Why do we accept this gap wedge thing

[Lancj1]

Seriously, as a relatively recent returner to the game in the last three years, I am baffled why we, the consumer, accept the fact that iron sets contain PW and SW with the need to buy a GW to fill, well, the gap.

 

I understand how lofts have changed etc but surely the set for sale should either stop at PW, with a small price drop, allowing you to customise your wedges or, rather than leave a gap wedge out leave the SW out, as it seems more people play a set GW, based on posts here.

 

I bet no one adds a GW of a different model, keeps the set SW, then adds a different LW?

 

I get the reasons, I just don't get what's been accepted as the solution ?

[Mudguard]

I wouldn't have an issue if they agreed to standardize lofts. If it's a six iron then it must be 31 degrees +/- 1 degree. I think most GolfWRXer's probably buy irons up to PW then pick their own wedges.

It's not a big deal, a set SW probably needs to be around 56 degrees, so it can still be used as a sandwedge. As lofts have got stronger, then the gap between the SW and PW has grown. Hence the gap wedge.

Personally I'd love to just have the yardages on the bottom of my irons. But some weeks it may not be accurate!

[Stuart_G]

Pretty much all OEM's allow custom set orders so you can get whatever irons you want. No one is being forced to buy the GW. Those that want them will buy a set with them, those that don't will buy a set without them.

 

FWIW, those that typically want a different model GW will also get different model SW and LW's so the number of folks wanting a PW to SW jump in the same model will be quite rare. But it's still a possible option from most if that's what you really want.

[Llortamaisey]

What set offers a SW as standard but leave out a GW?

[gioguy21]

not quite sure I'm pickin up what you're putting down -- a vast majority of OEMs stop their irons at the PW, some go 5-AW (also known as GW) depending on the model of irons.

 

I think the industry is built this way b/c there ARE people who will only want 2 wedges after the PW (call them whatever you want - sand, lob, gap, etc), but there are many who want a 4 wedge solution and want them to generally play the same way.

 

I have 3 nike wedges after my srixon PW -- the kid I coach has x prototypes to PW, then two nikes and a phil callaway lob wedge.

 

they make it so you can customize it however you want, to give you MORE options, not less.

[gpleonard]

Seriously, as a relatively recent returner to the game in the last three years, I am baffled why we, the consumer, accept the fact that iron sets contain PW and SW with the need to buy a GW to fill, well, the gap.

 

I understand how lofts have changed etc but surely the set for sale should either stop at PW, with a small price drop, allowing you to customise your wedges or, rather than leave a gap wedge out leave the SW out, as it seems more people play a set GW, based on posts here.

 

I bet no one adds a GW of a different model, keeps the set SW, then adds a different LW?

 

I get the reasons, I just don't get what's been accepted as the solution ?

When I order my irons I go 4-PW. Then get GW. SW and LW of the same brand as they will all feel the same. Right now my wedges are a tad different than most. I have PW, 48*,52*,and 56* wedges. Works fine for me right now.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

What set offers a SW as standard but leave out a GW?

 

Yeah, that sounds pretty Walmart yesteryear. And most of these AWs are 50°, which the older PWs were.

My X2 Hot set came with 4-aw. I liked them so much and found my other wedges somewhat ill fitting with the set, I bought the X2 Hot sw. If there were a companion LW, I'd buy that.

[goheels11]

Interesting that many sets now come 4-g. They've just changed the numbers on the bottom for a 3-p set. I go 6-gap with a 5 hybrid most of the time.

[lopey986]

Pay more attention to the actual LOFT of the club and less what the Numbers and Letters on the bottom of the toe is. Know your lofts. Know the lofts of clubs you're looking all. All clubs are not made the same.

[Jsjones]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$&..... $

 

This is it... Having to fill more "loft space" to get more clubs in. It's feasible now to sell what 10-11 irons in a set? Money, bro

 

For the consumer, unless you're like us in this forum which is a very small minority... People want to go out and easily pick up a set without having to over think. Now the guy at GG or wherever can say "man this set comes with all wedges down so you don't have to worry about paying extra or having different wedges" it's all about the new golfers first set

[2bGood]

I disagree with the op's premise, as it is very rare to see decent set of clubs sold with 4-LW as he described.

 

The the need for a gap wedge though is somewhat about the jacking up of club lofts and somewhat about the shift to an emphasis on scoring clubs.

[driveandputtmachine]

Sooooo Gap wedges started showing up in the mid 90's. Tommy Armour 845's and many others had 48* pitching wedges. Almost all of the manufacturers offered a 52* gap wedge if you wanted to buy it. You could however only get 3-PW sets.

 

Today PW's are routinely in the 45* (+/- 1*)range. The difference is you can order different sets now from almost every manufacturer. You get 4-GW(Roughly the equivalent of the old 3-PW) However you can order 5-GW or 6-PW or other "ranges" now from most manufacturers.

 

So if I were to replace my J40 CB's that have a 48* PW with something from today I would have two Gap wedges, or something similar.

[rafal]

Yes, it's a non-issue, just buy the clubs you need.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

Yes, it's a non-issue, just buy the clubs you need.

 

Don't take that practical tone with us, bro!

[North Butte]

I sometimes wonder if I'm the luckiest golfer in the world. Not only do off-the-shelf clubs with standard loft/length/lie usually fit me just fine (average height, slightly overweight, middle-aged male) but I can buy one of every club in a Callaway or Ping iron set and have basically 10-yard gaps from around 70 yards (usually called an L wedge) to 160 or 170 yards (usually called a 4-iron or 3-iron).

 

My current set of Ping G30's go from 4-LW. Pick any number from 70 to 170 and I can pull one of those irons, make a stock swing and a well struck shot will go somewhere within plus or minus five yards from that number. Say "144" and I'll hit my 140 club (which has a "7" written on it), call out "92" and I'll hit the one with "U" written on that will go about 95 yards.

 

I've usually got a lot of thoughts running through my mind during a round of golf, lucky for me I don't have to worry about the fact that my set requires a gap wedge or that my iron with "6" written on it has "jacked lofts" and goes too darned far. Some of you lot must really struggle to keep all that stuff straight and not totally fry your brain when you're trying to pick a club to hit the green on a 150-yard Par 3. Lucky me.

[lopey986]

I sometimes wonder if I'm the luckiest golfer in the world. Not only do off-the-shelf clubs with standard loft/length/lie usually fit me just fine (average height, slightly overweight, middle-aged male) but I can buy one of every club in a Callaway or Ping iron set and have basically 10-yard gaps from around 70 yards (usually called an L wedge) to 160 or 170 yards (usually called a 4-iron or 3-iron).

 

My current set of Ping G30's go from 4-LW. Pick any number from 70 to 170 and I can pull one of those irons, make a stock swing and a well struck shot will go somewhere within plus or minus five yards from that number. Say "144" and I'll hit my 140 club (which has a "7" written on it), call out "92" and I'll hit the one with "U" written on that will go about 95 yards.

 

I've usually got a lot of thoughts running through my mind during a round of golf, lucky for me I don't have to worry about the fact that my set requires a gap wedge or that my iron with "6" written on it has "jacked lofts" and goes too darned far. Some of you lot must really struggle to keep all that stuff straight and not totally fry your brain when you're trying to pick a club to hit the green on a 150-yard Par 3. Lucky me.

 

Pretty much every set can go from 3-LW if you want it to. My Cobra Fly Z's could have done so if I wanted. But I went 4-GW because I wanted to choose a different 3 iron and a different sw and lw that were seperate from the Fly Z set.

[Tcann32]

Depends if you want a set GW or not.. I don't see it being an issue with it being an option.

 

I've gone back and forth with the idea for a while now with my Cobra set. The problem is that most stock GW from iron sets are built just like the rest of the irons, which aren't made to be versatile with different grinds, leading edges, etc..

 

In the sense of a full swing club, I think a stock GW is a great Idea. Especially for the average golfer who can't add 5-10 yards by flighting a SW or shave off 10-15 consistently with a PW. It's another full swing yardage they can have and it would be consistent with the irons they already own.

[Tcann32]

Yes, it's a non-issue, just buy the clubs you need.

 

Don't take that practical tone with us, bro!

 

Clubs we need.. Does anyone on WRX have only 14 clubs, period? I just bought clubs yesterday that I know for a fact I won't put in my bag.

 

Golf clubs for us are like shoes for any girl I know. I like them, it was a good deal, I buy.

[SwingMan]

Do not buy off-the-shelf -- at the store, one can order a set in 3-Gap, or 5-Gap, 7-Gap, etc. You just have to wait a week or so.

[SwingMan]

Yes, it's a non-issue, just buy the clubs you need.

 

Don't take that practical tone with us, bro!

 

Clubs we need.. Does anyone on WRX have only 14 clubs, period? I just bought clubs yesterday that I know for a fact I won't put in my bag.

 

Golf clubs for us are like shoes for any girl I know. I like them, it was a good deal, I buy.

 

I have about 17 clubs - 2 extra woods, a 6i that I do not presently bag, depending on course and my swing.

 

Yesterday, during 18 holes, I did not even pull 8 or 9i or the Gap.

[North Butte]

Yes, it's a non-issue, just buy the clubs you need.

 

Don't take that practical tone with us, bro!

 

Clubs we need.. Does anyone on WRX have only 14 clubs, period? I just bought clubs yesterday that I know for a fact I won't put in my bag.

 

Golf clubs for us are like shoes for any girl I know. I like them, it was a good deal, I buy.

 

I actually am down to 13 clubs plus two nearly identical putters. I'm loving the fact that I can now store some other household junk in the closet that used to be filled with "backup" clubs and club "projects" and shipping boxes to use for buying/selling/trading clubs.

 

The only reason I have two putters is they're a discontinued model and I worry that something might happen to the one I normally use.

 

I guess I do have one other extra club. It's an old lob wedge with a bent shaft. I keep it to remind me not to "toss" clubs out of a bunker and toward a tree ;-)

[mashedtaters]

Your average PW is 46-48 degrees. Your average sandwedge is 56 degrees. That is an 8-10 degree gap that could be 20 yards. It's really isn't excessive - it's necessary if you want to make birdies

[vaca22]

Seriously, as a relatively recent returner to the game in the last three years, I am baffled why we, the consumer, accept the fact that iron sets contain PW and SW with the need to buy a GW to fill, well, the gap.

 

I understand how lofts have changed etc but surely the set for sale should either stop at PW, with a small price drop, allowing you to customise your wedges or, rather than leave a gap wedge out leave the SW out, as it seems more people play a set GW, based on posts here.

 

I bet no one adds a GW of a different model, keeps the set SW, then adds a different LW?

 

I get the reasons, I just don't get what's been accepted as the solution ?

When I order my irons I go 4-PW. Then get GW. SW and LW of the same brand as they will all feel the same. Right now my wedges are a tad different than most. I have PW, 48*,52*,and 56* wedges. Works fine for me right now.

 

Is your PW 48*, or are you saying you have a PW as well as a 48* wedge?

[dbleag]

Back in the day, PING players would order their iron set through the LW, as all matched. There was no Gap or U then, and PING's LW was the bomb.

 

Recently, I ordered a set of PING G's from 5-W,U,S (8 clubs) and added a Callaway PM Grind 58*.

 

I really don't care what the numbers on the sole are, just what the loft is. Then, I try to gap my set so I can carry as fewer clubs - currently carrying 13, but am trying to figure out how to get to 12.

 

I'm lazy and cheap. YMMV

[North Butte]

Given that I don't try to play a lot of open-face, closed-face, hooded, laid-back or other fancy shots with my wedges (or any other club) the modern Ping irons are the The Bomb for me. Including the L which helpfully has only 58 degrees of loft (better gapping with the 54 and 50 degree wedges). I'm lazy, cheap and a hacker so I'm on up on you there dbleag!

 

P.S. I tried an old, original Ping Eye2 LW a few years ago just to see what all the fuss is about. In my opinion, that club makes a 60-degree Vokey seem like a Game Improvement iron or something.

[SHIVAN]

No matter what number or letter or loft is on the bottom of the club, you will still only be allowed 14 of them, and 13 of them need to cover yardage gaps of your choosing.

 

If you want a PW @ 53º or a 4i at 18º, who cares? Get what you need to cover the yardage gaps. Play to those numbers, and leave yourself comfortable shots in with the clubs you chose.

[moonshine]

I feel your point...however I just see it as using your brain to fill the gaps. The degree of loft can be called anything...I hit it far enough I need options for wedges...not at the longer yardage end of things.

[Sir Slicealot]

I would be happy with a matched set from 1-LW please. I could rattle all the way from tee box to green and have no shortage of toys to play with.

[mootrail]

I am baffled why we, the consumer, accept the fact that iron sets contain PW and SW...

 

Most all of the major manufacturer's sets go to PW or GW, at your option. None come with a sand wedge.

 

Most sets that contain a SW are a lower tier product aimed at beginners and occasional golfers.

[lopey986]

This thread is confusing. Especially considering the OP has a set that goes 6 to Gap and bought his own Sand and Lob wedge.