Sand Wedge Still Common?

[Papa Steve 55]

So I was having issues getting out of bunkers and my 'friends' advice of "don't hit it there" was not working as well as I would have liked. Anyway, I think I fixed it, was coming in too shallow and bouncing off the sand, resulting in thin or bladed hits. I watched the tour players during my difficulties trying to see what they did. Its tough to tell on TV, but it looked to me like they used more traditional wedges vs a sand wedge with a bounce.

Anybody know what the common club is? What do you use?

Thanks for looking.

[jimnm]

I don't have a club marked SW. I usually use my 56* wedge out of green side bunkers. I believe it has 12* of bounce.

[mcanadiens]

A 56-degree wedge is generally what gets called a sand wedge and it's what I use 90% of the time.

The other 10% is where I'm frozen against a lip. There I'll pull the 60-degree and hope like heck. 

 

[klineka]

10 minutes ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

Anybody know what the common club is? What do you use?

Most of them use either a 60 or a 56 degree wedge in green side bunkers. But tour pros are so skilled they could use just about any iron they wanted and still get the ball out of the bunker.

Some guys like DJ and maybe Rory too have a 64 degree wedge specifically for flop and bunker shots.

In the past 2 years of playing, the only club I've ever used in a green side bunker is my 60 degree. 

[Vinny Cap]

I have a few sets that have a "S" club in them and others I use a 56* or 58*.  The 58* being my fav with 12* of bounce.

The pros all play custom wedges in their sets so doubtful you would see a "S" club in there.  Prob a 56 - 60 range.

I usually keep feet pretty still, swing through the dirt an inch or two behind depending on how far up and long it has to go.

Best to find a practice area you can practice opening the face and changing how close/far away from the ball.  This will help the most.

[Foot Wedge]

19 minutes ago, klineka said:

But tour pros are so skilled they could use just about any iron they wanted and still get the ball out of the bunker.

This.  I think I saw a video of Jon Rahm getting out of a bunker with a 7 iron.  It's about getting the club to work through the sand correctly.  I'd recommend reading this thread.

 

[DrMJG]

Same here 56º with 12 bounce

 

[Hacker James]

I use a PW frequently out of greenside bunkers and on occasion when  up against a steep lip I will use a LW or a SW but with chopping down action . Fairway bunkers, mid iron or hybrid.

[Moxley]

Sand wedges are still very common, but clubs marked SW aren't so common - most people have a series of specialist wedges, one of which is primarily for the sand (high bounce, high loft, wide sole etc). 

I play my 54 out of the sand, which has just 11 of bounce but it is enough for me. I could probably do with updating my 60 degree for more difficult shots though. 

 

[Patch]

I carry a sand wedge, but it depends on the condition of the sand in the bunker if I use it or not. 

Most of the time I find watered down, sun baked, firm sand in these desert courses I play. Some are just a little sand sitting on top of hard pan. Most of the time I am using my 60 lob wedge in these green side bunkers. Farther from the green, I will use my 52 approach wedge. 

Now if the sand is deep, and fluffy, or otherwise bounce friendley, I will use my sand wedge. 

Truth be known, I use my SW more off grassy lies, than I do in bunkers. 

[allenc]

20 hours ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

So I was having issues getting out of bunkers and my 'friends' advice of "don't hit it there" was not working as well as I would have liked. Anyway, I think I fixed it, was coming in too shallow and bouncing off the sand, resulting in thin or bladed hits. I watched the tour players during my difficulties trying to see what they did. Its tough to tell on TV, but it looked to me like they used more traditional wedges vs a sand wedge with a bounce.

Anybody know what the common club is? What do you use?

Thanks for looking.

A sand wedge is a traditional wedge is a sand wedge.  Most higher lofted wedges have a decent amount of bounce, although pros are skillful enough to use a higher or lower bounce wedge out of the sand.

If you are hitting sand first, then the only way you are "bouncing" off into the ball is if your sand is very hard.  Otherwise it will go through the sand to some extent.  If your sand is packed super hard then what the pros do doesn't really apply to you because their sand is usually excellent.  If your sand is not hard, then you are just hitting too close to the ball (or maybe way too far behind).  About 1 inch behind is the usual recommended amount.

[RayG]

56*/12*B with an "S" grind- which is Vokey speak for a "sand wedge". I also have a 50*/8B "F" grind. Both are used out of the sand depending on the lie and or condition of the sand and distance to the hole. If it's really down there poached egg like, the PW comes out and it has a go at gouging out- with little bounce it will dig in instead of trying to "bounce" off.

[Hacker James]

14 hours ago, Moxley said:

Sand wedges are still very common, but clubs marked SW aren't so common - most people have a series of specialist wedges, one of which is primarily for the sand (high bounce, high loft, wide sole etc). 

I play my 54 out of the sand, which has just 11 of bounce but it is enough for me. I could probably do with updating my 60 degree for more difficult shots though. 

 

yah, I was kinda wondering about that as I have not paid much attention until recently. All of my wedges in the past were stamped  G, S, L.  The Tom Watson's were also stamped with letters but also had the loft and bounce stamped. My latest are just labeled 52,56,60 with no indication of bounce.

[JonMA1]

I am by no means good at bunker shots, but the 56/10 used Hogan wedge I bought last year is a far better club for getting out of sand than the gap wedge or lob wedge I had been using.

As others have suggested, put my gap or lob wedge into the hands of a skilled play and they'll work just fine.

[HJJ003]

I use a 56 degree Wilson sand wedge. It actually says "sand wedge" on it, though I have also had success getting the ball out of the bunker with my 60 degree "lob" wedge on occasion. 

[parman]

A sand wedge has to have about 12 degrees of bounce to work. A 56-12 is a sand wedge. The tour players using higher lofted wedges all have a lot of bounce. The Callaway 60 degree wedge I sometimes use has enough bounce to get out of sand traps which is what the pros are doing. My other 60 degree is 3 degrees of bounce for hard fairways but you will not get a good sand shot with it.  

[easyjay39402]

On 9/14/2018 at 11:43 AM, Patch said:

I carry a sand wedge, but it depends on the condition of the sand in the bunker if I use it or not. 

Most of the time I find watered down, sun baked, firm sand in these desert courses I play. Some are just a little sand sitting on top of hard pan. Most of the time I am using my 60 lob wedge in these green side bunkers. Farther from the green, I will use my 52 approach wedge. 

Now if the sand is deep, and fluffy, or otherwise bounce friendley, I will use my sand wedge. 

Truth be known, I use my SW more off grassy lies, than I do in bunkers. 

We have had rain just about every day this summer, so the sand at my home course is wet and firm.  My sand wedge is a 56/12 and it bounces off the sand into the side of the ball under these conditions. So I leave it in the garage and use my 60 degree lob wedge.  I have definitely become careful when the pin is anywhere near a bunker.

[Piz]

I use a 9 iron, p wedge, g wedge, or sand wedge when playing out of a bunker.