Any wide sole wedge users out there?

I've always used a medium sole width. Tried a ping glide ws sole and it really seemed more forgiving as far as turf interaction goes. Is this your experience? Any down side to the widesole?

Depends on your swing and course conditions. A WS wedge increases effective bounce over the measured number. That is neither good or bad, it just is. Get what works for you.

In Phil’s Secrets of the Short Game DVD he suggests using a wedge with a wider sole.

I occasionally play a Vokey K grind 58*, Love that wedge, took a little getting used to but great from all kinds of lies and wonderful out of the sand. May put it back in the bag for that reason alone.

> @Nessism said:

> Depends on your swing and course conditions. A WS wedge increases effective bounce over the measured number. That is neither good or bad, it just is. Get what works for you.

I have a WS 54°/12 SW. It plays like a 56°/15 C-grind I had a few years back. The 48° PW is a standard sole, and the 60° is a U-grind (shallow area) on sole. It depends on your swing, and the normal turf you play on.

Club designer Ralph Maltby suggests finding your normal bounce need, and then having one wedge that goes against your trend so you have some flexibility. This means if you have mainly high bounce, put a low bounce PW or LW in the mix. Similarly, have a high bounce SW if all other wedges are moderate or low bounce.

Also, turf grass can sometimes be deceiving. When playing off zoysia, cut a quarter-size gouge down to bare dirt. But on shots off bluegrass or bent-grass, I take a deeper divot that's replaceable. A wedge fitting can help you decide what grind is best.

Also, a recent short-game strategy for chips and partial wedges involves _engaging the bounce_. In this type of stroke, you skim higher-bounce sole along the turf grass rather than hitting down with lots of shaft lean. _Engaging the bounce_ promises a bigger margin of error on your shot. If you pick it clean, you get more carry but more backspin. If you hit it a little fat, you get less carry but more rollout.

Engaging the bounce is popular with users of Edel wedges.

I just moved to Portland, I’m now using a 52w and a 58 low bounce w md5 jaws. Both are so solid in our soft conditions. I wish they made a 46w

Yup, low bounce K-grind. Love it!

Yep.

I use a wide sole 60*. I have no issues hitting flops with it and it never gets hung up or digs. I also have a steep swing angle and don't like playing anything less than 8* to 10* bounce

Both of my wedges are in Cobra's WideLow grind. 56/7 and 60/4. No complaints here. Both are easy to open up if needed and get through the turf just fine.

I play one SS and one WS and like the versatility.

I have a wide sole lob that is in the rotation currently. It has a straight leading edge and low bounce. Super easy out of medium to soft sand and thicker grass. That being said, I am looking another wedge with a more versatile grind to open up around the greens and hit off tighter mown fairways.

> @jedc said:

> I have a wide sole lob that is in the rotation currently. It has a straight leading edge and low bounce. Super easy out of medium to soft sand and thicker grass. That being said, I am looking another wedge with a more versatile grind to open up around the greens and hit off tighter mown fairways.

All of our preferences are different but I think the wide sole, low measured bounce lob wedge is best for the conditions you mention (medium/soft sand, thick rough, but firm/tight fairways). The wide sole tends to help out of the sand / rough but if the leading edge is low the club is still relatively playable of the tight lies. Personally, for these conditions I like the original PING Eye 2 LW design (or XG/Gorge re-makes). I also used a Cleveland 485 60 degree for quite a while, although I think the leading edge on this club was much more rounded.

The thinner soles like the Eye 2+ or newer TS grinds are easier to open up but I have more trouble with them out of the rough.

Been using new Bigfoot and it is a bunker-saver!

I do like a wide sole, I can’t see many drawbacks to be honest.

I have Glide wedges with the SS but I play around with a 54 WS sometimes. It's great for standard shots from the fairway or rough. You can't really open it up for a tight lie on the fairway but it's usually fine to open up in the rough.

The issue I have is with the sand. The 54 WS is great for nice fluffy sand. However if you end up on a course with hard-packed dirt/sand the 54 WS is basically unplayable from the sand. It won't dig at all and just bounces straight off the dirt/sand.

My lob wedge is a Cleveland 485 which I would consider wide sole. >90% of the shots I hit with it are done deliberately allowing the club to hit behind the ball and trusting the sole/bounce to slide along the turf and into the ball. Depending on the shot and how I've open OR shut the face, how far behind the ball I hit can vary btw 1/4" up to probably a full 1". Learning to use AND trust the bounce of a wedge can be a real epiphany for many.

NixHex nailed it... got a used $30 Vokey oil can 60-08 and it’s awesome from wet bunkers, this was before Vokey even named it a K grind.. hard to find used, so having it restored...waiting for my 54 degree K grind to arrive soon

"bounce is your friend" have heard that from many pro's (Trevino, Couples, Mickelson, etc..and many more) when giving tips on wedge play.

> @Porker said:

> NixHex nailed it... got a used $30 Vokey oil can 60-08 and it’s awesome from wet bunkers, this was before Vokey even named it a K grind.. hard to find used, so having it restored...waiting for my 54 degree K grind to arrive soon

They make a 54 k grind?

Pure goodness baby!!... it’s a wedge works exclusive

> @nova6868 said:

> I have Glide wedges with the SS but I play around with a 54 WS sometimes. It's great for standard shots from the fairway or rough. You can't really open it up for a tight lie on the fairway but it's usually fine to open up in the rough.

>

> The issue I have is with the sand. The 54 WS is great for nice fluffy sand. However if you end up on a course with hard-packed dirt/sand the 54 WS is basically unplayable from the sand. It won't dig at all and just bounces straight off the dirt/sand.

I have had the same experience with the WS grind on very firm or poorly maintained bunkers. Almost impossible for me to hit a proper shot with WS.

I'm tired of poor contact with my 790 PW on our tight bent grass fairways and am getting a ist gen Milled Grind 48* to replace it. Will bend it to 46*.