Titleist Tips: Use Your Legs to Escape Fairway Bunkers

Traditional wisdom says that to escape a fairway bunker, you should keep your lower body quiet, grip down on the handle of your club and try to pick the golf ball off the surface of the sand. Titleist staff instructor John Kostis doesn’t love this approach and he explains why in this video. To summarize John’s view, the legs serve as the suspension for the golf swing. When they’re working correctly, your chest stays more centered. When this happens, the bottom of your swing is more consistent and you’re able to make cleaner contact with the golf ball. And as John shows, building an anchored stance in the sand will give you a solid platform that allows you to use your legs and swing normally, without making any drastic adjustments. You’ll strike the ball cleanly and have much better results when you find the occasional fairway bunker.