What is Bounce in Golf?

Bounce is a term that has skyrocketed recently in the golf vernacular. With the advent of the new lofted wedges and the myriad designs now available, many golfers are now learning the value of “bounce.” So let’s get a working definition of bounce. Bounce is the angle from the leading edge to the trailing edge on the sole of a wedge. A picture I try to paint for my students is this — when you address the golf ball with your wedge in its properly lofted position, how high is the leading edge sitting off the ground? The higher it is, the more bounce a wedge has. That’s an easy way to understand bounce, which keeps the leading edge from digging into the turf.

When used properly, your wedges are the most forgiving clubs in your bag. The bounce will slide along the turf, allowing golfers to hit shots even if the turf is contacted slightly before the ball. From Phil Mickelson to Uncle Phil, we all need bounce… and we need to know how to use it.

Here are my six general bounce guidelines:

• If your attack angle is steep, you need more bounce.
• If your attack angle is shallow, you need less bounce.
• If the course has tight lies, use less bounce.
• If the golf course has heavier lies, more bounce.
• If the sand is fluffy, more bounce.
• If the sand is firmly packed, less bounce.

There are other factors, of course: the heel grind, the toe grind, etc., but the guidelines above should be helpful.

Touring professionals are constantly grinding wedges to adapt to the playing conditions of the week. Most of us don’t have that luxury, but we can collect a variety of wedges and bounces over time and use them as needed. An example might be a day when you know rain the night before will leave the sand firmly packed down, or you’re going to play a links-style course that has tight lies. You might consider leaving the high bounce wedge in the garage that day.

Once you find a wedge with the right loft and bounce combination, you’ll need to understand how to use it properly. The secret to understanding good short wedge shots is realizing they are played very differently than full shots. It starts at setup and continues through the swing. When you’re hitting short wedge shots, you need to expose the bounce and swing the golf club so that the trailing edge can be in play. When you do it right, you’ll get grass stains or sand residue on the very back of your wedge sole. That’s a hint that you’re doing things correctly.

Here are some suggestions to help you expose the bounce on the golf club. Note that these are generalized hints that are not for everyone, but they will help the vast majority of golfers hit better short wedge shots.

• First, weaken your grip by moving both hands slightly to the left (lefties, do the opposite). This will assist you in getting and keeping the club face open.

• Open the club face at address.

• Set your body open to the target.

• Move your ball position forward in your stance.

• In taking the club away, you should get a distinct feeling of rolling the face open (supinating the right hand and forearm).

• The downswing must allow for the rear side (right for righties) to stay UP. The biggest mistake I see is a body slide, a right side tilt, and the right shoulder going in too low.

• The body turn through the ball must be complete with the front facing the target and the golf club exiting LEFT on the follow through.

• The club face cannot turn over! It must be “held open” through the shot with little to no supination of the left arm.

The most embarrassing shot in the game is a chunked wedge or a shot left in the bunker. Trying any or all of the above tips should help you minimize those errors. Remember, BOUNCE the golf club into the golf ball. Your scores will thank you.