Perfect number of wedges

[iku]

At the moment I'm playing with a PW (48*) and 56* and I try to adjust the extension of my swing around these two clubs but clearly on a full swing there is a big gap between the two. I hit the pw about 120 yds and the 56* something like 80-90.

So basically I fill the gap by reducing the swing on the pw but I find it a bit unreliable. I tried to hit a 52* at the range and that was going 100-110 yds.

Anyway, I'm still a beginner and play off 17 and looking around I see a lot of single figure players using only 2 wedges and being able to modulate the swing to suit virtully any distance under 150 yds.

So my question is: shall I work hard and improve the control of my 48-56 or get a 52 and fill that 30 yds gap? As you can see below I still have space in the bag but I'm tempted to get a 5 wood.

 

[bobmac]

Try holding the PW further down the grip and shortening the backswing. That will give you a shorter distance.

 

[One Planer]

Definatley get a gap wedge to fill your distance between wedges IMO.

I currentley play 4 (PW,52,56,60) wedges, But I've decided to take Uncle Bobs (..... And others) advice and drop the 60.

Reason being I spent nearly an hour last weekend at the short game practice area manipulating the first 3 wedges and found I could achieve a mutitude of shots and wouldn't miss the 60 if I were to take it out.

And heres the best part.

I actually found it quite fun experementing with just 3. With a little more practice I'll have the distances, more or less, and can then feel confident doing it on the course.

 

[USER1999]

Think how much fun it would be if you only had one...............

 

[G1BB0]

good post as its something I have mixed and matched since I started playing back in March. Started with just pw & sw but as I was cak it didnt matter what I had in the bag.

Moved to pw, 52, 56 & 60 but found I was short in the top end of my bag between 3 wood and 4 hybrid

recently been using pw (46 deg) a 54 & 60 but found I really missed the old gap wedge for the 90-110 yard shots.

was either trying for a hard 54 or an easy gripped down pw.

Now changing clubs (again) and going with pw (45deg) 52 gw and 56 sw. Hopefully that will be me sorted and I am going to practrice like a demon using different grips and 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 swings as I seriously want to be dropping my h.c over the next 6 months.

 

[Wayman]

I've got 48 52 56 60 but 60 is in the corner of my room at the moment as ground is starting to be wet and the 60 just dips in. Next year might not even put the 60 in the bag at all

 

[bobmac]

I'm not a big fan of too many wedges (you may have noticed) but as you only have 12 clubs, you could get a 52 to fill the gap AND a 5 wood

 

[G1BB0]

Bob, do you find mid - high handicappers really benefit from having lob wedges? I only ask as I did use it a lot with ok success and felt quite confident with it but have changed to using my pw/54 degree more around the greens with better consistency

Or, is it more down to the individual rather than a certain section of golfers?

 

[bobmac]

Bob, do you find mid - high handicappers really benefit from having lob wedges?

Some do.
Depends on their ability to use it.
Id say it's down to the individual.
If the golfer has the required skill to use a LW well, then fill your boots I say.
Sadly, some dont.

 

[thecraw]

Did someone mention a 52 degree wedge?

I'm sure I saw a brand new Ping Tour S in the for sale section for an absolute song of a price!

 

[Mattyboy]

Did someone mention a 52 degree wedge?

I'm sure I saw a brand new Ping Tour S in the for sale section for an absolute song of a price!

Craw, what songs that? I know! Harry Enfield - Loadsamoney (LOL)

To stick to the post, I ditched my lob to put in a hybrid. Havent missed it. I think the Pelz short game bible is a good read for learning wedge play. He teaches taking the big muscles out and then turning in sync with the length of the swing (coupled with where you hold the club up or down) dictating the shot length. Say you have three wedges, up or down the grip and 3 swing lengths, thats erm, 3X2X3 = 18 yardages (some of which will be near indenticle of course).

Also, when practicing do it using your laser and the balls you use on the course. I hit say a dozen the same and then laser back to my bag from the average to get a yardage. They are noted on my laser.

 

[sev112]

modern PW is 44/45deg
Need a 48 deg
52GW
56 SW
60LW
64XW

Anyone who has less than 6 wedges is just plain doing themselves a disservice

 

[bobmac]

Why not a 50 deg midGW ?

 

[SocketRocket]

I have four wedges: PW / GW / SW / LW. As around 70% of shots are made within 120 yards I like the number of shot combinations they give me into the green.

I use irons from 9 to 5, I have a 4 and 3 hybrid, a 3 wood and driver. This combination with my wedges cover more than enough combinations of shot from Tee to Green.

I know we all have our preferences and styles of play but the club that I would take out of my bag last but one (Putter being last) would be my 60 deg Lob Wedge, I absolutely love it. It is my wedge of choice from a bunker, it allows me to lob the ball high over bunkers or onto raised greens so the ball will stop up dead. I can make nice chips that will hop and stop and I can hike the ball over many trees with little room for manouvre.

Anyhow, I digress a little from the OP. I think a gap wedge is a great tool for the exact reason you suggest.

 

[Imurg]

I've only got 3 wedges as my PW is really a 9 iron so it doesn't count.
While I can see the benefits of fewer wedges and varying the swing, to me it has to be easier to use a normal swing, varying the loft of the club instead. I've witnessed many a player try to vary swing lengths and get it hopelessly wrong. With 4 wedges - ok 3 and a 9 iron - you can play the same shot and get different results. And the choice isn;t as overwhelming as you may think, as long as you've practiced and know how each wedge will move the ball.
Each to their own though.

 

[Smiffy]

PW, UW and SW for me. That's 46, 50 and 56 degrees in old money.
If I need any more loft I'll crank open the 56 and either blade one through the pro shop window or flop one up in the air and watch it land in the bunker about 5 feet in front of me.

 

[DaveM]

Nice one Smiffy. Just like most of us, well me anyway ...That really made me laff, Had an instant mental picture. ..

 

[daveyc2k2]

I have PW (46*), GW (52*), SW (56*) and LW (60*) and got to say they all come in very handy. In the upper part of my bag I carry a driver, 3 wood, 3 hybrid and iron 4-9, so fulfill my quota of 14 clubs and have that manouverability on the shorter shots.

 

[RGDave]

I have a few wedges, none of them matching but essentially my possibles are 47/52/56/60. I rarely take more than 2. I have a theory about taking a different set up depending on the course. Mostly, the LW gets the least action and I also leave the 52 at home, unless I'm playing somewhere with lots of short par 4s.
As lofts on PWs get stronger, I can see the point in carrying a 3rd wedge, some say it's easy to adjust the swing on a PW, but I find it tricky, mostly because when I look at a PW these days, it doesn't even look like a wedge t.bh.

 

[granters]

I use my 52 wedge for practically everything 110 yards in other than bunker shots. It's my favourite club in the bag. I prefer to be a bit creative rather than reaching for one of a myriad of lofts. Using mainly just the one club, you get to know it inside out and you quickly learn how each shot will react. I think we tend to forget that even 52* is still a very lofted club. Look at it flat on the ground, when the ball strikes the face it's going to launch at a steep angle, it's not like it's a 3 iron. I can fling the face open and float it in, or hood it and play a low runner. Recently i've tried a few more shots with my SW (56*) and just can't get the same consistency. Each to their own, but it'd do a lot of golfers a lot of good to to learn how to play with one wedge rather than 4