沙坑球
Also known as: 沙击球, 爆炸击球
沙坑球是指从沙坑障碍区打出的任何一击。这两大类击球方式截然不同：果岭边沙坑球，球杆从不接触球；球道沙坑球，干净的先触球接触才是全部目标。
这个词涵盖了两个几乎相反的问题。在靠近果岭的地方，球杆应该在球后方一到两英寸处进入没有草皮的沙面，完全不接触球——被扬起的沙子会把球带出。而从80码外的球道沙坑打出时，情况正好相反：先接触球，尽量不带起球后方的沙子，把这一击当作一记从不稳定站位打出的普通铁杆球来处理。把这两者混淆，是沙坑中最常见的记分错误，因为用果岭边的方法去处理球道沙坑的球位，会让球短了40码。
球位几乎决定了其他一切。松软蓬松的沙面会吞没杆头，需要更高的速度；坚实或被雨水压实的沙面会排斥杆头，让球出来得比预期更低更快，因此需要的力量更小。一颗被埋住的球——“煎蛋”——完全不会对标准方法做出反应，因为球的前方也有沙子挡着，不只是后方。一颗靠在沙坑壁上的球，即便理论上可以尝试，实际操作中也可能根本无法打出。
规则也增加了自己的限制。在挥杆之前，球杆不能在球后方触地，不过自2019年起，落叶和石块等松散障碍物可以被移除。一颗无法合理打出的球，可以被宣布为不可打，并在受罚的情况下丢在障碍区外——从陡壁下的埋球位置打，这通常是分数更低的选择。像发现时那样把沙面耙平，不是记分规则，但却是这项运动礼仪的一部分。
Tips by skill level
Before choosing a club, answer one question out loud: am I trying to miss the ball, or hit it? Near the green the answer is miss it. From a fairway lie the answer is hit it. Every other decision follows from that.
Read the surface with your feet as you take your stance. Soft and deep means the club will slow down. As a result, take more speed or more club. Firm and shallow means it will skid. As a result, open the face less and expect a lower, faster runner.
Example
同一个障碍区，两记不同的击球：从果岭边缘的沙坑壁处，他打开杆面，在球后方两英寸处溅起沙子；在下一个洞的球道沙坑中，他握短球杆、多拿一支杆号，干净利落地打到了球。
Why it matters
大多数球手只练习一种方法，然后到处套用。在选杆之前先判断眼前的球位属于哪一大类，能避免大多数障碍区灾难。
How it shows up on video
The clearest tell is the entry point. Near the green, look for the divot beginning visibly behind where the ball sat and the club continuing through to a full finish. From a fairway lie, look for the opposite — contact at the ball with only a shallow scrape afterwards, and a quieter lower body throughout.
Common mistakes
- Playing a fairway lie with the greenside method — taking a cushion of material behind the ball costs 30 to 40 yards on a shot that needed clean contact
- Decelerating near the green. This is the number one reason a ball stays in the hazard. The surface absorbs energy and the swing has to keep accelerating through it
- Using a pitching wedge close to the green, where its sharp leading edge digs instead of skimming — the wider sole of a specialist wedge exists for exactly this
- Treating a plugged lie as a normal one, when it needs a squarer face, a steeper entry and the acceptance that the ball will run out on landing
- Grounding the club behind the ball while taking a stance, which is a penalty even when it was unintentional
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab has no bunker setting, and it does not see the sand, the entry point or the ball. Filmed as a wedge or pitch/chip, it still reads your body. That includes how far your hips slide and how much your head moves side to side. Film face-on with the sand behind the ball in view to check where the club enters.
Open Golf in Motion LabFrequently asked questions
How do I know whether to hit the ball or the surface behind it?
Distance decides it. Inside about 30 yards, aim behind the ball and let the splash lift it. From farther out, many players either splash it with a less-lofted wedge or pick the ball cleanly. The cleaner the strike, the farther it flies.
Can I move a stone or a leaf in a bunker?
Yes. Since the 2019 rules revision, loose impediments may be removed anywhere on the course, including in a bunker (Rule 12.2a). Just don't move the ball while doing it. What you still cannot do is ground the club or test the surface before the stroke.
Is taking an unplayable ever the right call?
Often, from a buried lie under a steep face. Two penalty strokes to drop outside frequently scores better than three attempts to escape. It always beats an injury from swinging into a compacted lie.
Does a wet lie change the club I should use?
It does. Rain-packed sand is firm, so the sole skids rather than digging in and the ball comes out lower and hotter. Take less speed, or a club with a less aggressive sole, and expect more run on landing.
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