Bunkers · Tip
Read the Lie and the Lip in a Fairway Bunker
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, not getting out, fairway bunkers. Build a program with it
In a fairway bunker, check the lie first. Is it perched up, or settled down a bit? A ball that's settled needs a splash, almost like a shot near the green, with a short iron. Next, look at the lip on your line. Make sure your club has enough loft to clear it. Then set up to hit the ball first. Move the ball about an inch back from where you'd normally play that club. You want lots of ball and very little sand.
Step by step
- Check if the ball sits up or down.
- If it's down, splash it out with a short iron.
- Look at the lip on your line.
- Pick a club that clears it.
- Move the ball back an inch.
Why it works
In a fairway bunker the sand behind the ball can stop the club before it reaches the ball, so you hit the sand first and the shot comes up short. Reading the lie tells you how much sand you can afford to touch. Moving the ball back an inch moves the low point of the swing forward, so the club meets the ball before the sand. Choosing a club with enough loft for the lip means the ball clears the face instead of hitting it.
Common mistakes
- Taking a long club from a settled lie.Choose a short iron and splash the ball out like a shot near the green, with a bit of sand under it.
- Judging the lip by eye from behind the ball and then picking the club for distance only.Look at the lip on your line first, then pick the club with enough loft to clear it, even if it leaves you short of the green.
- Setting up with the ball in your normal position or too far forward.Move the ball back about an inch from where you'd normally play that club so you hit ball first.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball starts on your line and clears the lip with room to spare.
- You feel the club brush very little sand, and the contact is ball first.
- The divot or sand mark, if any, starts at or just past where the ball sat, not behind it.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice with the ball sitting up on firm sand and pick a club with plenty of loft, so the lip is not a concern.
Harder: Practice from a settled lie with a taller lip on your line, and decide on the club and ball position before each shot.
Common questions
What club should I use in a fairway bunker?
Use the club that has enough loft to clear the lip on your line. If the ball is settled down, use a short iron and splash it out.
Why do I hit fat shots from a fairway bunker?
The club is usually hitting the sand before the ball. Check the lie, move the ball back about an inch, and aim to hit lots of ball and very little sand.
