Sand shots, ball trickles in and is inches from back edge

[kantscholar]

Far too frequently on my home course my ball comes to rest in a sand trap against the back edge. The sand is relatively fluffy and so the balls do not always roll down into the flat part of the trap. The sand and back edge are not level--the back edge is usually about an inch or two above the sand level at the back. When the ball comes to rest near the back edge, it's impossible to take my normal sand shot because I have to come down on the ball pretty steeply in order for my club to clear that back edge.

Is there any intelligent way to play a shot from this kind of lie? When I come down and try to play it like a normal sand shot, I either chunk it into the trap (didn't pull the club up fast enough from the sharp decent) or I catch all ball and send it flying.

[Paradox]

Match your shoulders and body to the slope that you're playing from and then make a steeper swing(have your wrists cock almost immediately) so that you avoid the lip on the takeaway and on the downswing. Thats about all you can do in that situation

[Yukari]

Sometimes you just have to take the medicine and hit out backward and then chip on.

As for a specific way of hitting it out on to the green.  See post #2

[x129]

Thats a defeatist attitude.  Let Phil help you out

And yeah you would have to be pretty insane to try this during a round.

Originally Posted by Yukari

Sometimes you just have to take the medicine and hit out backward and then chip on.

As for a specific way of hitting it out on to the green.  See post #2

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Yukari

Sometimes you just have to take the medicine and hit out backward and then chip on.

As for a specific way of hitting it out on to the green.  See post #2

+1

Sometimes the HERO shot is the worst possible thing to do. I try to always go for the quickest and safest way to get out of trouble and look for opportunities to make it up later in the round. Hell, chipping it out sideways or even backwards only adds a stroke, going for gold can put some really ugly numbers on your card!

[kantscholar]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

+1

Sometimes the HERO shot is the worst possible thing to do. I try to always go for the quickest and safest way to get out of trouble and look for opportunities to make it up later in the round. Hell, chipping it out sideways or even backwards only adds a stroke, going for gold can put some really ugly numbers on your card!

Well, I'm not even looking for a hero shot. I'd be happy with something just to get it on and then 2 putt. If there's little danger in going long, then you might as well try contacting the ball and hoping that you judge it correctly. I just don't see the point in playing the ball backwards unless there's danger long or other problems. But, technique wise, I suppose there's really nothing that can be done.

[keeps21]

I'm not one to criticise, I haven't broke 110... but better course management, not putting yourself in those situations would be the best fix.

Especially as you say it often happens on your home course. Really you should know, if I hit this there's a good chance of it trickling into that bunker and counter that by taking a club less.

Obviously you still need to be able to get out of those positions if you find yourself in one, but the best fix in my eyes would be to keep yourself from getting there in the first place.

[rustyredcab]

+2 on backwards or sideways.