SM8 50 or 48 degree?

[IHFN]

The biggest problem I have with most companies Gap Wedges is the grooves spin the ball too much and you have to loft down to get the proper distance gapping.  This was a problem in the SM6's which is the last Titleist wedges I've tried.  Have they fixed this issue in the SM8's?  I'm wanting to try one again as TM has failed to solve this issue.  My PW is 45 degrees and I want what should be a 50 degree next.  Thoughts?

 

[goudok]

I don't think that's your problem.  A special gap wedge (not your gap wedge from a set) will never go the same distance as a set gap wedge.  Weighting of the club head, a lot of the times shaft is different from your set.  And it just simply has less forgiveness.  For me, even if its slight a bigger gap I prefer a special gap wedge 100% of the time, because I use a 50 for chipping around the greens quite a bit, also I can take off yardage much easier than a set gap wedge and if I really need to fly the full number then i step on it fully, but my new sm8 50 degree (bent to 49 as my PW is T100s) is shafted with the same shafts as the rest of the set, 54 58 are shafted with the regular S200s.  I found it to be a bit better transition between the 54 and my PW.

 

[Myherobobhope]

On 8/31/2020 at 4:21 PM, IHFN said:

The biggest problem I have with most companies Gap Wedges is the grooves spin the ball too much and you have to loft down to get the proper distance gapping.  This was a problem in the SM6's which is the last Titleist wedges I've tried.  Have they fixed this issue in the SM8's?  I'm wanting to try one again as TM has failed to solve this issue.  My PW is 45 degrees and I want what should be a 50 degree next.  Thoughts?

 

A specialty wedge will (hopefully) spin more than a set wedge... that's what they are designed to do. It's a feature not a bug.

 

Honestly, I'd check out the new Mizuno wedges coming out soon... I think they are going to be an interesting option for power wedge shots vs finesse shots (and still good for finesse). I'm definitely keeping my eyes on them.

 

They will still spin more, but I also wonder how much distance backspin will actually take off a wedges flight. Might be a fun trackman experiment.