I have trouble clearing any significant lip on fairway bunkers. Are there different adjustments to playing these shots from bunkers over playing from the fairway in order to get more loft on the shots? I’m tired of having to use a club with much more loft than the shot seems to call for.
Do you feel like your normal launch trajectory should be enough to clear the lip? (unless you have a really low iron launch or are in really massive fairway bunkers, I would assume so)
Really, from a decent lie with enough space in front of you, the ball should clear, but I think it’s one of those spaces where we feel like we need to “help” the ball get into the air and wind up doing the exact opposite. If you want to try a little technique adjustment (depending on your normal setup), try standing a bit taller to the ball and grip down on the shaft just a bit to encourage a more sweepy swing. Focus just in front of the ball and try to have the club enter the sand there instead of before the ball. The club loft should take care of getting that ball into the air.
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@Wasa I feel like this is a problem for me half of the time too. @CoryO’s advice seems solid, never actually tried it. One of my problems is like Cory said, trying to help the ball, which in turn cause me to do one of two things: 1) hit it fat and barely get it out 2) swing too hard and early extend causing me to hit the middle top of the ball and never getting much launch. If you think of the fairway bunker as any other shot, it could help. When I hit it best, I tell myself as I’m going to the ball, this shot is just like hitting it off the fairway. Swing smooth and pick it clean, just like you would do on the fairway. However, we get in that bunker and think we have to do something different. We really don’t, unless the ball is buried or on a crazy side lie.
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Yes, my trajectory from the bunker is definitely lower than off the grass. I will try your advice. I think maybe I’m concentrating so much on not hitting the sand first that I’m thinning it. Your advice sounds like a good way to go after it. Thanks
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I always stick the ball back a little and try to hit down on it. I feel like I frequently find the ball sitting in little depressions and it feels like it’s the only way to hit ball first. I had a lesson with Monte Scheinblum and he said you want to be shallow from fairway bunkers. I put a ball in a little depression and said “how about now?” He said still shallow. Then proceeded to hit it perfectly with a shallow AoA. The guy can hit it 330 in the air and that’s what I’m most jealous of. I cannot see how to make that work. Maybe I need to play more 
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As someone with a very shallow angle of attack naturally, I’m jealous of those who can get steep!
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Monte Scheinblum talks about the 3 lefts:
Play ball left (up) one ball
Stay left as you pivot back
Move left through the shot
This produces a flighted shot for me so not sure if it solves your specific problem but I am hitting much more solid when thinking about those keys
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Thanks to Monte and to you.
Hope it helps.
That should help promote the shallow / sweeping motion @CoryO is talking about
Love the tip about focusing on the front of the ball as well
This is similar to something I learned from a Roger Gunn video lesson many years ago. Aim left, take an extra club, play the ball forward an inch, quiet the legs. It comes out high with a lot of backspin.
That said, any lateral movement in your swing becomes very evident in the sand.
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I only like one swing thought at a time and mine for a fairway bunker is to stand tall. Ball first contact is paramount or you risk chunking it. I like to pick it pretty clean and don’t have much trouble. High lips or bad lies are most likely a punch/chip out.
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I launch my irons low to begin with, so if I have any kind of lip trouble I loft up and take my licks. Hope for a good third and one-putt.
I think once you start trying too many things outside your normal swing in a fairway bunker you’re setting yourself up for failure. The idea is to pick it pretty clean from that spot. If you can’t do that with the club you need for distance it’s best to minimize risk of a bigger number and just advance as far as you can.
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I just play it a little back in my stance choke down a little and try to hit a cut, not sure why but it works
That setup encourages you to hit it just a bit thin which is ideal out of fairway bunkers.
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I address the ball and raise my left shoulder a bit and swing normal. I also have a shallow angle of attack and struggle to clear lips and just accept if I am the front of the bunker I take the club I know will get out. The first shot probably won’t be on the green so if it is always going to take 2 so there is no point going for a hero shot.
It’s easier for me just to post this video from Luke. It’s the technique I’ve used. Notice the knee flex and low handle at setup.
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Thanks for posting. A lot of good stuff in there.
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I play the ball back a bit, club up one club, keep my weight forward (70% front foot in backswing?) and swing normal, concentrating on a smooth swing. Works for me.
I think this is something that needs practice so on a slow day at the course a few years ago, I stopped at a fairway bunker and played every ball in my bag to try out different techniques and set ups. Found what worked for me and stuck with it.
Shows it clearly, going to use that tomorrow! (That is, if I don’t stay OUT of the bunkers!)
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