SW Bounce ....

[Gerald]

I have been struggeling to get my bunkershots more consistent and knew nothing better than I needed quite some bounce to get the clubface through the sand, so I went from a 56/11 to a 56/12 and even a 56/14 but some of the guys I was playing with ..... started to laugh about it when I needed 4 shots to get our of the "sand trap".

A few weeks ago I went the other way and got myself a new sand wedge with only 8* bounce ..... guess what ..... I now get out of the bunker first shot and can even control the distance a bit.

Anyone similar experiences ?

[CalBoomer]

One's overall technique makes a lot more difference than a few degrees of bounce.

[senorchipotle]

  Gerald said:

Anyone similar experiences ?

it's all about the swing. unless of course you're trying to hit it out of a caked mud pit, bounce doesn't matter a whole hell of a lot as long as your swing is good.

[wolverine_man]

Getting my dad a Vokey SM Blk Ni wedge to replace his worn down Eye-2 BeCu for Christmas.  He was wanting a 56* but I wasn't positive on the bounce.  I know the Eye 2 has something like a 10 or 11 degree bounce but it has a very scalloped sole.  Also, 1) my dad doesn't get fancy, opening the face on shots from the turf or sand - he always hits with a square face; and 2) mostly do to a weaker swing, he has a large tendency to hit the ball slightly fat with his wedges from the fairway.  He pretty much never hits it thin.  The wedge will also probably get used as 70% sand and rough, 30% fairway.

I was therefore leaning towards more bounce in the form of a 56.14 Vokey.  What do you guys think?  I supposed he can always return the wedge, but I just want to try and get it right from the get go.  He doesn't know anything about bounce, etc., so he'd probably just play what I gave him.

Opinions much appreciated.  Thanks.

[boogielicious]

I think it really depends on the sand where you play.  I have a 54.14 and 58.08 Vokey SM.  If the sand is fluffy or loose, then I use the 54.14.  With harder packed sand, the 58.08.  I went from a 54.11 to the 14 because I take decent divot onf fairways and tend to dig in fluffy sand.

[wolverine_man]

I believe the courses he plays generally have slightly heavier, gritty sand, which would probably suggest less bounce.  However, like I said, he hits shots fat (due in no small part to issues with his swing) and if anything, he leaves the ball in the bunker by hitting it a little too much behind.  I've never seen him scull one out of the sand.  I think with the Vokey 56 you only have an option of 8, 11 and 14 bounce.    Perhaps I need to lean towards the 11, I dunno.