Wedges

[Deleted member 21784]

Im desperately trying to get my scores down, I spent a lot of the winter improving my driving all the tee (last season I didnt even carry my driver now I have the confidence to step up and hit it, my wayward shots normally end up in play rather than lost) my putting is decent enough. My friend who is a 11 handicapper suggests working on 100 yards and in. Wedge work basically.

I currently have 3 wedges looking to go up to a 4th.

ping g15 in all my wedges right now.. pitching, sand and lob.

would a gap wedge be the ideal option? I found on my golf tour last week I had started over hitting my pitching wedge and my sand wouldnt go as far as I needed so in theory the gap would be perfect?

what do others use?

 

[bobmac]

If I were you, I'd get a 52 GW, sell your 54 SW, keep the 58 but also look at the gap between your 4 hybrid and 6 iron (7 degrees )
3 wedges is plenty.
PW 45 hits it low, GW 52 is medium and 58 is high. Any more wedges just adds confusion and indecision

 

[Oddsocks]

100% agree with Bob, too many wedges is too many options

My wedges go stock 45* then 52/58* . My 58* hardly gets used but my 52* is a go to wedge. I never felt I need any more options.

I was watching a vlog on one of the golf you tube sites and lady pro had a very simple method which has simplified wedge play for me.

She used the hips, boobs and full as her three wedge swings. IE hands at waist (1/3) hands at boobs (2/3) and hands at shoulders (3/3)

Across 3 wedges this would give 9 consistent distances, then factor in choking down an inch on all 3 could give 18 options

It's just practice from there.

 

[bobmac]

She used the hips, boobs and full as her three wedge swings. IE hands at waist (1/3) hands at boobs (2/3) and hands at shoulders (3/3)

Across 3 wedges this would give 9 consistent distances, then factor in choking down an inch on all 3 could give 18 options

It's just practice from there.

Thats very similar to the clock method which is very effective and both work well.
However, there is another way...............

Learn how to hit the ball 50 yards consistently, noting which wedge, length of swing, grip position etc and use that as as a starting point. Then club up or down for 30, 40, 60,70 etc. If you get good at that, grip up or down for 35,45,55 etc.
So for example.......
45yds............ basic 50yds shot but choke down on the grip to lose 5 yards
65yds ............basic 50yds shot but use more club and grip up to add 5 yds
etc

 

[Deleted member 21784]

If I were you, I'd get a 52 GW, sell your 54 SW, keep the 58 but also look at the gap between your 4 hybrid and 6 iron (7 degrees )
3 wedges is plenty.
PW 45 hits it low, GW 52 is medium and 58 is high. Any more wedges just adds confusion and indecision

thats for the reply. Interesting to read. Shame I didnt read it in time! lol however I am happy with my choice. I spoke to my teaching pro and he said a 50 degree would suit me so I had a little hunt around. Went back to my mate who runs a pro shop. he managed to sort me out a titliest vokey 50 degree gap at a reasonable price

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Im carrying 4: stock 46° and them 50°, 56° and 60°.

I took them all to the practice green and spent about 30 minutes with each just to get a feel for how they differ. In the end I settled on not really using the 46° for anything other than 100 yard shots (kind of a 9.5 iron) but the others as follows:

50°: bump and runs and full shots carry around 75 yards. Good for getting out of deep rough.
56°: This has the most bounce so bunkers and shots that I feel have a chance of being fatted.
60°: Hardly use this but its to go to club for stopping them quickly if needed like a downhill chip.

 

[stokie_93]

Im carrying 4: stock 46° and them 50°, 56° and 60°.

I took them all to the practice green and spent about 30 minutes with each just to get a feel for how they differ. In the end I settled on not really using the 46° for anything other than 100 yard shots (kind of a 9.5 iron) but the others as follows:

50°: bump and runs and full shots carry around 75 yards. Good for getting out of deep rough.
56°: This has the most bounce so bunkers and shots that I feel have a chance of being fatted.
60°: Hardly use this but its to go to club for stopping them quickly if needed like a downhill chip.

Very similar to my setup.
I carry PW, 52, 56 & 60.

My difference between PW and 56 is just far too great to not have an inbetween.

PW probably goes around 125-130, 52 around 100-110, 56 about 80 and don't use 60 for full shots.

the 60 is really handy to have around the greens for those tough chips that you have to get up and down quickly and especially chips off extremely firm lies.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Im carrying 4: stock 46° and them 50°, 56° and 60°.

I took them all to the practice green and spent about 30 minutes with each just to get a feel for how they differ. In the end I settled on not really using the 46° for anything other than 100 yard shots (kind of a 9.5 iron) but the others as follows:

50°: bump and runs and full shots carry around 75 yards. Good for getting out of deep rough.
56°: This has the most bounce so bunkers and shots that I feel have a chance of being fatted.
60°: Hardly use this but its to go to club for stopping them quickly if needed like a downhill chip.

this is what I hope to achieve long term with mine. to stop having to use a smaller swing on the wedge for shorter distances.

Of course when I started golf I didnt even know about a gap or attack wedge whatever you want to call it. I had always thought it went Pitch, Sand and thought I was being fancy getting a lob aswell

 

[bobmac]

this is what I hope to achieve long term with mine. to stop having to use a smaller swing on the wedge for shorter distances.

If you want to be any good, you need to learn those shots and they're not difficult

 

[Deleted member 21784]

If you want to be any good, you need to learn those shots and they're not difficult

I will learn them but I dont want to be constantly be having to use em! lol My swing has changed a lot recently so id be 100 yards out go for the trusty pitching wedge and full swing.. bamn over the back hit the back bank and would be off. Could have done with the 50 degree there to loose a few yards before finding out the hard way!

 

[Region3]

this is what I hope to achieve long term with mine. to stop having to use a smaller swing on the wedge for shorter distances.

Of course when I started golf I didnt even know about a gap or attack wedge whatever you want to call it. I had always thought it went Pitch, Sand and thought I was being fancy getting a lob aswell

Back in the good old days a PW used to be around 50°, then you had your SW at around 55° so there was no need for anything in between.

Now (as you've found out) the lofts in iron sets have gotten stronger so you need something in between.

I find the gap from my 46° pitching wedge to a 52° gap wedge too big because I don't like playing feel shots with the PW so I go 46, 50, 54, 60.

No doubt I could get away with 3 instead of 4, but I like the extra choice and you soon get used to what each one is good for.
For example, if I have an 80 yard shot, I can go in low with the GW, highish with the SW, or miles up with the LW.

Just a word of warning though; you might find that the SW from your iron set is quite close in distance to your new 50°. Just something I've found with sand wedges from iron sets.
My mate used to have a Ping SW as a part of his set that was 55° and I could hit that as far as my own Vokey gap wedge.

Most important thing now is practice with it and find out what you can and can't do with it.

 

[TonyN]

There's more than one way to skin a cat, as they say.

3 wedges work for me. PW, 53 and 58. Generally the distances are roughly. PW 120, 53 100 and 58 90.

I could gap the distance between the pw and 53 but there is no point. Either a slight grip down or shorter swing would have me at 110 with the PW. And I work my distances in 10s anyway. Unless your distance control is within 2-3 yards, a 4th wedge is probably just a comfort thing. Or it would he for me anyway.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Back in the good old days a PW used to be around 50°, then you had your SW at around 55° so there was no need for anything in between.

Now (as you've found out) the lofts in iron sets have gotten stronger so you need something in between.

I find the gap from my 46° pitching wedge to a 52° gap wedge too big because I don't like playing feel shots with the PW so I go 46, 50, 54, 60.

No doubt I could get away with 3 instead of 4, but I like the extra choice and you soon get used to what each one is good for.
For example, if I have an 80 yard shot, I can go in low with the GW, highish with the SW, or miles up with the LW.

Just a word of warning though; you might find that the SW from your iron set is quite close in distance to your new 50°. Just something I've found with sand wedges from iron sets.
My mate used to have a Ping SW as a part of his set that was 55° and I could hit that as far as my own Vokey gap wedge.

Most important thing now is practice with it and find out what you can and can't do with it.

Yeah Im expecting sometimes only a few yards in it thats why I went for a 8 Degree bounce on the Vokey and my sand is a 12 degree bounce. So that im on the fairway ill take Gap and in the rough ill take sand.

as to the last bit that is the most important part! that and the mental game.. my pro and myself both agree that is my weak point.. self doubt and confidence. he likes to put me in situations he knows I dont like to play through them.. like playing a around of golf with strangers

got a lesson friday and ive asked to focus on 100 yards and in. I have focused enough on the driver I think time to focus on the scoring.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, as they say.

3 wedges work for me. PW, 53 and 58. Generally the distances are roughly. PW 120, 53 100 and 58 90.

I could gap the distance between the pw and 53 but there is no point. Either a slight grip down or shorter swing would have me at 110 with the PW. And I work my distances in 10s anyway. Unless your distance control is within 2-3 yards, a 4th wedge is probably just a comfort thing. Or it would he for me anyway.

When I said to my friend about should I match my wedges he said maybe its time to invest in a whole new set of irons and wedges custom fit to me.. it worked wonders for another member of our society who has been cut from 18 to 13 over the course of this year. Due to the cost (for now) im going to stick with what I have. Planning on starting a family in next couple years so golf will be a distant memory to be found again in my late 30s lol thats when ill invest it

your right about comfort.. just another option for me.. ill prob use it loads on wednesdays round just because its there/ new/ shiny

 

[TonyN]

your right about comfort.. just another option for me.. ill prob use it loads on wednesdays round just because its there/ new/ shiny

This is the same reason one of my buddies still plays off 15 instead of about 12. He loves hitting his driver and does so even when he doesn't have to.

I asked him why and his reply was, 'you've gotta get the big dog out when you play, I just love hitting it'

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Having finally plumped on a methodology (linear) I've worked hard on my short game, from 100 yards and in. Bunkers are getting better and better and I'm getting far more distance control. Not perfect by any stretch (but have a lesson with Gary Smith booked for Friday) but I can see already the difference to scores when ball striking isn't always as good as it can be. Quite happy with my PW at 46 degree, GW at 52 and SW at 58. Plenty of balance and I've found a LW has cost more shots than it saves in my hands

 

[UlyssesSky]

Quite happy with my PW at 46 degree, GW at 52 and SW at 58. Plenty of balance and I've found a LW has cost more shots than it saves in my hands

Most would say 58 degrees IS a lob wedge...

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Having finally plumped on a methodology (linear) I've worked hard on my short game, from 100 yards and in. Bunkers are getting better and better and I'm getting far more distance control. Not perfect by any stretch (but have a lesson with Gary Smith booked for Friday) but I can see already the difference to scores when ball striking isn't always as good as it can be. Quite happy with my PW at 46 degree, GW at 52 and SW at 58. Plenty of balance and I've found a LW has cost more shots than it saves in my hands

thats one area I have never had a problem with is bunker play. Around the green normally get it out and close. Fairway bunkers depends on lip etc as to what I take. Can hit my 5 wood perfectly out of a fairway bunker with a low lip and flys about 160.

If anything around the green I prefer being in a bunker facing a chip to facing the same chip from down a hill lol

 

[Deleted member 21784]

If you want to be any good, you need to learn those shots and they're not difficult

Had a wedge lesson today so I can get the feel for how I should be practicing and I am very glad I did. We went through taking off the shots.. hitting 3/4 swings but gripping down also not just hitting 3/4 swings

left feeling much more on the right lines so its just a case of practice