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Fairway Bunkers - I can't get out of them!

DJYoshi

By DJYoshi,
in Instruction and Playing Tips

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DJYoshi Great Member

DJYoshi

My green side bunker play...i'm happy with that. I can more than likely get up and down depending on how hard the shot is via pin placement.

when it comes to fairway bunkers....outside of a 9 iron, I can't get out on a consistent basis.
I've been placing the ball back in my stance. i've tried placing it forward or neutral. gripping down on the club...but i just can't get out!
DJ Yoshi
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jambalaya Dedicated Member

jambalaya

Are you trying to pick the ball clean? You definitely do not want to hit sand first like greenside bunker shots. Basics I've been told: Ball further forward in stance, choke up on club to compensate for feet sinking down in sand, do not move lower body around much like regular swing (minimal hip turn, swing with mostly shoulders, in other words quiet lower body). I personally club down (hit 8 iron instead of 9 iron) because some distance is lost.

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CG031 Great Member

CG031

Are you trying to pick the ball clean? You definitely do not want to hit sand first like greenside bunker shots. Basics I've been told: Ball further forward in stance, choke up on club to compensate for feet sinking down in sand, do not move lower body around much like regular swing (minimal hip turn, swing with mostly shoulders, in other words quiet lower body). I personally club down (hit 8 iron instead of 9 iron) because some distance is lost.

No, you want the ball back in your stance. Otherwise, you're pretty right in what your saying. You also don't want to club down too much, because usually you have somewhat of a lip to get over, so you do want loft on the club.

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RickK Dedicated Member

RickK

Before offering any suggestions on what you should do, maybe we should know what happens when you hit a shot from a fairway bunker. Do you not get it airborne and then hit the bunker face in front of you? Do you top it? Do you more or less hit it fat and pop it up, maybe getting out of the bunker and maybe not?

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jambalaya Dedicated Member

jambalaya

No, you want the ball back in your stance. Otherwise, you're pretty right in what your saying. You also don't want to club down too much, because usually you have somewhat of a lip to get over, so you do want loft on the club.

Yep, you are right about that. I just reviewed the fundamentals from a Hank Haney video and he said ball a bit further back in the stance. I understand your concern about the lip but that is not always a problem depending where you ball lies in relation to the lip. However, you are going to give up some distance compared to at standard shot from the fairway so clubbing down is still a valid point I think. If the lip is a problem then a higher lofted club would be necessary but you may not reach the green.

My Clubs
Nicklaus Progressive XC Irons: 3H,4H, 5-GW
Ray Cook SW & Gyro 1 Putter
Taylor Made Burner Driver 10.5
Taylor Made V-Steel 3 & 5 MetalsMy Home Course: Indian RiverMy Blog: Rant-o-Rama-Ding-Dong

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DJYoshi Great Member

DJYoshi

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I tend to hit a little more sand than required.. The only clubs I can really hit out of a fairway bunker are 9 - sw & lw and a hybrid.

it just feel REALLY uncomfortable placing the ball to play a 7 iron where my 9 iron shot normally is. it's like I don't have enough time to get the club squared and I end up hitting more sand instead of picking it clean. i can hit the 9 iron about 110 if i hit it right... but then I try to take a 5 - 8 and i only hit it a good 100 yards!!
DJ Yoshi
Official DJ: Rutgers Football
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RickK Dedicated Member

RickK

First of all, you have to consider the lie you have in the sand. If you ball is sitting on top of the sand, it is much easier to get the ball out. If very much of the ball is below the sand, it becomes more difficult and just advancing the ball beyond the trap becomes the priority.

You do NEED to play the ball back in your stance but I never play more than an inch or so past the middle, regardless of what club I am using. Try delofting the club since you have it more back in your stance than normal. Just shut the face down some. The best tip I ever received for any bunker play, greenside or fairway, was to stop putting so much effort into the swing. I went after bunker shots like I was attacking the ball. You tend to rock back off the ball more when you do that. You need to stay over the ball. Another thing that has helped me more than anything else is moving my hands back towards the middle of my stance also. This may not work for some but it did wonders for me. I was taught straight line from the shoulder to the clubhead. That works great everywhere but in fairway bunkers for me. Last thing...watch the clubhead hit the ball, every shot, not just in the sand.

Bag: Titleist
Driver: TM RBZ 9.5
Fairway metals: TM RBZ 3 wood
Hybrids: TM RBZ 3, 4 and 5
Irons: TM Burner 1.0 6 thru LW stiff steel shafts
Putter: Ping B60
Ball: TM Tour Preferred X or ProV1x
Check out littlejohngolfleague.com  A Greater Houston TX traveling golf league.

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cwcaesar Well Established Member

cwcaesar

Something that helps me to pick the ball cleanly is to focus on the front of the ball. On a normal shot from the fairway I tend to pick out a dimple in the middle of the ball (the top of the ball if viewed from the side). When I need to pick it cleanly I just focus on the leading edge of the ball (closest to the hole). This allows me to catch it a groove or two lower on the clubface and miss the pesky sand. Hope this helps!

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4 Wood: F-60 16.5 w/ Exsar FS3 Stiff Shaft
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

  • Administrator
My keys for getting out of a fairway bunker:
  1. Grip down a little to compensate for digging in with your feet.
  2. Take one extra club. Makes up for #1.
  3. Keep a very steady lower body.
  4. Take what feels like a 3/4 swing.

Occasionally, if the ball is nestled down a little bit and I don't have a threatening lip, I'll really focus on hitting down on the ball and catching it a little thin if anything. A miss thin is 10x better than a miss thick from a fairway bunker (again, if there isn't a big lip).

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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x-forged Dedicated Member

x-forged

[*]Keep a very steady lower body.

I like Iacas' list of things, but this is the main key for me when Im in a fairway bunker.

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driver- X460 tour 9.5 Aldila NVS 75
irons- X-forged 3-PW TT BlackGold stiff
wedges- x-tour vintage 52, 56, 60
hybrid- FT-hybrid #2 17* putter- Sophia 33" "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."_Mario Andretti
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jaragon126 Well Established Member

jaragon126

I agree with many of the responses ... to pick it clean out of a fairway bunker I put the ball a bit back in the stance so I'm sure to hit the ball first. I don't normally take an extra club ... my distance is usually unaffected.

I love how much the ball spins when coming out of the bunker ... stops on a dime!

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ks8829 Great Member

ks8829

In fairway bunkers I swing more with my upper body and arms and try to keep my lower body quiet.

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JMReynolds Member

JMReynolds

Another tip I just read in Golf Digest a month or so again is to displace more weight on your front foot. Tried it today on a course (just dropped a ball in a bunker for giggles and tried it) and the ball came out clean almost as if I had hit it out of the fairway, had to club down just a wee bit, but just a nice smoth swing and it had plenty of distance and excellent ball flight.

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DJYoshi Great Member

DJYoshi

  • Author
thanks everyone. i didn't get into any sand trouble yesterday except for a greenside bunker... but next time the course is empty, i'll try and drop a few balls into the bunker and try each of the tips... given that there's nobody behind me or with me
DJ Yoshi
Official DJ: Rutgers Football
Boost Mobile Tour
In My Bag
HiBoreXL 9.5 White Board D63 Stiff Exotics CB2 5 Wood, Exotics CB3 3 Wood MP-60 5.5 Flighted Shafts 54 & Cleveland CG-10 60 Newport 2
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Klean Well Established Member

Klean

I'm in fairway bunkers a lot, so I've been forced to learn how to hit them well. I do everything Iacas says + one thing.

I focus on the front of the ball. My local golf pro suggested it to me awhile back and it helps me pick it clean most of the time. On a bad shot I'll hit it thin, but it gets it out of there with pretty good distance.
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LPHSGolfPhil Member

LPHSGolfPhil

David Leadbetter has noted to try pointing your toes inward at address (like you're pigeon toed) in order to aid a more stable lower body

it feels really akward, but it sorta helps
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JYB Great Member

JYB

okay, here's how to do it.

Aim for the front of the ball when you swing down. It will trick your mind into picking it cleanly. Try it.
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