Do you bother with a 60 degree wedge?

[ademac]

Don't know if you remember what the Mizuno guy said when we had out fitting. But basically how many times do you hit a full shot with your wedges.

PW maybe a few, after that not really. They are for when you are close to the green and want to control the shot to land close and stop.

They gave me 4 wedges, 48, 52, 56 and 60 and that's exactly what happens, I occasionally use the 48 with a full swing but more often than not will choke up on a 9 and hit it easy. 52 is from 125-110 out when I can do a nice compact swing that is controlled. 56 is my go to 80-110 again like the 52, the 56 is also my preferred club for little chips and most bunker shots. Then my 60 is for 70 or less of when I have not green to work with.

I'd much rather have 4 wedges and fewer long clubs than the other way around, getting 20 yards difference of the tee with a hybrid is worth less to me than being confident when approaching the pin

Totally agree mate

 

[Foxholer]

I could do, but I don't really struggle at the other end. I have Dr, 3w, 3h, 4h, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, 52, 54, 60, Putter.
...

I'm sure Grant85 can speak for himself...

I think he has!

Though the loft of the PW might affect choices,

54, 52 does seem a bit too close. Time to pick up a 56? Or maybe a 50 - dpending on the PW loft.

Otherwise, 'I'm out'

 

[Orikoru]

I think he has!

Though the loft of the PW might affect choices,

54, 52 does seem a bit too close. Time to pick up a 56? Or maybe a 50 - dpending on the PW loft.

Otherwise, 'I'm out'

Well this is probably the issue. It's all very well saying 3 wedges is enough, but my PW is 44°, which I think is quite common in modern day sets. So I get by with a 50 and a 56 in addition to that (and the 60 that I only use for bunkers), but for many people that gapping could be a bit big. If your iron set is bit older and the PW is 46 or 47 it probably makes it a bit easier.

 

[bobmac]

If I was to keep track, I probably find I wouldn't use the 60 that much.

I have a 52, which I probably use most often (certainly for longer shots of 50 to 100 yards). I also have a 54 (bad planning when getting my set together as I got this prior to the 52).

I think he has!

And I can read

He likes his 52,
His 54 was bad planning he doesn't use his 60 much

Apologies Grant85 for the sidetrack.

 

[Grant85]

After consideration I think I should definitely have a 50 / 55 / 58 combo.

so 3 new wedges definitely required or I may as well not play

 

[Imurg]

I have a driver, a 4 wood, a 21° hybrid and a 25° hybrid before I get to my irons.
5 iron is 26°
I have pretty reasonable gaps at the top end, no really huge ones.
If I dropped a wedge for a longer club, I'm not sure where I'd put it.
I work on the principle that, from 200+ out, best case scenario I'm going to hit the green 4 or 5 times out of 10.
So 5 or 6 times I'm pitching, chipping, hacking, splashing out of bunkers onto the green.
50° for chip and runs, 54° for bunkers and deep rough(lots of bounce), 58° for bunkers and lobs...pretty straightforward.
And anyone who doesn't know how to hit a "full" wedge of 50/54/58/60° is missing out.
Ok, it's not a shot you want to do all the time but it's another arrow to fire.
I was blocked by a tree the other day, 80 yards out.
3/4 PW wouldn't have cleared the trees.
A full 58° cleared the tree, stopped on the firm green 10 feet from the hole - knocked it in for a birdie.
If I hadn't been able to hit that shot I'd have had to chip out, pitch on and putt for the par.

 

[shortgame]

I work on the principle that, from 200+ out, best case scenario I'm going to hit the green 4 or 5 times out of 10.
So 5 or 6 times I'm pitching, chipping, hacking, splashing out of bunkers onto the green.
50° for chip and runs, 54° for bunkers and deep rough(lots of bounce), 58° for bunkers and lobs...pretty straightforward.
And anyone who doesn't know how to hit a "full" wedge of 50/54/58/60° is missing out.
Ok, it's not a shot you want to do all the time but it's another arrow to fire.
I was blocked by a tree the other day, 80 yards out.
3/4 PW wouldn't have cleared the trees.
A full 58° cleared the tree, stopped on the firm green 10 feet from the hole - knocked it in for a birdie.
If I hadn't been able to hit that shot I'd have had to chip out, pitch on and putt for the par.

Great post.

I'm sure very few (if any!) recommend hitting flat out wedges (eg swinging to/past parallel) for standard pitches, much better to have a controlled stock (say 3/4) shot and even better if you know your numbers Pelz clockface style.

BUT, as above, smashing a full out wedge can be a useful skill to have when needed (I speak from experience after sepnding a season playing every 2nd shot from trees or the wrong fairway!)

 

[r0wly86]

It could also mean the difference between putting for eagle and being 20 yards short of the green on a par 5.

My theory is we are not allowed more than 14 clubs so you have to either do without a wedge or a long club.
That means we have to 'manipulate' a long club or a wedge.

I find it easier to manipulate a wedge than a 3 wood.

Just my opinion of course.

It may be because of my particular game, but I hit my irons quite long, that I very rarely need my long irons for approach shots, that having multiple choices isn't really needed that often. Whereas different short shots, differing distances, differing amounts of green to play with happen all the time.

I have a 2 iron for off the tee, I dropped my 3 iron as I never used it. I very occasionally use my 4 iron for long par 3s of par 5 approaches that are long. But I hit my 5 iron about 210-215 so this covers most long approaches.

So for me, and I understand that what I prefer won't be the same as other people is to have more options at the business end of the bag

 

[bobmac]

It may be because of my particular game, but I hit my irons quite long, that I very rarely need my long irons for approach shots, that having multiple choices isn't really needed that often. Whereas different short shots, differing distances, differing amounts of green to play with happen all the time.

I have a 2 iron for off the tee, I dropped my 3 iron as I never used it. I very occasionally use my 4 iron for long par 3s of par 5 approaches that are long. But I hit my 5 iron about 210-215 so this covers most long approaches.

So for me, and I understand that what I prefer won't be the same as other people is to have more options at the business end of the bag

Are you still off 8?

 

[r0wly86]

Are you still off 8?

I am,

I don't need to be told I should be lower because of how I hit the ball. I am well aware, and I'm told it by every playing partner.

I have a fast swing speed: 96 mph with a 6 iron, and have good hand eye coordination, so have gotten away with actually a pretty poor swing. But my not every time, and because I swing fast and hit the ball long, when it goes wrong it goes very wrong which is why I'm still of 8.

But made a fairly major swing change to try and stop the really bad shots so hopefully once that has bedded in I will get lower

 

[bobmac]

I am,

I don't need to be told I should be lower because of how I hit the ball. I am well aware, and I'm told it by every playing partner.

I have a fast swing speed: 96 mph with a 6 iron, and have good hand eye coordination, so have gotten away with actually a pretty poor swing. But my not every time, and because I swing fast and hit the ball long, when it goes wrong it goes very wrong which is why I'm still of 8.

But made a fairly major swing change to try and stop the really bad shots so hopefully once that has bedded in I will get lower

I wasn't going to tell you you should be lower, nor do I doubt your swing speed.
I was however going to ask where you are losing your shots, bearing in mind how far you hit the ball and play on a medium length golf course.
But you have answered my question.

 

[r0wly86]

I wasn't going to tell you you should be lower, nor do I doubt your swing speed.
I was however going to ask where you are losing your shots, bearing in mind how far you hit the ball and play on a medium length golf course.
But you have answered my question.

Yeah sorry about that shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, but yeah I hear it nearly every round lol and it gets a bit depressing. It's not like I'm trying hit bad shots.

Losing shots with driver, either big push slice or big hook. Because I was coming in too steep. Which usually means lost ball

 

[Orikoru]

I have a driver, a 4 wood, a 21° hybrid and a 25° hybrid before I get to my irons.
5 iron is 26°
I have pretty reasonable gaps at the top end, no really huge ones.
If I dropped a wedge for a longer club, I'm not sure where I'd put it.
I work on the principle that, from 200+ out, best case scenario I'm going to hit the green 4 or 5 times out of 10.
So 5 or 6 times I'm pitching, chipping, hacking, splashing out of bunkers onto the green.
50° for chip and runs, 54° for bunkers and deep rough(lots of bounce), 58° for bunkers and lobs...pretty straightforward.
And anyone who doesn't know how to hit a "full" wedge of 50/54/58/60° is missing out.
Ok, it's not a shot you want to do all the time but it's another arrow to fire.
I was blocked by a tree the other day, 80 yards out.
3/4 PW wouldn't have cleared the trees.
A full 58° cleared the tree, stopped on the firm green 10 feet from the hole - knocked it in for a birdie.
If I hadn't been able to hit that shot I'd have had to chip out, pitch on and putt for the par.

Great post.

I'm sure very few (if any!) recommend hitting flat out wedges (eg swinging to/past parallel) for standard pitches, much better to have a controlled stock (say 3/4) shot and even better if you know your numbers Pelz clockface style.

BUT, as above, smashing a full out wedge can be a useful skill to have when needed (I speak from experience after sepnding a season playing every 2nd shot from trees or the wrong fairway!)

Reading this was weird for me. I often hit full wedge shots. 100 yards out is a full 50° for me. 75-80 is a full 56°. My PW goes 125 ish so when I've got 115-110 I grip down a bit on it and go 90% swing.

Why on earth would you not want to hit full swings as you two were saying??

 

[r0wly86]

Reading this was weird for me. I often hit full wedge shots. 100 yards out is a full 50° for me. 75-80 is a full 56°. My PW goes 125 ish so when I've got 115-110 I grip down a bit on it and go 90% swing.

Why on earth would you not want to hit full swings as you two were saying??

I think generally you have more control over a shot with a shorter swing. So for me instead of hitting a flat out 60 I will hit a 3/4 56 I just feel more in control of the shot.

In golf you only need to be a fraction out for the ball not to go where you want. It's easier to be a fraction out with a full swing going for it than a controlled shorter swing

 

[duncan mackie]

I think generally you have more control over a shot with a shorter swing. So for me instead of hitting a flat out 60 I will hit a 3/4 56 I just feel more in control of the shot.

In golf you only need to be a fraction out for the ball not to go where you want. It's easier to be a fraction out with a full swing going for it than a controlled shorter swing

I would suggest you simply don't need what is described as a full swing, let alone a full swing going for it, to deliver max clubhead speed with a PW...

 

[Orikoru]

I think generally you have more control over a shot with a shorter swing. So for me instead of hitting a flat out 60 I will hit a 3/4 56 I just feel more in control of the shot.

In golf you only need to be a fraction out for the ball not to go where you want. It's easier to be a fraction out with a full swing going for it than a controlled shorter swing

I've not found that at all. I dislike having to do a three quarter swing as I'm more likely to totally misjudge the distance and be 10 yards long or short. I find full swings much easier to judge.
That said, I do have a shortened backswing anyway, and a slower swing, which probably all lends itself well to wedge shots.

 

[bobmac]

I've not found that at all. I dislike having to do a three quarter swing as I'm more likely to totally misjudge the distance and be 10 yards long or short. I find full swings much easier to judge.
That said, I do have a shortened backswing anyway, and a slower swing, which probably all lends itself well to wedge shots.

It's a really useful skill to learn, especially when you get 80-100yds and under

 

[Dasit]

I've not found that at all. I dislike having to do a three quarter swing as I'm more likely to totally misjudge the distance and be 10 yards long or short. I find full swings much easier to judge.
That said, I do have a shortened backswing anyway, and a slower swing, which probably all lends itself well to wedge shots.

A 125 yard PW at 44degrees isn’t a slow swing speed imo

Well worth learning to hit half and three quarter swings with your wedges.

When I was off 20 like you I used to hit my wedges full, but would say reading David Pelz short game book and learning his clock face based system for each wedge brought my handicap down a few strokes within a month.

Now every distance within 10 yards has a swing, like 50 yards be 9oclock 60degrees, 80 is 9 o clock 52, 110 is 9 o clock PW etc

 

[Orikoru]

A 125 yard PW at 44degrees isn’t a slow swing speed imo

Well worth learning to hit half and three quarter swings with your wedges.

When I was off 20 like you I used to hit my wedges full, but would say reading David Pelz short game book and learning his clock face based system for each wedge brought my handicap down a few strokes within a month.

Now every distance within 10 yards has a swing, like 50 yards be 9oclock 60degrees, 80 is 9 o clock 52, 110 is 9 o clock PW etc

My Steelheads are bombers though to be fair.

I agree, I'm trying to work on that, but I don't really have access to a proper practise area, so only being able to practise on the course once a week, progress is obviously going to be slower. As I mentioned, I know how to take a bit off the PW to get me 110-ish, so it's just a case of practising that - my problem shot at the minute is 50-60 yards. I have a tendency to go with the 56, try and take a bit off but end up taking too much off and going short, or accidentally hitting it almost full and going too long. I'm debating whether more of a half swing with the 50 would be better, but as mentioned I don't get much opportunity to test that out.

 

[chris3081]

Took the plunge went 50/55/60. I've always had three distances with each wedge so you have a go to shot. 9 o'clock, 10 and full wedge - I just label the carry distances at the bottom of the grip and that gives you every distance from 30-115.

Makes it so much easier - just need to get on a GC quad and measure the new ones now