Standard sandtrap texture?

[Sai-Jin]

I normally don't hit into sand traps often at all and when I do, I can get out easily and make the ball land softly. Last time I played a new course where it's sand all over the place and I hit into the sand many times which is fine. However, I noticed that the sand was very heavy. Perhaps a little damp in the bottom and I had a hard time getting the ball out more than 5 ft from me. Is there a standard quality of sand in the bunkers? Ie if we were to play in a tournament? Or it can be any kind of sand ? Fluffy, hard , wet, etc?

[LankyLefty]

I'm sure there are many different sands that can be used however from the sounds of it seems like those bunkers were just wet. Sand does not drain well at all and if a bunker collects some water it can make them hard as rock. If someone were to rake it a bit on the top this might produce the described conditions where you cannot really get under the ball and the sand that is loose seems heavy and damp.

[Harmonious]

Obviously, there is not a "standard" sand.  Neither are there standard conditions.  It could be dry one day and wet the next depending on the weather.  Learning to play from different types of sand is part of learning to play golf.  It takes some practice, and some patience.

[sean_miller]

I find the sandtrap texture ranges from abrasive and zany.

[Sai-Jin]

How do you hit the ball say 5-10 yards off a damp sand that's heavier than fluffier sand?

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Sai-Jin

How do you hit the ball say 5-10 yards off a damp sand that's heavier than fluffier sand?

It depends on the actual lie and the condition of the sand.

If the sand is hard, I will use a gap wedge or lob wedge with 8* bounce and play it like a standard pitch shot from the fairway.

If the sand is loose but wet only, I use my sw with 11* bounce and hit the explosion shot harder in the sand.

While many golfers use 3 or even 4 wedges, I carry a 52* gap wedge with 8* bounce (which is also great for those 40-50 yds long bunker shots) and two 58* wedges, one with 8* bounce and the other with 11* bounce as it is easier to control different bounces than to control a whole lot of different lofts.

[Sai-Jin]

I'll try those. Thanks for the tip

[Cut68]

I think of playing of hard sand as though I'm chipping off Pavement, pinching it real tight. Don't do this in a round until you've practiced it though, as a miss will either be a duff if fat or a bladed shot sent far over the green if thin.