New Member with a question?

Westerninvader

Westerninvader

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Jun 2, 2009
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Co. Wicklow, Ireland
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Hi all
just posting to introduce myself, I've been poking around the site for the last week or so, and have been enjoying reading the posts.
I'm a novice golfer who after spending 5 years messing about playing a round or two a year, have decided to attempt a to play this game properly.So coinciding with my imminent retirement from other sporting endeavors I have been taking lessons with a pro at a local club and have come on a good bit.

I have not joined a club yet, but I'm looking to do so in the next couple of months.

Now for my question
Should I at this early stage invest in a gap and a lob wedge
or should I leave well enough alone and concentrate on improving my use of the clubs I already have in the bag?

thanks
 
Leave well alone and concentrate on what you have if I were you.

Wedges can be intricate things to get on with, but undoubtably very useful if you do, but if you are new to the game, I'd concentrate on grooving a swing with the clubs you have first.

Welcome to the board by the way :cool:
 
Welcome, it all depends. Have you got any mates with these wedges that you can try. A lob wedge takes commitment to hit or you will be hitting it through the green or leaving the ball at your feet. I personally would think about a 52 and a 56 or 58. Have you got a sand wedge at the moment?
 
I would echo the comment by Chris, I am relatively new to the game and I reckon the short game is the most difficult to get consistency with. Having too many options can just add further confusion.

Having said that I do have a gap wedge which I now use for 90% of my chip shots and find it easier to take the 52 deg wedge for a full swing than gripping down or backing off with my pitching wedge from around 80 yards out.
 
It depends on your pocket and ability really. If you are at a level where you can hit a 9 iron (say) 130 and a PW 120 consistently to within a few yards then by all means consider a gap wedge. I'd be more cautious about a lob wedge though, especially 58/60 degrees as these are basically hard to play well and need the right lie too. As someone else said it doesn't do your confidence much good when you fire an exocet across a green regularly !
Probably worth noting too that in most fun 5 club comps at our club the general level of scoring is no different than normal, lighter bag too !
 
I think you would be best to learn to play different shots with your current wedges and short irons - the short game is all about feel and this is the best way IMO to develop it just try hitting different shots with different clubs.
As a junior I used to play whole rounds with just my 8 iron.
 
Options, smoptions....

Go and buy a gap wedge. For goodnes sake, the game is hard enough as it is. PWs are now the loft of an old 9 iron and fiddling around with distances and "feel" shots is not the way to go with 45 or even 44 degree clubs.

learn to hit your PW GW and SW with a comfy full swing and use the approximate yardages you discover you are hitting to plot your way around the course.

If someone told me to "create" shots with my PW instead of carrying a gap, I'd say....bog off....

I think some folk are forgetting just how hard it is when you are a newbie......

I personaly wouldn't go for a lob though.... :cool:
 
Agree with RGDave

Get a gap wedge and then become more consistant with all your clubs.

When you think a lob wedge will help your game, get one, but i would say gap is the first buy of the two.
 
Ahhh the old chestnut of 'differences of opinions !

I agree with freddie that to learn the 'feel' required for golf is probably more important than anything, at any stage of your golfing life, and to me, far too many people carry far too many wedges.

Sure, I carry a 54 & a 60*, but I rarely use them for 'full' shots in any case, more a case of 'up & over' around the green to tight pins or over bunkers etc.

Occasionally, if the lie is good, I may just have a full shot, but as has been said before, these Clubs have to be hit right, or they can get you into more trouble than you want.

So for me, the percentage play for any higher handicapper would be stick with your Wedge or Sand Wedge, until you get to mid teens and a lot more consistent/confident.
 
Welcome to the forum, hopefully you will enjoy all the banter as well as the good advice.

As I have just returned to playing reguler golf after a break of about 18 months, I agree that the short game is the hardest to get to grips with. I have a lob wedge and it's the hardest club to use in my bag after a break! I suggest that you practise with the clubs you have, get confident with them, then try a few different clubs when you have a better idea what you can do with them first.

Sounds like you need some assistance with the driving first though. Good luck and try to enjoy all that golf ahead of you.
 
Personally a 60 degree wedge is an enigma. There are days when I have my PW, 52, 56 and 60 (courses with pot bunkers and heavy greenside rough) and I can play the lob wedge well. Other days it will be all fat or thin shots.

Generally I carry a PW, 52 and 58 so I have a nice 6 degree gap between each and have spent many hours hitting different yardages with them and getting the feel for the length of swing and the right tempo.

My advice to any newbie would be to invest in lessons to learn the full swing but spend as much time as you can getting to be at one with your wedges and learning how far different length of swings hits it and then play about with ball position etc and see how the ball reacts.
 
Yes and don't forget you need a chipper as well - don't bother learning to play golf just buy a club for each shot youll be ok
Click to expand...

Ooohh. go you....

We're only talking a wedge here, not a club for every last shot.

The evidence is simple and unequivocal, modern clubs are lofted so low that we might as well call PWs, 9is.....

With the greatest of respect to your ability, *when you started* if you'd been told to ditch your PW and "learn to hit" your 9 iron a selection of distances, you'd have told whoever suggested that to bog off...surely?

Chippers might be a crime against playing golf the "proper" way, but a GW, when PWs are so strong nowadays is hardly giving in..... :D
 
I won't offer my 'advice' because this comment is only from my limited knowledge and ability, but I will give my opinion. So you can take it or leave it as you wish!

I'd agree that most PWs are stronger lofts than days gone by, and the need, certainly for a GW does exist.

Ultimately it's about feel and imagination. Something that I am learning the very slow and painful way. I was once told that for the 'wedge' zone. Play the lowest flighted shot that will get you nearest the pin. If that is a 7 iron bump and run, do so. Don't try and play a high flighted lob, as the margin for error is huge by comparison. However if there is a bunker and not much room around the pin, play around the bunker and not over it for the same reason.

I of course have ignored this advice and have tried to play 'target' golf. And failed in the main.

It's only recently, that my short game has actually improved, and that's because I'm actually starting to listen to some of that advice!!

Oh, and because I now have the right tools to practice and play with.

In summary.

Buy 'em.

Practice with 'em.

And, play with 'em.

It's the only way you're going to improve!! :D


Oh. And Welcome. ;)
 
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