The dreaded plugged lie doesn’t have to be a disaster. With a few key adjustments, you can turn a fried egg into a confident up-and-down chance.
Start by assessing the situation: The ball is likely sitting below the surface and the sand is soft. That means you have to go steep and deep. To build a vertical swing, stand closer to the ball — closer than feels comfortable — and narrow your stance. This helps you hinge the club straight up and down, minimizing lower-body movement and allowing the club to dive under the ball.
Open the clubface slightly to help the ball pop out with height and softness, especially if you’re short-sided. Keep your sternum centered over your strike point, about 1.5 inches behind the ball, and commit to the steep angle of attack. No big finish here — this shot needs a short, quiet follow-through that finishes with the club buried in the sand.
Practice this motion: Hinge it up, hit down and leave it in the sand. With the right setup and a steep strike, you’ll turn one of the scariest shots in golf into a strength.
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