Reducing the number of wedges in your bag?

[Moonlightgrm]

I must have four wedges in my bag because my 9-iron has a loft of 43.5*. My PW is 47.5* and I carry a Vokey 52* GW and 56* SW.

 

As manufacturers continue to play games with lofts and shaft lengths to fool a gullible public, we have a “mixed bag” of numbers. 
 

 

[LeoLeo99]

For years I and lots of others went 45-50-56°.  Back then the clubs were 9-PW-SW.  Some sharpies added a LW. Today with the stronger lofts I go 45-50-54-56°.  It's all about bounce and grind for me.  You need to learn to finesse one or more of the scoring clubs.  That's why I carry two sand wedges.  The 54° is for fuller shots and the 56° is for around the green.  

[J13]

14 hours ago, gwelfgulfer said:

 

I actually think it's the opposite for longer players as they can generate more spin, so playing 1/2 and 3/4 shots is easier for them vs. a slow swing player (obviously exceptions exist).  I very rarely hit full wedges as it is, on any hole, but if I was, then I know I'm either playing a very short course or the wrong tees.

 

The only reason that 'the 4 wedge setup' exists is because of OEM's changing the number on the bottom of the clubs.  No one in their right mind should ever think that something that is 43* is a 'PW'.

 

Speaking in terms of longer players, most aren't playing sets with a 43* PW, in fact none are that I play with or on any mini tour or pga tour.  For example I'm a longer player but certainly no Dustin Johnson and I hit PW 145-150yds. My PW is 46* so as a result I have 50*, 54* and 60*.   

 

Speaking of tour players, almost all the longer players use 4 wedges, DJ, Jason Day, Finau, Champ, the list goes on.  The only one that goes back and forth that i know of is Rory with 3 vs 4 

[setter02]

5 minutes ago, J13 said:

 

Speaking in terms of longer players, most aren't playing sets with a 43* PW, in fact none are that I play with or on any mini tour or pga tour.  For example I'm a longer player but certainly no Dustin Johnson and I hit PW 145-150yds. My PW is 46* so as a result I have 50*, 54* and 60*.   

 

Speaking of tour players, almost all the longer players use 4 wedges, DJ, Jason Day, Finau, Champ, the list goes on.  The only one that goes back and forth that i know of is Rory with 3 vs 4 

 

I recently picked up a set of T200's to try out, and they have a 43* 'PW', and I hated them.  Now they sit beside my computer and I'm not sure what to do with them.  The main 2 sets I play are I20's and iBlades (45* and 46* W's) and I follow that up with 50/54/58 (54/58 Edel in case of my I20s as I have the set UW which I love).  If I bring out an older set (my 300 Forged for example) with a 48* PW, I run a 52/58 set up.

[jjfcpa]

Played 18 holes today and did not pull the 58* one time.  Stuck to my 54* and it worked just fine.  Just reduced my number of clubs by 1, a 58* wedge.

[wam78]

I’m currently debating the same thing.  Just recently moved into weaker lofted irons with my pw at 47.5*.  Currently carrying 50, 54, 58 vokey’s.  Yesterday I played and pulled the 50* 1 time.  I’m not a long hitter so I have to be more creative and thoughtful around the course.  
 

That being said, my new gapping issue is 210 yards, which is what is bringing this issue up with my current game.  With the weaker lofts, my 4i is right around 195-200.   My next club is a U500 2i then 3w, driver.  I’m thinking to either go U500 4i or possibly clk 22 as I much prefer smaller headed hybrids.  
 

My thought is is I can continue to create 3/4 shots with my pw, I can drop the 50 and plug in that 210 club.  Decisions, decisions...

[rondre3000]

45, 52, 58 here. Simplifies my options and I'm much more consistent this way.

[14max]

23 hours ago, jjfcpa said:

I currently have 4 wedges in my bag - PW (43*), GW (48*), SW (54*), and a LW (58*)...

You really have 3 wedges there.  That 43* PW is a strong 9 iron...

[Sons_of_Pitches]

21 hours ago, gwelfgulfer said:

 

I actually think it's the opposite for longer players as they can generate more spin, so playing 1/2 and 3/4 shots is easier for them vs. a slow swing player (obviously exceptions exist).  I very rarely hit full wedges as it is, on any hole, but if I was, then I know I'm either playing a very short course or the wrong tees.

 

The only reason that 'the 4 wedge setup' exists is because of OEM's changing the number on the bottom of the clubs.  No one in their right mind should ever think that something that is 43* is a 'PW'.

Well you also need to consider the fact that most amateurs are actually adding loft while the pros are delofting their clubs at impact.   So, in the hands of the amateur that 43* isn't really a 43* at impact.

[Tommy56]

I'm content with 2 ... 48 / 58.

[ChipNRun]

Historic note: In the pre-1990 era of PW and SW only, philosophy on wedge use was somewhat different.

 

As a schoolboy caddie circa 1968, I can remember shagging balls for the pro's lessons with the members. Recurring message form the lessons: If you're not a pro, stay out of the 40- to 100-yard range. If you can't get your approach in close, lay up to about 100 yards out and hit a full wedge.

 

This was an era prior to the LW and the eventual GW. Golfers didn't have access to sub-families of four or five sole grind options within a wedge model.

[2Down]

I remember watching a video of tiger practicing with a single wedge. He hit flops chips bump and runs all with the same club.  So many different swings and they all came to rest at the hole.  
 

I don’t have tigers hands.  So I try to get one swing down and with a few different clubs can also do most of those shots.  

[Myherobobhope]

On 8/21/2020 at 6:45 PM, jjfcpa said:

I currently have 4 wedges in my bag - PW (43*), GW (48*), SW (54*), and a LW (58*).  I personally think this is just too many wedges and actually makes me much less consistent.  I remember reading that Jack Nicklaus played with a PW and SW.  I can see how this would make one more consistent because you'd learn how to use that SW in a lot of different circumstances.  Open it for lobs and reduce the loft for bump and runs or controlled chips.  

 

I've found that when I carry the 58* wedge, I tend to use it too much... and the 54 seldom gets used.  However, before I put a 58* in the bag, I used my 54* for everything. The other side of this is that each wedge requires its own practice time, although I don't spend a lot of time with the PW or GW on the range.  I just need them to fill gaps.  The 54* and 58* just don't have that much of a gap between them.  Consequently, I ordered a 56* and will pull the 54* and 58* and reduce the number of clubs to 13.

 

Anyone else done this and if I'm not thinking of this correctly, let me know.

I feel like this is a setup issue more than anything else...

 

personally, I want a pitching wedge and gap wedge to cover 50+ yards... pitching wedge is more forgiving and used for 3/4-1/2 swing shots. Gap wedge is a specialty wedge, so it generates more spin on shorter pitches... also has a steeper descent... it’s also my bump and run club.

 

54 is high bounce, wide sole. Work horse of standard chips and 25 yard pitches...great out of sand and rough.

 

58 is a specialty touch club... occasionally used to pitch over obstacles and into tight pins... if I had to drop a wedge, it would be this one.

 

i could easily drop a wedge, but don’t really have a need to... I could play with 12 clubs and it wouldn’t change my score 80% of the time.

[oikos1]

2 hours ago, 2Down said:

I remember watching a video of tiger practicing with a single wedge. He hit flops chips bump and runs all with the same club.  So many different swings and they all came to rest at the hole.  
 

I don’t have tigers hands.  So I try to get one swing down and with a few different clubs can also do most of those shots.  

Great point.  This is why I believe amateurs should look at carrying 4-5 clubs gapped from about 41* up to 58-60*.  Less time to play and practice means less feel and touch, so having a full swing, 3/4 and half seems easier to manage with 4-5 clubs than having to learn every distance from 10-130 yards with a pitching wedge.   Let the club do the work.

 

*Side note:  I chose 41* loft as that is my "nine" iron.  90's Hogan Apex and Apex plus list nine iron at 44* and 42*, respectively.  The new Callaway Mavrik irons list nine iron at 36* loft.  Wow, that's a whopping 8* difference in loft for one club (Apex seven iron lists at 36* loft).  Instead of referencing iron numbers or types of clubs, these days we probably should be referencing loft only.

[TourSpoon]

15 hours ago, wam78 said:

I’m currently debating the same thing.  Just recently moved into weaker lofted irons with my pw at 47.5*.  Currently carrying 50, 54, 58 vokey’s.  Yesterday I played and pulled the 50* 1 time.  I’m not a long hitter so I have to be more creative and thoughtful around the course.  
 

That being said, my new gapping issue is 210 yards, which is what is bringing this issue up with my current game.  With the weaker lofts, my 4i is right around 195-200.   My next club is a U500 2i then 3w, driver.  I’m thinking to either go U500 4i or possibly clk 22 as I much prefer smaller headed hybrids.  
 

My thought is is I can continue to create 3/4 shots with my pw, I can drop the 50 and plug in that 210 club.  Decisions, decisions...

I just came off 48-54-60, and carried a 2h and a 3 iron at the top end. I found that I used that 3 iron for one shot only, off the tee into the wind where I needed a piercing flight. I didn't pull that club for a couple of months. I bought the AP2s and the pw started at 46 and reconfigured 50-54-58. The gap between the 4 iron and 2 hybrid is not really an issue as I can gear down the 2h, but realistically from 210-220 I don't expect to cozy it up to the pin, much less hit a green. The 50 is much more valuable as a 118 club and really good for longer chips. Its all about decisions, but when I looked at it objectively, it was pretty clear. 

 

For the 3 wedges vs 4 wedges crowd,  I was 48-54-60 for years to simplify things and it worked well when I played a lot and the 54 was the go to. To simplify things now, I still think 3 wedges with 50-54-58. Like before the whole system is built around the 54 as the go to club 95% of the time around the greens. 

[wam78]

Yeah, I’m the same with my 54.  I use it for 100 and in and everything around the greens unless I really need the 58.  The 58 has really become a bunker club, chipping over bunkers or short sided chips where I need some elevation and excess spin.  I just don’t find myself pulling a 50 that often.  It will take a little more time to get it figured out as I just got into the new irons last week.

[Myherobobhope]

22 minutes ago, wam78 said:

Yeah, I’m the same with my 54.  I use it for 100 and in and everything around the greens unless I really need the 58.  The 58 has really become a bunker club, chipping over bunkers or short sided chips where I need some elevation and excess spin.  I just don’t find myself pulling a 50 that often.  It will take a little more time to get it figured out as I just got into the new irons last week.

That’s my generic approach to wedges... I think the 50 has a place for medium range pitches, but I think I need to move to a more gi wedge...

 

I think my best setup is 2 wedges for pitching, built for forgiveness over versatility (but I think the gap wedge should have a face built to spin the ball) and 2 wedges for chipping... a workhorse 54-56 and then a specialist 58 that only gets pulled when you need to do something particular.

 

makes more sense to have option under 100 yards rather than try to fill my gap between 210 and 225...

[setter02]

14 hours ago, Sons_of_Pitches said:

Well you also need to consider the fact that most amateurs are actually adding loft while the pros are delofting their clubs at impact.   So, in the hands of the amateur that 43* isn't really a 43* at impact.

 

Bad blanket statement.  I'm an 'Amateur' and I don't add loft to my irons.  If anything, I get too steep and deloft too much.  Anyone who is at least marginal at this game isn't falling back and adding loft.  I understand where you're coming at, but the vast majority of players have no clue what so ever what they are doing, so it doesn't matter what is in their hands.  Governing bodies also need to change their definition of what a 'golfer' is.  As some have it as playing as little as 1 round a years classifies you as a 'golfer'.

 

 

[jjfcpa]

Having decided to drop the 58* from my bag, I played 18 without it yesterday and missed a few wedge shots with my 54*.  Most of them were just a little too long.  Went to the driving range this morning to get that distance ironed out and I think it will be much better next time.  I guess that's the price you pay for becoming dependent on a higher lofted wedge and not using the lower lofted wedge that much.  

 

The 54* wedge is a MD5 Jaws with the W grind.  What I really like about the W grind is that it's pretty easy to open it up and use it as a lob wedge.  Practice with that this morning and it felt just as reliable as the 58*.  

 

I think I"m going to like this setup.  Simplifies the club selection process when you only have one for Sand, Lob, and pitches inside 70 yards.

[BiggErn]

I suppose I’m in the opposite camp and think more wedges are better, I currently carry 5. Unless you have hours to practice every day I can’t imagine being more consistent by opening the face on wedges to achieve loft than just having a club that’s already that loft or close to it. I’d rather have more options for 100 yards in and the most options to save par than a 200+ yard club that I’m gonna miss the green with half the time anyway. Btw my wedges are PW, AW, 54, 58, and 64. 

[dlygrisse]

I’m always piddling around. The 58 is my go to club for many shots, and the PW is non negotiable..  vary between:

45,50, 54,58

45, 50, 58

45, 52,58

 

the 4 wedge combo is the most common, however it seems I rarely use one of the middle wedges most rounds. 

[animalgolfs]

Slow ss fat person here 

 

46 - 50 - 54 - 58

 

Up top 16.5 - 20.5 - 23.5 - 26 - 30 - 34 - 38 - 42

 

7wd 9wd & 5h - 6h 

 

Wedges are greenside savers, need them all for different type of carry/run out from greenside 

 

 

 

 

[Jack Pearsall]

He goes back n forth in 56* or 58*, similar bounces but feels 56 are better sand wedges.

[kthomas]

While I'm not a great wedge player, that happens to be one of my biggest focus areas for 2020, I'll share my philosophy anyways. 

 

I'm using a PW (46*), 52*, 58*. I want to keep things simple, and would prefer to get really proficient with a couple of clubs rather then mediocre with a larger selection. 

 

My PW is essentially for full shots from 110-120 yards, I don't really do any specialty shots with it. My 52* is my main 100 yards and in club. I can swing it full for ~100 yards, perform bump and runs around the greens, and I'm working on getting proficient with it for everything in between. My 58* is mainly relegated to bunker shots, and shots where I need more height and less roll. 

[jjfcpa]

There are different ways to control the shot by changing the face of the club.  You can put the ball in your stance and reduce the loft for bump and runs, use a square face with the ball in the center of your stance or slight forward, if you want to loft the ball with a little run out, or you can open the face with the ball in the center or slightly forward and lob it up in the air.  And it doesn't matter what the loft is, these changes will affect the ball flight and spin.  The big question is, do you really want to spend time with each of your wedges perfecting these types of shots?  I've decided that I do not and will spend my practice time with one club and work on each of these.  The PW and my 48* will be strictly for full swings.

[llewol007]

On 8/21/2020 at 5:29 PM, gdb99 said:

I have been playing 45, 52, 56, 60.

I dropped the 60 a few rounds ago.

 I’m thinking tomorrow I might try 52, 58.

That the setup i’m gaming now. I used to have 50/54/58 but you can do with a 50 slightly open as you can with a 54

[rkillian]

4 hours ago, jjfcpa said:

Having decided to drop the 58* from my bag, I played 18 without it yesterday and missed a few wedge shots with my 54*.  Most of them were just a little too long.  Went to the driving range this morning to get that distance ironed out and I think it will be much better next time.  I guess that's the price you pay for becoming dependent on a higher lofted wedge and not using the lower lofted wedge that much.  

 

The 54* wedge is a MD5 Jaws with the W grind.  What I really like about the W grind is that it's pretty easy to open it up and use it as a lob wedge.  Practice with that this morning and it felt just as reliable as the 58*.  

 

I think I"m going to like this setup.  Simplifies the club selection process when you only have one for Sand, Lob, and pitches inside 70 yards.

My 54 is an MD4 W grind. I too think it’s very easy to open up, even for what I guess would be considered a wide sole. My 58 is an X grind and will be staying home for my evening 9 tonight. 

[evolvingwildes]

Currently rocking 50/54/60 with decent success. Also recently tried 52/58/64 but found the 64 difficult to use effectively since the face is so flat. Thinking of switching to a 52/56/60 setup since the GW sometimes gets within 10 yds of the PW.

 

I switched to the 4 wedge setup a while back since I found I hardly ever needed to hit my 3-iron, but would often find myself in that ~35 yard gap between PW and SW. Now I use the gap wedge a few times a round, and hardly ever miss having a 3-iron.

 

I think a hybrid between the 3-wood and 4-iron can fill the gap nicely if you get the distances right.

[Juice1121]

Jacked up lofts have left me feeling lost on the wedge side of things. 44* Pw, then 50, 56 gi set wedges left huge gaps with my 58. Tried bending them strong to 44, 48, 52, 54, 58. This has been ok. But leaves me confused as to what wedge to pull. 
 

I just picked up a cb 57 and baby blades combo set. Going to try the 47, 52, 58. I always remember playing so well with a three wedge set up. Less to think about. 

[SNIPERBBB]

I play a 48 54 58 setup after the set pitching wedge. The gapping is a bit weird but I just love my 48 too much from 90-130 yards