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Bunkers: Soft or Firm?

JB

JB

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Do you have a preference in bunker conditions?
 
Fairway, firm. Greenside, soft.
 
firm
fairway, greenside, i dont care what it is, firm!
 
firm(ish)
 
Soft and fluffy....and free of rocks
 
Prefer firm sand in greenside bunkers and firm sand in fairway bunkers.
 
Would rather have fluffy sand.
 
Do people find different sand in fairways and greens? Generally speaking...

I definitely like soft sand near green.
 
Gman79 said:
Do people find different sand in fairways and greens? Generally speaking...

I definitely like soft sand near green.
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Not from my experience. Greenside tends to be a little more manicured sometimes around here, and can be better because of that, but it's not like they use different sand. I was just saying that if I'm having to pump a 6 iron 190 yards I'd prefer firm sand in that moment. Next to the green on a touch shot, not so much.
 
MSEASU said:
Fairway firm and green side soft. Unfortunately in Arizona we get the opposite. Many green side have concrete like sand.
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^ This. And one of those rock hard greenside Arizona bunkers cost me two freaking strokes today!
 
You might think this should go without saying, but first I prefer them to have some actual sand in them. Once that is established, I would prefer soft sand in greenside bunkers, but then I'd have to relearn how to play them, as I've gotten to where I can do okay in the firm/hard bunkers with little or no sand in them that I normally play from. :confused2:
 
We often have wet and firm. That sucks. I’ll take the opposite
 
As a high ball hitter I hate real fluffy bunkers
 
A little on the firm side for me, to soft and I seem to have issues
 
I'm with the majority here. The softer the better in greenside bunkers and firm in fairway ones. Least gives me half a chance of advancing it more than 10 yards.
 
Greenside - Goldilocks. Not too soft, not too firm. Could allow for more variety in shots.

fairway - firm all the way!
 
Definitely firm is my preference. For some reason I am pretty good at sliding the club under the ball in a firm greenside bunker but soft, fluffy sand has me burying the club in the sand (too steep?) and not getting out. Fairway bunkers being firm is just like hitting a normal shot for me.
 
Soft & fluffy I have no problems getting up and out. Hardpan bunkers I am very inconsistent.
 
I prefer softer sand conditions, but I tend to find firmer, sun baked sand conditions more often than not. Maybe as much as 85% of the time.

In our desert area, when they irrigate the grass areas, the bunkers get watered down too. Then the sun dries them out, which packs the sand, and leaves a healthy crust on top.

If maintenance doesn't work on these bunkers, on a regular basis, they will get pretty firm. Obviously it also depends on the quality, and type of sand the course will spend money on to buy.

I also think fluffier types of sand will disappear faster due to windy conditions. Again, it's an economic factor for the course to consider.

It really doesn't matter to me. Like all golf shots, the golfer just deals with the condition they find their ball in.
 
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