Which Wedge to Use in Firm vs. Fluffy Sand

Using the wrong wedge for the sand you’re in can turn a simple bunker shot into a bladed mess before you’ve even swung. Think about the tires on a car. The ones that grip perfectly on a dry road can slide all over the place on ice. Nothing’s wrong with the driver, the tires just aren’t made for that surface. Wedges are the same way. In soft, fluffy sand, you want more bounce. A traditional sand wedge somewhere around 10 to 14 degrees will splash through without the leading edge digging in and grabbing too much sand. When the sand is firm and wet, almost like cement, all that bounce can skip right off the top. That’s when a gap wedge or pitching wedge is the better choice, since the lower bounce lets the club cut into the sand instead. So before your next bunker shot, take a second to feel what’s under your feet. The sand will usually tell you which club to pull.