The CSGA Links Volume 3 Issue 2 May, 2015 | Page 13

1

Using the Bounce Properly

2

Square Stance

3

Ball Position

4

Swing Speed

With a sand wedge, open the club when the sand is fluffy, leave it square to your target line when the sand is firm
or compact. In fluffy sand, the danger lies in the club going too deep into the sand. Opening the club will add
to the “bounce” on the bottom of the club. The more bounce you have, the less likely you are to get too deep.
On the contrary, adding bounce in firm conditions can easily cause problems. The additional bounce created can
easily cause the club to skip off the surface resulting in a skulled shot.

Keep your stance square to the target line for all of
your routine shots. Unlike hitting a ball off of grass,
the direction that the ball flies is more a function
of the path of the club than the orientation of the
clubface. Even though the clubface may be open,
the sand will fly in the direction that the path takes
through the ball. So unless you are opening the
club an extreme amount, there is no reason to open
your stance.

With the ball in the middle of your stance and your
weight evenly distributed, make what feels to be a
normal golf swing. In fluffy sand, we are looking
to have the club enter the sand roughly 4 inches
behind the ball and exit the sand 4 inches in front
of where the ball was. The depth of the divot
should be no more than the thickness of a deck of
cards. This long shallow divot will send the sand
flying towards the target and the ball will come out
with the sand. In more compact conditions, the
divot will not be as long so we will have to enter the
sand slightly closer to the ball. Drawing two lines
in the sand that are 8-inches apart is a great practice
station for hitt