Weekly Golf Tip as seen in The Winnipeg Sun --

June 3rd, 2008

Want Bacon With That? Fried Egg lie needn't make you lose your breakfast...

This is not a pleasant-looking lie in the sand trap -- a severely plugged lie, also known as the "fried egg."

The first bit of advice -- do not put yourself in this situation! If you have a lie like this, you have likely not taken enough club into the wind, when you have to carry it over a sand trap. As a result, the wind has made the ball go higher and it has knocked it down out of the sky ... falling straight down into the sand. If you take more club and swing smoother, you will never see this lie.

Play the ball in the middle to the back of your stance with your sand wedge. I have the shaft and my spine leaning forward toward the target in the setup. This is going to allow me to swing down steeply and enter the sand about two inches before the ball. You will have to swing down hard -- about as hard as if you are trying to hit your normal sand wedge with a full swing.

From the setup, I swing back very steeply and come down steep. The club head enters the sand about two inches before the ball.

Do not follow through. Leave the club head in the sand and let the sand absorb the hard downward force of the swing. This will allow the club to dig down deep and let the ball ride up the club face creating a high soft shot out of the sand.

The only problem is that the ball will come out with no spin on it. You will be able to read the name on your ball as it flies through the air. When it hits the ground it will run a lot more than a normal sand shot. Land the ball well short of the hole and let it run.

DON'T STRANGLE IT

Your grip pressure should be about a four out of 10 -- not too tight. You must remain aggressive during this shot and focus on coming down steep into the sand about two inches before the ball and leave the club head in the sand.

Also, be reasonable when you are in a situation like this. Anything out of the sand trap is a great shot but with this technique, you will save some pars and eliminate a big number on the hole.

Derek Ingram is the head teaching professional at the Elmhurst Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg. He is a two-time winner of the Canadian PGA's Teacher of the Year award and recognized as one of the top golf instructors in North America. You can sign up for his newsletter or get more information on lessons, clinics, golf schools and corporate outings at www.derekingram.com.