Who needs four wedges?

[hines57]

3 for me. PW, 52 and 58. Can't see where a fourth would fit.

 

[fundy]

3 for me. PW, 52 and 58. Can't see where a fourth would fit.

The usual option is 52/56/60 rather than 52/58 so as to have 4 degree not 6 degree gaps

 

[bobmac]

The usual option is 52/56/60 rather than 52/58 so as to have 4 degree not 6 degree gaps

Unless your PW is 46

 

[Fyldewhite]

Four wedges for me. Have used this for maybe a dozen years and wouldn't ever sacrifice one for a long club. Current set-up is 46 (PW), 50, 54, 58.

I don't carry a 3 wood so have a space in the bag and to me it's as simple as this.......your pitching wedge in your set goes X. With two extra wedges you have two more "exact" full shot distances inside X. With three wedges you have three. 50% more options in what is a critical area of the game. I'm a massive believer in this game being all about 150 yards in and wouldn't ever sacrifice this flexibility for a wood or hybrid that I'd hit a couple of times a round trying to hit a green at 200 yards (and probably failing).

All that said, it's what works for you. The length of course you play most golf at is a big factor too.

 

[CMAC]

No-one.


I have 2

 

[Fish]

I have 4

p/w, 52/7, 56/12, 60/5

The key to mine is the bounce spread, this gives me confidence which at my level is huge.

I was on a very flat lie in a very deep ravine at Blackmoor yesterday and my 60/5 gave me the confidence to get it vertical very quickly and fly it to green close to the pin.

My gap wedge is my most used club for delicate feel chips around the green.

Sand wedge is for..Erm...bunkers and more fluffy lies in rough.

Pitching wedge 100 in and bump & runs as it keeps my hands forward, I've tried 8 and other irons and they don't work as well for me as my p/w.

So 4 for me and I'm very happy with that.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Four for me.
PW
52
56
60

 

[Imurg]

Four wedges for me. Have used this for maybe a dozen years and wouldn't ever sacrifice one for a long club. Current set-up is 46 (PW), 50, 54, 58.

I don't carry a 3 wood so have a space in the bag and to me it's as simple as this.......your pitching wedge in your set goes X. With two extra wedges you have two more "exact" full shot distances inside X. With three wedges you have three. 50% more options in what is a critical area of the game. I'm a massive believer in this game being all about 150 yards in and wouldn't ever sacrifice this flexibility for a wood or hybrid that I'd hit a couple of times a round trying to hit a green at 200 yards (and probably failing).

All that said, it's what works for you. The length of course you play most golf at is a big factor too.

+1 except my PW is 45°..

Years ago a Pro asked me how many times I would hit a green from 200+ yards.
My answer was not that often.
He asked whether I would prefer 2 clubs capable of missing the green from there or 4 clubs to help me get close once I've missed it?
Various lofts and bounces for various shots.
Practice enough and you get to know which works in which scenario.
People say there is too much choice with 4 wedges but that's only because they probably pick the wrong club for the wrong job because they haven't practised enough..

 

[NWJocko]

I've got 4 (50, 56 & 60 after PW).

I like having a 60 in the summer for either deep bunkers or shots over aforementioned bunkers when I miss greens

I've almost got the yips with 80 yard shots at the moment though..... :rofl:

 

[SAPCOR1]

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

same as me......

 

[Sybez]

Anyone write on the hozels their full and half swing yardages (ala Mark Crossfield)? Just done this on mine and helped a lot today one mt first practice round with em..

 

[DanFST]

I also have 4. Needed when I made the switch from Blades, to covert 2.0 irons with strong lofts.

PW is at 44 degrees! This carries 121.
50 degree Vokey. carries 100
56 degree Vokey carries 80.
60 degree Vokey carries 50. And is manipulated all round the green.

 

[Maninblack4612]

I also have 4. Needed when I made the switch from Blades, to covert 2.0 irons with strong lofts.

PW is at 44 degrees! This carries 121.
50 degree Vokey. carries 100
56 degree Vokey carries 80.
60 degree Vokey carries 50. And is manipulated all round the green.

Interesting how people approach things in different ways. I would never think of using a 60° wedge around the green unless I needed to get the ball up & down quickly. Stan Utley, the short game wizard says get the ball on the ground as soon as possible.

 

[SAPCOR1]

Interesting how people approach things in different ways. I would never think of using a 60° wedge around the green unless I needed to get the ball up & down quickly. Stan Utley, the short game wizard says get the ball on the ground as soon as possible.

a 60* wedge with low bounce can be useful in wet sand

 

[Lump]

Interesting how people approach things in different ways. I would never think of using a 60° wedge around the green unless I needed to get the ball up & down quickly. Stan Utley, the short game wizard says get the ball on the ground as soon as possible.

You can get the ball on the ground quickly with a 60.
Just like everything in life, people see things in different ways. There is no one way to play the game.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

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:

Some of us cope with the modern lofts quite nicely and only 3 wedges to do so. Even in the old days of blades I could have done with a gap wedge.

 

[tsped83]

Not me, I hate chipping. 45' PW, 52' and 56' wedges. Most commonly used club around the greens? = 22' hybrid.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I think a 60 could save me some shots...

[ducks for the flying popcorn]

 

[Craigg]

Interesting to see some of the lofts on modern irons. There is so much variation between one PW and another.
These are my Ping eye+ 2 lofts that I use

PW- 48.5
SW- 53
LW- 58

Ping did some re-jigging in the early days. Below are the lofts from the Eye 2 irons that preceded mine

PW- 50.5
SW- 57.5
LW- 61

Quite a marked difference really

 

[SAPCOR1]

Not me, I hate chipping. 45' PW, 52' and 56' wedges. Most commonly used club around the greens? = 22' hybrid.

A wee dink with a 7 iron works wonders sometimes