Breaking 80

By Jack Lumpkin with Pete McDaniel

Photos by Chris Stanford

Photo Illustrations by Jim Luft

March 2009

HOW TO BEAT THE ODDS AND THE ARCHITECT

Course architects usually agree that fairway bunkers are about a one-shot penalty for the average golfer and maybe a half-shot for the skilled player. If you're gunning for the 70s, going for the green is almost a given, assuming you have a good lie. Your goal is to beat the architect by knocking it safely on the green, so aim for the fat part.

Picking the right club is another critical strategy decision. If you're in middle-iron range, you're better off using a utility club. Keep in mind, shots from bunkers usually go about a club shorter than those from the fairway. Plus, utility clubs (above) have broad, flat bottoms that skim through the sand better than irons, which tend to plow it.

Maintain your height for good contact

One of the sickest sounds in golf is a sharp click followed by a dull thud as your ball plugs under the bunker lip. Pulling out of your posture on the downswing, in an attempt to catch the ball clean, is the typical reason for that mis-hit.

To hit the ball consistently solid from the sand, you need to make a descending blow, taking a little sand after impact, just as you would brush the grass from the fairway. Focus on maintaining your height from setup through impact.