Which wedge should I use in the bunker?

[golfaddiction]

I have a 54 degree wedge with 12 degrees bounce, and a 58 degree with 10 bounce. Although I originally bought the 54 to be my sand wedge, I have been using the 58 more often, partly because I get concerned that I won't have enough loft to get out of the bunker. However, today I switched to the 54 on the back 9 and I had good success. Should I use the 54 degree exclusively? I'm inspired to improve my bunker play because I've seen so many good shots this week at Augusta that seem so effortless.

[IcemanYVR]

Use what you're most comfortable with. but as you improve you'll find that you probably use anything from your PW, 54', and 58' when you're around the green. It depends on the texture of the sand, how deep the bunker is, how far to the hole, where you want to land the ball, how you want it to release once it lands.

Good luck

[Kurtomac]

for the less fluffy very firm sand...probably something with less bounce to get through the sand and under the ball letting the sand get the ball out of the bunker...on the nice fluffy sand...probably somethign with more bounce...the fluffy sand will still allow the club to get underneath it and the additional bounce will help it go nicely under the ball without digging in too deep causing a fat bunker shot

[Gebus]

It depends on the shot you are trying to hit. If your trying to get a bit of release the 54* or even the pitch would be best, if you need to land the ball softly try the 58*.

[Zeph]

Use both.

I've got a 58.12 and 52.08. Use mostly the 58, but if I need a bit distance or if the sand is packed, I might use the 52 to make sure I don't bounce the club off the sand and skull it.

Find a bunker, practice one hour with each club, you'll soon enough see the differences. One of the reasons it looks so effortless at Augusta is the quality of the sand. It is fluffy and the club glides nicely through the sand. I've played one course with similar sand on a hot summer day. Bunker shots felt as easy as they look on TV. Normally I play in harder bunkers, where I just need more power to explode the ball out of there.

[2009H34]

The original post: 54.12 and 58.10. The last post: 58.12 and 52.08. Angle and bounce don't seem to be tacking.

Am I hearing it right, greater angle for softer and fluffier sand. Lower angle for firmer and packed.

What do the two numbers refer to? Can you measure Ps and Ss so you know how they compare to the Ws that are marked?

[Zeph]

I got more bounce on the 58 because I use it for flop shots and most bunker shots, where I want more bounce.

If you don't know what bounce is, do a quick search on Google, it's everywhere.

[Ignorant]

The original post: 54.12 and 58.10. The last post: 58.12 and 52.08. Angle and bounce don't seem to be tacking.

Eg. 58.12 means loft (angle) is 58° and bounce (angle) is 12°. And yes, they can be measured, just visit the nearest club fitter.

[James_Black]

the sand at my course is very firm so I use my 60*, but if I'm playing a course with fluffy bunkers I'll use the 54*

[sean_miller]

The original post: 54.12 and 58.10. The last post: 58.12 and 52.08. Angle and bounce don't seem to be tacking.

Different posters.

Goofy analogy warning: Bounce lets your club glide through the sand like an airplane wing - more bounce is like added lift - a bad idea with tight lies. This applies to sand. With less bounce though, it's even more important to finish your swing.

[WUTiger]

Over the winter, several threads talked about wedge mix and bunker shots. People talked about using 54 for most bunker shots, and 58 for getting over high lips, or blasting to an elevated green.

Also, some find the 58 is more reliable as a lob wedge than higher lofts.

As others have said above, try out both clubs in the practice trap, and see which one does what for you. And, playing experience will help also.

[ks8829]

You should be able to use all your wedges out of the sand for different shots and distances. I recently hit my 52 degree wedge from 50 yards from the green to get up and down for a tap in birdie on a par 5.

The 52 gave me the distance I needed and it came off perfectly landed on the green and checked up 3 feet from the pin.

Practice will all your wedges, they should all work to get you out of the sand. What works for me is to play the ball position near the front foot and with my 60% of my weight on the front foot, the key is the set up and practice.

[saevel25]

If you have trouble getting out of the bunker... Break out the lob wedge, do not open the face, keep it square. Just smack the sand behind the ball. Works every time. It will roll out nice. Most mistakes people make is that they need to help the ball up. Keep most of your weight on your front foot and just get angry with the sand behind the ball.

[DavidFehertysBike]

It depends on the shot you are trying to hit. If your trying to get a bit of release the 54* or even the pitch would be best, if you need to land the ball softly try the 58*.

Well, there you go. Good advice.

[James_Black]

If you have trouble getting out of the bunker... Break out the lob wedge, do not open the face, keep it square. Just smack the sand behind the ball. Works every time. It will roll out nice. Most mistakes people make is that they need to help the ball up. Keep most of your weight on your front foot and

I used to do this.

1/10 shots would go OB because I connected with the ball first!

[saevel25]

Yeah, a bit of practice there.. But i watched this poor guy infront of my group try to get it out of this bunker. Its a pretty easy bunker to get out of. No big lip, at all. He thined it, thined it, chunked it, chunked it, then he finally got it on and only hit it in the bunker on the left side of the green. Then he threw his club in the air in disgust. the only time i ever open the face is if i am short sided, otherwise i play it pretty square, maybe a fraction open, and i just hit the sand behind the ball.

But definetly, if its a tight lie, i will pull out the lob wedge or gap wedge, something with less bounce. If its fluffy, i will use my sandwedge. I have even used my 48 degree wege before.

[sean_miller]

Yeah, a bit of practice there.. But i watched this poor guy infront of my group try to get it out of this bunker. Its a pretty easy bunker to get out of. No big lip, at all. He thined it, thined it, chunked it, chunked it, then he finally got it on and only hit it in the bunker on the left side of the green. Then he threw his club in the air in disgust. the only time i ever open the face is if i am short sided, otherwise i play it pretty square, maybe a fraction open, and i just hit the sand behind the ball.

It's all about the practice, isn't it!?!? It only takes about 15 minutes practice per week to stay reasonably confident in bunkers. I love it when a new playing partner makes a confident stoke from a greenside sand trap and I can hear that distinct "slap" sound. The ball typically lands softly between them and the hole, releasing to the hole. I know it's going to be a good day. We won't have waste time hoofing it though the weeds to find this player's ball player.

[zeg]

It's all about the practice, isn't it!?!? It only takes about 15 minutes practice per week to stay reasonably confident in bunkers. I love it when a new playing partner makes a confident stoke from a greenside sand trap and I can hear that distinct "slap" sound. The ball typically lands softly between them and the hole, releasing to the hole. I know it's going to be a good day. We won't have waste time hoofing it though the weeds to find this player's ball player.

Yes on the practice. I didn't used to practice the sand because I hit into it so rarely (one of the bonuses of being really short off the tee was that you never land near the protected landing area). It didn't seem like a good use of time, and I was a little shy about using the practice bunker. Then one day I went to practice and realized how much fun it was. Once a week or two I get five ratty old practice balls and make sure I get them all out. I can usually do it now. The shots aren't all pretty or consistent yet, but it's rare that one doesn't get out.

The one thing I don't like to do is practice in the bunker while warming up for a round. I thought it would be a good idea until the day that I hit a few shanks in the practice bunker just before teeing off. Memories of failure are not what you want in your head when you're trying to get out of the sand!