Fairway Bunker Shots Technique

I always find the most challenging bunker shot to hit is the fairway bunker shot. The objective is to hit the ball a greater distance than a green side bunker. A fundamental difference between the two shots is that with a greenside bunker, you try to hit the sand first where in a fairway bunker you want to contact the ball first.

Be sure to select a club that has enough loft to clear the lip of the fairway bunker. Course architects design some of the fairway bunkers with a high lip, which inhibits the player to hit the ball high enough to carry the necessary distance. If you have had the experience of a “fairway pot bunker” you know what I am talking about. Remember you need to get out of the bunker first before you think about the distance needed. I’ll list below some of the adjustments you need to make to produce a successful fairway bunker shot.

1. Most importantly check the lie of the ball first. A good lie that is sitting “up” allows for a normal swing with few adjustments. A medium lie allows for more of a descending blow and a poor lie which is sitting “down” requires a player to just pitch out into the fairway.

2. Set your feet in the bunker while addressing the ball. You have an opportunity to notice how deep the sand is as you set your feet, you also need your feet set for a good base to ensure a consistent swing.

3. Choke or grip down on the club about the same distance as you have dug your feet into the sand.

4. Position the ball in the middle of your stance.

5. I move my hands a head of the ball slightly as you cannot ground the club in a hazard with out a penalty stroke.

6. Target hitting the ball just above the sand on a good lie. If you have a poor lie take a more lofted club and hit a traditional green side bunker shot back out to the fairway.

7. Look not at a spot behind the ball like a green side bunker but rather on the front side of the ball or just slightly ahead of the ball to help assure you hit the ball first and not the sand. It will feel like you “picked the ball” out of the sand.

Fairway bunker shots, although tricky, become easier with confidence and practice. Remember to look at your lie in the bunker and how deep the bunker face is before you select your club. Getting out of the bunker should be your first thought and if you can get the correct distance you are way ahead of the ball game.

If you would like to learn more about how to play better golf, contact Mary Hafeman PGA & LPGA Professional at www.maryhafemangolf.com or purchase a gift certificate for a lesson package. You will enjoy your experience as you learn and improve - I guarantee it!

Tip #2 for Bunker Shots

How do I control my distance when I am in a bunker?

There are five ways to control distance in a bunker shot. Frequently a player will use a combination of two or more of what I have listed below to play a specialty shot from difficult sand positions.

1. Angle of approach - Use a steep angle for a short distance; use a shallow angle for longer distances. What I have described is how the club head descends onto the ball. The more outside the swing path is the steeper the angle and the shorter the ball will fly.

2. Club face blade position - Add loft by opening or laying back the face of the club on shorter distances, or reduce loft by closing or hooding the clubface for longer distances.

3. Back swing length and pace - A long back swing has potential for creating more power than a short back swing will and it will generally hit the ball farther. The pace, however, also affects that result. A player can use a long back swing and slow pace or a short back swing and faster pace and either swing could hit the ball farther. Pace and length of back swing must be blended.

4. Amount of sand - Shorter shots result from taking more sand by hitting farther behind the ball. Longer shots result by taking less sand. Keep in mind that taking less sand will make the ball go farther but it also puts more spin on the ball and will make the ball stop quicker.

5. Length of follow through — A short follow through is generally the result of reduced speed at impact. A long follow through usually means there is more speed and greater distance. Keep the back swing about the same as the follow through.

I’ve listed out the basic ways to control distance in your sand game; however, there are a variety of bunker shot styles out there that you could emulate, which produce effective results. Each one of you is an individual with a variety of skill and strength levels. You’ve got to make your way to a sand bunker and experiment with a technique that works for you.

Visualize yourself using the basic procedure and the motion and you will see that carryover to your sand shots. Gary Player says, “If I am one of the greats, it’s for one simple reason; no bunker shot has ever scared me and no one ever will. Approach every bunker shot with the feeling you are going to hole it.” I agree with Gary Player and when I walk into a bunker I see it, feel it, and hit it and move on to the next shot. You too can be a great bunker player; just believe it.

If you want to learn more contact me via email mhafe@aol.com or 904-233-0989.

Tip #1 for Bunker Shots

I know all of you have been in a bunker and wondered now what do I do? “How do I get out of those bunkers?” Probably the hardest thing to overcome is one’s fear of bunker shots.

Fear is the great inhibitor; it causes tightness, uncertainty and loss of confidence. The way to erase the fear of a bunker shot is to understand the principles behind executing the shot and practice until you have enough confidence in a method that you know will get the ball out.

Visualizing a successful result is one of the first steps in playing the shot. Fear of making a mistake produces muscular tension and the tension causes the muscles to tighten up which inhibits your swing and reduces your chances of making a positive shot. Thinking negatively and seeing a poor mental picture destroys ones ability to make a good swing out of a bunker. You must stay loose and relaxed, that comes only when you know you can successfully execute the shot.

Here is a basic technique for a greenside bunker with the ball setting up.

1. Establish a firm footing that will support the swing without slipping.

2. Take an open stance to restrict your back swing length and to steepen your swing.

3. Open the clubface to match the address position (your feet are set open).

4. Start with your weight favoring your left side at address.

5. Swing the club like a full cut pitch shot matching the length of your back swing and the follow through to the force needed for that shot.

6. Strike the sand slightly behind the ball (at times it could be 2 inches behind)

7. Hold the clubface open through the shot. Do not let the clubface close until after impact if at all.

8. Continue to accelerate through the ball to the natural finish. Your weight should be on your left foot as in other golf shots.

Practice your bunker shots whenever you can. You will see better results which will help you build your confidence that you can do it. Then when you see your ball in the bunker and someone says to you “Wow now what do you do in that bunker?” You smile wide and say “It's no problem, I love the bunker shots”.

If you want to learn more contact me via email mhafe@aol.com or 904-233-0989.