# Forged vs cast wedges.



## spongebob59 (Sep 8, 2016)

Guy I was with today was adamant that forged wedges are much better than cast for short game chipping etc.
I'm not convinced and think they just 'feel' better.
Any thoughts ?

He was using some very old pings and was quite tidy with them .
I try them for a shot and can't say I noticed any difference to my Cleveland's.


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## Imurg (Sep 8, 2016)

2 of the biggest wedge makers - Vokey and Cleveland are cast.
Ping are cast, Callaway are cast....many more cast than forged on the market
I have an older MD2 which is forged and 2 newer MD3's which are cast and I can't feel a difference.


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## spongebob59 (Sep 8, 2016)

That would be funny if his 'forged' club was cast !
I'll have to ask what model it is next time and check .


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## Foxholer (Sep 8, 2016)

There's an enormous amount of tosh spoken (and i'm probably about to add to that! ) about the benefits, or otherwise, of forged vs cast clubs!

If his were 'very old', it's quite likely they were cast - as Ping only started producing forged irons/wedges in 2011 or 2012!

Even forged wedges have different feel attributes - metal, finish, hosel length and a host of other things can affect feel! Vega and other Kyoei base forgings feel 'brighter' (cast-ish) than the likes of Miuras - which seem to me to use Vokeys as a 'model'.

I have a pair of Vokeys (cast) and an equivalent pair of (forged) Clevelands. They feel almost identical to me - and I'm quite sensitive to 'feel'!  

You could ask the guy why so many tour players use (cast) Vokey wedges even when they are sponsored by other brands! Btw. Vokey does make forged wedges, but that is almost exclusively for the Japanese market, where cast is considered 'cheap' - so not as good !


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## spongebob59 (Sep 8, 2016)

They looked old as in well used, but I couldn't guess at the age.


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## fundy (Sep 8, 2016)

Forged wedges for me, buttery soft, personal preference but give them over cast any day of the week


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## Foxholer (Sep 8, 2016)

spongebob59 said:



			They looked old as in well used, but I couldn't guess at the age.
		
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Bronzy colour?

Ping has also used (markedly) different metals. The most notable/desirable(?) being Beryllium/Copper alloy (especially putters). Get lovely patina as they 'age' beautifully'; very soft - cast of course! No longer available as extremely hazardous to health during mining/manufacture - but fine as a finished product!


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## guest100718 (Sep 8, 2016)

fundy said:



			Forged wedges for me, buttery soft, personal preference but give them over cast any day of the week
		
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You couldnt tell the difference.


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## Tiger (Sep 8, 2016)

The difference is in the manufacturing process. Cast clubs are poured and as a result air bubbles can get trapped. This can impact on distance control. Forged have no air bubbles so better distance control. Feel is really driven by sound. I prefer the sound of my forged clubs over the cast ones I had before. I also find distance control much much better.

That said I still blow hot and cold like a temperamental shower &#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;&#128514;


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## fundy (Sep 8, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			You couldnt tell the difference.
		
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of course i couldnt troll


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## guest100718 (Sep 8, 2016)

fundy said:



			of course i couldnt troll
		
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It's guff.  The metal used is probably the least determining factor in what is perceived as feel.


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## USER1999 (Sep 8, 2016)

I've presently got Japanese domestic market forged wedges from a wedge specialist manufacturer. Do I like them? Yes. Are they better than the vokeys I have had before? Not really. I've had callaway forged too. Wedges are wedges. I'm far from convinced you can tell the difference.

I do like the shape of my Crews wedges though. That to me is more important?


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## guest100718 (Sep 8, 2016)

fundy said:



			Forged wedges for me, buttery soft, personal preference but give them over cast any day of the week
		
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I'd happily bet you couldn't reliably tell the difference between Forged and cast


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## One Planer (Sep 8, 2016)

I've had forged Mizuno wedges and currentry play cast Cleveland's. 

Can I tell the difference? Yes, but only just!

Middled, I cant tell the difference but on a slight mishit there is, to me , a different 'vibration' or sensation to the strike.


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## fundy (Sep 8, 2016)

One Planer said:



			I've had forged Mizuno wedges and currentry play cast Cleveland's. 

Can I tell the difference? Yes, but only just!

Middled, I cant tell the difference but on a slight mishit there is, to me , a different 'vibration' or sensation to the strike.
		
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dont be daft mate, guest100718 has made it quite clear the likes of you and I cant tell the difference


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## 3565 (Sep 8, 2016)

fundy said:



			dont be daft mate, guest100718 has made it quite clear the likes of you and I cant tell the difference 

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Does that apply to drivers, irons, golf balls............ I think we're all useless and got no clue!!


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## One Planer (Sep 9, 2016)

fundy said:



			dont be daft mate, guest100718 has made it quite clear the likes of you and I cant tell the difference 

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I can also thell the difference between a Pro V1 and a TopFlite XL :thup:


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## ger147 (Sep 9, 2016)

One Planer said:



			I can also thell the difference between a Pro V1 and a TopFlite XL :thup:
		
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Me too - one has Top Flite written on it and the other has Titleist written on it.


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## bobmac (Sep 9, 2016)

How about butter and margerine?


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## patricks148 (Sep 9, 2016)

Ive only ever had Mizuno forged wedges, but ive tried others, Vokey/Callaway and Cleveland... all those felt harder than the MP10's ive got and all went a bit further.

the thing i found was it i hit it right out the middle i knew it with the forged, but with the cast all hits felt the same.


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## One Planer (Sep 9, 2016)

bobmac said:



			How about butter and margerine?
		
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:rofl:


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## garyinderry (Sep 9, 2016)

3565 said:



			Does that apply to drivers, irons, golf balls............ I think we're all useless and got no clue!! 

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I tested to see if I could pick out the difference between pro v balls and rocks when putting. 

I took of my glasses and turned down the lighting so all I could see was fuzzy white balls. 
I put in headphones so I couldn't hear the strike. 


Couldn't fell the difference at all.


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## guest100718 (Sep 9, 2016)

garyinderry said:



			I tested to see if I could pick out the difference between pro v balls and rocks when putting. 

I took of my glasses and turned down the lighting so all I could see was fuzzy white balls. 
I put in headphones so I couldn't hear the strike. 


Couldn't fell the difference at all.
		
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Sound is a massive part of what we think of as feel. 2nd to club head shape. Cast or forged is a distant last


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## freddielong (Sep 9, 2016)

I switched to forged mizuno this season from cast vokeys,   the major difference I found and wasn't expecting is the Mizunos are much longer and I had to relearn all my wedge distances


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## Alex1975 (Sep 9, 2016)

Paddy, why don't you tell us a little about the voids in cast material vs forged... Go ahead and google it, I wont know. You could go on to talk about vibration and its relationship to sound and thus feel... It would look less like you just pick up fag ends from other posts and cobble them together to style out like you know anything about anything.


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## guest100718 (Sep 9, 2016)

Alex1975 said:



			Paddy, why don't you tell us a little about the voids in cast material vs forged... Go ahead and google it, I wont know. You could go on to talk about vibration and its relationship to sound and thus feel... It would look less like you just pick up fag ends from other posts and cobble them together to style out like you know anything about anything.
		
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I know everything.


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## Alex1975 (Sep 9, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			I know everything.
		
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...


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## hovis (Sep 9, 2016)

Rob rock told me the difference between Forged and cast club on a whole is minimal and modern cast clubs feel identical to Forged.   I'll believe him


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## HomerJSimpson (Sep 9, 2016)

I bet 9 out of 10 on here wouldn't tell the difference in a blind test. If the biggest manufacturers (Vokey) use cast they must believe it doesn't have a detrimental effect.


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## anotherdouble (Sep 9, 2016)

Does it really matter. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, just ask my wife, she should know, having been landed with me


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## Foxholer (Sep 9, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			I know everything.
		
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Reminds me of a (frequent) quote from Hogan's Heroes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmzsWxPLIOo


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## Bunkermagnet (Sep 9, 2016)

I dont belive anyone can tell the difference between cast and forged clubs. Telling the difference of a lump of metal on the end of 35 or so inches of steel or carbon fibre shaft?...no chance.
 Its down to the sound.
Can you tell the difference between hammering wood nails over masonary nails?

As long as what you use fits your minds eye and ear, then thats all that matters


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## guest100718 (Sep 9, 2016)

Bunkermagnet said:



			I dont belive anyone can tell the difference between cast and forged clubs. Telling the difference of a lump of metal on the end of 35 or so inches of steel or carbon fibre shaft?...no chance.
 Its down to the sound.
Can you tell the difference between hammering wood nails over masonary nails?

As long as what you use fits your minds eye and ear, then thats all that matters

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shhhh you'll have fundy out calling you a troll.


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## Bunkermagnet (Sep 9, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			shhhh you'll have fundy out calling you a troll.
		
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Doubt it, I'm not that good looking


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## huds1475 (Sep 9, 2016)

garyinderry said:



			I tested to see if I could pick out the difference between pro v balls and rocks when putting. 

I took of my glasses and turned down the lighting so all I could see was fuzzy white balls. 
I put in headphones so I couldn't hear the strike. 


Couldn't fell the difference at all.
		
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You sound like Dr Denzil Dexter here Gary


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## garyinderry (Sep 9, 2016)

huds1475 said:



			You sound like Dr Denzil Dexter here Gary 

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I really should just watch the bake off like any normal person rather than trying to solve these golfing quandaries.


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## Liverbirdie (Sep 9, 2016)

garyinderry said:



			I tested to see if I could pick out the difference between pro v balls and rocks when putting. 

I took of my glasses and turned down the lighting so all I could see was fuzzy white balls. 
I put in headphones so I couldn't hear the strike. 


Couldn't fell the difference at all.
		
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I find the power of smell, is very much under-rated.


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## garyinderry (Sep 9, 2016)

Liverbirdie said:



			I find the power of smell, is very much under-rated.
		
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I quickly learnt not to stand down wind of you when you are reading a putt.


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## huds1475 (Sep 9, 2016)

garyinderry said:



			I really should just watch the bake off like any normal person rather than trying to solve these golfing quandaries.
		
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Don't be daft.

Normal people pick fights on the Internet, not watch television. 

Don't they?


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## Robster59 (Sep 10, 2016)

I've moved from forged to cast in irons and wedges.  Do I miss the feel?  Not really.  Do I appreciate the more consistent game my new clubs have given me.  You bet!

Interestingly, Mizuno did a video about "the sound of feel" and I do wonder if this is what people think 'FEEL' is.

[video=youtube;vkb12RwntlM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkb12RwntlM[/video]


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## USER1999 (Sep 10, 2016)

When (if) I middle my tourstage blades, they sound amazing.  Other people have commented on the noise, so it's not just me. Noise is a lot of it, in terms of feel. I also know when I miss hit,  as the feed back is shocking,  and the noise is just wrong.

Has any one ever made a set of cast blades? Once design is eliminated, then you get a true test.  To me, wedges aren't a test,  as the loft hides the strike, to an extent. A 3 iron requires a really solid strike. Middle if the bat stuff.


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## guest100718 (Sep 10, 2016)

murphthemog said:



			When (if) I middle my tourstage blades, they sound amazing.  Other people have commented on the noise, so it's not just me. Noise is a lot of it, in terms of feel. I also know when I miss hit,  as the feed back is shocking,  and the noise is just wrong.

Has any one ever made a set of cast blades? Once design is eliminated, then you get a true test.  To me, wedges aren't a test,  as the loft hides the strike, to an extent. A 3 iron requires a really solid strike. Middle if the bat stuff.
		
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Probably seeing as the majority of clubs are cast.


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## USER1999 (Sep 10, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			Probably seeing as the majority of clubs are cast.
		
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Cavity backs yes, blades, no, they are all forged.


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## guest100718 (Sep 10, 2016)

murphthemog said:



			Cavity backs yes, blades, no, they are all forged.
		
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Mmmm except the ones that aren't......


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## Tiger man (Sep 10, 2016)

murphthemog said:



			When (if) I middle my tourstage blades, they sound amazing.  Other people have commented on the noise, so it's not just me. Noise is a lot of it, in terms of feel. I also know when I miss hit,  as the feed back is shocking,  and the noise is just wrong.

Has any one ever made a set of cast blades? Once design is eliminated, then you get a true test.  To me, wedges aren't a test,  as the loft hides the strike, to an extent. A 3 iron requires a really solid strike. Middle if the bat stuff.
		
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That's nailed really, a wedge is only really a glancing blow so you don't get the feedback you would in a long iron. Keeping grooves sharp is more important to the masses and cast is harder so lasts longer hence why I always go cast in wedges.


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## USER1999 (Sep 10, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			Mmmm except the ones that aren't......
		
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There aren't any non forged ones. That's the whole point of muscle back blades.  They can be forged from bashing lumps of steel. Castings tend to make better Cavity backs, as you can have under cuts,  and more complicated shapes.

Name a non forged blade.


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## guest100718 (Sep 10, 2016)

murphthemog said:



			There aren't any non forged ones. That's the whole point of muscle back blades.  They can be forged from bashing lumps of steel. Castings tend to make better Cavity backs, as you can have under cuts,  and more complicated shapes.

Name a non forged blade.
		
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Cleveland cg tour


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## USER1999 (Sep 10, 2016)

guest100718 said:



			Cleveland cg tour
		
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OK,  but I would suggest they are rare,  rather than common.


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## Nashy (Sep 10, 2016)

I have had ping, vokey, Cleveland, and mizuno wedges.

The mizuno T4 and T5 are my favourite, this is more down to shape and sole over them being forged. The next were the old 200 series Vokeys, and Ping wedges. I have never liked the shape on Cleveland wedges (leading edge is to round for me).

All the wedges had a different feel to one another.

I remember reading an arrival about Bob Vokey making a tour players try one of his forged and cast wedges side by side, the player couldn't tell the difference. Cast wedges usually use a softer steel compared what goes into cast irons.

I can safely say my Mizuno MP5 and old Adams CMB irons felt a lot smoother than the Ping S59 tours I had before. The Mizuno's and Adams bother had C tapers fitted which are known to feel harsh.


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## mikejohnchapman (Sep 10, 2016)

One difference is that cast wedges are less susceptible to having a chunk taken out of them when you hit a stone in a bunker. My forged MP59 has a ruddy great hole on the sole due to a piece of shale in a bunker!


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