Things You'll Need:
- Golf clubs
- Golf Ball
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Step 1
The first thing to do when your golf ball lands in a fairway bunker is to examine the lie. If the ball is sitting up on the sand and there is enough room to clear the lip of the bunker then there is an opportunity to play an approach shot onto the green. If the lie is bad or the ball is buried in the sand, forget about playing an approach shot. Take your lumps and play a short explosion shot onto the fairway.
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Step 2
If after you have determined that the ball's lie is sufficient to play the next shot onto the green, setup to the ball by making the few adjustments below.
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Step 3
Take at least one more club than you normally would if the ball was sitting cleanly in the fairway. For example, if the distance to the hole is 155 yards which is an 8-iron for you, go with a 7-iron instead. But be aware that the ball will launch lower from this shot so take a club with enough loft to be able to clear the lip.
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Step 4
Dig your feet in the sand for stability. Hitting out of a fairway bunker will require a quiet lower body and digging into the sand will help restrict that movement.
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Step 5
Choke down on the handle 2-3 inches. You will want to lean towards hitting the shot on the thin side to avoid hitting the sand first.
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Step 6
Take your normal swing, which should be a smooth motion through the ball. Hit correctly the ball should exit the bunker on a lower trajectory and travel the correct distance that you have calculated to the hole. The shot may land a little hotter but more than likely will have sufficient backspin to stop.
