Unfortunately, it’s almost an unavoidable situation on the golf course…we all end up sending out ball into a bunker from time to time. Bunkers are widely used to protect greens on a golf course and therefore, it is not uncommon to find your ball in a green side bunker. It’s possible to have a decent lie in a bunker and escape fairly easily, onto the green. However, there will be occasions where the ball will be plugged in the sand, which presents a different challenge.
Playing a plugged bunker shot is not something which players practice regularly, even at the top of the professional game. Therefore, the first thing to do, is lower the expectations of exactly what is possible from this position. The key, is to think about saving par and avoiding a bogey or perhaps even worse. So do not be greedy and set a realistic goal in terms of scoring for the hole.
To play this shot successfully, you need to get the club through the sand and under the ball but this becomes much more difficult, when the ball is plugged in the sand. Bringing the heel of the club into a play, a little more than usual, can help with this. Yes, it can be a risky style of shot to play but when played correctly, the ball will pop out of the bunker nicely and will land on the green, giving an opportunity to putt for par.
To play this shot, set up as you would for a standard bunker shot but then move 3 inches further away from the ball. This helps to lower the handle and helps the heel of the club dig into the sand first, without actually having to force it to do so, which would usually end up in a poor shot. Take a practice swing, it should feel much steeper than playing a normal bunker shot. This will give you a good indication you are playing the shot correctly.
When playing the shot, open the club face and aim for the sand, about an inch behind the ball, keeping the club face open through impact. As the heel of the club is coming into contact with the sand first, the club will try and close down, so be prepared for this and use a tighter grip, in order to resist it.
Next time your ball is plugged in a green side bunker, try this technique and save par.
