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Q. If I am playing my ball out of a bunker, is there a penalty if I hit the sand during my backswing? --J.Gomm

A: You cannot ground your club at any time in a bunker, even during your backswing. (However, you can ground your club after your shot, provided the ball makes it out of the bunker.) In match play the penalty for grounding a club would be loss of hole. In stroke play it would be a two-stroke penalty. The reference to these penalties may be found in the USGA's "The Rules of Golf" under Rule 13-4.

Q: Presently, my index is 11.8. I play as much competitive golf as I can. From tee to green, I'm pretty strong. The problem is my putting. There are many rounds that could be in the 60s but end up being over par because my short putting is poor. What can you suggest? --B. Murphy

A: The best thing I have seen is the mid-length putter. The hardest part about using one is the shock to the ego. I'm now 52 and was a very good conventional putter until about two years ago when I began to struggle over short putts. But since I switched to the mid-length, my putting has been great. The beautiful thing about the mid-length is that the only thing that moves during the putting stroke is the right arm as it swings back and forth. If you don't want to change putters, you need to work on keeping the clubhead square during your putting stroke. A good drill to check to see if you are doing this is the Yardstick Drill. Lay a yardstick on the ground, with the sole of your putter on top of the stick, and make some strokes. Take the putter back, stop and make sure it is square to the lines on the yardstick. Now swing to impact, checking if it is also square. Finally, swing to the finish and see if the putter is square. This little drill should help your short putting. In addition, the length of your backswing should be just long enough to still accelerate the clubhead through to the finish toward the target. This was one of Sam Snead's favorite practice drills during his career. One last thing: Check the style of your putter. If you are right eye dominant, you will probably need an offset putter. If you are left eye dominant, you will probably need a putter with no offset. Depending on your eyes and putter style this could be causing you the problem. Your local CPGA Professional Jim Ogilvie,will help you in determining your actual problem and cure. Yardstick Drill: The putter should be square when you bring it back (left), at impact and at finish (right).

Q: I'm a 18-handicap golfer who's developed a troubling tendency to snap hook or duck hook tee shots (is there a difference?) with driver, 3- and 5-wood or long iron. I don't tend to hook these clubs when playing from fairways or rough. However, most of my shots have some draw. (If it matters or not, I'm an 80 year old who plays golf regularly.) --G.Curtis

A: The fact you're 80 has little to do with your problem. First check your grip. If while addressing the ball, you look down and see more than two knuckles of your left hand, your grip is probably too strong. You need to weaken it. Do this by turning your left hand more to the left. Another possible cause of your errant shots may be an improper swing path, one that comes from too far inside the target line on the downswing. This happens because you either turn your shoulders on the downswing in a more up and down motion rather than perpendicular to the spine or drop the right shoulder on the downswing. My suggestion would be to pick a target and set up square to it. Then hit balls with a 6-iron, trying to start the ball left of the target and fade it to the target. Once you start hitting shots straight and true to the flag, pick up a longer club and see what happens. This should help reduce and eliminate that hook.

A: Remember: It is loft that gets the ball airborne. To help the club accomplish this we must not only address the ball properly, but use our body and arms properly also. You are probably topping the ball because your weight transfer is faulty. To achieve a proper weight transfer you must pivot your body correctly. As you start the backswing, pivot your upper body around your right hip. This moves your weight to your right foot. On the downswing you should unwind your body while maintaining your posture and pivot your upper body over your left hip. As you do this, your weight moves toward and onto the left foot. A drill you can do to help you get in the proper position would be to swing a 7-iron in ultraslow motion. Swing back to the top ­ pivoting, not swaying your hips ­ then down very slowly to impact. At this point your weight should be more on your left foot with your left arm and club forming a straight line. Remember: The clubhead is always following the body and arms on the downswing to impact. Finish in slow motion with the swing going to the top, weight on the left foot. A good training aid that can also help you is the Swing Jacket.

Q: When taking a practice swing with a driver, my clubhead returns square to the impact area. However, when swinging at the ball, my clubhead closes. What am I doing to cause this and how can I correct it? --P.Fader

A: During the golf swing, the clubface is supposed to open on the backswing and close during the downswing. However, you do not want it to happen too soon. To help alleviate this problem I would suggest that you continue your body rotation through to the finish. Let the body and arms stay in time with each other from impact to finish. The body carries the club to the finish.

Q: I'm 61 and have arthritic ankles that do not allow me to transfer my weight from right to left during my golf swing. What can I do in my swing to compensate for the loss of power and distance? --T. Grandy

A: To help take the strain off your ankles I would suggest pointing both feet out away from each other. In other words, point the right toe further toward the right and the left foot further to the left. This should allow you to make a fuller pivot and help you achieve more power and distance.

Q: I'm 6'4". When putting, I feel as if I am hunched over the ball. Could my height or hunching affect my stroke? Do they make putters for taller players? --B. Montgommery Montgomerie Montgomery

A: Your height will not affect your stroke if you have the proper length putter. I would suggest a club fitter that builds custom putters. He can fit you with proper length, lie, grip, loft and offset or onset depending on your aim and dominant eye.

Q: I am frequently disturbed/distracted by the noises of other players after I've addressed the ball. One will take practice swings, while another will tap the ground with his club just as I'm near the top of my backswing. Are there some mental exercises that I can use to block out these distracting sounds? --J. MacDonald

A: The nature of golf is that it takes a great deal of concentration to play. As I am sure you are aware, there are unwritten guidelines for behavior. Remaining quiet during someone else's swing is the foremost rule of etiquette, but apparently your buddies don't know this. My suggestion is to politely say something to your playing partners like, "Is my playing this shot interfering with your practice?" The bottom line is you need to be direct; it's the best approach. As for your earlier question , I suggest you ask the bridge commission to put thicker padding in the coin baskets.