Bunkers with lots of sand!!!

[Diamond]

I started playing golf a few months before lockdown 1. Initially I struggled in bunkers but I found my lob wedge would get it out much more easily.
In between lockdowns the bunkers were neglected at the course and were very dry and there wasn't much sand in them. The comps were pick and place and I was able to chip the ball out of these.
Roll onto 1st April this year and the course and bunkers are beautiful. Someone has done a great job in filling the bunkers in with new sand.
However I am having a nightmare as it is taking 3-4 attempts to get out and when I do I find myself in another bunker!
Talking to a chap at the course he said there is too much sand in them and with no rain recently it is making them harder to play.
My lob wedge is a 2nd hand Mack Daddy 58 degree with 8 bounce. Is this the wrong club for bunkers with lots of sand?

 

[jim8flog]

Use a SW with the right amount of bounce for the type of sand. E.G for deep fluffy sand it needs to be high bounce (I use 11 or 14 degree depending on which wedge is in the bag)

A lot of lob wedges are very low bounce intended for fairway use, typically 8 degrees or less, and may just dig in to very soft fluffy sand unless your technique is very good.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Whether it is the right club depends as much on your bunker technique as the bunkers; are you a sweeper or a digger? If you think that there is too much sand in them then 8 degrees of bounce is unlikely to be overly helpful, and if it has a grind that allows you to open it up around the green then it's probably even less helpful for what you describe.

https://www.vokey.com/tools/wedge-selector-tool.aspx

 

[bobmac]

Where is your ball positioned..... back, middle or forward in your stance?

 

[Diamond]

Where is your ball positioned..... back, middle or forward in your stance?

Forward in stance.

 

[Neilds]

Can’t remember what sand in a bunker is meant to look like, can’t help sorry ?

 

[bobmac]

Forward in stance.

Good.
Do you aim left left and open the face?

 

[Diamond]

Good.
Do you aim left left and open the face?

Yes aim left and open the face.

 

[jim8flog]

Yes aim left and open the face.

Do you open the face by holding the club in your trailing hand with the club face open then placing leading hand on the club lifting a replacing the trailing hand. or dou grip and then turn the club face to look open.

If you do the latter the club face will just return to square in the swing.

 

[bobmac]

Yes aim left and open the face.

Do you swing fully through to a high finish at the end like this old boy?

 

[Deleted member 29109]

8* Isn't much bounce. Especially in deep sand.

I would be looking at 12* or 14* and a nice wide sole. It will make life much easier.

 

[Diamond]

Do you swing fully through to a high finish at the end like this old boy?

Yes I actually managed to get out of a bunker 1st time that was 3 times that height however I took 3-4 shots on 3 other bunkers and that is.more normal.

 

[bobmac]

Without seeing your failed attempts, it would be tricky so tell whats going wrong but if ball is forward and face is open and you dont quit on the shot, you're not doing much wrong.
The only thing left really is if you're hitting into the sand too far behind the ball. I take it you are hitting into the sand?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

First off, listen to Bob.

If you need to see something visible then Padraig Harrington did some bunker masterclasses at past British Masters. Well worth a watch. It was a Sky piece, nick Dougherty was the presenter I think. Bound to be on YouTube somewhere.

 

[Diamond]

Without seeing your failed attempts, it would be tricky so tell whats going wrong but if ball is forward and face is open and you dont quit on the shot, you're not doing much wrong.
The only thing left really is if you're hitting into the sand too far behind the ball. I take it you are hitting into the sand?

Yes into the sand I think the amount of sand in the bunkers means I am getting too much underneath and with it being 8 bounce I wondering If it leaves me with very little room little room error.

 

[bobmac]

Yes into the sand I think the amount of sand in the bunkers means I am getting too much underneath and with it being 8 bounce I wondering If it leaves me with very little room little room error.

I'd be surprised if you are getting too much underneath if the ball is forward and the face is open

 

[IanM]

Our gritty old bunkers are now full of nice fluffy stuff... I'm needing to relearn how to play them! And its not easy

 

[Diamond]

Our gritty old bunkers are now full of nice fluffy stuff... I'm needed to relearn how to play them! And its not easy

Good to know. One of the old guard at the club said there is too much sand in them and it wouldn't stand up to tour standard.
It is like being Lawrence of Arabia on most of them.

 

[clubchamp98]

People think with nice new sand the ball will come out easier.
I have always found the opposite.
New fluffy sand disperses on the face more (like a shock absorber )than heavy clogged sand so you need more bounce (14) and you need to hit it much harder to get the ball out.
Practice is the only answer really.

 

[Diamond]

People think with nice new sand the ball will come out easier.
I have always found the opposite.
New fluffy sand disperses on the face more (like a shock absorber )than heavy clogged sand so you need more bounce (14) and you need to hit it much harder to get the ball out.
Practice is the only answer really.

Had a lesson yesterday and I wasn't doing a lot wrong but the advice was practice with line in the sand and hit the line. Weight on front foot, hinge back hit the imaginary line and follow through. The pro also said my Sand Wedge wasn't the best and my lob wedge which is a 2nd hand Mack Daddy was better for this kind of shot.