Bunkers · Lesson
Escape a Fried Egg With a Steep Swing
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, not getting out, plugged or odd lies. Build a program with it
A ball sitting down in the sand wants to come out low and hot. Add some loft first. Open the face before you take your grip. Then stand much closer to the ball than normal, a few inches nearer. Narrow your stance too. Both help you swing more steeply. Drive the club into the sand just behind the ball. It will pop out with some roll. Plan for it. You're trying to avoid a big number, not hole it.
Step by step
- Open the face, then grip.
- Stand a few inches closer than usual.
- Narrow your stance.
- Swing steeply into the sand behind the ball.
- Plan for some roll.
Why it works
A buried ball sits below the surface, so a shallow swing slides under it or skims the top. A steeper swing sends the club down into the sand just behind the ball, and the sand pushes the ball up and out. Opening the face adds loft, but a steep, digging entry also takes away some of that loft, so the ball comes out lower with less spin and runs after landing.
Common mistakes
- You open the face after you take your grip, so the face closes again as you re-grip.Open the face first, then take your grip so the face stays open.
- You swing shallow and try to scoop the ball out, so the club slides under it or skims the top.Stand closer with a narrow stance and swing the club down into the sand just behind the ball.
- You ease off through impact because the shot feels heavy, and the club stops in the sand.Commit to a full-speed swing into the sand and let the club finish with the follow-through you started.
How you'll know it's working
- The club enters the sand just behind the ball and leaves a short, deep mark, not a long thin scrape.
- The ball leaves the sand on the first swing and lands on the green or the fringe.
- The ball comes out lower than a normal bunker shot and rolls out toward the hole.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice with the ball only half buried in a flat lie, so you can learn the steep entry before the lie gets harder.
Harder: Bury the ball deeper or pick a lie with a lip close to the ball, and aim to land the ball within a set target area.
Common questions
How do you hit a buried ball out of a bunker?
Open the face, stand a few inches closer with a narrow stance, and swing steeply into the sand just behind the ball. The ball will come out low and roll, so plan for that.
Why does my ball not come out of a fried egg lie?
Most often the swing is too shallow, so the club slides under the ball or skims the top. A steeper swing with a closer, narrower stance drives the club down behind the ball.
