Wedge Lofts Gapping

[Orikoru]

If you read the OP he's concerned about gappung issues....or that's how I've read it....cant say I've ever heard any 22 capper having gapping issues. It just seems to me all a bit fantasyful....but then maybe I've read the OP wrong.

Maybe I've read your OP wrong.

Perhaps I can summarise more simply:

1. My new iron set lacks a SW so I'm going to need to buy a new one of those regardless.
2. My current gap wedge still sells for a decent fee so I figured I may as well sell that and get cheaper replacement(s) to save some coins.
3. Made this topic just for advice on what lofts to go for.

 

[User101]

My mistake.

 

[drewster]

I have an XR sand iron you can have for a modest price if that helps you at all ?

I'd start here if I was you , a very nice gesture indeed !!!!

 

[duncan mackie]

That's going to cost me more though. Plan was to sell current GW for 50-60, buy two wedges in it's place for 60-70. Or three wedges for a touch more obviously. I was trying to take a cost effective route anyway.

I was struggling with this until I concluded that you have a good wedge that would cost more than 60 to pair up new....pair it with a second-hand one!

Can't see the point of getting a cheap pair to replace the existing good one.

Gaping wedges is about distances, pairing them includes a range of bounces, loft numbers are pretty irrelevant and specific distances are also pretty meaning less - having 75 and 95 to go with your existing PW is as good as 95 and 108 or any other numbers in the range of 50 to 150. The only real thing to avoid is to close together.

 

[Orikoru]

I was struggling with this until I concluded that you have a good wedge that would cost more than 60 to pair up new....pair it with a second-hand one!

Can't see the point of getting a cheap pair to replace the existing good one.

Gaping wedges is about distances, pairing them includes a range of bounces, loft numbers are pretty irrelevant and specific distances are also pretty meaning less - having 75 and 95 to go with your existing PW is as good as 95 and 108 or any other numbers in the range of 50 to 150. The only real thing to avoid is to close together.

Yeah, I've been going over it in my head. Idea was to save a few quid, but obviously I would end up with a less good gap wedge so maybe there's no point. I think I may just keep it and look for a decent Cleveland sand wedge to stick with it.

*Note my RTX-3 50° is second-hand, I found it in AG for £50 in the middle of last year. Considering it only came out last year I figured that was a pretty good deal. So yeah, you make a good point.

 

[jim8flog]

The PW in iron set is 44

My wedges are 50 54 and 58 in totally different makes

The 50 I primarily use for full out shots and low chip and runs.

The 54 has 08 bounce for fairway and greenside shots with good to tightish lies and bunker shots where the sand is compacted or wet

The 58 has 14 bounce for bunker shots where the sand is soft deep and fluffy and greenside shots where there is a lot of grass under and around the ball.

 

[duncan mackie]

The PW in iron set is 44

My wedges are 50 54 and 58 in totally different makes

The 50 I primarily use for full out shots and low chip and runs.

The 54 has 08 bounce for fairway and greenside shots with good to tightish lies and bunker shots where the sand is compacted or wet

The 58 has 14 bounce for bunker shots where the sand is soft deep and fluffy and greenside shots where there is a lot of grass under and around the ball.

You aren't alone!

I've used my wedges with 5 different iron sets; as you have outlined beyond the GW there's so much more than loft to consider. I prefer to have my bounce on a 56 and little bounce on the 60 but that's personal preference.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The PW in iron set is 44

My wedges are 50 54 and 58 in totally different makes

The 50 I primarily use for full out shots and low chip and runs.

The 54 has 08 bounce for fairway and greenside shots with good to tightish lies and bunker shots where the sand is compacted or wet

The 58 has 14 bounce for bunker shots where the sand is soft deep and fluffy and greenside shots where there is a lot of grass under and around the ball.

I have a PW (46) 52 and a 58 and have worked really hard on my pitching and especially those inbetween shots when it isn't a full shot (I never hit wedges flat out). Even if the OP or anyone else is a higher handicapper, getting a set of wedges they are confident in is the starting point. Learning to use them and especially the finesse shots takes time and effort and lessons can help but these are about feel as well. Get the technique and enjoy learning how to manipulate the clubs to work for you

 

[Orikoru]

Well, in the end I decided to take Bob and Duncan's advice (plus whoever else may have said similar!). Thought I could get decent value on second hand wedges but they're just not as cheap as I thought plus the ones that are could just be knackered by the looks of it.

So I'm keeping my RTX-3 50° and I've ordered a 56° RTX Rotex 2.0 (high bounce) as my new sand wedge. Saw a retailer through ebay selling them at 40% off so it's costing me £55 which seems like a decent price as long as I get what I've ordered...

Thanks to everyone who chucked their two pence in. :thup:

 

[MadAdey]

I think when it comes to wedges your always going to have times when you do not a full shot with one, so learning to hit knock down shots will be of some benefit. I sit with about a 20 yard gap between my PW and my 50* wedge and when I find myself in that gap I just grip down on the PW and hit it easy to take the 10 yards off I need.

Like Bob said, I think finding some wedges that you like the feel of and then learning how to use them better is what you need.

 

[Orikoru]

I think when it comes to wedges your always going to have times when you do not a full shot with one, so learning to hit knock down shots will be of some benefit. I sit with about a 20 yard gap between my PW and my 50* wedge and when I find myself in that gap I just grip down on the PW and hit it easy to take the 10 yards off I need.

Like Bob said, I think finding some wedges that you like the feel of and then learning how to use them better is what you need.

Yeah, agreed. I should now be a situation where the worst I have to do is go about 90% with the PW for 110 yards, or 90% with the GW for around 90 yards, so I'm pretty happy.

 

[duncan mackie]

Well, in the end I decided to take Bob and Duncan's advice (plus whoever else may have said similar!). Thought I could get decent value on second hand wedges but they're just not as cheap as I thought plus the ones that are could just be knackered by the looks of it.

So I'm keeping my RTX-3 50° and I've ordered a 56° RTX Rotex 2.0 (high bounce) as my new sand wedge. Saw a retailer through ebay selling them at 40% off so it's costing me £55 which seems like a decent price as long as I get what I've ordered...

Thanks to everyone who chucked their two pence in. :thup:

Sounds like a good combination to work with.

From many wedge gap threads I get the distinct impression that there is an underlying expectation that there's a magic combination of wedge lofts, bounces, grinds etc that when placed in the bag will magically deliver every shot from everynyardage from every lie.

The reality is that time and effort constructively applied to a couple of clubs (let's call them bouncy and cutty) should give you the tool set to handle just about anything (that can be handled!).

Hope the club ordered is what you expect and enjoy the journey to become a short game wizard.

 

[Orikoru]

Sounds like a good combination to work with.

From many wedge gap threads I get the distinct impression that there is an underlying expectation that there's a magic combination of wedge lofts, bounces, grinds etc that when placed in the bag will magically deliver every shot from everynyardage from every lie.

The reality is that time and effort constructively applied to a couple of clubs (let's call them bouncy and cutty) should give you the tool set to handle just about anything (that can be handled!).

Hope the club ordered is what you expect and enjoy the journey to become a short game wizard.

The seller is cgdiscountgolf, I saw an old topic on this forum where people generally said they were a reliable seller, so should be all good. :thup:

 

[jim8flog]

Good price considering a lot of the top end wedges are now over the £100 mark

 

[hines57]

Cleveland used to offer a fitting service for wedges - not sure if they still do. Focus was on mapping the distances for what you have and then suggesting a wedge makeup based on distance and the type of shot (bounce options). You then have the option to buy.

 

[Orikoru]

Good price considering a lot of the top end wedges are now over the £100 mark

Yeah I thought that. I was finding that even quite well used second-hand wedges were pushing the 50 quid mark in some cases, on the good brand names anyway. I was hoping to spend less but 35-40 only gets you like a 5 year old wedge at best and who knows what state the grooves are in.

 

[mikeb4]

My PW is 44 so i have mack daddy 3s 50 56 60, which are excellent, 56 plays me out of the bunker, 50 deg is 80 yards and the 60 deg is a up and down chip shot, i got fitted for these, as has been said bounce is key,

I personally think the wedges are used that often i would always buy new to ensure good grooves etc. would not buy an old wedge, though i do understand the new ones are expensive but worth it in the long run. imo