There are two ways to attack a buried ball or the fried egg. One option involves merely excavating the ball to get out of the bunker, while the second option is reserved for trying to get the ball a little closer to the hole via a higher trajectory.
When your only option is to try to get out of the sand, start by closing the clubface at address. This will help the club dig deeper into the sand to extricate the ball out of the bunker. Keep in mind that this will create a lack of spin, causing the ball to run quite a ways after landing. This can be especially useful if the flag is faraway with a lot of green in between the fringe and the hole. Keep your thoughts simple for this shot… close the club face and dig!
The second option for the buried ball does require some extra speed on the club head, but can produce a much higher shot that lands softer, thus more controllable. Be sure you set up with more weight on your lead leg to help create a steeper angle of decent. Choke down on the grip to further enhance the vertically steep club path as this will help you get the club into the sand and under the ball. Now open the face of the club until it points to the sky! As you take the club away, hinge your wrists early in another effort to prep the steepness of the shot. Now picture a stake that is right behind the ball, sticking out of the sand… and drive this stake as deep into the ground as possible!
This is not a delicate shot… it is a violent attack into the sand that should leave a crater in the ball’s place. Now brush the sand off your shirt and go make that putt!
When your only option is to try to get out of the sand, start by closing the clubface at address. This will help the club dig deeper into the sand to extricate the ball out of the bunker. Keep in mind that this will create a lack of spin, causing the ball to run quite a ways after landing. This can be especially useful if the flag is faraway with a lot of green in between the fringe and the hole. Keep your thoughts simple for this shot… close the club face and dig!
The second option for the buried ball does require some extra speed on the club head, but can produce a much higher shot that lands softer, thus more controllable. Be sure you set up with more weight on your lead leg to help create a steeper angle of decent. Choke down on the grip to further enhance the vertically steep club path as this will help you get the club into the sand and under the ball. Now open the face of the club until it points to the sky! As you take the club away, hinge your wrists early in another effort to prep the steepness of the shot. Now picture a stake that is right behind the ball, sticking out of the sand… and drive this stake as deep into the ground as possible!
This is not a delicate shot… it is a violent attack into the sand that should leave a crater in the ball’s place. Now brush the sand off your shirt and go make that putt!