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Playing Bunker Shots from an Uphill Lie

In this lesson, we’ll explain how to play a bunker shot when the ball is sitting on an uphill lie.

You’ll actually come across a sloping lie in the bunker more often than you might think – the ball can easily roll up the lip and leave you an uphill lie.

Read below for tips when playing a shot from an uphill lie in the bunker…

Uphill Bunker Shot Drill:




  • On an uphill slope the ball is going to come out quite steeply – which will help us stop it quickly on the green.
  • Playing from an up-slope on a fairway we would usually take a lower lofted club to compensate for the very high ball flight. However, on an up-slope in a bunker you’ll probably have a bunker lip very close by to clear. So opt for your lofted sand wedge as normal.
    Setting up, take a much wider stance to anchor yourself into the hill. Tilt your shoulders so they are aligned with the slope and keep the club face open as you would do normally.
  • Keep your legs very still – there should be little or no leg movement for the duration of the swing.
  • Strike the sand about 2 inches behind the golf ball as normal, with the ball slightly ahead of center in your stance.
  • As you strike through the ball, allow the club to ‘chase’ up the slope – we want to avoid the club digging into the sand bank and allow the club’s travelling up the slope to give the golf ball its height.
  • You’ll need to hit the shot with enough power to land the ball close to the flag – the height on this shot means you’ll get very little roll.



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