What wedges do you use?

benji79

I read an article before with Graeme McDowell where he said no handicap golfer should use a wedge higher than 56 degrees. Basically said at club level a lob wedge costs more shots than it helps with

billy3sheets

I have Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 wedges in 52, 56 & 60. Grooves a bit worn but I'm more about the loft and carry than putting the brakes on. I just pitch it a bit short and let it run out. Might take spin more seriously when I can hit them better.
PW is AP2 46* I think.

dan_ep82

GreeBo wrote: »

For years I was using a 4* bounce 60* and loved it, lots of opening up the face and playing specialist shots with it.

for my SM8s I couldnt get one at the time, so ended up with K grind @14* bounce, and to be honest, I dont really notice any difference, though my bunker play has improved due to less digging.

I talked to the guy at the Callaway fitting when I was trying out irons and he suggested I try the higher bounce 60°. I put in loads of time on it aswell to make sure I wasn't just imagining it but it just didn't suit me. I was getting poor contact or thinning them across the green. It was bad enough one of the guys I play with asked where my chipping had gone.


I know when some people hear 60° they think of full swing flop shots but I use it more like a pitching wedge with more stop most of the time. I can hit it higher when I need to and stop it on landing but generally I let it roll up to the pin, and hopefully in. I do switch to more bounce from soft lies, but anything tight and even slightly firm I'll use it as I have the confidence to know the strike is there and can judge the roll etc

GreeBo

benji79 wrote: »

I read an article before with Graeme McDowell where he said no handicap golfer should use a wedge higher than 56 degrees. Basically said at club level a lob wedge costs more shots than it helps with

I think "handicap golfer" is far too generic a term, can you really compare the game of a 28 handicap to that of a 5 handicap?

blue note

It depends on what the higher handicap golfer is using it for too. If he's using a 60 degree for everything around the green it's likely costing him shots. If he's just using it instead of opening up the face on his same wedge, it's probably saving him an occasional shot.

JIdontknow

My PW is 44/45 degrees. Carry a 50, 56 (both Cleveland rtx 2.0) and 58. I rarely use the 56 degree as I don’t feel overly comfortable / confident with it, so I’ll use the 58 for bunker shots and short chip shots, and the 50 degree for other shots from further out. Around the green at this time of year with slower greens and placing and conditions I’ll play a lot of bump and runs as they are the most forgiving / easiest shot to play. Probably should start using the 56 a bit more and work on distance control with the wedges as opposed to being a more visual / feel player on those shots, might explain my handicap!

DuckSlice

JIdontknow wrote: »

My PW is 44/45 degrees. Carry a 50, 56 (both Cleveland rtx 2.0) and 58. I rarely use the 56 degree as I don’t feel overly comfortable / confident with it, so I’ll use the 58 for bunker shots and short chip shots, and the 50 degree for other shots from further out. Around the green at this time of year with slower greens and placing and conditions I’ll play a lot of bump and runs as they are the most forgiving / easiest shot to play. Probably should start using the 56 a bit more and work on distance control with the wedges as opposed to being a more visual / feel player on those shots, might explain my handicap!

Have you considered changing the 56 to a 54, 2 degrees gap is practically nothing.

JIdontknow

etxp wrote: »

Have you considered changing the 56 to a 54, 2 degrees gap is practically nothing.

Yeah I definitely should. I guess the reason for my current wedge configuration is that originally I had a 50, 56, 60 but found the 58 with different sole much better out of bunkers and a much nicer all round wedge so the 56 is just a passenger and that’s why my 50 degree is often used where the 56 probably should be. Same way with a 3 Wood, carry it, rarely use it and anytime I do I say to myself there’s a reason I don’t use it, yet still have it in my bag “just in case”!

SuprSi

I was just speaking with the club pro and he's going to de-loft my 3 wedges by 2 degrees - I didn't know you could do that! Saves me having to buy any new wedges and gets rid of the big gap between my pitching and gap wedges! I'll lose some bounce but the 56 has 14 bounce and the 60 has 12, so it's no real loss. It's very handy that you can change the clubs like that.

KevH1984

SuprSi wrote: »

I was just speaking with the club pro and he's going to de-loft my 3 wedges by 2 degrees - I didn't know you could do that! Saves me having to buy any new wedges and gets rid of the big gap between my pitching and gap wedges! I'll lose some bounce but the 56 has 14 bounce and the 60 has 12, so it's no real loss. It's very handy that you can change the clubs like that.

That's a very good idea. Very handy to have that option with the pro. They should fit in nicely with your new set. At least you'll have the correct gapping in your set now and might even see an improvement. Wedges are expensive if you're buying 3 brand new at the one time. I usually wouldn't dream of it but got a work voucher for Christmas which covered my new ones.

Dbu

Had loads of wedges, all now in garage
Now only have PW and SW (use only in the sand)
use the PW for everything from 120 in.
too many wedges/gaps was a head wreck:D

benji79

GreeBo wrote: »

I think "handicap golfer" is far too generic a term, can you really compare the game of a 28 handicap to that of a 5 handicap?

You couldn’t compare their overall game, this was just about using a lob wedge, he basically said both will be fairly rubbish with it

Set PW at 46 degrees and then a 52 and 58 Cleveland CBX's. I've tried 4 wedges but then i just overthink things.

Third_Echelon

Replaced my clubs completely over the last year (got some vouchers from a work prize that paid for it mostly). Started off replacing the drivers and hybrids as i hated them. Replaced the 3W and 4H with the Ping G Crossover Irons (3 & 4). Definitely a lot more consistent with them vs the 4H. Replaced my irons then with the Ping G Black Dot. Really like them i have to say, and I love the PW (45) from that set.

Added these two in as well:

PING Glide 3.0 Eye2 Wedge (Loft: 54.0°)
PING Glide 2.0 Wedge (Loft: 58.0°)

I use the 54 as a sand wedge. Really good from the bunker. The 58 is nice on approach or around the green, but still trying to find my range with it. 60 is definitely too much for me - would be a waste of a club i think.

JCDUB

My PW is 45⁰, and I've 52⁰ and 56⁰ vokey SM7s.

I mainly use the PW, or bump and run an 8 iron if the shot is flat and there are no obstructions, depending on how I feel/what I see. No hard and fast rules for me.

I use the 52 when there may be a little height required, short sided, a longer bunker shot etc.

56 is used mainly for bunkers and coming over obstructions, but definitely the least of the wedges.

Big gap from 45⁰ to 52⁰ but I've been playing these lofts for years and I'm very comfortable with them now.

If it ain't broke etc.... Although by the time we get back to it, I'd say everything might be broken.

willabur

blue note wrote: »

My lob wedge is reserved for the times where I can't run an 8 iron up to the hole. I don't use it for full shots. But for those times where I'm in front of a bunker or have rough between me and the green, have a decent lie and don't have much green to work with it's great. Or even for the couple of holes where running the ball up a slope might be too unpredictable.

It's far from the most used club in my bag. But the alternative would be a 3 iron and the lib wedge comes in much more handy.

60 degree lw is the one I use the least in my bag but I think you can find yourself in so many positions in corballis where you have to have as much loft as possible.
One example is the dry bunker on the second hole, if you are shortsided there you need the loft to keep the ball on the green. Bump and run is not possible

similar in that gulley that surrounds the 18th. Then there are the pot bunkers on 5 and 6. That 60 is never leaving my bag

blue note

That gully on 18 is where I think it's most useful. It's actually too steep to run it up it, not just unpredictable if you do. And since it's landing at a higher point than where you're hitting from it won't have the same stop that it normally would. So simply the more loft the better for that shot. Same story for 2, occasionally 5, if you're in the dip before the green on 7, it can be handy on 9, if you run all the way down on 13 it's the right club and the odd time on 16 it has been handy.

If I was still a member in Tramore I might only use it every couple of rounds if even.

GreeBo

benji79 wrote: »

You couldn’t compare their overall game, this was just about using a lob wedge, he basically said both will be fairly rubbish with it

Yeah I get that, and thats what I am disagreeing with.
Most low single digit golfers who use one are not fairly rubbish with their LW.

So to say that all handicap golfers are is wrong.

Russman

GreeBo wrote: »

Yeah I get that, and thats what I am disagreeing with.
Most low single digit golfers who use one are not fairly rubbish with their LW.

So to say that all handicap golfers are is wrong.

Greebo, was it your club that had a former tour guy come in to coach their Senior Cup & Barton Shield teams one winter a few years ago ? Might not have been your place as DK was probably still there, 'twas somewhere fairly high profile anyway. The story goes that the first thing he told them to do was throw their lob wedges in the f---ing bin.

You're right though, if you're low single figures and using one, you're probably decent enough with it, or at least competent.

GreeBo

Russman wrote: »

Greebo, was it your club that had a former tour guy come in to coach their Senior Cup & Barton Shield teams one winter a few years ago ? Might not have been your place as DK was probably still there, 'twas somewhere fairly high profile anyway. The story goes that the first thing he told them to do was throw their lob wedges in the f---ing bin.

You're right though, if you're low single figures and using one, you're probably decent enough with it, or at least competent.

That rings a bell alright, but I'm only lowly jnr cup

Personally I use my lw as much for distance as for "short game shots"
I.e pitching from anything up to 60m will be LW, 56 for 40-90 and 52 for 60-110m
But I'll also use all 3 for chipping and bunker shots, depending on lie, distance and green to work with.

coillcam

My wedges are Cleveland RTX-4 in 52 mid / 56 low / 60 low.

The 56 is my go to club for most shots around the green and bunker. I used the 60 a lot more during better weather. However when winter came I had much less use for it other than compacted bunkers and a few situations where I needed the face open. The 52 and PW (JPX 919 forged) get used for full shots as well as longer chips.

I picked up used 54 & 58 Callaway PM grind 2019's recently for small money on adverts. Looking forward to trying them out properly when things open up. I absolutely love the profile of the clubs when you address the ball. If they work out I'll let go of my RTX's and drop in a 50 degree wedge.

Russman

GreeBo wrote: »

That rings a bell alright, but I'm only lowly jnr cup

Personally I use my lw as much for distance as for "short game shots"
I.e pitching from anything up to 60m will be LW, 56 for 40-90 and 52 for 60-110m
But I'll also use all 3 for chipping and bunker shots, depending on lie, distance and green to work with.

Ya, while I could happily live without a lob wedge, I think they’ve evolved into the 14th club in the bag, with the 3 iron being almost obsolete nowadays.

GreeBo

Russman wrote: »

Ya, while I could happily live without a lob wedge, I think they’ve evolved into the 14th club in the bag, with the 3 iron being almost obsolete nowadays.

Agreed, if I took mine out I dunno what I would put in instead...
Have 4i, 19* rescue and then 3W, so no real gap at that end.


Maybe a jigger....

Ivefoundgod

Birthday coming up and hopefully golf coming back in April so I'm looking at getting a set of wedges. Currently have an ancient no name 52 SW, 56 MD Golf and Nike 60 lob wedge.

I've worked at the lofts of my irons so now looking at picking up a 48, 52 and 56. I've got my eye on the SM8 vokeys, is there any other wedges people would recommend? I'm thinking I'll go SM8 52, 56 and look to pick up something like the Cleveland CB wedges for the 48 as I'll use that for full shots mainly, the 52 and 56 will be for around the green almost exclusively.

In terms of grind, I've no idea what to go for really. I've just become a member of Carlow GC and most of my golf will be played on parkland courses I expect so not sure what the best general use grinds would be.

Kiith

Vokey have a calculator on their site, to help calculate the right wedges for you. No idea how good it actually is, but i ended up getting almost exactly what they suggested on adverts (by chance), and i love them all.

https://www.vokey.com/tools/wedge-selector-tool.aspx

Ivefoundgod

Kiith wrote: »

Vokey have a calculator on their site, to help calculate the right wedges for you. No idea how good it actually is, but i ended up getting almost exactly what they suggested on adverts (by chance), and i love them all.

https://www.vokey.com/tools/wedge-selector-tool.aspx

Thats actually really cool, thanks!

Strangely (to me, an idiot ) its recommending 50, 54, 58. My PW is 45 so I'd have thought a 5 degree gap would be an issue in terms of gapping? I could really do with a trackman session to get an accurate impression of how far I can hit my irons though. I'm just guessing off range markers and approximations.

spacecoyote

Kiith wrote: »

Vokey have a calculator on their site, to help calculate the right wedges for you. No idea how good it actually is, but i ended up getting almost exactly what they suggested on adverts (by chance), and i love them all.

https://www.vokey.com/tools/wedge-selector-tool.aspx

That is quite a nice little tool alright, at least to get a rough gauge. Lofts match what I have in my set, but grinds wouldn't line up. But I didnt get a proper fit when I last bought wedges

redzerdrog

Kiith wrote: »

Vokey have a calculator on their site, to help calculate the right wedges for you. No idea how good it actually is, but i ended up getting almost exactly what they suggested on adverts (by chance), and i love them all.

https://www.vokey.com/tools/wedge-selector-tool.aspx

I used this calculator when buying mine! Very handy little tool

Ivefoundgod

redzerdrog wrote: »

I used this calculator when buying mine! Very handy little tool

Did you buy Vokeys? How are you finding them? I'm thinking of the Jet Black finish for mine, love that look but I expect it will wear fairly quickly.

RoadRunner

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Birthday coming up and hopefully golf coming back in April so I'm looking at getting a set of wedges.

FYI Mcguirks have a good deal on the older cleveland rtx4 wedges. 2 for €175.

(edit: though the 2 for 175 doesn't seem to be working on the website for me & they mostly seem to have the less popular combo of variables like 60degree and xlow bounce - so you might not get a whole set)