How important is it to have matching wedges?

[jamielaing]

This one is just for curiosities sake;

Lots of players I know have a mix of different wedges- i.e. 3 wedges- 1 Vokey, 1 Cleveland, 1 TM and seem to do well with them. I am more of the thinking that you should have the same wedges to improve your consistency of the feel and so you know how they will react to each shot better. I'm so much of this thinking that, with me looking to buy two new ones to go with my Vokey SM5 I won't even consider looking at the SM4 range or a different finish to them.

Am I just being pedantic or do others think all the same wedges is the way forward?

 

[duncan mackie]

what's important to you may, or may not, be important to others.

the argument applies equally to woods/hybrids and arguably extends into having a 'set' of irons!

what I've tended to notice is that the longer a player plays the more likely it is that they don't have matching wedges or woods - they acquire and continue to use clubs that works well for them.

in the absence of such playing pressure it obviously makes sense to start off with matching clubs if you can - generally the reason to get a particular model applies equally to other wedges, or woods, in that range.

edit, it's also equally true that the longer you play the less interest you have in what club - only the outcome of the stroke. your playing partners are never really interested of course!

 

[fundy]

Have never been fussed with having matching woods (albeit I currently do have) but have always had matching wedge sets, just prefer the consistency it theoretically provides! But definitely a horses for courses thing, know plenty of very good players who have mix and match wedges

 

[ruff-driver]

I carry 4 wedges

None of them match

Do i care ? meh :whoo:

 

[patricks148]

I suppose at the end of the day its all personal preference.

As Duncan says it doesn't matter what it says on the club its the results that count, i play with a few really low guys and they couldn't even tell you what make and model there clubs are without having a look.

 

[jamielaing]

what's important to you may, or may not, be important to others.

the argument applies equally to woods/hybrids and arguably extends into having a 'set' of irons!

what I've tended to notice is that the longer a player plays the more likely it is that they don't have matching wedges or woods - they acquire and continue to use clubs that works well for them.

in the absence of such playing pressure it obviously makes sense to start off with matching clubs if you can - generally the reason to get a particular model applies equally to other wedges, or woods, in that range.

edit, it's also equally true that the longer you play the less interest you have in what club - only the outcome of the stroke. your playing partners are never really interested of course!

I agree with sticking with what works and not changing out clubs that are still working well. And I am not bothered at all about my other clubs matching, I actually prefer to have a bit of a mix between my irons and woods. Just with wedges I think that gapping, the feel off the club face and how the ball reacts is so important that I think I may be happier all the same. This is just my curiosity speaking. Just wondered if maybe others had thought that having non matching would be advantagous?

Again, not thinking of this from a 'my equipment must match' gear snob point of view, just thinking maybe people find having the same ones lead to more consistency or maybe different ones lead to more variation of shots can be produced.

 

[duncan mackie]

Just with wedges I think that gapping, the feel off the club face and how the ball reacts is so important that I think I may be happier all the same. This is just my curiosity speaking. Just wondered if maybe others had thought that having non matching would be advantagous?

Again, not thinking of this from a 'my equipment must match' gear snob point of view, just thinking maybe people find having the same ones lead to more consistency or maybe different ones lead to more variation of shots can be produced.

then again I don't gap my wedges at all - I use them for what they are. I know how far they go with a full swing etc but just because my required shot distance is X doesn't mean I use a particular wedge.

that they look similar at address belies the fact that they have completely different sole profiles and bounce. they even have different swing weights (as many high bounce SW designs do relative to GW and LW)

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Even though I have matching wedges ( all part of the deal when I bought the irons ) it's not important at all to have matching wedges / it's all about how you feel comfortable in your wedge set up

 

[Ethan]

Depends how OCD you are. If you are pretty OCD and having matching wedges matters to you, you can get a number if brands which offer different grinds and bounces to allow you to get the gapping and playing characteristics you want. Or you can get the best wedge for each task and that might be different for the sand wedge from the lob wedge.

 

[jamielaing]

then again I don't gap my wedges at all - I use them for what they are. I know how far they go with a full swing etc but just because my required shot distance is X doesn't mean I use a particular wedge.

that they look similar at address belies the fact that they have completely different sole profiles and bounce. they even have different swing weights (as many high bounce SW designs do relative to GW and LW)

I suppose its all about knowing the club in your hand more than anything else. For me it's easier to be confident in 3/4 clubs that are the same rather than different.

Bounce- again my obsessive side comes through, I will most likely get all the same grinds with as close to the same bounce as possible!

 

[jamielaing]

I'm never OCD with anything although it appears I am in this case!

 

[fundy]

I suppose its all about knowing the club in your hand more than anything else. For me it's easier to be confident in 3/4 clubs that are the same rather than different.

Bounce- again my obsessive side comes through, I will most likely get all the same grinds with as close to the same bounce as possible!

Thats not the wisest of things. different grinds/bounces on wedges allow you to hit different shots, you should look to have some variety at least in the bounces on your wedges for the different lies and conditions you will encounter (imo)

 

[jamielaing]

Thats not the wisest of things. different grinds/bounces on wedges allow you to hit different shots, you should look to have some variety at least in the bounces on your wedges for the different lies and conditions you will encounter (imo)

I know exactly what you mean but look for as low a bounce as possible. I hate higher bounce clubs and never feel confident standing over them. Again it's about what feels right!

 

[Region3]

I guess most people will have matching wedges because generally they are all replaced together.

I always have done up until a month or two ago.
I had Mizuno 52, 56 & 60 but swapped out the 56 & 60 to put a 58 in, which happened to be a Cobra.

 

[garyinderry]

If you are not going to take advantage if the bounce and grind options of the sm5's you may as well not bother with them. Save yourself some doh and buy some matching older models.

 

[drewster]

For the first time ever i've matched my scoring wedges with my main set and so far i'm liking it a lot. The proof will be in the pudding come April though !!! I do however retain one specialist 60 degree wedge which i use almost exclusively for bunker play .

 

[Oddsocks]

To me matching wedges is key, I can still remember when I had a vokey 52 (cast) and tm 58(forged)in the bag

They played this tally different, gapping was out, and so on.

Best thing I done was go to matched wedges

 

[ScienceBoy]

Wedges is probably the best place in the bag to have a variety.

Different shot shapes, bounces, lofts etc will help get out of many different situations.

Unlike drivers, woods and most irons each wedge shot/chip is very different from the last.

In other words I want to hit my 9 iron (the vast majority of times) 130 yards every time (flat/no wind), its a full shot and if it were to vary I would struggle to score. It is important that my 8 iron and 7 iron all do the same for full shots.

Conversely each wedge shot (bar full shots of course) has varying amount of green, slope, grass length/ground condition and swing length. A nice range of tools here helps rather than hinders.

The most important thing is you know your shot distances and characteristics for full, 3/4 and half shots for all clubs, knowing these will ensure you cover all distance and more than make up for gapping differences.

 

[Foxholer]

I know exactly what you mean but look for as low a bounce as possible. I hate higher bounce clubs and never feel confident standing over them. Again it's about what feels right!

What bounce is your Sand Wedge then? And do you play from soft sand?

I'm with Fundy on this. I'm a low bounce player, but my SW is Med-High, because that's what is needed for almost all the Sand on courses I play! I don't, however, use that club off tight fairways!

As for matching...Not really required, though there have been times when they have. The 2 Wilson ones I have currently are different models, so not exactly matching. I'd sooner have non-matching wedges that work well than matching ones that work so-so!

 

[Thustwest]

Wedges is probably the best place in the bag to have a variety.

Different shot shapes, bounces, lofts etc will help get out of many different situations.

Unlike drivers, woods and most irons each wedge shot/chip is very different from the last.

In other words I want to hit my 9 iron (the vast majority of times) 130 yards every time (flat/no wind), its a full shot and if it were to vary I would struggle to score. It is important that my 8 iron and 7 iron all do the same for full shots.

Conversely each wedge shot (bar full shots of course) has varying amount of green, slope, grass length/ground condition and swing length. A nice range of tools here helps rather than hinders.

The most important thing is you know your shot distances and characteristics for full, 3/4 and half shots for all clubs, knowing these will ensure you cover all distance and more than make up for gapping differences.

:thup: yes. I see my wedges as specialist shot clubs. Almost in the same vain as my putter.