Plugged bunker shot video

Golf Monthly Top 25 coach Gary Alliss has some tips for playing the dreaded plugged bunker shot effectively.

Try these tips if you struggle with plugged bunker shots - you'll find that once you understand the technique, it's relatively easy at least to get the ball onto the green and avoid a disastrous score.

Plugged bunker shots happen most regularly when the sand is either wet or soft, almost fluffy. In this instance, I’m going to focus on the latter.

Accepted teaching tells you to square off your stance and the clubface when playing from a plugged lie.

The problem with this, though, is that the ball will run hard when it hits the green, potentially ending up in more trouble.

Instead, open the face as much as you can, so you’re almost taking bounce off the club. Then, take your stance, opening your body so you’re pointing left of the target, and place more weight on your left side than usual.

When it comes to the swing, set your wrists early in the backswing, and then drive the club hard into the sand, so it digs in.

The steep angle of attack will mean you don’t have much of a follow through. The next time you’re in a practice bunker, work on this technique. You’ll notice the ball pops up softly and slightly to the right of your target, with more control.

Top tips

• You'll encounter plugged lies in bunkers usually when the sand is weither wet or soft.
• Common practice is to square your stance and clubface when faced with a plugged lie or fried egg.
• The problem with this however is that the ball runs hard when it hits the green.
• Try opening the face as much as you can so you're almost taking the bounce off the club.
• Open your stance and place more weight on your left side than usual.
• Set your wrists early and drive the club hard into the sand so it digs.
• The ball should pop up softly and land on the green with more control.