Beginner Question - Wedges = When, Where and What

[KhalJimbo]

Hi All

As I'm progressing through my lessons, I had a talk with my Pro who was saying I will be needing to add some wedges to my bag at some point. I didn't ask any more and thought I'd go look around and see what kinds and types there are.

Here's where I am getting confused. I only have a PW, but then I see there are also SW, AW and GW's, then if they weren't confusing enough from looking around some are even just listed in degrees of loft. I did a bit of looking around and came across a Wikipedia page explaining the lofts but it was really just saying that they are from x - y for a SW as an example, but then a AW seems to be in between those degrees too.

I like the Callaway Clubs as I seem to be hit them quite well so am looking at the Mack Daddy 2 to add to my bag. I'm pretty sure that for now I can get away with only the one extra wedge from my PW.

But the question for all you guys here. If I was to only pick one loft, which one should I be looking at to add?

 

[Rooter]

Just one? would have to be high bounce 56 degree for me for bunkers. so a sand wedge in essence.

And sorry, I have just added "bounce" to your confusion!

 

[Dan2501]

I'd suggest a high lofted wedge to begin with, for use in bunkers, and when you're looking to get the ball the air around the greens, and stop quickly. I personally use a 58 degree as my 'lob/sand' wedge, but you can use anything from a 55 to a 64 degree.

I'd also suggest a 'gap wedge' at some point too. Depending on the loft of your pitching wedge, I'd look at getting a 50, 52 or 54 for that distance between your PW and lob wedge. I use my gap wedge (52) anywhere from 100 yards in. For now though, I think you'd be better off going with something like a 58 degree. Go and try some out though. Cleveland, Titleist and Callaway all make excellent wedges.

 

[bobmac]

The AW and GW are pretty much the same thing. They are roughly 50/52 degrees.
If you are adding just one wedge then get a 56 or 58. That will leave a gap to your PW which you can fill later.
Whatever you get, practice with it for hours as it will save you shots by the bucket load if you get good with it.

 

[garyinderry]

Stay clear of low bounce wedges if you are a beginner. You will mostly likely spend all winter sticking the leading edge into the ground.

 

[One Planer]

The AW and GW are pretty much the same thing. They are roughly 50/52 degrees.
If you are adding just one wedge then get a 56 or 58. That will leave a gap to your PW which you can fill later.
Whatever you get, practice with it for hours as it will save you shots by the bucket load if you get good with it.

^^^ What the PGA professional said :thup:

 

[KhalJimbo]

Thanks guys, so a 56 or 58 is recommended. I'll take that and go try some in my local AG and pro shop and see which ones I like.

Out of interest, where and when are the different types of wedges used and what is this bounce that has been mentioned?

 

[SVB]

Does the set of you have include a sand wedge (SW) available in the range? If not see above, if so, as a beginner you could do far worse than simply getting the set SW (may need to look around, ebay etc but most can still be bought).

Just me 2c!

s

 

[Foxholer]

Does the set actually have a Sand Wedge (SW)? Your OP would suggest not, so that (around 55-56) could well be the first purchase.

Gap Wedges - with loft between you PW and the SW have different names depending on whether they are part/or option of the set and the manufacturer. If produced separately, they might simply have a loft. The 'original' was a Cleveland called a Diadic (dual purpose) and others may be called GW, UW (Ping Utility Wedge) or AW (Attack Wedge). They are all geared for a similar role. The loft that you should choose will depend on what your PW loft is, and that can vary from 50* (old school) to 44* (some recent Game Improvement sets).

It's likely that about halfway between PW loft and SW loft would be an appropriate one to choose. The loft of the SW is another question. Depending on the type of bunkers you normally encounter, it might (but it's a 'just might') be worthwhile choosing a higher loft than the 55/56, as that can give you another choice for certain shots - the Lob Wedge. However, this can be a monster club at times! Another decision is whether to use high, medium or low bounce wedges. The SW is generally a high bounce club as high bounce tends to prevent the club from digging into the sand, but the bounce for other wedges will depend your particular style!

As normal, you Pro is actually the best qualified to advise, however my priority would be to get a Sand Wedge first. It's really only if/when you find you have a gap in your ability to hit some distances or particular shots that you should consider Gap and Lob Wedges (and whether the SW is still appropriate and/or the right loft).

Btw. The advice about about avoiding low bounce, while well-intentioned, may well be bad advice! And of course, it might be the right thing to do. As I mentioned above, getting the right bounce (and other attributes) correct is all about selecting the right one for you! But a quick rule of thumb is that if you take large divots, then high bounce is probably better, whereas little to no divots indicate a low bounce is likely to be more appropriate.

Hope that helps.

 

[Scotty Cameron]

I see you are using Cally irons, the pitching wedge is 44 degrees so you will have a big gap if you go for a 58 degree wedge, but having said that a 51 added at a later date will fill the gap nicely by 7 degrees. Have a shop around, you can get some pretty good wedges if you go for last years models, Clevelands for under £50, whereas the new mack daddy's are nearer the ton mark

 

[Jake O'Reilly]

Thanks guys, so a 56 or 58 is recommended. I'll take that and go try some in my local AG and pro shop and see which ones I like.

Out of interest, where and when are the different types of wedges used and what is this bounce that has been mentioned?

Bounce, in the simplest terms, determines how the sole reacts when it hits the turf. Some are designed to glide and some to dig in, that way you can find one to suit your personal action (eg if you hit the ball fat with deep divots, you want one that glides to encourage a shallower divot and cleaner contact).

Where and when they are used depends on the golfer, there's no stock rule. Chiefly they'll each travel around 10-20 yards shorter/further. So you might have one to hit 60 yard shots, one 80 yard shots and one 100 yard shots, that way you don't have to manufacture a half PW or chipped 7-iron that is tricky to repeat consistently.

Some golfers like to chip with their wedges (hitting it over halfway to the hole) and others prefer low and running chips with an iron (landing it 1/4 of the way and letting it run to the hole), you'll have to see which works best for you.

As the others have recommended, a SW from your iron set would be the best place to start as it'll match the feel and look you are used to, but more crucially it should fly an even distance to the others, where as a non matching 56 or 58 wedge could fly the same distance as your PW, leaving you with two clubs effectively the same.

 

[garyinderry]

Someone starting out my not even have a certain style just yet. I would wager that a high bounce wedge would suit a beginner in most cases. Medium bounce at the very least with the sand wedge. It will also be of assistance in bunkers even if it turns out you sway towards a sweeping kind of chipping pitching style.

 

[KhalJimbo]

Thanks for the replys, my set does seem to have a SW in it, will need to hunt around on eBay and see if I can find one.

Good to know what the different ones are used for now and also what Bounce is, I thought it meant it controlled the bounce when the ball lands on the green, as they say, no such thing as a stupid question