Bending Wedges

mister2cool · December 3, 2009

Is it better to bend a 56 to 58 or 60 to 58? Or is it really the same thing?

BCC · December 3, 2009

56 to 58 will add 2* bounce, 60 to 58 will minus 2* bounce.

mat562 · December 3, 2009

It depends upon what you're looking to achieve in the finished product.

As everyone knows by now (I'd imagine) loft increases similarly increase the bounce angle on a clubhead by a proprtionate amount and [i]vice versa.[/i] The starting and finishing bounce angles should be taken ito consideration when you think about the finished club. Wedges often have sole widths and sole grinds that vary with differently-lofted models and should also factor into your thinking. A wider sole will play differently to a narrower one, even when the bounce angles are nominally the same, and a marked sole grind on a wedge can change everything still further. Face shapes can also be subtly different between differently-lofted clubs too. A 60 degree wedge often has a very different shape to a 56 degree wedge so, when you knock them both to, say, 58 degrees you get a very different appearance depending upon which of the two wedges is in your hands - aside from the sole and bounce differences. They most certainly won't be the same.

Offset will also be affected by loft changes. Nearly all loft adjustments will produce a variation in the look the player will get at address since bending the hosel will usually affect the way the leading edge sits in relation to the forwardmost part of the hosel. Adding loft will decrease offset; strengthening a wedge will increase it and make the leading edge sit more behind the hosel, framing the look at address more than before.

Make an objective assessment of what you want to see in the finished club with the desired specs, factor in the above, and then pick the best starting point for you to get that look and those on-paper specs. Then set about it with the bending bar and, possibly, the grinding wheel to get what you're after.