Learn To Be Successful With Your Sand Shots From The Sand

One of the most intimidating shots in golf is the fairway bunker shot.  Most people have a problem with bunker shots that are around the green.  When someone’s steps into a bunker that is 150 yards or more from the green the mental anxiety begins.  I would like to say that it should not be intimidating.  I think a bunker shot from around the green is much more difficult.

You must consider that a greenside bunker shot is a somewhat different swing and technique than your normal golf swing.  Were-as the fairway bunker shot is very similar to that of a fairway shot from the grass.  Considering these two factors, one must realize that the chances of success should be quite good from a fairway bunker.

Once you find yourself in a fairway bunker the first thing to do is access this situation.  How deep is it?  Many of these bunkers having raised lead and you must choose a club with enough loft on it too clear the lip of the bunker, even if it is not enough club to get you to the green.  Your number one priority is to get out of these bunkers successfully, even if the situation does not allow you to reach the green.

As I said, that technique for playing out of a fairway bunker is completely different from that used for hitting a shot out of a greenside bunker.  From the greenside bunker we are splashing the sand out of the bunker and not actually hitting the ball.  From the fairway bunker we are most definitely trying to hit the ball.

Provided you can clear the look on the fairway bunker, always take at least one more club, or maybe two, then you need for the required distance.  Shuffle your feet into the sand to create a stable base contacting the sand under your shoes.  Remember, we are trying to hit the ball first.  In order to compensate for our feet now being below the ball, we need to grip down on the club.  Some people call this choking down on the club, but I prefer not to use the word to choke.

Your ball position is very important; we should play the ball a little farther back in the stance than normal.  This will steepen the angle of attack and help us to hit the ball before contacting any sand.

We are now ready to hit the shot.  It is important that you keep your lower body quiet or passive during the swing, to hit the fairway bunker shot.  Too much movement with the lower body will likely lead to inconsistent strikes, the result being either fat or thinned shots.

Provided there is little or no luck on the bunker, a thin shot can work out really well.  A fat shot, however, will not go very far at all.  This and will absorb most of the power generated and the result will be very similar to that of a greenside bunker shot

Keeping the lower body quiet, making three-quarter quarter backswing, and focusing on hitting the golf ball first will make the shots much easier.  Remember two swing with conviction through impact and swing all the way too full finish.

Find a fairway bunker where you play, make that time and throat 20 years so balls in it.  By the time you have practiced the technique outlined here, you’ll have no fear of fairway bunkers.