My Only Real Equipment Complaint-Stronger Lofts

[Fairways to Heaven]

The lofts haven't gotten stronger, they just changes the number on the bottom. I still carry a 50 degree wedge. It was called a pitching wedge. Now it's a gap wedge. Whatever you call i its the same club.

 

What has changed and I think for the worse is the clubs have gotten longer, particularly Drivers and fairway clubs. That adversely effects their playability.

 

Steve

 

He's different, in that he never had or needed a 50* club. Sounds like he always had a 47/48* club. The issue is figuring out his wedge gaps, now that his new set 'dictates' that he carry something around 50*.

 

It's a simple transition for someone who always carried a 49/50*,... but some never have. Getting used to short irons/wedges that are about a "half club" or so different, can certainly take some getting used to

 

Exactly. I got curious and looked up old lofts from my old sets. Apparently my first new set of clubs (Ping Eye 2) had a P that was 50 degrees. So in 30 years my P has gone from 50 to the 46 in my current set. It's all ridiculous to my thinking, unless there is some advantage to this club strengthening I'm not aware of.

 

I think lofts have moved stronger for two reasons, one legitimate one marketing.

 

1. In an effort to help poor golfers get the ball in the air manufactures have designed club heads with higher launch characteristics, In order to keep players from hitting the ball too high some reduction in loft was in order. Not a bad thing.

 

2. By building a seven iron with 29 degrees of loft they fool the gullible into thinking it is longer hitting and therefore better than the seven iron with 35 degrees of loft. This is a bad thing because it makes the long irons unplayable for most golfers. I for one miss the one two and three irons.

 

Steve

 

 

I do agree with your points but i dont see lower lofts on clubs helping the majority of golfers.

 

Lower lofted clubs are less forgiving, spins less and are less consistant in general with short to long dispersion (low spin flyers etc). I just dont get why ppl would get clubs with jacked lofts.

 

I now play with my Srixon Z-765s at 1-2* weaker than standard (same as AP2s standard lofts for example). This give me higher launch and more spin and stop coming into greens. I still carry my 4 iron long enough. I have no trouble getting the ball in the air so have very equal distance gapping between every club. (11yards between each iron and 15yards gap to my 5 wood)

[KaBoom21]

46/52/58 is my jam.

 

Perfect wedge gapping.

[DaveGoodrich]

I'm actually liking the 50, 56, 60 setup better than the 50, 54, 58 I've usually played. It's mostly partial shots with these clubs anyway. Don't sweat the numbers (lofts or yardage gaps), just find the wedges that hit the shots you need.