Lowest launching gap and sand wedges

[geeza_1]

clubs that make knock-downs easier

Hi guys,

Well I foolishly went out and bought two Sonartec T35 wedges (52 and 56). I say foolishly because they just dont feel as solid or give as reliable distances as my vokeys. Anyway, the reason I bought them is because I was looking for wedges that naturally lower ball flight and help me hit more of a knockdown shot with high spin.

Ok, I am an accomplished single figure golfer and I can hit this shot with my Vokeys, but their relatively low COG make it quite tough sometimes. I would like wedges that go more this way naturally, as I have no trouble hitting a high ball.

Any ideas? Was thinking maybe Mizuno, but also seem to remember reading something about the Bridegstone J33s having a super long neck for precisely this reason.

Any ideas????

[BJG718]

look into wilson tw5. spin the ball like crazy and have a lower trajectory than most wedges ive used. i also have a ben hogan sure-out which doesn't hit the ball quite as low as the tw-5, but spins very predictably and has a big fat sole with only 6* of bounce which has been a great thing for me.

[binneguru]

sonartec t-35 have a higher center of gravity. Vokey 400 series wedges would also fit the bill.

[abewley]

send your wedges to nomad golf and have them port it

[KingOAces]

don't ping wedges have a lower-than-average ballflight?

 

KinG

[geeza_1]

Interesting comment about the Wilson TW5. I checked these out on Wilson's European website (for some reason they are not even included on the US site), and they have tungsten weighting high in the back of the blade for precisely the reason I mentioned. Maybe I will try and find a cheap used one on shebay.

 

Also interested in the porting idea, but not really sure whether it will make any change to ball flight.

[binneguru]

it can but you need lead tape to bring the COG higher. Porting wedges is not the way to lower ball flight unless you can live with lead tape :drinks: A better design to start with is always preferential.

[geeza_1]

it can but you need lead tape to bring the COG higher. Porting wedges is not the way to lower ball flight unless you can live with lead tape :drinks: A better design to start with is always preferential.

 

I quite agree, hence my original question: what are the lowest launching wedges on the market? I really love the feel and control of my vokeys, but would consider changing for a lower flight. I may even try the porting thing, although I am a little worried about destroying feel.

[abewley]

porting seems to work well for the tour guys...

[taylormadefan]

Bridgestone's got the long hosel on the J33 wedges.

 

I don't think any other wedge on the market has a higher center of gravity.

 

I think you can still special order Vokey 400 series which have a high COG as well compared to the 200's.

 

However, I learned the hard way that your swing is the number one factor. Loft is still the biggest factor in ball flight, and with wedges you've got high lofts. You've got to work on keeping the hands ahead to keep the ball flight down.

[gjones77]

don't ping wedges have a lower-than-average ballflight?

 

KinG

 

The Ping Tour wedges do (I have a 56 and 52*)

 

Great wedges, solid feel

[binneguru]

well porting works for tour pros because they get heavier than standard heads and take some of the weight from the sole which will work. That being said any flat back wedge will be lower ball flight than say an X-tour which is traditional in shape. I have no problem with porting wedges you just need to add weight elsewhere if you are dealing with mere mortal wedges and don't have bob vokey making stuff for you :drinks:

 

The sonartec or the Vokey 400 series are the first two to come to mind that have a thicker "muscleback" or profile or whatever you want to call it which would bring the ball flight down but still maintain spin.

 

look at tiger's irons to see what i mean about a fatter muscleback to bring the center of gravity upward.

[BJG718]

as for the tw5...i don't have the ones with the tungsten in the top of the head. it is a 52* gap wedge that i have. and it launches quite low compared to most other wedges ive tried. it spins the ball like crazy, too. i can suck the ball back (which is pretty rare for a 12 handicap to be able to do on a consistent basis), i can let stop it on a dime, and i can let it roll out of it need to. its a very controllable wedge with lower ballflight.

[shook23]

Maybe try a different shaft? Joe just installed tour concepts (S3) in some wedges for me and I can definitely keep them down if needed. FYI the wedges are TM Tour Black RACS.

[golfhawaii]

Maybe try a different shaft? Joe just installed tour concepts (S3) in some wedges for me and I can definitely keep them down if needed. FYI the wedges are TM Tour Black RACS.

 

I agree with this post. My advice would be to get some Project X wedge shafts, mabye some that are too stiff, to lower the ball flight.

 

The downfall with the shaft theory might be thay you are hitting them too low. Next week you'll post a question like: "How to hit wedge shots higher with Project X 7.0's!" :drinks:

 

Anyway, best of luck with the knock down wedge shot.

[sergizmo]

I had the RAC blacks for awhile (pre TP) and they were for me the lowest launching wedges.

[turbodog]

i also have a hard time keeping wedges down, and have found bridgestone j33s, vokey 400s, and the rac tps to have the lowest natural flight, in that order. the vokeys have the high muscle shape. the j33s have the center muscle and long hosel. and the rac tps have those big pockets which work much like porting.

[geeza_1]

i also have a hard time keeping wedges down, and have found bridgestone j33s, vokey 400s, and the rac tps to have the lowest natural flight, in that order. the vokeys have the high muscle shape. the j33s have the center muscle and long hosel. and the rac tps have those big pockets which work much like porting.

 

Yes, I have heard that the j33 is made that way intentionally to help knock-downs, but my only fear is that it might not feel as solid as my vokeys. That was also the problem i had with the cg10 - just felt like mush with no distance control or feeling.

 

I know feel is very personal and difficult to quantify, but I would really just like a lower launching vokey! Is there such a thing?

[Road Warrior]

i also have a hard time keeping wedges down, and have found bridgestone j33s, vokey 400s, and the rac tps to have the lowest natural flight, in that order. the vokeys have the high muscle shape. the j33s have the center muscle and long hosel. and the rac tps have those big pockets which work much like porting.

 

Yes, I have heard that the j33 is made that way intentionally to help knock-downs, but my only fear is that it might not feel as solid as my vokeys. That was also the problem i had with the cg10 - just felt like mush with no distance control or feeling.

 

I know feel is very personal and difficult to quantify, but I would really just like a lower launching vokey! Is there such a thing?

Just as others have been saying, if you want a lower launching Vokey then get Vokey 400 series wedges! :drinks:

[geeza_1]

i also have a hard time keeping wedges down, and have found bridgestone j33s, vokey 400s, and the rac tps to have the lowest natural flight, in that order. the vokeys have the high muscle shape. the j33s have the center muscle and long hosel. and the rac tps have those big pockets which work much like porting.

 

Yes, I have heard that the j33 is made that way intentionally to help knock-downs, but my only fear is that it might not feel as solid as my vokeys. That was also the problem i had with the cg10 - just felt like mush with no distance control or feeling.

 

I know feel is very personal and difficult to quantify, but I would really just like a lower launching vokey! Is there such a thing?

Just as others have been saying, if you want a lower launching Vokey then get Vokey 400 series wedges!

 

I really dont like the shape of the Vokey 400 series at addres. May invest in one of the nice black stain j33 wedges though. Like I said before, my only concern is that they might be a bit "clicky" and not as solid as my vokeys. Can anyone tell me what they feel like at impact?

[tei3rn]

The J33's are forged. I thought they felt softer than the cast Vokey's...However, they just didn't feel as heavy.