BY DAVID LEADBETTER WITH RON KASPRISKE
Let me ask you a question: If you park your tee shot in a fairway bunker, what's your mind-set for the next shot? Just advance it up the fairway? Just get it out? Hello, double bogey? I get it. Fairway-bunker shots are among the least practiced, mostly because it's hard to find a place where you can do it. And even if you aren't uneasy hitting these shots, I'm guessing your expectation of getting on the green is fairly low. Even the PGA Tour average this year is just over 50 percent. If they do it only on every other attempt, what chance do you have? Well, let's see if we can increase your odds.
If your tendency is to hit these shots a little fat, or a lot fat, you can improve your contact greatly if you remember a few simple adjustments at setup. The first is to improve your stability. Widen your stance, dig your feet into the sand slightly and lean your ankles a little inward. Also, grip down on the club and play the ball so your sternum is a touch ahead of it (below).
Now, here's a really important setup key: Stand a little taller over the ball. Why? Because you almost want to thin these shots, catching the ball first and sort of picking it off the sand. Feel more upright with your upper body. You can see here that my spine angle is more vertical at address (below, left) than it would be in my normal stance (below, right).
If you focus only on these setup adjustments, your fairway-bunker play is well on its way to being better. But let me give you a few swing thoughts, too. Assuming you can clear the lip with a club that can easily reach the green (it's best to club up from the sand), playing a fade gives you the best chance of hitting the green. A fade encourages a steeper club path, which helps with ball-first contact, and the open clubface in relation to your path helps get the ball up.
Regardless of shot shape, focus on making a smooth, three-quarter swing, keeping your chest more "on top of" the ball and your lower body quiet (below). Don't lurch up! And remember, err on the side of thin. These shots will never feel as pure as pinching an iron off the fairway, but if you get comfortable with the technique, your confidence from the sand will soar.
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