Who plays with a PW and just a 56* Sand wedge?

pitching wedge WAS a gap wedge 20 years ago. That's why people used less wedges. Because the PW was 50 or 51, the sand wedge was 56 and the greens were slower.

now, a PW is 45 degrees, and greens move faster than a teenager on prom night. Hence the need for lob and gap wedges.

[quote name='MtlJeff' timestamp='1315152885' post='3541112']
pitching wedge WAS a gap wedge 20 years ago. That's why people used less wedges. Because the PW was 50 or 51, the sand wedge was 56 and the greens were slower.

now, a PW is 45 degrees, and greens move faster than a teenager on prom night. Hence the need for lob and gap wedges.
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Exactly, sets of old used to be 2 or 3-PW...now they're 4-GW but the same lofts. Companies just make you feel better when you're hitting PW 150 yards when its really just an old 9 iron.

I started with just a 56* too. I later added a 60 degree and later again changed the 56* to a 54* to widen the gap a bit. Recently I added a 50* cg16 for the odd 100 yard shot. It causes something on the long end to come out though as I carry a 3 iron.

Im starting to think 4 wedges is a bit much again and may dump the gap wedge in favor of something at the long end. Right now I go driver..then 18 degree hybrid.

OP...I still play that same setup, 588 BeCu 56* and a pitching wedge but I'm also still playing my 10yo Maxfli Revolutions with "normal" lofts. I guess ignorance is bliss because I have never really felt the need for another wedge.

[quote name='topr' timestamp='1315153537' post='3541128']
OP...I still play that same setup, 588 BeCu 56* and a pitching wedge but I'm also still playing my 10yo Maxfli Revolutions with "normal" lofts. I guess ignorance is bliss because I have never really felt the need for another wedge.


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49-50 degree PW to a 56 degree SW isn't as big a deal. But when you get to a 45 degree PW that's when you get a pretty sizable gap.

[quote name='topr' timestamp='1315153537' post='3541128']
OP...I still play that same setup, 588 BeCu 56* and a pitching wedge but I'm also still playing my 10yo Maxfli Revolutions with "normal" lofts. I guess ignorance is bliss because I have never really felt the need for another wedge.
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Nice, I think I may bring out my old Tommy Armour 845 Silver Scot and my Cleveland TA Chrome 588 56* sand wedge. Let's see what happens. Nice to tinker from time to time.

Up until last year I was using just a pw and a sw but recently went to 4 wedges. It got to the point to where I would play entire rounds without taking the headcover off my 5 wood or 3 iron so I made some changes. I'd much rather have a bigger option of scoring clubs with today's green speeds.

My pw to sw is too big of a gap. I play a 52 and 56.

Ping Eye2 have a 50.7* PW and 57.7* SW. No need for a GW or LW with that setup.

my buddy's dad plays his 45* 731 Pm pitching wedge and a 56* nike sv tour wedge. He has an 11 degree gap in there but does just fine. Has a really nice short game.

48.5° PW and a 54° SW (Scratch AR-1 PW and DD 53° bent weak), which I lay wide open for lobs and the like. Works more reliably for me than any 58-60 I've found. I do have a little gap, ironically right at 100yd, which is a very full 54 or a knockdown PW. However, the lighter bag makes it worthwhile - I carry 11-13 clubs most of the time.

[quote name='theothertwo' timestamp='1315152481' post='3541099']
Do I really need a gap and a lob wedge? Back when I started playing golf, I had a PW and a 588 56* sand wedge,. I have since added a lob wedge and an occasional gap wedge but I really wonder if they have helped or is it better to have a reliable sand wedge where you can be very comfortable with and create different shots with it.

Did Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson in their prime use 2 or 3 wedges?
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Years ago I carried 4 wedges when I hit the ball longer. Now a PW and 56 work just fine. I comes down to your needs and I needed to close the gap with my longer sticks.

If you are playing the PW that comes with you set just call it what it really is,,, your 10 iron.

Thus, I game 3 wedges. A 52, 56, and 61.

Just ordered G20 Sand and Lob "Wedge"....for approach shots, they are not "wedges" to me, but something shorter than the freaking Gap Wedge 50* which I can't hit greens without chocking down and doing all kinds of partial swings that can be messed up.

So I'll have PW, UW, SW, LW and 60* ... ... ...

I play MP 68's and a Callaway X tour 56, so yeah I do.

Simply can't do it with the modern iron specs. I'm ordering G20s in 5-U, and that used to be 4-PW :P

I have a PW and a 56 and a 52.
52 doesn get used very much. On approach shots i feel more comfy hitting a soft PW than the 52. But i use it mainly for bumpnruns. Cant do it with the 56 and the grind of my PW somehow makes me hit those fat very often, so ...

To be honest ... We have a great short game area at my club and i've gotten pretty good using my 56 and PW for 95% of these short distances.

I guess its down to personal preference.

All been said, the gap is to much now a days- 45* to 56*. I like a 50 or 52 in between there somewhere.

Just recently most OEM have rationalised their sets and sell most now as 4-GW, so you only really need a 56* and your done. I carry a LW as well but can take or leave it, I dont use it very often- 55- 60m full shots is about it, or to get over some nasty obstacle

I play 5-pw,55*sw.

[quote name='rafal' timestamp='1315169849' post='3541513']
Just ordered G20 Sand and Lob "Wedge"....for approach shots, they are not "wedges" to me, but something shorter than the freaking Gap Wedge 50* which I can't hit greens without chocking down and doing all kinds of partial swings that can be messed up.

So I'll have PW, UW, SW, LW and 60* ... ... ...
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Every time I try to add a GW or LW, I find myself trying to take 75% of a full swing, or 110% of something else....I'm back to a PW, and a 56%. To make adjustments, I just choke down, rather than choke on the cost of more wedges. It has made a difference of about 3-4 strokes per round, as I am not trying to 'do the math' in my head....just visualize, and make the shot.

I have played PW at 47, 52 /07and 58/08 for the last 3 years. I brought a 56 a couple of months ago as an experiment and now play 47, 52 & 56/10 and I am really enjoying this combination. From learning to use the 58 it has made me a far better short game player and really learnt how to open the club up, move it around in my stance and get soft high shots or low spinners. I now feel I can play any shot with the 56 that I could play with the 58 short sided, high bunker lips no problem.

The 58 has opened my eyes to creativity which I probably would not have understood if I had just had a 56 over the last few years. I will happily play either 56 or 58 as my highest loft wedge and give the 58 a run out next summer on the fast greens.

To answer the OP's question about Seve and Watson, yes they used a PW and a 55 or 56, as did Nicklaus,Trevino, Palmer and most of the rest of the players of that generation. As Seve once said, "why I need a 60* I just open the 55* and then I have a 60*"

Tom Kite is credited with adding a LW at the suggestion of Dave Pelz, then Ping added the LW to it's Eye 2 set and then it seemed everyone started carrying one.

I believe Watson now carries a 52* GW and a 56* SW along with the rest of his set....which is essentially what he carried in his prime less the one and two iron and how he has some hybrids.

I personally have 4 wedges but really only use the PW and my 58* for the short game, the others just fill full swing gaps. To me the 58* is the perfect loft in the modern set, it gives enough spin on modern greens yet isn't as tricky to use as a 60-64, especially when you get one with adequate bounce. I rarely use my 50 or 54, I have often thought of replacing them with a 52, but quite frankly I really dont need to add a hybrid or fairway wood to my bag,

When I was younger I carried a 48* PW and a 56 and 60 as many people did in those days......the 60 was really only a specialty club, I used the 56 for most all shots unless I needed a flop, now the 58 does it all except when I need a low runner then I use a 7 iron or PW. If there was a 13 club rule the first club I would pull would be a wedge for sure.

In the balata days I bought the 53-55-58 sets of Watson wedges in BeCu and Cobalt (still have about 6-7 sets in my closet), but really only used the 55. 1-3-5w, 2-W and then a SW.

Today I only play a 55 & 59, but truth be known all I need is the 59. I can play all the shots with it high/low, stop & run.

That whole Pelz 4 wedge & the 4 different o'clock backswings is really good for people who have poor distance control. If you're not good at distance control then get the wedges to fill gaps.

I don't play a GW. I also don't do SW full swings.

I prefer to control spin and especially flight from 125-80 I hit 3/4 to 1/2 one hop & stop 9 & PWs then from 80 in the 55 & 59.

So no you don't need a GW, but as far as SW v. LW that all depends on what you want to do around the green.

My pw iis 49 Nike keeps their specs right I'm 16 and also carry a 18 degree 2 iron because I hate hybrids

I play 48- 54-58 I have never been a 4 wedge guy.

I play an old set of MP-14's, so for me it's PW, SW (54*)
Nice and simple!

As I get older I need a little more 'up front'. As others have said, when you have a Gap Wedge between the PW and SW you either have room up front in the back and orcarry a 58/60. I never use the 60 that much so... There is a big gap between today's PWs and Sws. I like the call the PW a 10 iron concept. That's what it is today.

Back to a 47* PW and a 56/12* Sand Wedge.

Just 12 clubs for now.

Current irons specs don’t allow it but I could do it if I planned for it

I’ve recently returned to playing and I’m most consistent w my 56 as I’ve always been. Even with varying levels of technique and confidence the 56 performs well.

Got a Nike vr forged 56 with M grind and decent amount of bounce, love it!