Best Way to Play an Iron Shot from a Fairway Bunker

If you have a bad lie in a fairway bunker, it is better to take the sand iron and ‘splash’ the ball safely back on to the fairway, rather than to take one of the other irons and go for length. However, if you have a decent lie choose a safe, lofted iron, say the No. 7.

Grip

Hold the club with the normal grip 1/2 in (12 mm) from the top. Take your practice swings outside the bunker to create feel for the precision in strike necessary to hit the ball cleanly.

Stance

Take your stance as for a normal shot with a middle iron, with both feet planted securely in the sand, but with the right angled markedly inwards, so as to provide a solid base for the backswing. This is to stop you moving during the backswing.

Hold the club in the air, just behind the ball, with the aim slightly to the left because the weight on the left foot will cause the ball to turn right in the air. The ball is just back of centre to facilitate striking the ball without contacting the sand.

Posture

Keep the hands and arms in front of the ball and place your weight primarily on the left foot. Maintain the knees very slightly flexed, giving you the feeling that you are standing high.

Swing movement

The normal backswing will tend to be more upright than usual, because the hands are in front of the ball and your weight is more on the left foot. Therefore, the club head will not touch the sand as you bring it back from the address position.

The reduced knee flex and angled right foot position will assist you to stand stably during the backswing. The downswing should be unhurried, concentrating on striking the ball and taking as little sand as possible before continuing to a full, con­trolled and well-balanced follow through.