How To Hit Out Of Fairway Bunkers

Knowing how to hit out of fairway bunkers is an essential skill for all golfers, but without the best golf tips it can be something many amateurs struggle with. Ignoring this area of the game in your practice isn't going to help either, and this might be one of the reasons you don't get better at golf.

Forcing yourself to prepare for this type of shot is something tour pros do that you don't, with many of the top players able to spin the golf ball and get it close.

With that in mind, we asked Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Ben Emerson to share a few of his expert fairways bunker tips so that you can improve your consistency from the sand...

How To Hit Out Of Fairway Bunkers

Hitting out of the fairway bunker is not an easy shot, and it can come with a lot of pressure. As you can see in the video above, I have been left with a really challenging fairway bunker shot, where I have to carry the ball over the water and another bunker, into a tight green.

Getting the setup right, and having a few basic swing thoughts, can help you to  focus on the strike...

Club Selection

In this example I have 130 yards left to the pin, which would usually be a wedge for me. I am going to go a full club up, to a 9-iron, as this will allow me to take my time in the swing and means I don't have to hit the ball as hard. This also helps to create a nice smooth rhythm to your swing.

Assessing The Lip

If you were in a similar position, however, and the lip of the bunker was really high, the main priority would be to get out of the sand first time and therefore a more lofted club would be a sensible choice. In this instance, find the fairway and focus on getting to the green with your next shot.

The Setup

I don't like to dig into the sand too much with my feet, as I want to stay as stable as I can. I try to think about this as a normal 'off the fairway' type of shot, where I am just trying to nip the ball of the surface and let the club go into the sand after impact.

This is the complete opposite to the normal method for how to play bunker shots, where you are trying to hit behind the ball and splash it out as high as you can.

As you can see in the video above, I like to go a little further down the grip in this situation, just to make sure I am slightly closer to the clubhead – as this promotes a clean strike. I also want to have a touch more weight on my left side, with minimal movement in the swing to allow for a nice stable shot.

There is no need to fear this shot the next time you find your ball in the sand, as knowing how to hit out of fairway bunkers is a skill, like any, that you can improve with practice.