Choosing the right wedge?

tsped83

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I’ve been stalling over changing my wedges for some time now, mainly due to finding the best model that suits my eye and how it feels. Price will always be a factor too. At present, it’s a toss-up between the Ping Glide or Nike Engage.

That said, I’m interested in your approach to choosing your wedge set, not necessarily lofts, but what you envisage each wedge doing? Excluding my PW, I have 3 wedges. A gap wedge that matches my irons, an old Eye2 SW that has more offset on than is imaginable and a newer Eye2 lob wedge that you can open up so it lays perfectly flat (this one is a keeper and won’t be swapped out).

So, the gap wedge has its benefits when hitting full shots as it is identical to my irons, yet close around the green or when finesse is required, it does feel (or what I perceive) a little clunky and awkward. As for the SW, if I need to open it up or when in heavy lies it works really well. Yet on tighter lies, not so much and the large offset always makes me feel like I’m going to pull it left when using a full swing. Which regrettably happens from time to time.

So, when choosing specialist wedges, will you always looking for matching models in preferred lofts/bounce, or do you pick best of breed and find the right tool for the job, even if the wedges styles are varyingly different.

Basically I need a wedge that does everything all the time……or get a better short game.

So, how do you approach it?
 

Dan2501

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You tried the Callaway MD3? Absolutely love my MD3 LW, spinniest wedge I've used, and will be upgrading my Vokey to a 50* MD3 soon.

My wedge set-up is a mess ATM. Have a 46* PW, 52* GW, 54* SW and a 58* LW. So the GW needs to go and be replaced with a 50. Then, I like my GW for full shots, or the odd bump and run chip. I use my SW for shots from 100 - 60 yards and from there it's all lob wedge. I basically exclusively chip with my lob wedge, bunkers I use my lob wedge and all pitching is done with my LW. I feel like I can control loft with it to play different types of shots, so I can play a flop when needed but also happy to take loft off and get more run. Also keeps it nice and simple, no complicated thoughts, just pull the LW and play the shot needed.
 
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SteveW86

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Give Iain a call at IcyGolf, even if you don't buy anything off him you will come away with a lot more knowledge, though if you do go and see him I'd be surprised if you ended up not getting anything from him.

I've had my new wedges from him a couple of months and have nothing but positive things to say about them.
 

HomerJSimpson

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I have the Ping Glide. I love the look. They are heavier than the Gorge version before them and I've struggled to get use to them, especially on chips. However, I've kept going and fallen in love with them. They have a lovely feel and the slightly longer grips seem to make it versatile for choking down and getting different flights and distances

Mark Crossfield review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JpJUaNlzJc

GM Guru Mike Harris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHOUSeE6xhs
 

p33j4y

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My iron set includes a 44 degrees PW and a 49 degrees GW. When adding dedicated wedges I therefore went for a 54 degree and 58 degree. My thinking was that the 54 degree would be used for partial shots around the green and the 58 degree as a sand wedge and for occasional flop shots.

I chose the Ping Glides in 54 SS and 58 ES. I wanted two different soles/grinds for versatility, with the 54 as an SS to ease the transition from the iron set wedges.

In reality I am using the 58 ES for pretty much everything. I love that club and the ES sole is just so versatile. Since the 54 isn't available with an ES sole I'd probably choose the same setup if I'd have do it all over, but mentally I'm having a bit of a problem bagging a great 54 that I'm rarely using.
 

pinberry

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Tough question and it's very personal. Personally, I would play the same wedges (brand, model) as much as possible - it ultimately reduces variability in the bag which leads to better consistency and lower scores.

Two additional points. The first key decision you have to make is on how many wedges and lofts. This will probably be a function of how comfortable you are in playing half shots from 100 yards, how comfortable you are in opening up the club face around the greens and whether you are willing to sacrifice one of your long clubs.

The second point, which doesn't get enough attention but it's probably as important as loft selection, is bounce. Your PW will have low bounce by definition. You then want a high bounce club, which for most people is a 56 degrees. However, especially in the U.K. when things get firm in summer, a 56 degrees wedge with 12+ degrees of bounce cannot be used to play a higher short around the green. Most people would try to open up the face, which increases bounce, effectively making the shot impossible to pull off when facing tight/firm lies.

I believe that an ideal 3 wedge set up is 52 degrees with low bounce, 56 degrees high bounce and 60 degrees low bounce.
 

m9wst

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When I replaced my wedges this year all i did was search around for something i liked the look of at address, thats most important for me. Secondly, i had been using an Engage toe sweep wedge which i found really easy to use out of sand but terrible from pretty much anywhere else so i was after something that had some minor heel relief.
 

Grieve14

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What about the Cleveland RTX 2.0 - with the 3.0 now out there are deals to be had on the 2.0

I use them and love them. I have the 50 degree CB version for the forgiveness as I play more full shots with this than the SW and LW, and then the blade in a 56 and 60.
 

pinberry

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How does that work with many sets having their PW at 43/44 degrees?

That's a fair point. However, I would say that mostly game improvement irons have such strong lofts on wedges. (big bertha have 44). Better players irons are more around the 46/47 area (AP2 46, MP5 46, Titleist CB 47).

But take the Big Bertha for example - they have a PW with 44 degrees and then also a AW with 49 degrees. Same goes for TM RSi 1 (another game improvement set). As you can see, this is all marketing driven. Reducing lofts on irons to get people to believe they're hitting hit longer with the same iron. Non-sense.

Your question is then answered - when PW has such a strong loft, there tends to be a AW club around 49/50 degrees. You need that club in your bag if you have such a strong PW.

Then you can either go with 56 high bounce / 60 low bounce and you will be in a good shape. Alternatively, you can get fancy and have a 54 high bounce / 60 low bounce to keep the gapping a bit more constant. You get the idea.
 

Sats

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I'd recommend trying as many as you can, with the major brands i find it ends up with myself asking these questions in order to decide;

Do I like the look/feel of them?
How much are they?
Where do they fit in my set?
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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I'm a very unsophisticated golf club buyer. Until a couple years back I had a 30yr old sand iron from my old Wilson Fluid Feels (that I only used out of bunkers), and the Pi in my set of John Letters. Someone told me or I read that Titleist Vokey wedges were good. Our pro shop stocked them - so I bought a 52* and a 56* and got as bit of money off. I then when out and played them to see what they were like. At first strange because I was playing a completely new sort of shot (very high/lob shots/pitches). It's taken me a year or two to teach myself how to use them - but tops now.
 
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