Tip From the Archives

Bouncing Club

Problem

You are having difficulty hitting the ball in the sand bunkers while the sand is wet.

Cure

Unlike most sand shots, you might be discovering that the sandwedge is giving you too much bounce because the sand is wet. This will make the shot feel as if you are playing off of hardpan or a tight lie. Select your lob or pitching wedge if you find the club bouncing.

Therapy

Use a firm grip. Set up with an open stance and open clubface with the ball in the center of your stance or just behind this location. You are likely to skull the shot if you set the ball too far up in your stance. Make sure you set up with a little more of your weight on your forward leg if the bunker is located near the green. Take the club straight back or so that it is a little outside of the target line. Instead of looking at the ball, look at a point about three inches behind the ball because this is where you want to enter the sand.

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10 votes

 
Bill | 2 years ago, mid-January

So I get the open club face so you deloft the club and so the edge of the club will slice into the sand rather than chunk into it. But why in the center of your stance? Are you executing a more steep swing so the club will penetrate the harder sand, or more like picking it off hardpan? Reading between the lines the reason you are hitting 3 inches behind the ball and gripping firmly is because it is the former?

Ricky G. | 2 years ago, mid-January

You want to enter the sand using the leading edge of the club at 3 inches behind the ball. You'll hopefully move under the ball and it will fly out...almost skidding across the green.



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