Hi,

Everyone seems to be trying to gain speed for driver/irons but what about wedges?

I'm stuck on about 100yd for a 54 wedge, so, am I going to need to get more SS here to increase distance or could attack angles be increasing spin too much?

Just thinking out loud here (considering a stock shot) speed equals height so compared to an iron or driver based on loft the ball's decent angle will be sharper rather than flatter which allows for distance.

I could be 100% wrong

Not being an antagonist but why would you want to hit your wedges further?

I never thought of wedges, or irons for that matter, as distance clubs, but scoring clubs. I rarely take a full swing with a wedge anyway.

ps: I am not sure who this "everyone" is you mention. I haven't seen much evidence of it where I play.

Could care less how far I can max out my wedges. If I'm even thinking of hitting any of my wedges max distance, I need to go up a club.

Stock shot 85% swing, 56- 93yds and 52- 103 yards. I only swing at 85% because to me it doesn’t matter how far it goes I want the accuracy. If I swing them the speed of my drive I don’t get that. These clubs are designed for scoring not distance. Try this I bet that wedge game improves.

You should be wanting consistent distance with your wedges. Trying to Max a wedge leads to the opposite of consistency.

I think the idea is that speed/distance is compared with the driver/long clubs because they are used to go the furthest. What would be the point in getting a 140 yard sand wedge when you can just hit a 9 iron?

Increasing your swing speed would move all your club yardages but most people just compare driver because that's the only club that you cant grab another club to hit further. Right?

When I stopped trying to hit my wedges hard I started scoring a lot better, the end.

Try to hit them lower not harder.

My current setup:

60 degree from 80 and in

54 -80- 100 yards

51- 100-110 yards

PW 110-125

Of course course conditions (in NE OHIO) changes from time to time so the above stated distances do vary, but for the most part .

Thanks, a few slaps in the face here, I'm not trying to get a wedge 150 here, it would be nice to know I could get a bit further distance with wedges without the excessive effort.

Dunno if this is tosh but TW hits SW 118 yards! https://www.golfmagic.com/equipment-news/how-do-tiger-woods-yardages-stack-against-your-own-golf-game

I'd love to know I could hit a 1/2 shot 100 yard shot.

First off, I wouldn't compare my ability with any club to the likes of TW or any other Pro. IMO what PRO's do is no longer a bench market for many golfers and I play to a low single depending. Pros have a great many training and equipment variables. Also, if you did the math, TWs distance spread between irons isn't equal but similar to my spread. However, our distance per club is obviously different.

You can hit a 1/2 shot 100yrds just use a different iron. How far people hit clubs depends greatly on ball striking skills and what their practice regime includes.

58* LW = 90yds - carry

52* SW = 105yrds - carry

47* PW = 118yrds - carry

Carry and OA distance are two numbers. Being from old school, I have 3 distances for each of my irons, plus or minus 10-12 yrds from the clubs normal distance. Thank you Steelfiber shafts.

If I get too steep with any iron I am guaranteed distance loss due to spin. Note, my 52* has the same i125cw shaft as the rest of my short irons.

If you are working to increase you club head speed, you will likely see it translate to every club in the bag. But I wouldn't purposely work on max distance with wedges. The goal is to hit a consistent distance. Generally you want controllable spin as well. I wouldn't be purposefully trying to flight a wedge super low or trying to catch them thin and with lower spin just to get 15 more yards. That's not going to be controllable or consistent at all.

100 yards for your 54 degree wedge already likely too far.

Easy, hit an 8 iron. ;-)

You more likely than not present too much loft at impact, so any extra effort to hit it harder simply launches it higher with more spin and thus it doesnt go any further.

He's also bagged 15 majors.

You think you've got a shot at that too?

No...tom kites retired so competition is far higher now days.

Check out the Mike Bender vids on Instagram. Helped me with lower trajectories and distance control.

I tried to get into mike bender and I just can’t. Hard to explain but his teaching method just does not click with the way I learn or something. I hear so many good things too!

What makes you say that? My stock 54 is 110 with a hard but controlled swing. I use it for any distance between 95 - 110. 58 is anything from a chip to 95. If he isn't swinging out of his shoes, then it's not "too far".

Why do you think what works for you (and not doubting that) works for Daniel?

He's "stuck" on 100 yards, so max'd out, and chasing more distance for his 54 degree wedge. (Not the first time he's been on about increasing swing speed, and he's always curious about stuff, which is great -- not saying he shouldn't try and improve any way he wants to.) Bet almost anything his real swing speed is nowhere near yours.

To me it screams, "don't hit your wedges so far Daniel!"

I played with a friend of mine and his son this past summer. 135 yard par three and the kid hits his 56º to within 10 feet, lol.

To quote Elton John (well, Bernie Taupin), "I've seen that movie, too."

Lots of strong youngsters out there and love to see anyone who can hit a ball a long ways that goes where they want it to go!

Not me. Once I establish a distance on a wedge and need more distance I club up. I play 3/4 gaps and Pw depending on what i’m trying to accomplish

This is well as you say....out of curiosity :)

I think the wedge can be a nemesis for me and i've got inconsistencies to work on in terms of how much DL i'm adding, so it is more of a case of getting consistent trajectory with them.

Another factor is all practice is done with range balls.....add to that is now full deep winter in the UK so physics isn't entirely on my side :D

You curiosity may be rewarded, and nothing wrong with figuring out ways to increase being overall, would love to be younger and I'm sure I'd chase it, lol.

Two things occur to me from experience (and I'm no coach and a 6.8, not a scratch or pro by any means):

I haven't tried, so don't know what I could do by working out or whatever to increase swing speed but have seen gains from a more efficient swing; and If wedges are inconsistent (see . . . . . . me), don't hit them 100% most of the time, less loft and better technique and you'll see scores drop.Now, you increase your swing speeds and a not full out, controllable wedge shot with a nice trajectory flies 100 yards or 110 yards or whatever AND goes where you want it to go consistently - forget about what the number is on the bottom of the club and hit that one when you have that distance.

My driver ss is in the 92-95 range last time I checked (but I haven't been on a LM and known the results for a long time). "Normal" wedge distances for me: 50 degree - 90 or so, 54 degree - 75 or so, 58 degree - 60 or so. Probably seem "wimpy" to many on here, lol, but I try not to put too much pressure on short game because it doesn't work for me. And I may hit a little 8 from 100, or a PW from 60 - just depends.

Sorry for the long-winded post and again, that's just me and I'm not a coach - but maybe see what happens with the swing speed gains and even though my distances may be short for you (and not suggesting you hit yours any particular distance), think about wedges in a way that improves your scoring. You gain speed and then a less than full out wedge is even easier to control and goes farther than before and win-win. Great.

Well said Hawk.

Thanks! It's no secret I'm no swing guru, lol, but if some of that is helpful, and I've seen a lot of Daniel's posts over the years and have a little context, then great. And if not, he should completely ignore it!