What club should I be using out of the sand?

[halifax_golfer]

Sup fellas.

Just wondering what club you peeps would suggest that I should be using out of the greenside sand traps?.

I have a 60* Wedge that was $39 from Canadian Tire it's called a "Zircon Spin" I'm not sure of the bounce on it. (I dunno if Canadian Tire is in the states or not but it's kinda like a wal-mart without the food and clothes + more hardware, automotive and sports.). I find that this club (and or me and my swing) have a real tendency to either take too much sand, or I catch the ball mostly first, and rocket it over the green into another bunker.

OR.....

I have a 55* Nickalus N1pro SW (not sure of bounce on this club either) but it's an actual SW.) I've never actually tried the SW out of the sand (that sounds stupid). But I dont get to play enough on the course to go experimenting like this.

I used to hit some decent bunker shots with the 60 but now they seem few and far between, and bunkers are quickly becoming a nemisis of mine.

Just wondering what you fellas would suggest. Mabye the best option is to get a better quality 60*?. I dunno, feedback would be much appriciated.

Chris.

[Eracer]

Most 60* wedges are low bounce clubs, and are not appropriate for use out of any but hard-packed sand. The bounce of a true SW is designed to help prevent the types of errors you are having with the 60* wedge.

So stick with the 55* SW in the sand. Open your stance about 20* to the target. Open the face of the club so it points at the target. Position the ball off your left instep, try to "thump" the sand about 2 inches behind the ball, and swing through to a full finish.

[Bravo]

I would advise that you definitely find out the bounce on the wedges before proceeding. A high bounce wedge will definitely help you get out of bunkers...

FWIW, my sand wedge is a 60 degree with 12 degrees of bounce. It is one heavy dude. It is a Wilson Harmonized that I bought at Wal-mart for $25 and I have had it for 12 years.

I can get out of most anything with it...with its huge flange. Even a fried egg...just get in there and swing like hell and it will get it out...

[Rockford35]

A high bounce wedge is GREAT out of the sand, but sucks everywhere else. A low bounce wedge sucks out of the sand, but is pretty well an all around club (save, the flop).

If you're in the sand alot, try practicing more with your 55*. Just open it up, take sand and swing like the dickens (as Bravo noted). You'll soon find that the 55* wedge is more of a tool than the 60* and you'll like hitting it more. I very rarely hit my 60* because a) it's the hardest club to hit consistently - that's vouched by Tour players and b) rarely are you in need of what a 60* has to offer that your 55* can't produce with some practice.

Just my thoughts.

R35

[footballking732]

ive been having problems getting out of bunkers recently, but then i realized i had been using my 60* Taylormade RAC LW which only has 7* of bounce. i immediately switched to my callaway forged+ 56* with 12* bounce and was money out of the sand.

i would assume that your 55* would have more bunce than your 60*, but you should look into it. whatever has the most bounce is better for greenside bunkers.

now if you want to hit out of a fairway bunker, do the opposite. you want less bounce so the club doesnt dig.

[footballking732]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

A high bounce wedge is GREAT out of the sand, but sucks everywhere else. A low bounce wedge sucks out of the sand, but is pretty well an all around club (save, the flop).

If you're in the sand alot, try practicing more with your 55*. Just open it up, take sand and swing like the dickens (as Bravo noted). You'll soon find that the 55* wedge is more of a tool than the 60* and you'll like hitting it more. I very rarely hit my 60* because a) it's the hardest club to hit consistently - that's vouched by Tour players and b) rarely are you in need of what a 60* has to offer that your 55* can't produce with some practice.

Just my thoughts.

R35

i disagree with the fact that the 60* is the hardest club to hit consistently. my 60* is amazing from 100 yds and in. it is my go to "money club". i use it for most pitches, chips, and full shots because it just produsec so much spin, stops so fast because of its height and spin, and i hit it the straightest.

that is also the club that i am within 10 ft the most.

[Davebud]

I actually threw the Hogan Sure-out back in the bag for just that reason, my 58* was not getting it done well out of the sand, it is a great club from other close in locations, but not the sand.

[Mors Ab Alto]

I think it all depends on both the kind of sand and the length of the shot.

Here in west Texas, we don't have sand as much as we have crushed red clay and dirt, so it's a little harder to get the ball going than in soft "beach" sand. When it's wet, it's packed so tight it's like hitting off of hardpan. I have found that the harder dirt can handle a lower bounce wedge (my 58* has 6* of bounce) without much fear of skidding on top of or sticking into the dirt (read: sand).

Also, if I have a sand shot to a tight pin, I always use my LW. I just open it up a bit, which adds bounce. Longer bunker shots require my SW.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by footballking732

i disagree with the fact that the 60* is the hardest club to hit consistently. my 60* is amazing from 100 yds and in. it is my go to "money club". i use it for most pitches, chips, and full shots because it just produsec so much spin, stops so fast because of its height and spin, and i hit it the straightest.

that is also the club that i am within 10 ft the most.

That might very well be. I'm just saying that the lob wedge is consistently rated as the hardest club to master in your bag.

You migh have a good handle on it. And that's great. But for most dudes just starting out or having trouble out of the sand, a sure bet with a 56* is worth alot more than fooling around with a lob wedge.

R35

[halifax_golfer]

thanks for the replies. I'll definitly have to try out my 55*, it does have a thicker sole then my 60*.

I also use my 60* from pretty well everything inside of 100yards, I find it a great and easy to hit club aswell, I use it to chip all the time with some not terrible results (I just gotta learn to sink the 5-6 footers). It was the first club that I owned (Dad bought it for me for x-mas two years ago).

Hopefully I'll have some better results out of the sand with the 55* though, and thanks for the advice.

Chris.

[footballking732]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

That might very well be. I'm just saying that the lob wedge is consistently rated as the hardest club to master in your bag.

You migh have a good handle on it. And that's great. But for most dudes just starting out or having trouble out of the sand, a sure bet with a 56* is worth alot more than fooling around with a lob wedge.

R35

alright... i see what you are saying.

[Loop]

The sand wedge has its bounce made to skid on the sand, so it won't dig. Unless you're hitting down on the shot.

But you can also make the lob wedge skid on the sand by opening the clubface, or rather by lofting it and playing the ball more forward, as every greenside sand shot should.

BTW, I also have the Zircon wedge that I also bought from Canadian Tire. A really good forgiving wedge.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by footballking732

alright... i see what you are saying.

You better not let anyone else see this. It doesn't happen very often! LOL...

Cheers FBK,

R35

[JEFF4i]

It depends. Sometimes I use my 60* out of the sand, sometimes my sand wedge, and sometimes, yes, my putter. It's all situational.

[WMitch6]

For me, club choice is dictated by the situation. If the situation allows, my first choice would be a putter. In hard sand in a deep or lipped bunker, I use a 60* lob wedge with low bounce or I might "chip" out with a 7 iron. Soft fluffy sand I use a 56* SW. In a fairway bunker I use a fairway wood regardless of sand type or distance.