Beat Fairway Bunkers

PGA Professional John Fleming offers a few tips on how to improve your play out of fairway bunkers.

Apply these suggestions and your fairway bunker shots are bound to improve:

(1) Take a little wider stance than normal, lean slightly into your lead leg, and dig your feet into the sand. This will help to restrict body turn, minimize leg action and secure your footing.

(2) Position the ball in the center of your stance with your hands slightly ahead of the ball.

(3) Grip down on the club a quarter to one-half inch.

(4) Make a smooth-tempo, three-quarter length back swing.

(5) Swing forward, trying to pick the ball off the sand.

Pick your club selection only after you have examined your lie, how high the front lip of the bunker is, and how much distance the ball has to travel. Take at least one more club to hit fairway bunker shots.

If you need more help with your fairway bunker play, or any other part of your golf game, contact a Tom Talkington, PGA Professional, at (731) 424-3146.

Copyright 2004 by PGA.com. All rights reserved.

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