Bunkers · Drill
Practice the Shots You Usually Avoid
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, thin or bladed, distance from sand. Build a program with it
Most golfers practice what they're already good at. Try the shots you skip. Long putts over big slopes, for one. Most practice happens on flat ground, but three-putts come after bad lags on slopes. Fairway bunkers, too. Pick enough loft to clear the lip. Then take one more club and swing smoother. Try to catch the ball a touch thin. And hilly lies. Focus on balance. Take an extra club so you can swing easier.
The drill
- Practice lags over humps and shelves.
- In fairway bunkers, clear the lip first.
- Take one more club and swing easy.
- Clip the ball cleanly, a touch thin.
- On slopes, add a club and stay balanced.
Why it works
Shots you avoid stay weak because you never get feedback on them, so the first time you face them is on the course. A smoother swing with one more club keeps you balanced and lets you strike the ball before the sand or ground, which is what fairway bunkers and slopes demand. On sloped greens, practicing the lag teaches you to judge pace and break together, which cuts down the three-putts that follow a poor first putt.
Common mistakes
- You choose a club with too little loft and hit the lip of the bunker.Pick the club that clears the lip first, even if it leaves you short of the green.
- You swing hard with the extra club and lose your balance.Take the longer club to gain distance, then swing at a smooth, easy pace so you stay steady.
- You aim the ball at the hole on a big slope and leave a long second putt.Pick a landing spot that accounts for the slope and aim to finish the ball close, not to hole it.
How you'll know it's working
- Your fairway bunker shots start with the ball hit first, with little or no sand taken before it.
- Your lag putts over humps and shelves finish inside a short, makeable distance of the hole.
- You finish each swing on a slope still balanced, with no stumbling or step forward.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start with a gentle slope or a shallow fairway bunker lip and use a lofted club so the ball clears easily.
Harder: Use a steeper slope or a higher lip, and play to a small target, such as a specific spot on the green or a hole-sized circle on the putting surface.
Common questions
How do you hit a fairway bunker shot without hitting it fat?
Pick enough loft to clear the lip, then take one more club and swing smoother. Try to catch the ball a touch thin so the club meets it before the sand.
Why do I three-putt so often on sloped greens?
Most practice happens on flat ground, so you rarely learn the pace needed over humps and shelves. Practice lag putts on slopes so your first putt finishes close.
