COMMUNITY SPORTS TIPS: Playing fairway bunker shots

One of the most dreaded shots in golf is out of the fairway bunker. This shot needs to have good accuracy and the correct distance. This shot is not as hard as we make it, if we follow these guidelines.

First, we need to make sure we understand the shot. If you could not reach the green from a fairway lie of the same distance, do not try to reach the green out of the bunker. Instead use this technique to hit the shot to a comfortable distance to the green.

In a fairway bunker you want to make sure you contact the ball before the sand. This will allow you to control the ball’s distance and direction. As you set up to this shot try not to let your feet dig into the sand very much. Position the ball a little farther back in your stance (no more than one inch) than you normally would, and use one more club than you would off of the grass. Make sure your hands are a little forward of the ball (close to your left thigh) and make your normal swing. This setup will put you in a position to hit the ball before the sand, and make more quality shots out of the fairway bunker.

As you are practicing this shot your thought should be to “turn to the finish”, this will keep your hands and arms accelerating through the shot for nice consistent results.

Remember that we are not lifting or scooping the ball out of the bunker. Rather, we are hitting the ball on the downswing just as we would off of the grass. The club selection for fairway bunkers varies for the length of the shot. My recommendation would be to use irons and hybrids. Fairway woods do not have enough loft or a low enough center of gravity to get the ball over the lip of a fairway bunker.

Do not be afraid to practice this shot out of our practice fairway bunker located on the right side of the practice tee.

Bill Tawney is a PGA Assistant Golf Professional at University Park Country Club. For more information, call 359-9999 or visit www.universitypark-fl.com.