Golf Teaching Aid - The Long Bunker Shot

As a youngster, I used to enjoy playing in the sand, but when I'm playing golf, the sand is the last place I want to find myself in. Hitting the fairway bunker shot is one of the single most difficult shots in golf. Here are some helpful tips to helping you get up and out of the sand the next time you find yourself in a fairway bunker.

Something you should remember is the fairway bunker shot will be different than the greenside bunker shot. When you hit your ball from a greenside bunker you'll take a lot of sand because you're hitting behind the ball in order to get it up and land it soft. Well, with a fairway bunker shot, we want to basically do the opposite. We don't want to take a lot of sand with our swing.

As you get into the bunker to hit your shot, get a good firm base with your feet. You have to make sure you wiggle your feet around and have as solid of a foundation as possible. Keep the ball toward the middle of your feet, or even a little forward if you like.

Grip the golf club just like you do with any other shot. Don't try to get a gorilla grip on the club or choke down. Keep it just like you would if you were in the fairway. In fact, think of your ball actually being in the fairway. The mechanics are the same.

When hitting a longer fairway bunker shot I recommend taking an additional club length. For example, if you're 175 yards to the pin and you normally would hit a 6 iron, then use a 5 iron for this shot. You'll be much happier with the results.

Line up to your target and take the golf club back just as you do for all your golf shots. Don't try to compensate for being in the sand by swinging extra strong or hitting down on the ball. Were trying to hit nothing but the ball with this type of bunker shot.

As you swing through the ball be sure you continue to accelerate. I see some golfers who will try and guide the ball only to either miss hit the ball, or not even get it out of the bunker. You need to visualize the ball going toward the green. See it through and trust your swing. This is where the mental part of your golf game will come into play.

No one will argue that the fairway bunker shot is probably the single most difficult shot in golf. With that said though, it's one that you can learn to hit, but it will take time and practice. You rarely see amateur golfers out on the driving range practicing this important shot. Of course, what you don't practice you can't master. So, take some practice time with this shot and watch your results improve the next time you find yourself facing that long fairway bunker shot.