Firm sand vs. soft sand: How to stick bunker shots from both lies

Being in a bunker is no fun.

But being in a bunker when you’re unable to adapt to the conditions of the sand? That’s even worse.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve entered a greenside bunker and realized that my ball’s actually resting not on a fluffy lie but on firm, hard-packed sand. It may not feel like a huge difference, but, like any other lie on the golf course, you need to make adjustments for this type of shot.

Short Game

Unfortunately, there aren’t many amateurs who know what to do when they come across this situation.

Instead of just hacking at your ball and hoping it gets out, check out the tips in the video below from GOLF Top 100 Teacher James Sieckmann’s (courtesy of Titleist’s YouTube channel). Before you know it, you’ll become a bunker whiz, and will no longer allow the condition of the sand get the best (or worst) of you.

Firm sand vs. soft sand – How to hit from each

How to hit out of firm sand

“From really packed in (and firm) sand, I’d definitely have to use my lob wedge,” Sieckmann says.

Why his L-wedge? Because the ball will come out faster.

“The ball’s going to come out fast, and I need to get the club completely under the ball,” he says.

Bunker Shots

Sieckmann then explains the setup.

“I’m going to put more pressure on my [lead leg], use a narrower, more downward and descending [angle of attack],” Sieckmann says. “I’ll probably square the face a little bit so it doesn’t over-bounce. Then I just need to slow the swing down.”

After hitting a low, spinny bunker shot, he explains why technique is so important when playing off of firm sand.

“If I’m too shallow or if I pick the wrong club, I won’t get the outcome that I want,” he says. “So it’s okay to vary clubs and adapt your setup and swing to get the proper angle of attack to get into the sand the optimal way to match the lie.”

How to hit out of soft sand

“On normal [fluffy] sand conditions, I’m going to lean into the quad [on the lead leg] and really let the clubhead go,” Sieckmann says. “But I don’t want to dig [the club], so I’d probably defer to my sand wedge instead of my lob wedge.”

Sieckmann then explains his decision to go with a little less loft, and how it’ll help produce a high, soft shot.

“If I’m between clubs, I’d go 54 degrees,” he says. “There’s more bounce and less loft, which should help the ball go farther, and the club should slide through the sand and not dig quite as much.”

Next, he talks about how to setup for a bunker shot when hitting from soft sand.

“Using my 54, I’m still going to play with an open face, maybe aimed slightly more left, and then use a nice wide swing,” he instructs.

So the next time you find yourself in a bunker, use Sieckmann’s tips to adapt your swing based on the lie conditions. You might just stick it close to the pin.

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