Wedges

[Rooter]

I am in the Gareth camp on this one, my 3 wedge set up currently leaves me indecisive, I am 99% going for the 52 and 58 combo. I am quite happy opening the face and using half or three quarters etc, so this set up is ideal and makes room for my 2 hybrid I want...

 

[Fish]

it's vital that you feel confident with what you have in your hand - there's no right or wrong number, just what's right for you.

Is the right answer and approach.

 

[Oddsocks]

Playing off 20.

OK not knowing your game, how often do try a shot around the green and fail.

For me the most destructive club in my bag was a Taylor made ztp 60*, I uy used to lose at least 3 shots a round trying shots that even of thirteen and after a few short game lessons I would still fluff, moved to a 58* and whether it's bounce, confidence or something else I may have fluffed 6 all last season. I PERSONALLY don't see why anyone needs a 60 as a 58 still spins and stops if hit correctly so for me 59-64* is dead.

My 52 cash be opened or closed to 50/54 respectively, if 52 is to much I'll come down a touch, and the same principal applies to a58.

 

[bobmac]

Bob, so you advocate a bigger loft spacing with wedges at 6 degrees as opposed to the rest of the irons which is probably 4 degrees?

I know wedges are very personal but I find a pw, 52, 58 set up very limiting, tried it earlier last season for a while and just didn't work for me. I would rather leave the 5 or 6 iron out of the bag than leave a wedge at home.

Dont you have 6 deg between your PW and the 52 ?

 

[Kellfire]

I'm probably going to treat myself to new wedges this season at some point and I'm anticipating dropping my 60 to go to a 58 while possible going for a 52 or 53 between that and my 47. That would allow me to carry an extra hybrid/wood.

 

[bobmac]

I'm probably going to treat myself to new wedges this season at some point and I'm anticipating dropping my 60 to go to a 58 while possible going for a 52 or 53 between that and my 47. That would allow me to carry an extra hybrid/wood.

If you think about it, when you get inside 100 yards, you have to decide 'do I want to hit it low, medium or high?'
46 for the low shot, 52 for medium and 58 for the high shot.
Just my opinion though

 

[One Planer]

If you think about it, when you get inside 100 yards, you have to decide 'do I want to hit it low, medium or high?'
46 for the low shot, 52 for medium and 58 for the high shot.
Just my opinion though

Question on this Bob.

I try and think what I want the ball to do when it lands, land and stop, roll a little/a lot roll and pick the club the get me the that result and hopefully close.

Is it better to consider the flight (Low, medium, high) instead of what it does when it lands?

 

[Kellfire]

If you think about it, when you get inside 100 yards, you have to decide 'do I want to hit it low, medium or high?'
46 for the low shot, 52 for medium and 58 for the high shot.
Just my opinion though

You're right Bob. My wedge play is a horror show and is a work in progress but I'm not going to give up on it and having the correct weapons to learn the trade with is essential. Right now it's too easy for me on a bad day to grip down and hit a full shot with my 60 even though it should be a finesse shot.

 

[bobmac]

Question on this Bob.

I try and think what I want the ball to do when it lands, land and stop, roll a little/a lot roll and pick the club the get me the that result and hopefully close.

Is it better to consider the flight (Low, medium, high) instead of what it does when it lands?

What's the difference?

 

[El Bandito]

OK not knowing your game, how often do try a shot around the green and fail.

For me the most destructive club in my bag was a Taylor made ztp 60*, I uy used to lose at least 3 shots a round trying shots that even of thirteen and after a few short game lessons I would still fluff, moved to a 58* and whether it's bounce, confidence or something else I may have fluffed 6 all last season. I PERSONALLY don't see why anyone needs a 60 as a 58 still spins and stops if hit correctly so for me 59-64* is dead.

My 52 cash be opened or closed to 50/54 respectively, if 52 is to much I'll come down a touch, and the same principal applies to a58.

Strangely 60 used to be my favourite wedge for all sorts of 'how did I get here' shots. Of late, it has guaranteed me trouble, although I suspect because I have been trying to play it off tight lies, which requires a lot more precision than I can lay my hands on.😟 I now play SCOR wedges, where bounce is kind of eliminated, and I am finding that my accuracy, distance and consistency are improving using a more measured three quarter swing. As ever, I suspect a bit of structured practice will get me to where I want to be...or at least heading that way.

SCOR would have you establish all of your yardages on 5 wedges. (Standard controlled swing). Then again with face 1 degree open. Then both standard and open gripping down 1 inch (grips are marked) then again gripping down 2 inches. Then you end up with 30 fixed distances. (They give you a bag tag to write down all these!) you can of course then do it all again with half swings....so, you laser the pin, and hit it the exact yardage into the hole. Then you pop off and win a major. Simples😏

A lot of hard work, and perhaps too much for me, but I can see his logic. Sort of the opposite of those players who can hit a PW anywhere from 50 to 140 purely by feel.

Ultimately, I would rather carry more little bats than big ones as I am usually far better hitting a mid iron or hybrid off the deck than a fairway wood. Much more chance of advancing in a relatively straight line.

Lots of experimenting going on all the way through the bag, comparing my driver with my 3 wood, hybrids versus irons and fairway woods...but that's another thread!

i suspect that I will end up with 4 wedges in the bag, 6 irons, a hybrid, 2 woods and a putter. The choice will come down to a 4 iron versus a fifth wedge. Or maybe leave them both at home and carry less weight!

 

[One Planer]

What's the difference?

I see your point

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Dont you have 6 deg between your PW and the 52 ?

You are correct, down the shaft on the pw covers the in between distance. It a bit closer in I don't like the 6 degree difference.

As has been said its a personal preference, for me I like the extra wedge and I like to think its a strength of my game. If my driving was as good as my short game I believe my h/cap may be a touch lower.

 

[garyinderry]

i cant se how limiting your wedge options makes it any easier to choose what shot to hit. if you only have 52 and 58 in the bag then you have to work to a smaller tolerance with the backswing to hit the correct distance / trajectory.

 

[One Planer]

i cant se how limiting your wedge options makes it any easier to choose what shot to hit. if you only have 52 and 58 in the bag then you have to work to a smaller tolerance with the backswing to hit the correct distance / trajectory.

While I see your point Gary, are you seriously tellin us that there is a clear distance gap between your Vokeys at 54 and 56?

 

[bobmac]

The way I see it is you cant have 30 clubs in your bag so you have to adjust the distances your clubs go.

Yes, we'd all love to carry a 3w, 5w, 1,2,3,4, rescues and 5 wedges but we cant.
So we have to adjust something somewhere.
If you are in between a 52 and a 58, you have to adjust the 52 to go less distance. I dont find that too difficult.
However, if I'm between a 3 wood and a 3 iron. I then have to adjust 3 wood.
I find it easier to adjust a GW than a 3 wood.

Of course all this assumes you can adjusrt your wedges to go different distances.
If however you don't have the knowledge, the ability the inclination or the time to practice the wedge shots then buying more wedges makes perfect sense

 

[Rooter]

Well I have started to take the plunge, the burner 2.0's are now on the eBay! Roll on the selling for funding for a nice pair of ATV's!!!

 

[garyinderry]

While I see your point Gary, are you seriously tellin us that there is a clear distance gap between your Vokeys at 54 and 56?

there is a distinguishable distance difference (say that after a few pints ) yes ! i have the 54 in there due to the high bounce on it. we play in predominantly wet / soft conditions and i cant count how many times it has saved me in the last year. i can happily drop this club when its nice and dry.

im happy to leave a 3 wood out of the bag as ive stated many times on here how many times it got me in trouble. i used it maybe twice / three times a round on the par 5's. since dropping it out of the bag i have laid up on par 5's and 9/10 i will make par playing a little safer. i watched many many players with a high handicap, duff and shot, reach for the 3 wood and get themselves into more trouble. switching the 3 wood for another wedge has saved me loads of shots in the last 2 years.

inbetween a 3 wood and 3 iron can be covered by a hybrid / 5 wood !

 

[garyinderry]

i dont really work on the premise of a certain wedge for a certain distance. i see how far away it is and il know myself which wedge suits the shot im looking for!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Once you get your set up, in case 46 PW, 52 and 58 it is all about going out and learning what you can do with them. Learn your distances for a full, 3/4 and 1/2 swing. Play around with the loft by opening and closing the face and moving the ball in the stance. Once you understand what you can and can't do the numbers on the bottom become inmaterial. Each shot you want to hit and the distance required is covered and you if that means a 1/2 swing with a 52 rather than 3/4 58 is the better option then play it. I see a lot of players playing the same shot with the same club every time irrespective of the lie, distance and they wonder why they lack control and finesse

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Once you get your set up, in case 46 PW, 52 and 58 it is all about going out and learning what you can do with them. Learn your distances for a full, 3/4 and 1/2 swing. Play around with the loft by opening and closing the face and moving the ball in the stance. Once you understand what you can and can't do the numbers on the bottom become inmaterial. Each shot you want to hit and the distance required is covered and you if that means a 1/2 swing with a 52 rather than 3/4 58 is the better option then play it. I see a lot of players playing the same shot with the same club every time irrespective of the lie, distance and they wonder why they lack control and finesse

Fairly advanced golf you are talking about here Homer, a lot of guys just don't have the skill and/or techniqnique to open or close the clubface, play about with ball position to alter the traj without it leading to all sorts of disasters.

Keep it simple, learn your distances for full, 3/4 and 1/2 swing and develop a reliable stock shot.

Also be realistic about the shots you can play, it can be painfull to watch a higher handicapper throwing shots away trying to play a flop shot over a bunker for example, plugging it into the bunker then 3 to get out.