Using only the lob wedge for bunker shots is costing you strokes. Here's why

Q: I always use my lob wedge out of the sand. Is that the right move?

A: We will concede that for everyday players there is something to be said for familiarity. That said, limiting yourself to a single club from the sand seems, well, limiting.

This question brings to mind a round from a number of years ago. I was playing with Marty Jertson, an engineer for Ping and a good player who has qualified for multiple PGA Championships. On one hole, Marty had an 80-yard bunker shot and instead of trying to pick it off the sand with a wedge, he took his 8-iron, hit a blast shot like he would out of a greenside bunker and ran it up close. There's a lesson to take away from that.

Sure, on short bunker shots or when the lip is high, the lob wedge is the logical choice as it provides the needed stopping power or height for such shots. However, when faced with a longer shot from sand, consider going down in loft and swinging as you would on a typical bunker shot rather than amping up the speed with your lob wedge. The result is likely going to get you closer to the hole—and lead to fewer skulls and flubs. Need proof? Look no further than Bryson DeChambeau using a 55-degree wedge for the long bunker shot that sewed up his U.S. Open win at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024 (above).

The distance of the shot isn’t the only reason to use less loft. Consider the type of shot. At my home course, the sixth hole has a flat bunker with almost no lip between the bunker and the green. When the pin is back, it’s an intimidating shot to fly it back to the hole and try to stop it. Instead, I now use my 50-degree gap wedge and make a very controlled swing. The ball comes out with ease, lands on the front of the green and rolls another 30 feet or more. It’s a shot with a much higher success rate than a blast with the lob wedge. With a little practice and an open mind, it will work for you, too.