Tip From the Archives

Wet Sand Mistakes

Problem

It is a rainy day and you cannot seem to hit a decent sand shot.

Cure

For normal sand shots, it is often great to swing hard and blast the ball out of the bunker. However, you might want to avoid doing this if the sand is packed hard or wet. Doing so will make the golf ball fly much further than you desire.

Therapy

Another thing to avoid is setting the clubface square at setup. This will cause the leading edge to cut deep into the sand and slow or even stop your swing. Open the clubface to utilize the bounce. Try to think of this shot as being more like a traditional iron shot as you need to hit down so that you do not pick up too much bounce. You do not need to have a fast swing with wet sand but you do need to slap down on the sand. The clubhead will still slide under the ball with this swing so if it has been raining for several days and the sand is packed really hard, this is a sign that you will need to hit down harder on the ball. If it only rained for a little while and the sand is a little firm, just take an easy swing and slap the sand. Rule of thumb, the harder the sand, the harder you need to swing.

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19 votes

 
cameron larsen | 2 years ago, mid-May

"It is often great to swing hard and blast the ball out of the bunker. However, you might want to avoid doing this if the sand is packed hard or wet. Doing so will make the golf ball fly much further than you desire." "Rule of thumb, the harder the sand, the harder you need to swing." ???????

Mark T. | 2 years ago, mid-May

When hitting it out of the hard sand, the ball will fly faster and further. However, it will be a little more difficult to maneuver so you will need to slap at it a little harder if the sand is wetter/harder. If it is only a little wet/packed than you don't want to hit it really hard or it will overshoot your target. Practice in another sandpit to see how it feels if you are unsure.

Bill | 2 years ago, mid-May

I like opening the clubface because it permits the club to slice into the sand, reducing the bounce and the tendency for the club to hit thin. For really hard sand, it is sometimes like hitting a chip off the dirt I think, too? That is a much gentler swing. I'm kinda confused about the mixed messages here too. I presume we are talking about greenside bunkers primarily?

Chuck | 2 years ago, mid-May

I have also found that, if the sand is hard, try using a pitching wedge instead of a sand wedge. The flange on the sand wedge won't allow your club to bite into the sand. It will bounce more on the wet, hard-packed sand and that will give you a greater probability of blading the shot.



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