Need help hitting thin from sand! X(

[Maverick]

Probably had the most traumatizing hole in a long time today.  My approach shot landed in a greenside bunker, I then thinned it into the opposing greenside bunker..then thinned it again back into the first greenside bunker.  I started to laugh and was about to pick up but bit my tongue (and ego) and finished the hole..finally.

I used to carry a 56 deg./14 deg. bounce sand wedge..which I always got out of the bunker.  I changed over to a 54 deg. with 9 deg. of bounce (as I had yardage gaps in my current set of irons) and when the problems began.

I'm perfect with them on the green stuff..it's when I get inside a bunker I start to get nervous with thinning it.

The type of sand in my neck of the woods is more like compressed sand, granular.

I take my normal bunker stance, feet parallel, to my swing, pointing left of flag with the face of the wedge slightly opened and pointing at the flag.

I even tell my self to hit it fat on purpose, but just ain't working..

What do you guys recomend in trying to stop hitting my bunker shots thin?  Is the bounce on this wedge too low?

[Golfingdad]

No amount of bounce is going to prevent you from hitting it thin.  More bounce actually helps keep you from hitting it fat.

Well, unless you are subconsciously trying to pick it clean because you think the bounce is low and its going to get stuck in the sand.

My answer would be either stick your 56 back in the bag and learn to deal with the yardage gap (or keep the 54 and 56 and dump another club if you can) or go find a 54 with 14 deg of bounce since that worked well for you in the past.

Otherwise, just practice a lot with your new sand wedge til you figure it out.

[Golfingdad]

By the way, the story you told reminds me of the one time I intentionally snapped a club in frustration.  (Not my proudest moment and it was about 20 years ago)  After the third time back across the green I lost it.

Clubs are expensive ... it was not worth it.  I learned my lesson and commend you for keeping your dignity.

[Maverick]

"Well, unless you are subconsciously trying to pick it clean because you think the bounce is low and its going to get stuck in the sand."

think this is the problem too..just need to start thinking fat.

[saevel25]

Its your swing, especially if your opening the club, your adding more bounce to the club anyways. Try to feel like your hands and the clubhead pass the ball at the same time. Sounds like your flipping at the ball and then helping in the air by lifting up if your thinning it.

Also try to maintain the flex in your front leg longer in the swing, let the hands pass your body, feel like you slide the clubhead under the ball with a thump.

[Apotheosis]

Could just got get your 56 bent by -2. Solves the yardage gap and gives you a club your comfortable with out of sand.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Apotheosis

Could just got get your 56 bent by -2. Solves the yardage gap and gives you a club your comfortable with out of sand.

I had thought of suggesting that too, but then he would "mess" that club up by turning his 14 deg of bounce into 12.

[Harmonious]

Open the wedge more than you think.  Weight forward throughout the swing. Aim at a point in the sand about 3-4" BEHIND the ball. Practice. Should work every time.

[dak4n6]

I always just try to slide the club under the ball while accelerating. So many players I see decel at the bottom thinking they're gonna hit it too hard.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Thump it out.  If that makes sense.

[saevel25]

It does if you think of the sound a good sand shot makes..

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by dak4n6

I always just try to slide the club under the ball while accelerating. So many players I see decel at the bottom thinking they're gonna hit it too hard.

Yes.  I usually swing pretty hard out of the sand as well.

[Limpinswinger]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

Open the wedge more than you think.  Weight forward throughout the swing. Aim at a point in the sand about 3-4" BEHIND the ball. Practice. Should work every time.

I agree with this, except, the distance you hit behind the ball depends on how far you want to hit it.  If you're greenside, with little green to work with 3-4 inches is about right.  But, if you need to carry the ball 20-30 feet or more, you might want to shorten that distance to 2-3 inches, or even 1-2 inches.

I was also going to say that if you "bounce the club" behind the ball, you almost can't go wrong.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by Limpinswinger

I agree with this, except, the distance you hit behind the ball depends on how far you want to hit it.  If you're greenside, with little green to work with 3-4 inches is about right.  But, if you need to carry the ball 20-30 feet or more, you might want to shorten that distance to 2-3 inches, or even 1-2 inches.

I used 3-4" because the OP has been hitting it then, and the added inch(es) should enable him to hit the sand first in all instances.

Personally, I try to look about 1-2" behind for all greenside bunkers, with the length of my backswing determining the carry distance.

[saevel25]

I just feel the shot, i never concentrate on 1" or 3" behind the ball. I think what i usually do is, for shorter shots i will play the ball further up in my stance, for longer shots i will play it back farther, i just make the same swing and hit the same spot. But i usually go with what feels right at the time..

[rustyredcab]

I play a nice course with awful bunkers. Some are so hard packed that you need not rack when you exit. Other have sand like a "real" bunker. If there is little to no sand, you can not blast sand out of the bunker, get under the ball, hit three inches back... or anything like that. It plays more like a tight lie or even hard-pan. You don't need to hit it hard, but you need to hit very close to the ball. For some reason, it takes courage.

If you can hit your spot in the sand, you can learn to feel where you want to hit it depending on the amount of sand. I have a hard time consistently hitting my spot in green side bunkers. I move my head, lift up... all kinds of horrors. My drill is to draw a line in the sand and practice hitting that line. When I'm doing that well, taking less sand and hitting closer to the ball fixes my thin sand issues. Even so, I hate green side bunkers on my home course.

[richman]

I always strike the sand just where I want to when I don't hurry my take away. Slow and smooth, that's my advice.

[gwlee7]

Think about knocking the sand on to the green.  About a medium soda cup full would be a good place to start.  And, like some else said, be sure to accelerate through the shot.  I like to feel like I am "striking a match" under the ball.