Fried Egg Lie (Plugged Bunker Shot)
Also known as: fried egg lie, fried egg in a bunker, fried egg in the bunker, fried egg bunker shot, plugged lie in a bunker, plugged in the bunker, plugged ball in the bunker, buried lie in the bunker, buried bunker shot
A fried egg is a ball plugged in its own crater in the sand. To dig under it, the usual method is a square or only slightly open face, with your weight leaning toward the target. Make a steep, digging swing into the sand just behind the ball with a short finish. The ball comes out low with little spin and rolls a long way, so aim for the fat part of the green.
A fried egg is a ball plugged in the sand, usually with a ring of sand around it like the white of an egg. The normal greenside bunker technique uses an open face and a shallow splash. From this lie, that shallow splash often fails to get under the ball. To get the ball out, the club has to dig down below it.
The common method uses the leading edge rather than the bounce. GOLFTEC coach Jonathan Staton suggests a square face and 70 to 80 percent of your weight on your lead leg. Strike the sand about an inch or two behind the ball and accelerate through. GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel describes the same idea. Her keys are a face that isn't wide open, weight leaning forward, and a steep, digging downswing. It should feel like a straight line down rather than a sweep. Both note the result. Forward lean takes loft off the face, and extra sand gets between club and ball. So the ball comes out lower, with less spin, and rolls much farther than a normal bunker shot. The follow-through is short, because the club buries in the sand.
Some teachers use a different version. GOLF Teacher to Watch Parker McLachlin opens the face to add a little height. He stands much closer to the ball with a narrow stance. Then he uses a very steep, wristy swing with almost no follow-through. His shot still comes out low and runs out like a bump-and-run, so plan for roll either way. Try both in practice to see which suits you.
The Rules give no free relief for a plugged ball in a bunker; embedded-ball relief applies only in the general area. If the shot looks impossible, a penalty drop for an unplayable lie may score better than several attempts.
Tips by skill level
Square the face, lean toward the target and swing down hard into the sand just behind the ball. Your only goal is to get it onto the green.
Practice both versions: a square face with forward lean, and an open face with a very steep, wristy swing for a touch more height. Either way the ball runs, so pick a landing spot well short of the flag.
Example
A golfer's ball plugs under the lip of a greenside bunker, with the flag 15 yards away. She squares her sand wedge, leans toward the target and swings steeply into the sand just behind the ball. It pops out low, lands on the front of the green and runs 20 feet past the hole. She accepts that and avoids a second bunker shot.
Why it matters
A fried egg is one of the shots most likely to cost several strokes. Knowing the right technique, and the realistic goal of just getting on the green, keeps it to one.
Common mistakes
- Opening the face wide and making a normal splash, so the club skids over the ball
- Hanging back and trying to lift the ball into the air
- Decelerating when the club meets the heavy sand
- Aiming at a tucked flag and expecting the ball to stop quickly
- Expecting free relief for a ball plugged in the sand
Frequently asked questions
How do I hit a fried egg in a bunker?
The club has to dig under the ball. The usual method is a square or slightly open face, with your weight leaning toward the target. Make a steep, digging swing into the sand just behind the ball with a short finish. Expect a low shot that rolls a long way.
How do I get a plugged ball out of the bunker?
Use a steep, digging swing so the club goes below the ball. Set the face square or only slightly open and keep your weight forward. Strike the sand an inch or two behind the ball and accelerate through.
Do I get a free drop for a plugged ball in a bunker?
No. Embedded-ball relief applies only in the general area. In a bunker you play it as it lies or take penalty relief for an unplayable lie.
Sources
- GOLF.com: 5 keys for escaping a buried lie in the bunker (Kellie Stenzel, Top 100 Teacher)
- GOLFTEC Scramble: Plugged lie in the bunker? Try this setup (Jonathan Staton)
- GOLF.com: How to hit a fried-egg bunker shot in 5 easy steps (Parker McLachlin)
- The R&A: Rules of Golf, Rule 16 (Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions, including Immovable Obstructions)
Related terms
- Bunker ShotA bunker shot is any stroke played from a sand hazard. The two families play nothing alike: greenside, where the club never touches the ball, and fairway, where clean ball-first contact is the whole objective.
- Greenside Bunker TechniqueGreenside bunker technique uses an open stance and face. The club enters the sand a few inches behind the ball and never touches the ball on a good shot.
- Explosion ShotAn explosion or splash shot is a standard greenside bunker shot. The club slides under the ball in a spray of sand, lifting the ball out without touching it.
- Bounce (Wedge)Bounce is the downward angle built into a wedge's sole that helps it glide through sand or turf instead of digging in. Higher bounce suits soft conditions and steep swings, while lower bounce suits firm turf and shallow swings.
- Sand WedgeThe sand wedge, usually 54° to 58° of loft with generous bounce, is built for bunker shots and short, high greenside shots. Its wide, high-bounce sole keeps it from digging into sand.
- Unplayable LieA golfer may declare their ball unplayable anywhere except a penalty area and take relief for one penalty stroke. Only the golfer makes that call.
- Embedded Ball (Plugged Lie Relief)An embedded, or plugged, ball sits in its own pitch mark with part of it below ground. In the general area, including the fairway and rough, you get free relief under Rule 16.3, except in sand not cut to fairway height. Drop within one club-length of the spot right behind where it was embedded, no nearer the hole. There is no free relief for a plugged ball in a bunker or penalty area.
Related guides & benchmarks
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