Hitting out of a sand trap is tough enough when the ball is
sitting up, but bury it and a whole new set of problems occur.
Hitting out of a sand trap is tough enough when the ball is sitting up, but bury it and a whole new set of problems occur. The buried or fried egg lie in a sand trap is probably the scariest shot in golf. But it doesn’t have to be. With just a couple of adjustments from a regular bunker shot and you could be getting out of it just like a pro.
First and foremost is the fact that when the ball comes out it will be a knuckle ball. A ball with no spin really runds when it hits the green.
So, you don’t really have to swing harder when the ball is buried because as soon as it hits the ground it’s really going to roll.
Keep the club face square to the target just like a normal fairway shot, Take the club up abrubtly on an outside takeaway by breaking your wrists. On the downswing, pull the club down into the hitting area and cut across the ball from the outside to the inside. This clears the sand away form the ball area with the hosel or neck of the club first. That little clearing helps the bottom of the club get through the sand and lift the ball out. Remember to follow through because it’s the sand that helps lift the ball out. If you stop at impact the ball will still be at your feet.
Experiment on how hard you need to swing to achieve different distances. Remember, you just need to pop the ball out. The rest of the distance will be achieved on the ground.
When all else fails, take a lesson. You’ll be surprised how much we can help.
To schedule a lesson with PGA-certified instructor Don DeLorenzo, call Gilroy GC at 848-0490.
