LW Wedge help from you guru’s…

[gator022]

Currently play Mizuno T22 58* in the D grind with 12* of bounce. Love it except if I open it up from the sand. Too much bounce and it bounces into the ball and it flies across the world. I’ve have a 58* C grind which has 8* of bounce. It’s much better from the bunkers but on fuller shots I can tell it’s digging more and strikes are sliding up the face more.

 

Is there something else out there I between? Or am I splitting hairs here? 
 

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

 

Thoughts? I’m not opposed to any other brand or model. 

[DoughBack18]

Possibly a Vokey low bounce K. Works well out of bunkers and the wider sole shouldn’t dig as much on full shots.

[Kale_m]

Anything with a wider flange on the bottom and lower bounce 

[Gysse]

Take a look at wilson staff wedges - these are also forged and I really like them. Also the price is good

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

I have the S23 58° in the X-Grind, with 4° of bounce, and its leading edge still sits higher off the ground than comparable bounce wedges from Vokey or TM. It works for me on full shots, too, but it’s a specialty club. Ideally, your SW should be a mid or high bounce option, so you have both!

[ashortgame]

If you want to stay in Mizuno then I would suggest 58/10 V grind. V grind is indicated as high bounce but 10° on the 58 is not really high bounce but it has toe and heel relief which allows you to position the face angle depending on what shot you want to play. 10° will get you around pretty much every course in the world.

If you want to go deeper then get a wedge fitting. I fit wedges for a living and its amazing how many players have the wrong grind and lie angle. Actually I would say that of all the players I fit probably only 5 % have the right lie angle as they have never been fitted.

Try Vokey, Ping, Callaway and Taylormade all. After all along with the driver and putter your wedge is the money club.

Explore the possibilities.

 

[ShortGolfer]

I have the new Callaway Jaws Raw 58/8 Z grind.  It is an improved C grind for less digging.

I don't have  a C grind for comparision, but the Z grind was designed for what you want.

 

If the D grind works except for when you open it up from the sand, why do you need that particular shot?

 

I carry a Glide 3.0 58/6 TS for only a few shots. It has the same 45g LA Golf shaft as my irons.

It is great for hitting off hardpan bunkers.

If I'm having a good round it may never leave the bag. 

Yes, I carry two 58s with nearly the same bounce but different grinds.

Edited May 23 by ShortGolfer

[North Butte]

Are your bunkers hardpan?

[gator022]

50 minutes ago, North Butte said:

Are your bunkers hardpan?

No, I wouldn’t call them firm but they aren’t fluffy. Tough course too so lots of short sided bunker shots. 

[gator022]

The most simple solution appears to be to not open the 58 at all. Perhaps try some of these other options you all mention.

[cav5]

10 hours ago, gator022 said:

Currently play Mizuno T22 58* in the D grind with 12* of bounce. Love it except if I open it up from the sand. Too much bounce and it bounces into the ball and it flies across the world. I’ve have a 58* C grind which has 8* of bounce. It’s much better from the bunkers but on fuller shots I can tell it’s digging more and strikes are sliding up the face more.

 

Is there something else out there I between? Or am I splitting hairs here? 
 

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

 

Thoughts? I’m not opposed to any other brand or model. 

 

This model is my primary wedge. OR i use a vokey 56F bent to 58.

 

I don't have any problems with it out of any lie. Likely your technique

[Poor Mans Ty Webb]

2 hours ago, gator022 said:

The most simple solution appears to be to not open the 58 at all. Perhaps try some of these other options you all mention.

 

Alternatively, in those situations where the 58C is digging, you could consider playing a different wedge with higher bounce.  This is part of the logic behind the philosophy of the SW with higher bounce and the LW with lower bounce (it's fair to concede here that there's not a "one size fits all" approach to wedges).  The LW can be opened up in the bunkers, activating more bounce, and the SW can be delofted going into the turf (depending on the type of turf on which you play), taking away some of the bounce.

[rsballer10]

11 hours ago, gator022 said:

Currently play Mizuno T22 58* in the D grind with 12* of bounce. Love it except if I open it up from the sand. Too much bounce and it bounces into the ball and it flies across the world. I’ve have a 58* C grind which has 8* of bounce. It’s much better from the bunkers but on fuller shots I can tell it’s digging more and strikes are sliding up the face more.

 

Is there something else out there I between? Or am I splitting hairs here? 
 

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

 

Thoughts? I’m not opposed to any other brand or model. 

Unless you're playing out of hardpan bunkers, it's probably technique related. With correct technique, I think a D grind, a C grind, or an S grind will all work wonderfully. My guess is weight too far back, raising the leading edge up and catching ball first.

 

The only times I could see blaming the grind out of the bunkers is a extreme mismatch between course conditions and grind. For instance, super low bounce wedge, say anything under 6 degrees. Vokey T grind comes to mind, you better know what you're doing playing a bunker shot with one of those. Or, maybe a super high bounce wedge like a OEM vokey 14K out of hardpan. Sometimes the grind is so mismatched to the conditions it will override technique.

 

At some point or another I have purchased and gotten extensive testing with the following:

-Vokey T,L,M,S,D,K,B grinds

-Cleveland Xlow, Low, Mid, Full, RTX3 V-sole

-Callaway S,Z grinds

-Too many others to name

 

Unless you plan on rotating out wedges to match course conditions, picking the right grind will involve tradeoffs. Selecting a grind that provides 100% of the benefit in one area may lead to a huge drop-off in another. Let's say we want to hit full lob wedge shots and optimize that. Most likely, the best grind will be something with a full sole. If you open the face for greenside shots, the full sole grind will be sub-optimal. 

 

My recommendation is stick with the C-grind, but only use the lob wedge for partial swings and greenside shots. Optimize the gap/sand wedge for approach shots and square faced shots around the green. This setup gives the best "all around versatility", but it involves removing a full swing lob wedge from the equation.

 

[gator022]

27 minutes ago, rsballer10 said:

Unless you're playing out of hardpan bunkers, it's probably technique related. With correct technique, I think a D grind, a C grind, or an S grind will all work wonderfully. My guess is weight too far back, raising the leading edge up and catching ball first.

 

The only times I could see blaming the grind out of the bunkers is a extreme mismatch between course conditions and grind. For instance, super low bounce wedge, say anything under 6 degrees. Vokey T grind comes to mind, you better know what you're doing playing a bunker shot with one of those. Or, maybe a super high bounce wedge like a OEM vokey 14K out of hardpan. Sometimes the grind is so mismatched to the conditions it will override technique.

 

At some point or another I have purchased and gotten extensive testing with the following:

-Vokey T,L,M,S,D,K,B grinds

-Cleveland Xlow, Low, Mid, Full, RTX3 V-sole

-Callaway S,Z grinds

-Too many others to name

 

Unless you plan on rotating out wedges to match course conditions, picking the right grind will involve tradeoffs. Selecting a grind that provides 100% of the benefit in one area may lead to a huge drop-off in another. Let's say we want to hit full lob wedge shots and optimize that. Most likely, the best grind will be something with a full sole. If you open the face for greenside shots, the full sole grind will be sub-optimal. 

 

My recommendation is stick with the C-grind, but only use the lob wedge for partial swings and greenside shots. Optimize the gap/sand wedge for approach shots and square faced shots around the green. This setup gives the best "all around versatility", but it involves removing a full swing lob wedge from the equation.

 

I think you’re correct. It’s bad technique with the D grind I’ve been playing. Or bad execution given the shot at hand. Not a wedge issue. I was hoping for a one trick pony.

 

Sounds like it’s the Indian not the arrow!

[rsballer10]

7 minutes ago, gator022 said:

I think you’re correct. It’s bad technique with the D grind I’ve been playing. Or bad execution given the shot at hand. Not a wedge issue. I was hoping for a one trick pony.

 

Sounds like it’s the Indian not the arrow!

Been looking for that unicorn for years! I prefer a little less bounce in the LW, but to make higher bounce work I'd recommend more weight on front foot.

[Glock917]

If you do not want to go the equipment route and just stick with the wedge you got, I'd say on the full wedge shot just ever so slightly open the face and expose more bounce.

 

You may have to practice and play around with this but it can be an easy fix. 

[st1800e]

12 hours ago, gator022 said:

sliding up the face more.

Balls don’t slide up the face.  Likely those shots you’ve hit higher on the face.  

[gator022]

10 hours ago, st1800e said:

Balls don’t slide up the face.  Likely those shots you’ve hit higher on the face.  

I didn’t mean some sort of massive slide up the face. But higher on the face due to the digging.  No reason to make the comment made as it’s nothing to do with what’s at hand here. Anyone can nitpick parts of someone’s post. Not necessary my friend.

[ProV1Killa]

First I will say I think lob wedges are a waste of space in a golf bag.  There is nothing a lob wedge can do that can't be done with a 56, good technique and good hands.  With-that-said, I like to open the face as needed and nothing irritates me more than a wedge that lifts the leading edge when I open it up.  The only way you are going to get what you are looking for is to buy a wedge with a lot of heal and toe relief.  I think the TM tiger grind is one of the best for this from an OEM.  I will add this caveat; if your technique and ball striking isn't impeccable be prepared to embrace chunky as your nickname.

[ChipNRun]

On 5/22/2024 at 9:26 PM, gator022 said:

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

 

Give this a try with 58*. Also, are you able to use 54* for longer bunker shots?

[gator022]

6 hours ago, ChipNRun said:

 

Give this a try with 58*. Also, are you able to use 54* for longer bunker shots?

Yes, I can used a 54 for longer shots.

 

I’ll just not get so cute and/or open the 58 up much if any. Even better I’ll try to avoid short siding myself in bunkers like the plague too.

[rufus mangler]

On 5/22/2024 at 10:26 PM, gator022 said:

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

This

[beluga99]

I have a similar wedge to you (T20 60/10), and love it from everywhere.  Mizuno make a super underrated wedge IMO.

 

I did however get a nice deal on a brand new Eye2 Toe 59° so plan to try that as well to see if it's any better.  I think the T20 60/10 will be tough to beat.

[rsballer10]

1 hour ago, gator022 said:

Yes, I can used a 54 for longer shots.

 

I’ll just not get so cute and/or open the 58 up much if any. Even better I’ll try to avoid short siding myself in bunkers like the plague too.

Here was what I was referring to previously about bunker technique. Here is an old video of Seve, the best to ever do it working with Mac. Skip to 5:30 where they talk about moving weight forward.

 

 

 

Edited May 24 by rsballer10

[hammergolf]

On 5/22/2024 at 10:26 PM, gator022 said:

Currently play Mizuno T22 58* in the D grind with 12* of bounce. Love it except if I open it up from the sand. Too much bounce and it bounces into the ball and it flies across the world. I’ve have a 58* C grind which has 8* of bounce. It’s much better from the bunkers but on fuller shots I can tell it’s digging more and strikes are sliding up the face more.

 

Is there something else out there I between? Or am I splitting hairs here? 
 

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

 

Thoughts? I’m not opposed to any other brand or model. 

If you love everything about the wedge, just have a club guy put an S grind on it. This will add lots of heel and trailing edge relief. It will play the same on square faced shots, but keep the leading edge low and bounce much less when the face is opened.

Edited May 24 by hammergolf

[Bobb3rdown]

Have been very happy with my cobra mim 60 wl gring. 4° bounce

[2Down]

Eye 2 sandwedges the early ones are pretty nice.   57.5° open it up a bit and the bounce shows its face.  I can’t say I’ve ever played a more versatile wedge and I’ve played a lot of them.  

[gator022]

On 5/23/2024 at 11:32 PM, ChipNRun said:

On 5/22/2024 at 10:26 PM, gator022 said:

I can easily just not open the wedge up as much from the bunker.

 

Give this a try with 58*. Also, are you able to use 54* for longer bunker shots?

Doing this worked yesterday. Didn’t open it up and got out easy. All technique and setup issue.

[gator022]

23 hours ago, rsballer10 said:

Here was what I was referring to previously about bunker technique. Here is an old video of Seve, the best to ever do it working with Mac. Skip to 5:30 where they talk about moving weight forward.

 

 

 

this is great too! I aggressively (to me) leaned forward and it helped. 
 

thanks folks!

[hook_or_slice]

On 5/24/2024 at 8:39 PM, 2Down said:

Eye 2 sandwedges the early ones are pretty nice.   57.5° open it up a bit and the bounce shows its face.  I can’t say I’ve ever played a more versatile wedge and I’ve played a lot of them.  

 

Ping offers the "E" grind on their current wedges. It is based on the old Eye 2 wedges. Magic out of the sand and excellent around the greens.