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The Fairway Bunker

CobraX51

CobraX51

F-ck Yeah Baby!
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Let's face it, this isn't a shot we practice much of, if ever, because who really goes to a fairway bunker and practices hitting mid-irons, long irons, or even hybrids/woods? I've seen it done, but by more advanced players.

On the previous hole a buddy of mine hit a great fairway bunker shot on a Par 4 and landed about 10 yards short of the green, had about 160-170.

The very next hole on a Par 5 I hit a poor drive then mashed a hybrid into a fairway bunker, I don't remember the exact number I had, maybe 160? But I do remember I grabbed a 7i.

I asked my buddy what he did on the last hole and he simply said "A very quiet lower body and hit all ball." I always make sure I turn from half swings to full swings, so I told myself to just make an arms swing.

I setup to the ball sitting nicely in the fairway bunker, dug my feet in a little bit, and on the takeaway I already felt myself turn and thinned it...Right into the lip of the bunker and it bounced out leaving me like 140 to the green for my 4th shot. A deflater but I did save bogey.

What's the technique here? As easy as my buddy said? Was I right to dig my feet in like a greenside bunker shot? Any tips for when this situation does happen would be appreciated!
 
I've always taken 1 more club, moved the ball back 1 inch, grip down 1/2 inch and use no legs
 
USAF Ret in Wis said:
I've always taken 1 more club, moved the ball back 1 inch, grip down 1/2 inch and use no legs
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This is pretty much me too.

Also, I always recall a statement Ernie Els made about a fairway bunker shot when he said it's the one time where you're "trying to skull the ball."

He went on to say that the leading edge of the club just needs to contact below the ball's equator and it will get up. Said that an actual skull into the lip is the biggest fear but the least probable outcome with proper set up and reasonable mechanics.

Not sure about his percentages claim but recalling what he said does help me. I'm far more likely to hit one fat than I am to bury it into the lip.
 
Quiet legs. I tend to pull arm swings, so I also aim a touch right. Don't dig your feet in too much, you need to get the ball cleanly, and digging in takes you lower than even with the ball.
 
USAF Ret in Wis said:
I've always taken 1 more club, moved the ball back 1 inch, grip down 1/2 inch and use no legs
Click to expand...
I do the same, get stable in the sand, but I still make a turn - legs are quiet and weight stays on front foot the entire swing - catch it fat ... don't want that ...
 
Choke up a little bit, play the ball a little further back in your stance than normal. Don't dig in much at all in the sand. Focus on the back of the ball, and keep a very steady/still lower body. Definitely feels like more of an arms swing.
 
After this past year, if I have any lip issues for the full distance I take plenty of loft to play to a good distance to try to get up and down.
 
My feeling is I am trying to "pick" the ball out of the bunker. My angle of attach isn't as steep and my eyes are behind the ball, but not as far as they normally would be with a normal greenside shot where i want to take more sand during contact.

I think where i get into trouble and "thinning" shots out of the fairway bunker is when my eyes are focused over the ball causing me to thin it or even top it.
 
The shot from a fairway bunker will be dictated by the consistency of the sand. If the sand is firm you can drive down and through the shot. If the sand is fluffy then you're going to pick the ball off the sand. Either way, most should take an extra club to carry the distance desired. The feet should match the level of the ball. If it is slightly down then the feet are slightly in the sand. If it is sitting on top then the feet do not dig into the sand.

If there is a lip in play, then the club choice should be able to get out of the sand. Place the club behind the ball and if the loft looks like it can clear the lips, swing away. Sometimes you have to take you meds and just get out, make par the hard way.

I play a lot of 9 hole rounds by my lonesome and always practice these shots during those rounds.
 
Tadashi70 said:
The shot from a fairway bunker will be dictated by the consistency of the sand. If the sand is firm you can drive down and through the shot. If the sand is fluffy then you're going to pick the ball off the sand. Either way, most should take an extra club to carry the distance desired. The feet should match the level of the ball. If it is slightly down then the feet are slightly in the sand. If it is sitting on top then the feet do not dig into the sand.

If there is a lip in play, then the club choice should be able to get out of the sand. Place the club behind the ball and if the loft looks like it can clear the lips, swing away. Sometimes you have to take you meds and just get out, make par the hard way.

I play a lot of 9 hole rounds by my lonesome and always practice these shots during those rounds.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what I said, but I wouldn't listen to me either.
 
Do the best I can!
 
Based on the suggestions I've been doing it all wrong.. never choked down, never not used legs.. probably why I chunked so many
 
I watched a clip from Rory on youtube and he mentioned all of the tips in here of dig your feet in to feel stable, choke down, quiet lower body, ball back slightly, etc. But he also mention to make sure you remain "tall" through the shot. This is similar to Ernie's tip to try and skull the ball in my mind. Anyway, in my last round I had a birdie on a par 4 from a FW bunker from about 120 yard following these techniques. Caught the ball perfectly clean and ended up 10 feet above the hole. I was playing a friend for skins and we have a few carries going into this hole so this was like stealing :)
 
One of my last rounds of the year I was golf disabled by fairway bunkers on a course I don't usually play. It is an area where I need to to better understand what I am trying to do and practice. With standard swings I don't pick the ball cleanly and end up chunking out with a lot of sand. Greenside bunkers I can manage OK outcomes. On the two courses where I play most of my rounds, sand is not a key part of the designs. Next summer I will play a lot more on a couple of courses where sand is a big part of the action.
 
Make sure you have enough loft to get the ball over the lip. Feet a bit farther apart. Easy swing, keep the lower body quiet. Nip the ball off the surface of the sand.
 
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