Downhill Lie- This shot is probably the toughest to tackle, as you not only have to contend with the slope, but with the edge of the bunker as well. The first thing to do is adopt a stance that creates balance.Do this by placing your right foot outside the bunker. Secondly, play the ball back in your stance with your shoulders tilting downward to match the slope. From here, it’s all about finding and feeling the “angle of attack” to help you clear the lip and get the club safely into the sand behind the ball.

Ball Below Feet- A key point to remember when the ball is below your feet is that your posture requires quite a bit of bend from the hips to ensure that you get down to the ball. Instead of a rounded swing (like when the ball is above your feet), think of your swing going more up and down. Another key point is to remain committed, stay in your posture through impact and finish your swing!
Ball Above Feet- When the ball’s above your feet, it’s imperative that you create a swing that follows the contour of the bunker. Stand a little taller, and grip down slightly on the club’s handle. Then make a swing that’s relatively shallow and rounded, not upright. Since a ball above your feet will tend to produce a shot that flies left after contact, make the necessary alignment adjustment, and aim more to the right.

Plugged Lie- Escaping from a plugged lie requires keeping your clubface square (the only time you’ll do so when hitting out of the bunker). With most of the ball beneath the surface of the sand, you’ll need to get some “dig” out of your impact, so play the ball in the center of your stance and adopt a severely upright swing, picking the clubhead up quickly, then chopping into the sand and exploding the ball out and onto the green. Since most of your force is downward, don’t try to swing into a traditional, full finish. Instead, leave the clubhead in the sand with an abbreviated followthrough. This shot will come out low and void of any spin, so plan accordingly.

Uphill Lie- When confronted with an uphill lie, play the ball forward in your stance, much like you would a standard bunker shot. The key point, however, for uphill lies is to get your swing and shoulders to match the slope of the bunker. The ball will come out high and short, so a little more speed is necessary to fly the ball the correct distance. In addition, be careful that you find solid footing, as the upward slope will tend to push your body away from the target and lead to bladed shots.
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