Blast or Pick?

When you find yourself in a greenside bunker, it is important to use as much loft as you have handy and hit 1 inch behind the ball, throwing lots of sand up onto the green. This is called a blast shot. When your ball is in a fairway bunker, however, you want to hit the ball first and use the club that is appropriate for the distance of the shot you have. This is where are you will pick the ball clean from the sand. Just like in green grass, hit the ball first when you are in a fairway bunker and have a long distance to the green.