Set PW at 46, Set GW at 51... what specialty wedges do you get?

[mxskier]

Just received my PXG 0311T (cause I was weak and splurged...) and the set 9i is 41, PW is 46, and GW (which I did not buy) is at 51. I've had my SM7s for a good 2 years, have about 70 rounds on them, so figure its about time for a new set.

I like playing a 60 degree lob wedge, so want to figure what to get to ensure good spacing all the way through.

I came from a set of 4 degree gaps where the gap wedge (set) was 50), and I had a Vokey 50, then 54/60. However, the set gap wedge would be at 51 with this, and I don't want to have the gaps between the 7-8-9-P be one thing (all about 5 degrees) and then go to 4 degrees for PW-GW-SW.*

Options are:

1) Keep the 50/54/60 set up?

2) Go Vokey 52 bent 1 strong (or 50, 1 weak), 56/60?

*I'm sure none of this matters at all.. but figure its COVID time.. why not talk about this? Also, I know there are a million "what wedges should I play" threads.. thanks..

[numberonecoog]

I like my PW at 46 then my gap wedge is actually a 50 degree CBX. I use it more for full shots but it is a good long range chipper as well. Then I go 54 and 58 but in your case since you like a 60 degree I would go 50 54 60 just so I dont mess with bending and adding or subtracting bounce. Just my opinion.

[Dan Drake]

I have my Pw at 46 and my Aw at 50. I have a PM 2.0 at 55 and a PM 1.0 at 60.5 (the 0.5 is really just to pay homage to the OG Eye 2 Lw!). The thinking here is that I want my wedges to do very specific jobs and do them very well. I track my stats very religiously, so I know which shots I face most often and which ones I need help with/am good at. Here is how it plays out:

46 Pw - Other than a random chip shot, or maybe one partial wedge per year, this club hits approach shots exclusively. As such, it has the same shaft as my irons.

50 Aw - My favorite full swing club in the bag, this club can also hit partial shots, chip shots, or long bunker shots. That said, full swings are again what this club does most often, so again, it has the same shaft at my irons.

55 Sw - Sure, it's a "sand" wedge, but this club doesn't hit all that many sand shots, unless they are of a particular length. No, this club hits approach shots from 100yds all the way down until I get to where I can switch from a more full swing technique to a short game technique, so about 30yds out. This is also the club that hits "stock" 50/50 shots around the green. If I'm playing well, this club gets a ton of use. It has a shaft that is the same as my irons, but one flex softer due to the extensive use for partial shots.

60.5 Lw - This club almost never hits full shots and only hits partial shots in specific situations (over a bunker, short sided, etc.). This club has a much different grind than the rest of the clubs because it is asked to do those "other" shots. Short sided and "normal" bunker shots, true pitch shots, deep rough, over obstacles, and occasionally lob/flop type shots. This club comes out of the bag when I'd be happy to get down in 2.5 shots on average, trouble spots, in other words. Also, this club has a DG Spinner shaft in it because it is used for partial/short game shots so heavily (2 full swings so far this year in 10 rounds).

Now, this style of setup may not work for some. If you are someone who likes one specific grind and can make it do most anything, then I highly suggest getting a G/S/L setup where all the clubs match and the loft is the only think that really changes all that much. Then you can hit any shot with any club. But that doesn't work really well with my noggin', so I go the other way. Sure, I can hit approach shots with my Lw and pitch shots with my Aw, but personally, I love being confident in my club selection over specific types of shots.

[Bad9]

My GW is at 50 and from there I go to a Glide 2.0 58ES. I have done this for years and haven't missed anything in between. The GW is used for most chipping and shots inside 100yds. The 58 from most greenside bunkes and some other shots around the green when the GW is not the best option.

[ChipNRun]

@mxskier,
The 50-54-60 would be tried and true. Could you live with it?
Also, remember that you are blending PXG irons with Vokey wedges. Do the PXGs have a hotter face than the Vokeys, or it PXG PW mesh well with Vokey GW on distance without bending?
One question: What is the role of the 60° LW? Do you mostly use it inside 50 yards, or are you a wizard who can actually manage full shots with it? (Uh... I'm not a wizard...). If LW is mainly close-in, you might try 51° and 56°... That way, short irons and non-lob wedges would all have 5-degree gaps, assuming this produces consistent - or at least manageable - distance gaps..
Also, are you a Pelz-style player who charts 7:30 / 9:00 / 10:30 swings across four wedges?

[mxskier]

@ChipNRun
Great questions.
1) Yes, I'm sure the PXG has some ball-speed helping technology, but given the amount of loft being presented, I'm not so sure that its going to have a huge surge in distance (hopefully it doesn't). But I haven't played outside to know (its snowing in Denver now.. stupid winter).
2) The role of the 60 is essentially everything inside 40 yards except for bump and runs or long pitch shots across a green. I can do some full shots, but the lie has to be absolutely perfect, so its essentially a touch shot/sand/green-side club.
3) I'm not exactly Pelz in the exact clock distances. I just have in my head a 1/2 swing, easy swing, and stock swing with everything. PW from the last set, also 46, was 143-ish full, 120 flighted, 70 1/2. 50 is 128 full, 100 flighted, 60 1/2. 54 is 113 full, 85 flighted, 50 1/2. 60 is (the never) 95 full, 40 1/2.
Other thing, I would love to see 52/56/60 in the bag, but the distances I have with what I have I feel comfortable with. Its just interesting that if I were to buy the set wedge it would be 51 degrees, which would easily lend to 56/60. Its entirely a mental OCD-esque thing. Going 36-41-46-51-56-60 is nice and symmetric. Going 36-41-46-50-54-60 would be fine I'm sure too but is just less symmetric. Its literally like 3 yards, so realistically makes no difference.

[brew4eagle]

I go 47* set PW, then 52 and 58 vokeys

[Chuck905]

I go PW, SW (56*) and LW (62*), similar to you, my LW is touch shots around the greens; truth be told I’m short sided a lot.

SW is for full shots, flighted shots and longer pitches where the LW can’t get there.

If I need more than a full SW, I’ll get it there with a choke/knock down PW, especially against the prairie winds!

I would work from the green back (it’s where the value is) with my wedges and not be OCD on lofts; wedges are made for up and downs or even better, up and in!

[ChipNRun]

@mxskier said: "3) I'm not exactly Pelz in the exact clock distances. I just have in my head a 1/2 swing, easy swing, and stock swing with everything. ..."
You have a good sense of how far your wedges fly. Whether you go 50-54 or 51-56, either should work once you get used to it.

[rainkingjr]

When I had FG Tour V6 witha 47PW and 51 GW I used a 56 sand wedge and 60 lob wedge.

[76mpg]

I also play 46 and 51. My next two wedges are 56 and 60. The gaps are fine, I have played those two lofts for so long and like the distances they cover I’m not going to mess with them.

[BirdieBob]

Well, I have the pxg 0311T 4 - P...46*.

I have a 52* & 58* vokey wedges....6* gaps.

Swing accordingly....so, bend that 51* to 52*, and use a 58*!

Learn to throttle the 46 & 52 by openning the face as needed to fill the gap as needed.

If I want to add a gw then I bend the 46* pw to 45* which reduces the gap from 9 to p to 4*....45* to gw of 49*....4*;

49* to bent 53*...4*;

And 53* to 58*...5*...done.

 

[billybaroo]

I played 46* CF16 pro PW to a 52* Nike wedge and never had an issue with the gap. I can hit knock down, choked down 46 if needed. I did just buy a 50*...so now my big gap is 50 to 56*. :)

[65tempest]

Q

[dalillama47]

Keep the 51, then go 56, 60.

[RainShadow]

I would bend that 51 to 50, then 54 and 58.

I use the 50 for mostly full swings and pitch and runs.

54 is a utility, jack of all trades inside 90 yards, and bunker shots over 20-25 yards

58 gets almost all greenside work inside 20 yards, bunkers, deep rough around greens.

Very happy where I've settled in with the wedge set up.

[cardoustie]

45-50-55-60

or 46-51-56-61

easy peasy

[ZA206]

46-50-55-60 is my combo.... although I’m considering bending the PW to 45

130-115-100-85 yards respectively

 

ZA

[howeber]

I go 46 - 51 - 56 - 61* or 62*

[dolleris]

My PW is 45 in the Z565 set, so I have gone Titleist SM7 in 50F, 54F, 58K - works nicely for me

[JMA1181]

I have a similar setup and had a similar question. For me, I feel I have too large of a gap going from set GW to a 56 but have lived with it to this point. I have considered bending the 56 one degree strong or testing a 54 to see what yardage gaps that gives me. I never really noticed the difference until getting on a launch monitor. In reality, it probably doesn’t affect my on course play one bit at this point.

[gdb99]

56, 60. Keep it simple.

[mxskier]

Thanks for all the advice.

The clubs (0311T, 785, 919 Forged) going 41 to 46 is a fine step. I don't want to play the 51* set gap wedge, I want to play a specialty wedge there (Vokey's my boi).

Living at altitude, and being a decent driver of the ball (usually over 290, last week got out for 9 and 2 of my drives got over 330), so I'll have a lot of scoring opportunities from 150 and in (9 iron down). Since I rarely take a full swing with my LW, the 60 isn't exactly worth counting in the spacing, I suppose. Since I think of 8 iron on down as scoring clubs (pin seeking), which of the following do you like more:

36-41-46-51 (52 bent strong)-5636-41-46-50-54Pros to number 1 is nice even gapping from 8 iron to SW (in numbers)

Pros to number 2 is slightly tighter spacing in the "real" scoring clubs of the PW/GW/SW where pins are realistically all fair game so from 110-140 its all full swing and even spacing in that space.

Ugh, splurging during a pandemic and not being able to play is killing me...

[barony19]

If you don't do a full fitting, take lofts as your starting point. You may then need to bend according to the yardage gaps you want on full & 3/4 shots. Different brand wedges at same lofts can fly quite differently. I had Vokey SM6 and moved to Cleveland RTX 4. Found the Cleveland to flight lower and 5+ yards longer in 50 and 54 with similar spin. Checked lofts and Cleveland were correct, while Vokey was actually 49 in the 50. The Cleveland's hit the gaps I'm looking for, while I always struggled with the Vokey's on fuller shots. (Not Vokey hating, they're very nice wedges. I just get on better with the RTX4 for some reason)

[juststeve]

46, 50, 54, 58. They serve me well.

Steve

[jedc]

I play 46 51 55 60 now but I may remove a club to cut down on decisions around the green. One less club would mean 47 53 60.

[scooterhd2]

Get a 52 glide 3.0 or CBX. These have a little more ball speed and arent giving up much distance on a 50 degree blade wedge, so should have decent gaps. then go 56, 60. Gives you a little more loft and control on 3/4 and half swings.

[Chuck905]

You’re not alone with the RTX-4. I found the SW and LW forgiving, long and consistent on full shots but spun enough around the greens.

I found other lofted wedges, particularly the high toe versions awful for full shots but forgiving on bail out shots funny enough.

[Boricua Golf]

As you can see in my signature, 50, 54, 58, I also have a "Glide 46* wedge" that I put in depending on where I am playing, my set wedge is also 46*, it is great but he "actual" wedge gives me a bit more versatility (again, depending on the course)...

[Londoner]

I carry a medium bounce 50, a high bounce 54 and a low bounce 60.

Bounce is by far the most important aspect in building a versatile set of wedges.

I don't understand why people never mention it.