Wedge Quandary

[Golfnut1957]

So, despite the rain we have had the course is still baked, and it is playing havoc with my chipping, the club is constantly bouncing up off the hard ground.

My solution? Yesterday I took an old Cleveland 56* wedge to my bench grinder and removed pretty much all of the bounce, there may be a degree or two left, it is hard to tell.

I had no idea what the outcome would be, so tonight it was off down to the course with two 56* wedges, (I also had two putters, two 22* hybrids a PW and 8i, but that's a different story). The outcome was excellent. I had intended to use the grindless wedge solely around the green, and in this respect it excelled. I didn't think that it would work in the bunkers, which are also baked, but again it worked very well, and full shots? I was really surprised to discover it made no difference.

The quandary? If this experiment works do I take my relatively new Mizuno T24 wedge and give it the treatment, but I will probably need that 10* of bounce come the winter, or buy an oldish wedge with decent groves, the Cleveland wedge is ancient.

The question is, does anyone here play with a bounceless wedge, or have you in the past, and if so how did you get on in the long term?

 

[gopher99]

I now play golf on kikuyu grass, I have had to change my wedge with 8 degree bounce to a 14 degree bounce as it was just snagging in the grass.

 

[Mandofred]

I've been playing with Cleveland CBX wedges. I like the wedges, but don't like that you can't get them with less bounce. I don't have a grinder, but I have taken a file to some wedges a few years ago to get rid of some bounce. It's a lot of work without a grinder. I don't like the price of wedges going up as much as they are.....so I might just try to get rid of a little off my 2 most lofted wedges.

 

[3 jabber]

I don't have a bounceless wedge but I do have an old winter set as wedges get trashed in the winter with all the crud that gathers on the ball.

 

[Orikoru]

Don't think I could do that. I moved the CBX Zipcore wedges about two years ago to get more bounce. Granted I do knife a full 50° every now and then in the current conditions. But when I'm pitching or chipping one out of semi-rough or something, I would definitely want that bounce on there. I figure knifing the full shot is a me thing rather than a bounce thing. Just need to get it half a ball further back in my stance or something, so I can clip the ball first.

 

[Neilds]

Do you need to take a lofted club every time you are near the green? Running an hybrid or low lofted iron will stop the knife and usually bring a better result than a chip shot. Get the ball on the deck and rolling as soon as possible.

 

[VVega]

The question is, does anyone here play with a bounceless wedge, or have you in the past, and if so how did you get on in the long term?

Got 4* bounce wedge (sm9 04 T) earlier this year. Also thought initially it’s for tight lies around the green but found it more versatile than that.

In a longer term it depends how skilled you are. It certainly easier to dig/thin with a low bounce wedge but I’d say the benefits outweigh the risk

 

[VVega]

Do you need to take a lofted club every time you are near the green? Running an hybrid or low lofted iron will stop the knife and usually bring a better result than a chip shot. Get the ball on the deck and rolling as soon as possible.

Sure you don’t but it’s the most sensible choice (if you can pull it off) to a short sided pin, isn’t it? FWIW, I have no problems with putting off the green if the situation allows, but often a low bounce wedge is the best choice.

Also, getting any distance control (for chipping) out of modern hybrids with trampoline faces is a high tariff skill on its own

 

[Orikoru]

Sure you don’t but it’s the most sensible choice (if you can pull it off) to a short sided pin, isn’t it? FWIW, I have no problems with putting off the green if the situation allows, but often a low bounce wedge is the best choice.

Also, getting any distance control (for chipping) out of modern hybrids with trampoline faces is a high tariff skill on its own

My chipping has been very hit and miss lately, but I've become lethal with hybrid chipping. The hot face has become a huge plus now that I've got used to it - it means you hardly need to swing, it's just a little punchy movement, jump the ball over the longer grass and get it rolling immediately. I've been chipping closer with that than any of my wedges. And I'm rubbish at putting from off the green for some reason, can't judge how it will roll through the longer grass - the hybrid just jumps it over that bit nicely.

 

[jim8flog]

Many years ago ago I did what you did but realised I had removed so much weight from the club it was too light.

I the bought a wedge designed for this situation-

Ram Tom Watson Troon grind. It has an extremely narrow sole and negative bounce. I always put it in the bag when playing a links course or a course I knew to have lots of bare areas.

 

[SteveJay]

I have actually gone the other way, sort of. Playing a firm links course I previously went for a lower bounce 58 degree wedge with around 6 degrees of bounce, initially a Mizuno then a Vokey.

I recently got fitted for new wedges and was persuaded to go for an 8 degree Ping 58 and even in the recent hot spell, when our fairways and fringes were like concrete, the wedge worked very well. Low bounce wedges need a perfect strike, there is no forgiveness. OK if you are very proficient but for most of us I think a bit of bounce is a help, even on very tight lies.

 

[Deleted member 30853]

If you can't chip with wedges get a chipper

 

[Golfnut1957]

Do you need to take a lofted club every time you are near the green? Running an hybrid or low lofted iron will stop the knife and usually bring a better result than a chip shot. Get the ball on the deck and rolling as soon as possible.

When I first started playing, I watched Golf My Way, a golfing video from Jack Nicklaus. In the video, he advocated using a locked arm putting type stroke and using anything from a 9i to a 5i to keep the ball down on the ground and running.
While I'm more than happy to run it in, it would be with anything from a SW to an 8i, it definitely won't be a hybrid, I've tried it, and it's not for me.

Plus, as has been said earlier, you won't be lobbing a hybrid over a bunker and if lofting a wedge into a flag is something that you do regularly, then it will be less of a chore when you are left with no other option.

 

[Golfnut1957]

First round with the bounceless wedge today, and it performed better than I could have imagined. It feels almost foolproof, no bouncing so no fats or thins, in fact it just seems to glide over the turf.

I'll have another go tomorrow and if I get the same results I'll pull the trigger on a good used wedge and give it the treatment. I can't bring myself to do it to the T24.

 

[Deleted member 30853]

Sorry for being a noob but is taking a grinder to a club legal?

 

[Mandofred]

Sorry for being a noob but is taking a grinder to a club legal?

I believe I've seen a number of YouTubes of the pro work trucks grinding wedges setting them up for little differences that the pro's want.

 

[IanM]

Sorry for being a noob but is taking a grinder to a club legal?

To the sole, yes!

 

[Deleted member 30853]

Fair enough, different level to my golf, if I knife one I blame myself not the club, if it works for others get grinding

 

[Golfnut1957]

Sorry for being a noob but is taking a grinder to a club legal?

Not during a round, no

The thing is, manufacturers make wedges with a variety of bounces, but 56 degree wedges tend to be 10 degrees or more. The idea being that a lot of bounce stops it digging into soft sand, however at my club a JCB couldn't dig down into the 'sand' at the moment, negating the need for bounce.

 

[rulie]

First round with the bounceless wedge today, and it performed better than I could have imagined. It feels almost foolproof, no bouncing so no fats or thins, in fact it just seems to glide over the turf.

I'll have another go tomorrow and if I get the same results I'll pull the trigger on a good used wedge and give it the treatment. I can't bring myself to do it to the T24.

Totally understood!!