Golf Digest editors picks
Tiger Woods

Stay tall in fairway bunkers

For great contact, avoid dipping into the ball

Tiger Woods

1. Choke down; then keep your chin up as you make a good turn.

September 2010

I've been working hard on keeping my upper body and head from dropping as I move into impact with the driver. Maybe I should start pretending I'm hitting from a fairway bunker, because I know that staying tall on those shots is all-important.

The two big factors I focus on in fairway sand are spine angle and knee flex. Most amateurs increase one or the other on the downswing, which moves them closer to the ball and forces a last-second adjustment to avoid a mis-hit, usually a fat shot.

Try this in fairway bunkers: Choke down, play the ball in the center of your stance, lift your chin a little at address as a reminder to stay tall, and then maintain those body angles as you swing through impact.


2. Do not drive your lower body aggressively coming down -- a key to making solid contact.
3. Clip the ball first then the sand as you accelerate through.
4. Make an abbreviated, punch-type follow-through. This will help you stay in control and maintain your balance.

Tiger Woods writes instruction articles only for Golf Digest.

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