Bunkers · Tip
A Downhill Bunker Lie With Trouble Long
Part of our bunkers programs for plugged or odd lies. Build a program with it
Downhill in the sand with trouble behind the green? Play it safe and smart. Play it forward, near your lead foot. That leaves room to catch enough sand. Aim a little left, if you're right-handed, so you have room to swing through. Your goal is just to reach the fringe or green. Widen your stance. Squat a bit. Shift your weight forward, and don't let your shoulders tilt back. Bend your lead wrist back a bit for loft. Swing out and down with steady legs.
Step by step
- Ball forward.
- Aim left for room to swing.
- Wide stance, weight forward.
- Bend the lead wrist back.
- Swing out and down with quiet legs.
Why it works
On a downhill lie the slope delOVES the clubface and lowers the launch, so the ball comes out low and runs. Playing the ball forward, setting your shoulders to the slope and keeping weight forward lets the club follow the sand's angle and hit sand before the ball. Bending the lead wrist back adds loft, and quiet legs keep the low point steady so you don't hit the ball thin toward the trouble.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to help the ball up, which tilts your shoulders away from the slope.Keep your weight forward and set your shoulders parallel to the slope, then swing down it.
- Placing the ball too far back, so the club digs in or hits the ball first.Play the ball forward near your lead foot so the club has room to enter the sand behind it.
- Aiming at the flag and cutting off your swing, or aiming for a big carry past the green.Aim a little left for room to swing through, and accept landing on the fringe or green.
How you'll know it's working
- The club enters the sand just behind the ball and leaves a shallow, even mark that points toward your target.
- The ball leaves low but clears the lip and lands on the fringe or green, not past it.
- Your lower body feels steady, and your finish is out and down the slope, not up and back.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice on a gentle downhill slope and use a lofted wedge, with the goal of just getting the ball out onto the green.
Harder: Use a steeper slope, a higher lip or a tighter pin, and try to land the ball on a small target on the green.
Common questions
Where should the ball be in a downhill bunker lie?
Play it forward, near your lead foot. This gives the club room to catch sand before the ball and helps it follow the slope.
Why does my ball come out low from a downhill bunker lie?
The slope reduces the effective loft of the club, so the ball launches lower and runs more. Bend the lead wrist back a bit for loft, keep your shoulders set to the slope, and plan for the ball to roll out.
