by Gord Percy, CPGA Head Professional
When most golfers realize that they have a buried lie in the sand trap their anxiety levels rise with the fear that they will not be able to get the ball out. If you employ these strategies and techniques you should at least be able to consistently escape from the fried egg lie.
This shot must be played in a fashion that is almost opposite to the ordinary bunker shot.
> You must turn the club into a digging machine. To do this you must at least square up the club and even in a drastically poor lie you must close/hood the face. You should use your SW or even a PW.
> The ball must be positioned behind the middle of your stance and you must have more weight on your lead leg. This will allow you to have a more up and down swing allowing you to dig into the sand.
> It is surprising how much smaller of a swing you will need in comparison to what most people first think. The ball will come out fast.
Lastly unlike any other shot in golf you will not have much of a follow through. You want to bury the club in the sand. Keep your wrists solid as you enter the sand.
You should realize the first objective is to get the ball out. Secondly the ball will come out like a knuckle ball so it will roll a long way. Because of this you quite often will have to aim away from the pin. Any practice with this shot will make it easier for you. Experiment with different depths and textures of sand if possible. You never know what may pop up on the course and the more trouble shot practice you have the better you will be prepared.
