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Fairway Bunker shots

Ole Gray

Ole Gray

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Since we are heading down to play in the King next week and I'm assuming there will be enough sand to grab everybody's balls, a few tips would be appreciated!

Thanks Freddie :thumb:
 
No joke, I got my issue of Golf Magazine yesterday and in the Private Lessons section they had a bit on fairway bunkers. I'll see if I can upload it tomorrow or unless people chime in their views.
 
I actually have very little trouble out of fairway traps compared to greenside traps. I just make sure to hit the ball first by taking the ball just a hair further back in my stance and choking up a hair, add a club or sometimes two, and take a little shorter swing to make certain I make good contact. Essentially I hit it like a knockdown shot.

If it's those gnarly deep pot fairway bunkers like on the International and on links courses though, I tend to hit it just like a greenside shot and just make sure I get it out.
 
Extra club, choke down, ball back in your stance, and try to pick it clean...but I'm a terrible fairway bunker player, so I could be way off.

Interested to see what others say.
 
Play like a normal shot but club down one since your ball will not be compressing off the ground as much and you will lose distance. That's how I do it at least.
 
Just like being in a greenside bunker, you need to evaluate a few things before deciding on your shot

1) How big of a lip is there and how close are you to it? This will let you and idea of what club you will need to clear the lip
2) How is your lie? If it rolled it and the ball is sitting up, it makes the shot much easier than if it has plugged or settled down.

The key to any fairway bunker shot is keeping the lower body quiet. Because the sand is not stable, your feet will be prone to sliding/moving if you have too much action in your lower body. I always try to take one more club than I would normally take (assuming I can still clear the lip with no issues) so that I can swing easier. I try to play it just like a fairway shot and aim to get ball-first contact (assuming the lie permits it).
 
If I have got a plugged lie, then I am just trying to make sure I get it out and onto the fairway again.....not a huge lot else you can do sometimes

If the lie is a nice one, then I will usually try and pick it cleanly - more often than not I will take one club more, but that has caused me problems when I have caught the ball too clean and flown over the green (as I did on Sunday...:banghead:) so I think it depends on how confident you are of picking it cleanly as to whether or not you take an extra club
 
I have always struggled to get out of fairway bunkers and move the ball more than 20 yards forward...hovering the club always caused me to bend down into the shot and take way too much sand before I hit the ball....until last weekend. I tried one little thing different and got out of 2 fairway bunkers from 105 yards out and 140 yards out and stuck it close enough that I made both birdie putts...

All I did different was I changed where I looked...at address and through my swing instead of looking at the ball I picked a pebble about 1.5 inches in front of the ball... swing bottomed out in front of the ball which gave me awesome ball first contact.

Both shots made me swell up with pride and they were literally the 2 best shots i have hit in a long long time.
 
I play the ball back in my stance a small amount and take an extra club seems to work ok
 
I was in a fairway bunker today and just had to get out of it. I was right on the edge of the bunker, still 200+ yards out, and couldn't clear the edge with anything but a wedge. Sand is a really weak part of my game right now.
 
I dig my feet in. Choke down. Maybe club up. And keep a quiet lower body. And take a normal swing trying to hit down on the ball and take a sandy divot after the ball. Picking it clean is problematic and inconsistent to me. I have always been taught to treat a fairway bunker swing like a swing in the fairway.
 
Gray the key is to take one extra club, play the ball in the middle of your stance, weight on left side and keep lower body quiet. Do not dig your feet it as it will change the impact area to below the level of the ball. Keep your feet quiet , hit ball first and follow through.
 
I seem to do better out of fw bunkers than green side bunkers because I'm not afraid to swing hard. Usually just try for ball first contact and club up.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Gray the key is to take one extra club, play the ball in the middle of your stance, weight on left side and keep lower body quiet. Do not dig your feet it as it will change the impact area to below the level of the ball. Keep your feet quiet , hit ball first and follow through.
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Guily of this way too many time, leads to fat city. Seeing that Im a decent picker of the ball outside of when I do this Im usually oK getting out
 
Tadashi70 said:
Gray the key is to take one extra club, play the ball in the middle of your stance, weight on left side and keep lower body quiet. Do not dig your feet it as it will change the impact area to below the level of the ball. Keep your feet quiet , hit ball first and follow through.
Click to expand...

I dig in just enough to create a stable base.
 
Tadashi70 said:
What other adjustments do you make?
Click to expand...

Move the ball back a smidge (that's a formal unit of measure right?) and choke down the club a little.

I always take enough club to get over a lip and I don't try to pick them clean
 
How is all that working for you?
blugold said:
Move the ball back a smidge (that's a formal unit of measure right?) and choke down the club a little.

I always take enough club to get over a lip and I don't try to pick them clean
Click to expand...
 
I do better out of fairway bunkers then I do green side.
 
I've never played out of too many fairway bunkers. Don't even think too many of the courses I play have fairway bunkers. This could be really helpful for #TheKing next week!
 
I like to just break the top layer of sand to get a firm base to swing from. I will choke down on the club just alittle bit. I will pull the correct club for the distance I need to cover. I like the play ball pretty close to the middle of my stance, if anything I might move it forward just a touch. I like to load up my weight on my left side. Make a good full hip and shoulder turn while keeping my lower body as quiet as I can. And make a good full turn through the ball, catching ball first and taking a small sandy divot that makes a nice solid thump. Works very well for me.
 
If you only take one thing away from this discussion, it should be a stable base and quiet lower half. Never seen a great fairway bunker player have tons of movement down there. Keep it steady!
 
Pretty much the same as on the green stuff for me. Aside from clearance issues (unless I'm next to the lip I'm not worried of getting even a hybrid out of them) will adjust to a shorter target or club down and move down the grip a touch. Nice and easy and let the club take the ball on it's journey and not me...well I attempt it anyway.
 
Playdough said:
I like to just break the top layer of sand to get a firm base to swing from. I will choke down on the club just alittle bit. I will pull the correct club for the distance I need to cover. I like the play ball pretty close to the middle of my stance, if anything I might move it forward just a touch. I like to load up my weight on my left side. Make a good full hip and shoulder turn while keeping my lower body as quiet as I can. And make a good full turn through the ball, catching ball first and taking a small sandy divot that makes a nice solid thump. Works very well for me.
Click to expand...


This is exactly what my pro talked to me about yesterday! I got the knowledge now I have to execute the shot. :golf2:
 
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