Fresh or soft sand in bunkers is nice but can create buried lies and cause angst for many golfers.
A conventional way to handle this situation is to have an open clubface and a setup with the hosel in line with the ball. The thought on this shot is to have the clubface impact the sand 2-4 inches behind the ball, which should be at the front of your stance with 90 percent of your weight on the front foot. Keep your lower body strong and braced without much movement, and explode through the sand so the ball pops out without much roll.
Another way to deal with buried lies, as long as there isn’t a tall lip, is to put the ball in the middle of your stance and close and de-loft the clubface. A strong and braced lower body is good here, too, as is hitting 2-4 inches behind the ball. The closed clubface won’t continue through the sand as much as if the face was open, so the ball will come out lower and roll farther.
Before going on the course, practice these shots so you’re comfortable when buried lies occur. Your confidence will go up while your scores go down.
Jordan King Thomas, PGA, is an instructor at the Henry Brunton Golf Academy at Strawberry Farms in Irvine. He can be reached at (949) 556-7857 or Jordan@henrybrunton.com.
