Best loft out of an average green side sand trap

[draw1]

I'm looking for a new sand wedge and am torn between a 54, 56, and 58 degree wedge. I'm curious what others are using. The scenario here is:

- an average green side trap (average depth and reasonbly soft sand)

- a good lie (flat surface, middle of trap)

- hole center of a flat green

 

Thx for participating!

 

 

Edit: By the way, I have no idea how I wound up posting this in the Shop forum.

[mat562]

I've always been a 56 degree man out of greenside sand. I started out playing the game without a 60 degree wedge and so the sand wedge was the natural choice for greenside sand. Even when I put in a lob wedge after a couple or three years of playing the game, I was so comfortable with the sand wedge that I saw no reason to change and stuck with my 56 degree club for the vast majority of shots from greenside sand.

In addition, my bunker technique is built around a high bounce (14 degree) sand wedge with a medium width sole (I've traditionally been an Eye 2/588/Vokey man over the last twenty years or so, all with similar specs and 56 degrees of loft) but I prefer having a lob wedge with virtually no bounce whatsoever. Very little bounce limits the effectiveness of that club from sand, other than in extreme circumstances.

I know that a lot of people have moved to using more lofted clubs from greenside sand - and that many people now eschew the traditional across-the-line greenside bunker technique - but I'm perfectly happy with my 56 degree club and rank my greenside bunker play as probably the best aspect of my game.

[highergr0und]

I love my eye 2 SW (57.7* spec I believe) out of the sand around the bunker. The bounce/wide sole gets that great thump through the sand and the ball usually pops out high and lands soft. The bounce really makes or breaks a wedge in the sand. Too little just digs too much..... you want a plow not a razor

[Dizz]

I hit my 60 for just about every greenside bunker shot.

[mhk5000]

Right now I use my 54/10 because i took the 56/12 out of the bag. I can't use my 58/8 because there is not enough bounce - especially in soft sand. I have to admit my preference has always been a 56 with at least 10 degree of bounce because that's what i grew up with, but I've adapted to the 54.

[b.helts]

[quote name='mat562' date='14 April 2010 - 08:55 AM' timestamp='1271264109' post='2379512']
I've always been a 56 degree man out of greenside sand. I started out playing the game without a 60 degree wedge and so the sand wedge was the natural choice for greenside sand. Even when I put in a lob wedge after a couple or three years of playing the game, I was so comfortable with the sand wedge that I saw no reason to change and stuck with my 56 degree club for the vast majority of shots from greenside sand.

In addition, my bunker technique is built around a high bounce (14 degree) sand wedge with a medium width sole (I've traditionally been an Eye 2/588/Vokey man over the last twenty years or so, all with similar specs and 56 degrees of loft) but I prefer having a lob wedge with virtually no bounce whatsoever. Very little bounce limits the effectiveness of that club from sand, other than in extreme circumstances.

I know that a lot of people have moved to using more lofted clubs from greenside sand - and that many people now eschew the traditional across-the-line greenside bunker technique - but I'm perfectly happy with my 56 degree club and rank my greenside bunker play as probably the best aspect of my game.
[/quote]

excellent post.  




i carry 54, 58 and 64.  my 58 is a 60.08 that is bent down to 58.  for any bunker shot that isn't what i'd consider a specialty shot (very high or lots of spin kind of deal) i use my 54.10.

[Hateto3Putt]

58.12

[ShennyGolfer]

It depends more on bounce and what other wedges you carry.

[adigiulian]

i voted for 56. i carry 52 56 and 58.

[tonster]

I've been back and forth between wedge setups for the past two years, but have always settled on a 58* as my greenside bunker club. Currently its a Vokey SM 58.08 w/ M-grind.

[bradski]

sand -lob wedge will all work as long as the bounce is right. Depends on the sand and lie. I prefer my 56 with the most bounce as it won't be used for tight greenside lie's. My 58* is ground down to around 6*....

[bomberman]

I use alot of bounce out of the bunker, therefore for the average shot it is my 56/12. I'll use the 60 occasionally if I really need to hit a high one and I'll go down to a 9 iron if I have a really long shot.

[razz11]

I'm too comfortable with my 56-10 to go with anything else. Open that thing way up and I personally can't do any better with another club. I played with a 60 for a while when I first started, but was too inconsistent to hit it and threw it out for a 3W at the top of my bag. To be honest my 3W is useless for me now after getting my 17 degree hybrid. Might get rid of that and try a 60 again. I'm a big believer that you can't really hit any shot with a 60 that you can't with a 56 opened up, but obviously that is up for discussion...

[Guia]

My current favorite is a Callaway X with 62 degrees and 14 bounce. Works really well in sand and short sided shots.

[Prairie Golfer]

I use a 56* one.

[draw1]

[quote name='razz11' date='14 April 2010 - 05:42 PM' timestamp='1271284933' post='2380099']
I'm a big believer that you can't really hit any shot with a 60 that you can't with a 56 opened up, but obviously that is up for discussion...
[/quote]

If you are opening the face on your SW with that much bounce to simulate a 60* shot, aren't you adding too much bounce for a lot of non-sand shots? Maybe you have a special grind.

[NutmegOfConsolation]

Since I found that I was only using the 56 in the sand, I pulled it out of the bag and just open up my 52° wedge.

[muzz]

56* with 12-14* of bounce

I don't need anymore than that as I open it pretty much all the way up for a normal bunker shot, of course I play pretty open and cut across the line.

[northgolf]

I use my 58* now, but that is because I only carry 52* and 58* wedges. When I carried a 56 and a 60, I used the 56. The issue with the 58 out of sand is when you have to carry the ball 15 or 20 yards - it's just hard for me to do (note to self, if I'm going to be in greenside sand, short side myself...).

The change in wedges happened because the faces on the iron set are stronger (new set) than I was used to (been playing the same set of Golden Ram tour grinds for 20 years) and I had too big a gap between the pitching wedge and the 56* wedge.

[Mizgoodie]

i think the proper question for the poll is... what bounce on wedges work the best for greenside bunker shots...... the club is all about the type of shot you want to hit to get the ball close... but bounce is very important on most sand shots..... that said i like 57 for my sandwedge

[draw1]

[quote name='Mizgoodie' date='14 April 2010 - 08:44 PM' timestamp='1271295879' post='2380363']
i think the proper question for the poll is... what bounce on wedges work the best for greenside bunker shots...... the club is all about the type of shot you want to hit to get the ball close... but bounce is very important on most sand shots..... that said i like 57 for my sandwedge
[/quote]

My first draft of the poll included bounce. However, I removed it to try and keep it simple. I assume that most people are going to use a bounce of 10*+ in a normal sand situation (including creating this kind of bounce by opening up a lower bounce, lower lofted club).

This might be an interesting follow-up poll, however as we've had quite a few responses!

[atlanta golfer]

54 and 58 I-wedges, both with medium to high bounce. I can use either one, depending upon the distance to be carried.

[homergolf]

The 54* works well for me with greenside sand traps. The 60* comes handy for those high shots occasionally needed from the sand.

[buster]

FWIW.. the pros use 60 and some of the best ams in the country will go with 58.. I have only seen two guys who were really good out of sand use 56 or 57 ..and one was named Watson.

[draw1]

[quote name='buster' date='14 April 2010 - 09:54 PM' timestamp='1271300077' post='2380496']
FWIW.. the pros use 60 and some of the best ams in the country will go with 58.. I have only seen two guys who were really good out of sand use 56 or 57 ..and one was named Watson.
[/quote]

You have a similar setup as I will have (if I trade in my MP-52s for the 300s or 200s). I'm curious how the 50*, 54*, 60* gapping work for you. I'm trying to figure out if I go that MX route, how I'll fill my 2 highest lofted wedges. Also, what bounce did you go with on the 54/60?

Thx for sharing!

[greygoose]

I've always carried 52* and 58* wedges, so for me it's always been a 58*.

[duffer888]

IMHO, 56/12 is the default choice for a SW if your course include harder Muni sand traps. However, I play 54/60 and vary loft with trap depth and distance to the pin. I use the traditional across-the-line method.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Like Duffer noted, the sand where I am tends to be pretty firm, and you need a club that will do the job.

I still use a trusty Ping Eye 2+ 53.12 sand wedge to a center pin, and will try to go across the line if the sand is having a "softer day".

I have also used my 60.09 LW out of the sand on occasion, but this has only been done on top lies (0% buried) and I'm short sided.

[dlygrisse]

I use the 58* for the bulk of the shots, I have one with 12* of bounce. I recently switched from 8* and it sure makes the job easier and more consistent, you dont have to be as precise with the added bounce. That being said a 56 would work just fine as I used to use one from the sand till I switched to the 58. Be careful of the 60 or 64 if the bounce and grind are not adeqeute from the sand, those clubs are typically designed for hitting off of tighter lies and if the sand is soft at all you may have issues.

I will also use a pw or 52 if the lip is low and I have one of those dreaded 30-40 yarders, but I stick with the 58* whenever possible.

[draw1]

Thx for all of the input and replies! We received a bunch of replies and over 115 votes within a 24 hour period. This is pretty amazing and a good testament to the quality of this Board and the Community!

 

A few takeaways:

 

1) I was surprised that more people aren't using a 54* sand wedge. This would set up for a 58* or 60* wedge with less bounce for other types of shots

 

2) With the 56* the clearly dominant choice, I would assume that many of these players also game a higher lofted, lower bounce wedge

 

3) I was surpised so many people are using a 58* or 60* out of the sand (neither 40%). I can't imagine most of these players have an even higher lofted wedge with less bounce for tight lies, hard sand, etc. Maybe a bunch of these players are using higher bounce on the 58*/60* with C grinds or other special grinds to be more versatile with the bounce on these wedges if they need to hit flop shots or from tight lies. Of-course, not everybody likes a low bounce lob wedge