The standard sand wedge features 56° of loft, plenty to lift the ball up and out of most bunkers. So why – and when – should you open the face to add even more loft?
Extra loft, provided by rotating the clubface right of the target, is most needed on:
- Short sand shots where there’s very little green between the edge of the bunker and the hole. In this case, you want to hit a high shot that stops quickly after landing.
- Shots where the ball must clear a tall lip close by in order to escape the sand.
- Shots from soft bunkers. Opening the clubface increases the effective bounce angle (bulge on the club’s sole) and allows the blade to displace more sand as it slides through.
When opening the face of your wedge, be sure to also open your stance (feet left of target); otherwise, your shot will fly to the right.
Of course, not every bunker shot should be played this way. Anytime you’ve got at least 40 feet to the pin and no large lip to carry, keep the face square to ensure enough distance. The ball will roll farther, too.
