Selecting the correct bounce on wedges

[rob_golf1]

I'm in the market for a couple of new wedges. Really like the look of the Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0's especially with the price of each one being around £64.99 brand new.

Currently got a PW and AW at 44° and 48° respectively which I am looking at keeping as I hit these good distances and consistently. My current wedge set up is a 56° SW which I'm looking at changing. To bridge the gap from the 48° AW, I was looking at adding a 54° and possibly a 60° which gives me a consistent 6° of loft between each club.

My problem comes down to selecting the appropriate bounce for each wedge! It seems the Cleveland wedges are available with either 6° of bounce or 12°.

I have watched multiple videos and done a fair bit of research. Some seem to suggest opting for wedges with higher bounce levels to help get the ball up in the air from thicker, fluffy lies. Whilst others suggest lower bounce for tighter lies. I play most of my golf on UK parkland course, so surely I don't want to have two wedges that have the same amount of bounce? Or do I? What would be the best bounce options to go for?

Then there other things to consider, conditions of the course, my swing arch...

 

[ScienceBoy]

Lots on the bunker, middle on the gap, least on the lobbed...

Unless your a digger, scooper, flipper, dipper or slider

 

[jim8flog]

When selecting a SW in relation to bounce the primary concern should be what type of sand is in your most regularly played golf course. If the sand is deep soft and 'fluffy' buy the highest degree of bounce you can find. I carry a 14 degree for that reason.

If reasonably hard, compacted and shallow then around 8 degree is good enough.

The other factor is as you suggested the type of grass and hardness of the soil on green surrounds. The tighter the grass the less bounce you should have on a wedge even going to negative bounce on links type land.

The last thing to consider is if you are a digger or sweeper. The more of a digger you are the more bounce you should have.


It would depend upon what your choice of wedge for general sand play would become.


My bag is a 54/8 for general round the green and hard sand, 58/14 for soft sand and very grassy lies round the green.

 

[rob_golf1]

When selecting a SW in relation to bounce the primary concern should be what type of sand is in your most regularly played golf course. If the sand is deep soft and 'fluffy' buy the highest degree of bounce you can find. I carry a 14 degree for that reason.

If reasonably hard, compacted and shallow then around 8 degree is good enough.

The other factor is as you suggested the type of grass and hardness of the soil on green surrounds. The tighter the grass the less bounce you should have on a wedge even going to negative bounce on links type land.

The last thing to consider is if you are a digger or sweeper. The more of a digger you are the more bounce you should have.


It would depend upon what your choice of wedge for general sand play would become.


My bag is a 54/8 for general round the green and hard sand, 58/14 for soft sand and very grassy lies round the green.

Some great points here. What sort of bounce would you recommend for general shots from the fairway into the green?

 

[the_coach]

couple of things to maybes consider

first around technique & skill level

good chipping & pitching technique particularly for all part distance shots from the short stuff is built around using the bounce on the sole of the clubs not the leading edge - that's partly achieved thru ball position / stance width & weight distribution / hands/handle position relative to club head at set-up ... as the leading edge definitely is not a friend with these shots which is a big reason why many folks have so much trouble over them
as getting stuff a tad out of whack with all of the above at set-up is largely responsible for the issues of fats / thins & pure blades - as set-up & very early club take back then influences technique into impact

so very low bounce wedges from the short stuff requires a fair degree of skill level to be consistent with technique to 'present' the bounce thru the shots

other thing to think over is if play is mostly on a home course or a couple of regular courses - as well as the type of the sand what proportion of the greenside traps have fairly high escape routes out

if you do go thru with the change you thinking over you about to change 56º sand wedge for a 54º (this would need to have some good degrees of bounce as it's the bunker play) but if there's a fair amount of high lips to get out n'over - that's likely to mean playing a lot of sand shots with a 54º with the face pretty wide open - again coping with that consistently is a tad more difficult than a 56º only slightly open

many index folks find using a 60º with all that loft - as it's really meant to be used - a tad challenging & a whole bunch of index players then find the only ways to use it reasonably well is to put the ball back of the stance - which as well as negating the point of having a 60º as it's then being significantly de-lofted in order to use it at all - this then brings the leading edge into play a whole bunch more so there's a likelihood of a whole bunch of fats etc - especially if the bounce is low which most times with a 60º it tends to be - sure there a good ways around that which is again opening up the face angle a bunch which then presents more of the bounce thru the shot but that's also makes if a tad more difficult technique-wise (not good place to be for anyone who tends to suffer from 'sockets' a bunch with these small distance shots

it's not always totally necessary to have very exact loft degree gaps through the wedges - for sure it's important that the PW is gapped right from the 9i but as they are from the same iron set this will be the case

but if you think over it - the majority of shots played with the gap wedge(AW) sand wedge & lob wedge (if a 4 wedge system being used) is mostly goin to be all part distance shots with shorter than full swings where exact same degree gap numbers through the 3 wedges after the PW is not necessarily crucial

 

[garyinderry]

Bounce is your friend.


More and more pros are moving to using higher bounce wedges as it gives a much bigger margin for error when used correctly.

Plenty of high bounce wedges now have heel relief (that's a bit shaved off the heel) so that you cam still open up the wedge without the leading edge coming up off the ground.

Middle of the road bounce should be the least you should look at.


Do some research. If possible ask some people at your club if you can try their wedges around the chipping green. Find some high medium and low and see what works best.

I bought a high bounce big sole lob wedge which I initially thought I would only use in winter but it works brilliantly even on tight firm links turf.


Any time I hand someone a high bounce wedge I ask them to bottom the club out half an inch behind the ball and their eyes widen when the club just slips in under the ball. Their next word is usually 'wow'.

 

[patricks148]

its not black and white as some have said. It will depend on what suites you swing. i play at a links course with vert tight lies. had a low bounce and a high bounce SW until recently. Worked on my irons a lot of the last couple of years and now have a much steeper AOA. the low bounce i was fatting a bit, tried a high bounce sorted it. I now have a 52/10 and a 58/13 in the bag and hitting both well

 

[jim8flog]

Some great points here. What sort of bounce would you recommend for general shots from the fairway into the green?

There is no simple answer to that question as the question is too simple.

Personally I use anything 8, 9 , 46, 50 or 54 depending the type of shot I am trying to produce ( I have never been a user of high loft wedges for shots from the fairway ).

My 'go to' wedges are either a 50 or 54 although for many years it was just a 52.

 

[Orikoru]

Bounce is your friend.


More and more pros are moving to using higher bounce wedges as it gives a much bigger margin for error when used correctly.

Plenty of high bounce wedges now have heel relief (that's a bit shaved off the heel) so that you cam still open up the wedge without the leading edge coming up off the ground.

Middle of the road bounce should be the least you should look at.


Do some research. If possible ask some people at your club if you can try their wedges around the chipping green. Find some high medium and low and see what works best.

I bought a high bounce big sole lob wedge which I initially thought I would only use in winter but it works brilliantly even on tight firm links turf.


Any time I hand someone a high bounce wedge I ask them to bottom the club out half an inch behind the ball and their eyes widen when the club just slips in under the ball. Their next word is usually 'wow'.

What's middle though? I recently bought a second hand 50° wedge and the bounce on that is 10. Is that about standard? (This was the first time I've bought a wedge independent of my iron set)

 

[patricks148]

What's middle though? I recently bought a second hand 50° wedge and the bounce on that is 10. Is that about standard? (This was the first time I've bought a wedge independent of my iron set)

10 would be mid to high ish with 14 the highest and 4 being low

 

[Orikoru]

10 would be mid to high ish with 14 the highest and 4 being low

So you reckon 10 is alright for someone of my handicap? (As you can probably tell I did no research before buying it. )

 

[patricks148]

So you reckon 10 is alright for someone of my handicap? (As you can probably tell I did no research before buying it. )

handicap shouldn't come into it, AOA . Flat sweeping swing low bounce, steeper high bounce. Also if the ground is wet/ soft high bounce works better, though again swing dependent.

 

[garyinderry]

[video=youtube;i6-rkHIlyu4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6-rkHIlyu4[/video]

Check the bit here from 3mins 20. using the bounce and hitting half an inch behind the ball.

 

[Imurg]

It's almost as big a minefield as shafts....
Even if your swing/course suggests one bounce, you may find another works better..
There's no right or wrong, only what works.

 

[garyinderry]

Even if you play the firmest of tight baked dead pan courses you can always take bounce off the club by de lofting it.

 

[GreggerKBR]

My current wedge set up is a 56° SW which I'm looking at changing. To bridge the gap from the 48° AW, I was looking at adding a 54° and possibly a 60° which gives me a consistent 6° of loft between each club.

My problem comes down to selecting the appropriate bounce for each wedge! It seems the Cleveland wedges are available with either 6° of bounce or 12°.

Can't tell you what to do, it's complex, just wish you good luck figuring it out!

WORD OF CAUTION... One important tip from me - if you are used to a 56* and change then you will most likely find yourself a bit "lost" when the pressure comes on. Confidence is everything...
I've played a 56 for 20-years or something, and just could not find total confidence with 54-58 options around the green.
So, in the end, I had to put the 56 back in the bag!!! Not to say I couldn't hit them, but when a chip comes out 4 ft shorter or longer and you don't know why - then you'll start to remember how you got on with the 56...

My story... I went from 52, 56, 60 (Mizuno MP-TP11) to a stronger 50, 54, 58 (Vokeys) with different grinds/bounce.

And now 50-10*, 56-10*, 62-8* - a complete mishmash and absolutely loving it!!!
The Vokey 50 has high 10* bounce but narrow sole and hard/solid feel. The Mizuno 56 medium 10* bounce. And 62 with 8* bounce wide sole.
The 50 is fantastic for low runners and just so good from 60-120 yards, especially in the wind - so that stayed in the bag, for me it's better than the 52 I had before. From outside of 40 yards I usually use the 50 or 56 as I favour the bounce and will use steep or shallow AOA depending on situation. From inside 40 yards, where required and looking to get it to bite or drop & stop I'll play/manipulate the 62.

So what I'm saying is go with what you feel matches your game, what gives you confidence for how you play.
People selling clubs won't necessarily be truthful, perhaps your pro might be able to give you some advice.

BUNKERS - I'll use anything from the bunkers from an open 9 iron to a closed 62* lob - depending on what the circumstances are!
Although mostly use the 56 and let it run or loft or spin it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Two great videos using linear method to utilise the bounce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mCs1khFa4I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeADahxxrE

I have a 10 degree 58 SW which I find works pretty well as an all rounder and does the job on most courses I play

 

[chip barm]

i got 3 black satin cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 wedges last year. 50° 54° and a 60° to go with my 45° PW. i'm not a member anywhere. just pay and play all over really but the main thing for me was consistency. i wanted them to all hit the same and be quite neutral. not be too course specific. so they're all 10° 'standard' bounce. they suit my swing and i get on well with them.

 

[jim8flog]

What's middle though? I recently bought a second hand 50° wedge and the bounce on that is 10. Is that about standard? (This was the first time I've bought a wedge independent of my iron set)

8 degree would be 'standard'
Most full sets which include a SW would also have an 8 degree SW

 

[chip barm]

8 degree would be 'standard'
Most full sets which include a SW would also have an 8 degree SW

according to cleveland, 'standard' bounce grind (2 dot) come in bounce angles of 8° or 10°. 'low' bounce grind (1 dot) come in a bounce angle of 6°. 'full sole' or higher effective bounce grind (3 dot) come in bounce angles of 12° and 14°.