I’m here at the Temple West Coast of Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, standing in a fairway bunker and I’m going to share three simple tips on how to hit better quality shots out of the bunker.
Hitting a good bunker shot can be quite challenging due to the many technical movements and swing thoughts required. However, we can make it simple by focusing on these three tips, which will help you hit better quality shots.
Firstly, it’s crucial to know if you’re hitting out of hard sand or soft sand. This will affect your club selection. If you’re hitting out of hard sand, go with your normal club selection. For instance, if you’re 135 meters out, use your eight iron. However, if the sand is soft, choose a club with less loft. In this case, I recommend using a seven iron. This is because hitting off hard sand is almost like a fairway shot, and you want to catch the ball first. If the sand is soft, you may catch the sand before the ball or the sand may slow down your swing, so it’s best to choose a club with less loft.
Secondly, choke down on the club slightly. This will help you catch the ball first and avoid catching too much sand. When standing in the bunker, sink slightly and make sure you don’t dig into the sand. This will help you hit a full shot in the fairway bunker. By choking down on the club, you’ll be able to catch the ball cleanly, and avoid catching sand before the ball.
Lastly, swing like normal. When in a fairway bunker, many golfers try to lift the ball up in the air, using their hands or body. However, this can cause the weight to be on the right side, leading to topping the ball and hitting the sand in front of you. Therefore, it’s essential to swing like normal and focus on hitting down on the ball. Keep your weight on the left side, and the ball position should be slightly in the middle or middle-right. Stand tall and choke down on the club by about an inch. Focus on hitting the ball first and making a divot after that.
I hope these three simple tips will help you hit more quality shots and have more confidence when you walk into a fairway bunker. Practice these tips to perfect your bunker shot, and you can focus on the technical part during practice, but on the golf course, remember to keep it simple.
