shelter. This will end the suffering they are going through in the shelter.
- If you get a dog, get them a collar. They should have a name tag attached to it and they also should have a leash. Get them chipped too.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - High quality, AAFCO-tested dog food
- Individual food and water bowls for each dog
- Dog treats
- Penny-filled plastic bottle
- Dog toys, such as chew ropes, balls, and hollow rubber toys
- Crates (optional
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Hit a Bunker Shot in Golf Posted: 29 Dec 2020 12:00 AM PST No, no, no, not the sand! There's nothing worse than watching your ball get stuck in a bunker—a.k.a the beach. But don't worry, it's not the end of the world. With the right approach and swing, you can nail that bunker shot, get out of the sand trap, and get on the green. [Edit]Stance and Setup - Choose a sand wedge for a bunker shot. A sand wedge is a club with a higher angle that's specially designed to bounce off of the sand and propel the ball into a nice trajectory that's up and out of the sand trap. Pull out your sand wedge to give yourself a better chance at hitting a solid bunker shot.[1]
- Some more skilled players may choose a lob wedge, but they can be trickier to use for bunker shots if you're a beginner.
- Choose between a 56-58° sand wedge, which will help you get enough lift on the ball to get it over the lip of the bunker.
- Take a wide stance with your weight in your front foot. Stand with your feet a little wider than you would for a shot from the fairway—around shoulder-width or a little bit wider.[2] Keep most of your weight in your front foot (the foot closest to the area where you're aiming).[3]
- A slightly wider stance will add more stability, which you may need since you're standing in sand.
- Keeping your weight in your front foot helps you avoid a shallow angle with your club when you swing, which can cause the clubhead to catch the ball rather than the sand beneath it.
- Position yourself so the ball is in line with the inside of your front heel. As you're lining up for your shot, take a stance that places the ball more forward than you would for a standard shot. Stand so the ball is even with the inner part of the heel of your front foot, which will help you get underneath it and launch it over the lip of the bunker more easily.[4]
- If you stand with the ball lined up in the center of your stance, you'll have a tough time getting enough loft to escape the bunker.
- Lay the clubhead so the face is open to the sky. Place the clubhead about behind the ball, which is exactly where you want to enter the sand when you swing.[5] Open up the face of the clubhead, which is the part that makes contact with the ball, so it's facing straight up.[6]
- Opening up the clubface allows you to add more loft, or lift, to the shot, which can help you get the ball out of the bunker.
- Grip the club with your hands about from the top. Take hold of the golf club with your lead arm (the one closest to your target) and interlock your index finger with the pinkie of your other hand to create an interlocking grip. Choke up slightly on the club so your hands are about away from the top of the club.[7]
- You can also grip the club like a baseball bat if it's more comfortable.
- Choking up on the club makes it easier for you to add more loft to your shot.
- Keep your front arm straight and bring the club behind you. Start your backswing by moving your arms to bring the club behind you. Keep your lead arm locked straight and allow your rear arm to bend as needed to continue moving the club further behind you.[8]
- Keep the motion nice and smooth for a clean shot. Jerky, snappy movements can cause the ball to smack into the bunker wall.
- Try to stay as relaxed and calm as you can to make your shot smoother.
- Use your backswing to control the distance of your shot. The further you move the club behind you, the more powerful your swing will be. Choose the length of your backswing based on how far you're trying to send the ball out of the bunker.[9]
- For instance, if you're in a bunker and the pin (the flag) is right next to you, you'd use a shorter backswing to avoid sending the ball flying past the green.
- It can take lots of practice for you to figure out your backswing.
- Accelerate the clubhead forward and commit to the swing. As soon as your club reaches the length of your backswing that you want, start moving it forward. Avoid slowing down or stopping the club as you swing it forward. Keep your speed consistent and commit to a clean and smooth stroke.[10]
- Stopping short or slowing down your club can ruin your shot and keep you stuck in the bunker.
- Hit the sand about before the ball. Swing your club forward and make contact with the clubhead just before the ball. Hit the sand itself and not the ball, which will allow your sand wedge to get underneath the ball and create enough loft to get it up and over the lip of the bunker.[11]
- Hitting the ball with the edge of the sand wedge, also known as blading the ball, won't give it any loft and can cause it to nail the side of the bunker wall.
- If you hit too short of the ball, you'll bury the clubhead in the sand and won't hit the ball with enough force to get out of the bunker. It's got to be in the sweet spot just before the ball.
- Follow through with your club to create a smooth swing. After your clubhead makes contact with the sand and ball, continue swinging the club forward to follow through. Avoid stopping short or burying your clubhead into the sand or the ball may not go where you intend it to. Use a solid follow through to make your swing nice and smooth.[12]
- Always always always follow through with your swing!
- Practice with different backswing lengths to find your range.[13]
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