Why Do We Hit Sand Instead of the Ball First in Bunkers?

[Effington]

Hey guys, I'm sure this question has been asked/answered, I just unfortunately couldn't find it in the search feature.

Basic instruction tells us that in the sand trap, you hit the sand first and go under the ball more than if it was on grass.  My question is, why?  Most instruction tells us to do this but I haven't seen one that explains why this is the preferred method.

Thanks

[klineka]

One reason I can think of is more margin for error when you use the bounce of the club and hit behind the ball. It would be EXTREMELY difficult to pick the ball cleanly off the sand and get enough height on it to clear the lip of many greenside bunkers. And then to try and be able to do that on a consistent basis? Not going to happen for most golfers.

Most amateurs struggle getting out of the bunkers to begin with, I think trying to clip ball first would make it even harder.

[iacas]

The ball is usually in the sand. Like, down in the sand.

[colin007]

24 minutes ago, iacas said:

The ball is usually in the sand. Like, down in the sand.

This being true, isn't it also true that pros tend to nip the ball closer to the ball instead of the 2 inches behind like most of the rest of us peons?

[Patch]

Its' distance control thing for me, plus the ball is below the ground level. You have to get the club head under the ball to hit it high enough to get over the lip of the bunker. Basically just letting the sand lift the ball out.

Obviously there are times when a "ball first" impact is required. Fairway bunkers, and bunkers lacking enough sand to get under the ball. 

[billchao]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

This being true, isn't it also true that pros tend to nip the ball closer to the ball instead of the 2 inches behind like most of the rest of us peons?

I think it depends on the firmness of the sand and how much they want the ball to spin.

[colin007]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

I think it depends on the firmness of the sand and how much they want the ball to spin.

Ah, it's a good thing we don't have to think about that stuff. Must drive them crazy!

[DaveP043]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

I think it depends on the firmness of the sand and how much they want the ball to spin.

But I think they often DO intentionally hit closer to the ball many times than we should, mostly because they're better players, and can get away with it.

[billchao]

3 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Ah, it's a good thing we don't have to think about that stuff. Must drive them crazy!

I'd bet it's easier to think about all that extra stuff when it's your job to. Plus you have a caddie to bounce thoughts off of.

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

But I think they often DO intentionally hit closer to the ball many times than we should, mostly because they're better players, and can get away with it.

Yes, because they can, and I think because most of the time they do need some extra spin. We're not playing tour greens like they are.

[colin007]

15 minutes ago, billchao said:

I'd bet it's easier to think about all that extra stuff when it's your job to. Plus you have a caddie to bounce thoughts off of.

Lol I'm just bringing attention to the fact that my bunker play is simplified to one step.

1. Pray that I get out

[iacas]

6 hours ago, colin007 said:

This being true, isn't it also true that pros tend to nip the ball closer to the ball instead of the 2 inches behind like most of the rest of us peons?

PGA Tour players hit about two inches behind the ball. Most golfers, when they hit the sand, hit six, eight inches behind it.

The ball is 1.68". Two inches isn't very far behind the ball.

[woodzie264]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

Lol I'm just bringing attention to the fact that my bunker play is simplified to one step.

1. Pray that I get out

Agreed

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

Lol I'm just bringing attention to the fact that my bunker play is simplified to one step.

1. Pray that I get out

You know, if you drop to your knees to pray, that's illegal under the USGA rules of golf.

[pganapathy]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

PGA Tour players hit about two inches behind the ball. Most golfers, when they hit the sand, hit six, eight inches behind it.

The ball is 1.68". Two inches isn't very far behind the ball.

So very true.  I find that I don't have the control to hit that close behind the ball consistently.  Too easy to catch the ball.  I find that hitting a bit further back gives me enough control and I can almost always get out of a bunker in one shot

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, pganapathy said:

So very true.  I find that I don't have the control to hit that close behind the ball consistently.  Too easy to catch the ball.  I find that hitting a bit further back gives me enough control and I can almost always get out of a bunker in one shot

Spend next week in the practice bunker at your course... nothing else.  You will soon find that being in a sand trap is an opportunity to get the ball close to the hole.  I used to take bunkers for granted, figured I'd rarely be in them.  Then I did the one-week drill above.  Shortly thereafter I recall being in a bunker in a silly scramble tournament... I made the mistake of suggesting we play the ball in the greenside bunker.  That didn't go over well.

[Piz]

We can thank Gene Sarazen.  He figured out, back in the 1930's, that sand shots would be much easier to execute if the club (likely a niblick at the time) did not knife into the sand.  The end result was what we now call a sand wedge and the method, for playing the shot, was forever changed.  

[DrvFrShow]

The thing about bunkers is that you have to practice. One thing I've learned about them is that in the crappy bunkers with firm conditions that we have around here, I can chip out of them with my 54. Soft sand is a different story.

[Double Mocha Man]

19 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

The thing about bunkers is that you have to practice. One thing I've learned about them is that in the crappy bunkers with firm conditions that we have around here, I can chip out of them with my 54. Soft sand is a different story.

What I have discovered with hard, crappy, crusty sand is that you have to still get under the ball, which means consciously forcing the club and its bounce down into the sand.  Generally not opening the face as much to protect from too much bounce... digging in a bit, but controlled.