Who needs four wedges?

[Maninblack4612]

Following on from the discussions about iron lofts gradually getting stronger there are comments about the need for more than three wedges. I don't see the need. For me the wedge is a tool of finesse & most of the shots played with it are less than full shots. If you wanted to cover the distance from, say, 120 yards in with clubs you could hit a full shot with you'd need considerably more than four. Personally, my 44° wedge is for all shots from around 100 yards in where there are no obstacles to go over & a lot of spin isn't required. The 50° wedge is for getting over obstacles & stopping the ball quickly, as is the 58°, which, with its 12° bounce, is also used as a sand wedge. What would I do with another one? As far as I'm concerned I don't hit the ball any higher than I need to. Added loft just makes control more difficult & I won't use the higher lofts if there's not a reason to.

 

[ruff-driver]

I have four including my pw
additions are 48, 52, 56

 

[One Planer]

Just 3 for me.

Plenty of variation there.

 

[Evesdad]

I used to have pw, 52,56 & 60 ive since dropped the GW. My short gsme has since improved.

 

[garyinderry]

I am down to 3.

Pw at 47
Sw 56
Lw 60


I could do with a gap wedge but don't have the room.

 

[fundy]

Your 44 degree "wedge" is a 9 iron!

 

[Banzai]

I am PW(47), 52, 56 and 60(in the summer only)

 

[Khamelion]

I have 4, 46, 50, 56 and 62 degree wedges. The 46 is effectively my pitching wedge, the 50 is my gap, 56 my sand wedge and 62 is the lob.

The 50 is my go to 100yd club, I happily get rid of the lob wedge and replace it with a 3 iron, but you can't get JPX 825 pro 3 irons, so it stays in the bag for the time being.

 

[Dan2501]

Mine are a bit of a mess ATM. I have:

44 - PW
52 - GW
54 - SW
58 - LW

Am planning on changing that to 44, 50, 54, 58 this year, but I'll see how I get on, be a shame to drop my Gap wedge, as I've not had it long, but the new iron set don't really gap well with my wedges. A new 50 and 58 would be nice though

 

[ScienceBoy]

I have three and I am pretty happy, but I have only 13 clubs in the bag and no spacing issues at the top end. The only sensible option would be to chuck in a lobber.

TBH a PW is hardly a wedge anymore right?

 

[Doh]

I can get away with two a PW and a 56.

 

[SVB]

As below: PW uw 54 n 58. Could manage with one less but just means I have 110' 90, 70 and 50 yds as easy full swings without needing to think so less embarrassing oops trying to fiddle a half shot.

S

 

[Maninblack4612]

I have four including my pw
additions are 48, 52, 56

So what do you use them all for?

 

[ruff-driver]

So what do you use them all for?

Hitting that little white thing around the course

 

[Maninblack4612]

Your 44 degree "wedge" is a 9 iron!

No my 9 iron is 42°. ( yes I know that makes it an 8 iron. Read my signature!)

 

[Lump]

4 wedges for me. No need for a longer stick at the other end. Would rather have another scoring club in the bag too.
PW, full shots only or the occasional bump and run (rarely used), 52, full shots or flighting a wedge shot into the wind. 56, full shots and feel distances and finally the 60, feel shots, around the green and pretty much my go to wedge. Can hit it, high, low, bump n' run and the low skid stop shots.
Don't think I'll ever drop from 4 wedges.

 

[bobmac]

Here's a picture of all my wedges



But by todays lofts, my 9 is like todays wedge so you could say I have 3
One hits it low, one hits it medium and the last hits it high.
I dont need any more options

 

[Break90]

My PW is 44deg, then I have Cleveland 48, 52, 56. I've dropped the 4 iron in favour of a 21deg hybrid.

PW - 115yds
48deg - 100yds
52deg - 85 yds
56deg 70 yes plus bunkers

Tend to use the 48 for anything under 60 yards with no obstacles, seem to be able to control the distance on partial shots better with that club than the 52/56, including greenside low check shots.

Each to their own I guess, no magic formula for everyone.

 

[delc]

In answer to the topic header question, nobody would need 4 wedges if club manufacturers hadn't jacked down the lofts of their iron sets so much. In the old days I could manage perfectly well with just the standard pitching wedge and sand iron. :mmm:

 

[fundy]

No my 9 iron is 42°. ( yes I know that makes it an 8 iron. Read my signature!)

I know

If we include 44 degree clubs (albeit mine has 9 on the bottom) as wedges I carry 5 of them on some occasions! Why? Well my 9 iron goes 145, the PW 130ish and I prefer to have more options at the top end of the bag rather than bottom, partly because I prefer to hit a fuller wedge and partly because I dont see the need for multiple clubs above the 200yd mark

Doesnt make it right or wrong, just what suits my current game. That said Im off to ICY to see Ian soon and that might change that end of the bag!