Learning to use the bounce on wedges? Easier if both wedges have the same bounce?

[theothertwo]

Not considering grind, etc, does it make sense to have the same bounce on your wedges so you can master learning how to use the bounce easier?  I've been working on my short wedge game and been focusing on learning to use the bounce better for more forgiveness, so it dawned on me that if both of my wedges have the same bounce, it would be easier to familiarize with the bounce.  I only use two wedges, a 52* and a 58* and coincidentally, they both have the same 10* bounce and although they produce different distance and trajectory, I found out that the familiarity with the same 10* bounce helps.  Crazy or not?

[lefthack]

My wedges are different on purpose. My 52/8 is for easy lies that are more of a sweep or from fairway near full shots. My 56/12 is for rough or heavy lies and sand.

 

I used to used my 56 for everything and deloft it for cleaner shots, but I liked my Lazrus wedge and it was cheap enough to get the 52 for better options. 

 

I now find myself using the 52 for almost everything but the heavy stuff and my shots have improved a lot in just a few rounds.

[Yoshifan151]

I use my 54/60 for almost everything around the green, occasionally using a short iron for bump and runs. I like having 2 different grinds and bounces for maximum versatility. 54 for pitches without much in the way and on soft/medium turf. 60 if I need to get over something, want to land soft without much spin, or off a tight lie. I almost always open up the 60 and even though it's low bounce, it still glides along turf really well and is a weapon out of bunkers that aren't giga fluffy/soft (which I almost never deal with).

 

If you can effectively use 2 mid bounce wedges then I'm all for it, but I think there's a real benefit to having a high and low bounce option to cover more scenarios. It also really depends on what courses you play on and if you have to deal with multiple types of grass.

[ChipNRun]

42 minutes ago, lefthack said:

My wedges are different on purpose. My 52/8 is for easy lies that are more of a sweep or from fairway near full shots. My 56/12 is for rough or heavy lies and sand.

 

lefthack brings to mind advice from club designer Ralph Maltby. Find the best wedge bounce for your swing, and then pick one wedge that goes against the norm. If you have mainly mid-bounce wedges, you might make the SW high bounce so you have some versatility of unusual shots.

[theothertwo]

12 hours ago, Yoshifan151 said:

I use my 54/60 for almost everything around the green, occasionally using a short iron for bump and runs. I like having 2 different grinds and bounces for maximum versatility. 54 for pitches without much in the way and on soft/medium turf. 60 if I need to get over something, want to land soft without much spin, or off a tight lie. I almost always open up the 60 and even though it's low bounce, it still glides along turf really well and is a weapon out of bunkers that aren't giga fluffy/soft (which I almost never deal with).

 

If you can effectively use 2 mid bounce wedges then I'm all for it, but I think there's a real benefit to having a high and low bounce option to cover more scenarios. It also really depends on what courses you play on and if you have to deal with multiple types of grass.

When the lob wedge first came out, I had a Cleveland TA Reg 588 60* wedge which I believe had only 3* of bounce perfect for tight lies and packed sand.  My other wedge was the 56* Reg 588 with 14* of bounce perfect for soft sand and lush fairways and rough.  I noticed these days though that the trend has been more bounce in all the wedges, probably because of the different grinds.  My 58* wedge which has a 10* bounce has like an M grind which makes it very versatile.

[Myherobobhope]

12 hours ago, ChipNRun said:

 

lefthack brings to mind advice from club designer Ralph Maltby. Find the best wedge bounce for your swing, and then pick one wedge that goes against the norm. If you have mainly mid-bounce wedges, you might make the SW high bounce so you have some versatility of unusual shots.

Sieckmann agrees with this, but would argue the low bounce option should

be your highest wedge...

 

as far as “making your bounce work for you” to me, this is just basically throwing the club into the ball (vs dragging it with your hands, like on a full shot)... the bounce on the club is far less important than the technique. I do it with a 12 degree bounce wedge and a 4 degree bounce wedge... when you lead with any bounce it prevents digging... if you lead with your hands it completely negates the bounce, regardless of the number, because the lead edge contacts the ground vs the sole of your club where the bounce is.

[SwooshLT]

I'm playing MD5 S grind 10* on both 54 n 60* .......54 has been the workhorse but recently had a shot from 50yds over a bunker that I chucked with my 60......made my only bogey that round(3 under btw) and went to figure things out.....down here in Florida,  fairways are tight and firm right now so the 10* bounce is actually hurting unless ball placement and swing angle are spot on.......I actually placed the 60 in a delofted position;  up on the leading edge and back in my stance a bit hitting this driving spin shot that was just perfect for the conditions......so the versatility is still available with particular grinds , just a bit of creativity to learn the wedges

[mogc60]

Listen for the thump! The sound will tell you when you’re engaging the bounce and using it correctly. As far as both wedges having the same bounce I don’t think it’s important but if it’s working for you go with it. I was a club pro for 17 years and my wedge game was a major strength of my game. One thing I saw a lot and still see is people don’t screw around enough with their wedge shots. Move the ball around, hands ahead, hands behind, hands even with the ball. Face open, face way open, face square, face trapped....see what happens? Keep in mind there is forward bounce, middle bounce and trailing edge bounce on the sole of your wedges. It’s your friend in every setup if you use it correctly. Watch the ball flight and focus on the ground contact, keep that consistent with a firm thump. The key to chipping and pitching is too develop an arsenal of shots with similar technique. I can hit three seperate ball flights with the same face angle just by changing my hand position and shaft angle. Have fun with it, mess around a little, don’t get too technical and see what works. That little boy in my profile pic is my son, he was 5 when I took that pic. He is 9 now and his game around the greens is fantastic. All I ever taught him from a young age is to hear the thump. 

Edited March 30, 2021 by mogc60

[ChipNRun]

25 minutes ago, Myherobobhope said:

... when you lead with any bounce it prevents digging...

Exactly. And not just on wedges. For greenside chips I often use a 7i, and the "engage the bounce" set-up (minimal shaft lean, skim the turf) works fine for 7i also.

[SwooshLT]

20 minutes ago, mogc60 said:

Listen for the thump! The sound will tell you when you’re engaging the bounce and using it correctly. As far as both wedges having the same bounce I don’t think it’s important but if it’s working for you go with it. I was a club pro for 17 years and my wedge game was a major strength of my game. One thing I saw a lot and still see is people don’t screw around enough with their wedge shots. Move the ball around, hands ahead, hands behind, hands even with the ball. Face open, face way open, face square, face trapped....see what happens? Watch the ball flight and focus on the ground contact, keep that consistent with a firm thump. The key to chipping and pitching is too develop an arsenal of shots with similar technique. Have fun with it, mess around a little, don’t get too technical and see what works. 

 

 

THIS!

[Yoshifan151]

55 minutes ago, theothertwo said:

When the lob wedge first came out, I had a Cleveland TA Reg 588 60* wedge which I believe had only 3* of bounce perfect for tight lies and packed sand.  My other wedge was the 56* Reg 588 with 14* of bounce perfect for soft sand and lush fairways and rough.  I noticed these days though that the trend has been more bounce in all the wedges, probably because of the different grinds.  My 58* wedge which has a 10* bounce has like an M grind which makes it very versatile.

Yeah a grind like the M grind is a great option for your 58, enough bounce so it won't dig on square faced shots but enough relief on certain areas so you can still open it up.

[Myherobobhope]

39 minutes ago, ChipNRun said:

Exactly. And not just on wedges. For greenside chips I often use a 7i, and the "engage the bounce" set-up (minimal shaft lean, skim the turf) works fine for 7i also.

Absolutely... I’ve found I can chip with more clubs now that I’m better at presenting the bounce... 

 

It also keeps the club face open so you are getting more loft on the shot, thus my gap wedge now launches like my lob wedge used to... it opens up a ton of options around the green.

 

one of the best things I’ve picked up recently.