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10 methods to beat fairway bunkers, per prime instructor

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June 29, 2024

Do not let fairway bunkers add irritating strokes to your scorecard.

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Hitting from any sort of sand could be tough, however doing so from a fairway bunker could be further difficult for loads of novice golfers.

With so many various distances, depths, and varieties of sand to be thought of, should you don’t have the proper setup and technique, you may watch your scores balloon in a rush.


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Do that for extra success from fairway bunkers

Being an excellent fairway bunker participant may also help you keep away from pointless strokes on a gap, and, by following these 10 suggestions, you’ll be in your means in direction of decrease scores very quickly.

1. The definition of a fairway bunker

A fairway bunker is a sand-filled space that sits alongside the green moderately than close to the inexperienced. They are often tough to flee from, with many amateurs missing the talent to make ball-first contact, moderately than sand-first contact (as is the case with greenside traps).

2. Make ball-first contact

As talked about above, it’s crucial to make ball-first contact (and then the sand) when hitting from a fairway bunker. Often, gamers typically assume they will attempt to choose the ball cleanly, that means they don’t take any sand, however this can lead to skinny and topped photographs which can not launch high enough over the lip of the bunker.

3. Dial in your membership choice to keep away from the lip

Your No. 1 precedence is to clear the lip of the bunker and get the ball again into play — so bear in mind: the upper the lip, the extra membership loft you want.

You must also think about your proximity to the lip when selecting your membership. The nearer you might be to the lip, the earlier you must get the ball into the air to get again into play — that means you’ll want to make use of a extra lofted membership. When unsure, I at all times recommend utilizing a higher-lofted membership, simply to make sure you escape the green bunker on the primary shot.

4. At all times end ahead

When ending your swing, ensure that all the burden is in your entrance foot — and keep away from any temptation to elevate. Being in a balanced place the place you may maintain your end along with your regular pivot off your again foot (as you’d in a full swing), is strictly the identical if you’re in a fairway bunker.

Don’t let the lip trick you into attempting to assist the ball up by scooping or leaning again.

5. Use correct ball place

Like each golf shot, your ball place is admittedly vital — possibly much more so when in a fairway bunker — however it could differ a bit from participant to participant.

Your ball place needs to be middle to barely again in your stance, which is able to make it easier to hit the ball first and then the sand. In the event you actually battle making contact with the sand first, I’d merely recommend shifting your ball again extra.

6. Slender your stance

To assist remove some side-to-side lateral physique movement, at all times slender your stance when hitting from a fairway bunker. This may also reduce the prospect of getting the membership hit the sand first.

In the event you are inclined to take an excessive amount of sand, I recommend narrowing your stance much more. In the event you are inclined to catch the ball too excessive or too skinny, then utilizing a much less slender stance is best. There’s a variety of personalization in relation to bunker play, so mess around with what’s greatest for any of your dangerous habits.

By wedging your again foot into the sand (in order that your little toe is larger than your massive toe), you’ll additionally assist remove an excessive amount of facet to facet movement — which may trigger you to mishit and call the sand earlier than the ball.

Wedging this foot may assist hold your physique extra on the goal facet of the ball, permitting you to make clear contact at impression.

8. Strive a lofted hybrid

In the event you occur to hold a lofted hybrid in your bag (like a 6- or 5-hybrid), this may very well be the important thing for maximizing distance whereas additionally clearing the bunker’s lip — so long as you’re not proper up subsequent to the lip.

9. Decide the lie

Relying in your lie in a fairway bunker, chances are you’ll must play extra conservatively moderately than be aggressive.

As an illustration, in case your ball is sitting down within the sand or the lip is simply means too excessive, take your medication, play the ball place extra ahead (as you’d in a greenside bunker) and splash the ball out to the green. It’s not excellent, however that’s the neatest play to avoid wasting your self strokes.

10. Follow a majority of these photographs

It may be tough practising fairway bunker photographs, however to be able to turn into a well-rounded golfer, it’s so vital. It will make it easier to decide which golf equipment you like from these conditions, in addition to the place you like the ball to be positioned.

One other advantage of practising from fairway bunkers is that it makes you be taught ball-first contact. That is the important thing to enhancing your ball-striking in all areas of the sport, understanding easy methods to impression the ball after which the bottom.

In search of extra golf content material? Give me a follow on Instagram to get suggestions and taking part in recommendation.


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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor

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