Unfortunately, when you hit your golf ball into a bunker (a golf course hazard filled with sand, also called a sand trap), sometimes the ball plugs (embeds itself in the sand so that only part of it is visible). You’ll hear other golfers call this sort of lie a fried egg. When that happens to your ball, and after you’re through cursing your bad luck, you need to get to work.

Open your stance by pulling your left foot back.

Pull your foot back until you start to feel vaguely ridiculous. Your left foot’s position must feel funny to you.

Make your clubface a little hooded.

Make your clubface a little hooded.

In other words, align the clubface to the left of your ultimate target.

Shift nearly all your weight to your left side.

Shift nearly all your weight to your left side.

This setup puts you “ahead” of the shot. This is the one time you want the leading edge of the club to dig. The ball, after all, is below the surface.

Swing the club up and down.

Really, swing up and down like you’re chopping wood with a dull ax.

Hit straight down on the sand a couple of inches behind the ball.

Hit straight down on the sand a couple of inches behind the ball.

A follow-through isn’t needed. Just hit down. Hard. The ball should pop up and then run to the hole. With little or no backspin, the ball will run like it just stole something. So allow for extra roll.

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