Not your average sand shot.

[Valleygolfer]

At my course, there is sometimes too much sand and sometimes it's like hard pan. The only thing consistent is that there are stones everywhere (bye bye wedge). I think they are starting to replace it though. I hit into a FW bunker last week and it was like real sand. I didn't know what to do.

Since I live in the granite state, stones grow out every year and there is a sign at the pro shop saying to take the them out of the traps but since they are like concrete already, I don't know if it will help.

[Gerald]

The bunkers you describe we have a lot in our region and any player better than let's say 20 handicap has learnt to deal with these kind of bunkers. It is actually easier than you could think of, first you have to understand bounce in sandwedges. Most sandwedges are made for ideal soft sand bunkers, with a 12 - 16 bounce, using these in your bunkers will result in a thinned or topped ball, because the heavy bounce kicks the club up. So you have to use a SW with only 6 - 10 bounce, as these might be hard to find I use a GW 52/08.

Problem is also most golfers never took Sandplay lessons, so what I see a lot of golfers do is digging the club just behind the ball, hoping to explode enough sand to get the ball flying out, but apart from it is not going to work in your bunkers, they hit 1/8 inch, the next shot 1/4 , the next shot 3/4, etc behind the ball. Digging is never a sound idea to get a ball out of any bunker.

The best way to get out of your kind of bunkers is, sliding the club shallow through the sand only about half an inch to an inch under the ball. Best way to do that is with a open clubface, low bounce gap or sandwedge (about 8* bounce), enter the sand about 2 inches behind the ball and make a full "U" swing the leaves the sand well beyond the ball. I say full swing, but it is best done with a half backswing and a full follow trough.

[Valleygolfer]

The best way to get out of your kind of bunkers is, sliding the club shallow through the sand only about half an inch to an inch under the ball. Best way to do that is with a open clubface, low bounce gap or sandwedge (about 8* bounce), enter the sand about 2 inches behind the ball and make a full "U" swing the leaves the sand well beyond the ball. I say full swing, but it is best done with a half backswing and a full follow trough.

I would not say I am a stellar sand player but I have a 7° bounce on my 60° lob wedge and I try to hit 2 inches behind the ball. It is just that as soon as it hits the bounce it comes right off the ground because it is so hard and there isn't much more than 1/2 inch of actual loose sand.

[saevel25]

1/2 an inch of loose sand shoulde be plent, you are just taking to much of a swing and hitting it to far behind the ball. Try placeing the ball further back in your sance, so you hit about a half an inch behind the ball, then ligthen up on the swing a bit.

[tim31x]

Thanks for the advice. I have been burned by these bunkers a few times. I don't understand the why they can't get them repaired myself.

Because rebunkering/refurbishing bunkers on a golf course can cost between $500k-1mil per side. in this economy with most courses struggling to book tee times they can hardly afford the rebunkering. i've seen several courses around Orlando that have cut costs so much they removed all rakes from the bunkers and they play as a waste bunker instead. it drives me insane too i hate having inconsistent sand in bunkers throughout the course.

-tim

[Gerald]

Try placeing the ball further back in your sance, so you hit about a half an inch behind the ball, then ligthen up on the swing a bit.

To get the ball out with an "U" swing, requires to play it from your left foot.

If the sand is really hard, it might be best to play it like a standard pitch from hard pan. Important in such shots to let your arm and wrists do all the work, use as less body as possible, you need to hit the ball clean !

[double_j]

I would not say I am a stellar sand player but I have a 7° bounce on my 60° lob wedge and I try to hit 2 inches behind the ball. It is just that as soon as it hits the bounce it comes right off the ground because it is so hard and there isn't much more than 1/2 inch of actual loose sand.

If you've really got hardpan in your bunkers, then 2" is way too far behind the ball. If this is the case, then you've got to nip it just like you would off of a tight fairway lie.

Our bunkers are hard underneath the thin layer of loose sand but aren't quite hardpan (closer to clay soil or wet sand) so we can afford to hit 2 inches or so behind the ball since the club will still be able to slide underneath.