Bunkers · Tip
Adjust for Soft or Firm Sand
Part of our bunkers programs for fat or chunked, thin or bladed, not getting out. Build a program with it
Soft sand makes the wedge dig. Firm sand makes it bounce. So adjust. Feel the sand with your feet as you take your stance. In soft sand, open the face more and use a wedge with more bounce. In firm or wet sand, square the face more and enter closer to the ball. A slightly shorter swing helps in firm sand. Practice both when you can.
Step by step
- Feel the sand as you set your feet.
- Soft: open the face, more bounce.
- Firm or wet: square the face, enter closer.
- Shorter swing in firm sand.
- Practice both.
Why it works
Bounce is the rounded underside of the wedge. In soft sand the club sinks, so an open face exposes more bounce and lets the club glide instead of dig. In firm or wet sand the club can't sink, so too much bounce makes it skip off the surface into the ball. A squarer face and an entry point closer to the ball reduce that, and a shorter swing keeps the strike easier to control.
Common mistakes
- You use the same face angle and entry point in every bunker.Feel the sand as you set your feet, then choose the face and entry point to match it.
- You square the face in soft sand and the club digs deep.Open the face more and use a wedge with more bounce so the club glides under the ball.
- You enter far behind the ball in firm sand and the club bounces into the ball.Square the face more, enter closer to the ball and shorten your swing a little.
How you'll know it's working
- In soft sand, the club glides through and leaves a shallow, even scoop of sand with no deep dig.
- In firm sand, you hear a crisp brush rather than a skip or a click, and the ball comes out without a thin strike.
- You can tell from your feet what the sand is like before you pick your face angle and entry point.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice in one bunker with consistent sand and change only the face angle, so you see its effect clearly.
Harder: Move between a soft bunker and a firm or wet one and adjust your setup and swing length on each shot without a practice swing.
Common questions
Should I use more bounce in soft sand?
Yes. More bounce with an open face stops the club digging and helps it glide under the ball.
Why do I hit thin shots from firm or wet sand?
The club bounces off the hard surface instead of sinking in. Square the face a little more, enter closer to the ball and shorten your swing.
