No golfer enjoys seeing their ball land in the bunker, regardless of whether it is on the fairway or close to the green.
However, if you find your ball in the bunker near the edge of the green there is a good chance you will be left facing a very difficult shot. Perhaps the most feared bunker shot in golf is when you are faced with a high lip bunker.
It seems almost impossible to get the ball out of the bunker high enough to clear the lip and land the ball on the green. Today, we have a great tip which will help you get your ball out of a high lip bunker and onto the green.
There are different techniques for hitting different types of shot from the fairway and there also different techniques for hitting various shots out of the bunker. Just because you find yourself in the bunker does not mean you are limited in the type of shot you can play and if you are faced with a high lip, you can adjust the way you play the bunker shot accordingly.
Clearly the main aim of this shot is to get the ball up in the air as quickly as possible but also prevent it from flying over the opposite edge of the green.
To do that, select your most lofted club which will be the wedge you carry with the highest degree of loft in your bag.
On set-up, you must lay the face of the club completely open. This may feel strange if you have never done this before but for this shot you will need to feel confident with the club face flat. Doing this will add maximum loft to the club face and you can put it into this position before taking your grip.
Having taken your position, rotate your stance left until the club face aims just to the right of your target. Both your eyeline and toeline should be aiming quite far to the left of the target at this point.
Ensure the ball is just ahead of centre in your stance, about half an inch is enough and this will see the club hit behind but close to the ball.
Due to the position of the club face, you will need to generate a lot of club head speed when playing this shot. Most of the energy you put into the shot will see the ball travel upwards, so you need a bit extra to make sure it also moves forwards.
Swing as if you are trying to hit the ball over 100 yards, instead of the short distance you are trying to achieve.
This is a very tough shot and even professional golfers can struggle when trying to pull it off. Plenty of practice is required and it is advised to start in a standard bunker, with a flat rim until you become confident in the loft you can get on the ball.
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