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Golf Swing Technique – Playing a Fairway Bunker Shot

Recovering from a fairway bunker is one of those shots that seem to cause many golfers trouble. Getting comfortable with a long bunker shot is a real problem for some.

Weekend golfers tend to have a real problem dealing with trouble shots and playing out of a fairway bunker is one of the more daunting shots to deal with.

There is a simple golf swing technique that when you understand it, will have you stepping into that fairway bunker with confidence.

For many amateur golfers, seeing their golf ball end up in a fairway bunker causes them to tense up immediately. In the back of their minds, they are seeing nothing but trouble. All of sudden a heart starts to race a bit; your palms get a bit sweaty. You mind begins to race and conjure up all sorts of errant shot possibilities.

Well, if you know anything about the golf swing, you know that being tense is a surefire way of hitting a poor shot. There is nothing more destructive in a golf swing than having your muscles tense up. You can feel it in the way you grip your club, but for some reason, it is impossible to relax at that point.

It doesn't have to be that way when you are prepared for that inevitable situation. Just having a handle on a good golf swing technique for that trouble shot will allow your body to relax and then tension that would otherwise destroy your chances of a good recovery shot will melt away.

Here is a golf swing technique that will help you improve your fairway bunker shots.

Set up as you normally do. The fewer changes you make to your setup and swing the better.

When in a sand trap your footing is not as solid so dig your feet in slightly for more stability.

You will need to choke down on the club a bit and open your stance a bit, as well. This is because you had to dig in with your feet to have a solid stance.

Set up with you golf ball a little behind the center line.
Because your stance is not as stable as when on the ground, your swing will be mostly from upper body. Keep your lower body quiet during the swing to ensure that your feet don't shift at the wrong time.

You are going to hit down on the golf ball and make contact with the ball before you hit the sand. Realistically, you are trying to pick the ball off the sand.

Be sure to take more club that you normally use for the distance you are playing. If you normally use an 8-iron from 140 yards and that is the distance you are playing, then use a 7 or 6 iron instead. This will take pressure off you hitting a perfect shot and will allow you to take a more relaxed swing.

Using this golf swing technique will make playing a fairway bunker shot less intimidating.

Take time to practice this golf swing technique to get more comfortable with playing fairway bunker shots. If you put in the time to practice this shot, the next time to face that fairway bunker shot you will do it with confidence.

About the Author

Being an avid Golfer, I am always looking for ways to improve my game. My goal is to share the tips that have helped improve my game and help you improve yours.

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Can I claim relief ie, free drop, if my ball is on the fairway but i am standing in a puddle. ?

The ball had a good lie but were I had my stance was 6 inches of casual water after a storm.
Thanks Ozgolfnut I thought so. Thanks for confirming it. A few golfers in Brisbane may pleased to hear this.

Relief from Casual water can be taken if the casual water "Interferes with the lie of the ball, or the players stance". Based on that you are (or were) fully entitled to obtain relief.
You must be able to see the water before you take your stance (your body weight can create enough pressure to push the water up out of the ground if its particularly wet) to be able to take relief. After taking your stance and seeing water seep up is not enough to get relief.

The only caveat on this rule is when you are in a bunker. You must, to avoid a penalty stroke, take relief from casual water within the bunker. If a bunker is completely filled with water, it would mean your free drop becomes a penalty drop if you drop it outside the bunker (basically because you are getting relief from a hazard.

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