Final Reviews: Edel SMS Wedges

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by GrumpyGolf

Intro  - May 29, 2022

For a full introduction in the comments section click here

First off, I am grateful to have been selected for this set of testing. I am picking up the game again after an eighteen-and-a-half-year hiatus due to family, work, and general unexpected (or maybe should have expected) life happenings.  With most of that behind us, my wife decided it was time for me to get back out on the course (and maybe give her some time away from me ). 

During fitting I was fitted with the following specs:

• 50°, 54°, and 58°
• C-Grind with 2g/8g/10g weight dispersion
• KBS Tour Wedge - S +1"
• Tour Velvet - Std

As for this test, I plan on testing out the wedges in three different manners – in the simulator (to get the spins, trajectories, etc.…), on the range (distances and shot groupings), and the chipping/putting green (feel and short shots with stopping power).  I will be using my current wedges as a baseline only but considering the loft differences I really am going to rely on my own experiences with the Edel wedges.

I said before that I was excited to get a chance to test wedges in my first go round on MGS, I mean that because my wedge game was the best part of my game before. I practiced flop shot more than anything else just because I thought they looked cool (reality is if I needed a flop shot one in a round, I was lucky). But wedge shots in general were good for me as I was usually 20-30 yds off the green back then.

What's in the box: Click here to see the box opening for the the Edel wedges.

First Usage and QA of Wedges: Click here to see initial usage thoughts as well as the actual QA of the wedges themselves.

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by scooterhd2

Full introduction can be found in the comments section.

Intro

Hello MGS, my name is Kevin. I've only really gotten into golf in the last 3 years or so, but have worked my way down to a 5 handicap. I play 30 rounds a year and practice several times a week. I am a bit of an equipment and instruction junkie. My biggest weakness right now is inside 100 yards. My slightly OTT move leads to some thin strikes and partial shots have been a score killer for me. Around the greens my wedge game is functional but rarely great. I'm hoping a properly fit set of Edel SMS wedges can fine tune by game, provide some more consistency and ultimately give me more confidence. That's going to be a recipe for lower scores. 

 

Results of my fitting at Club Champion:

50: C Grind, 54: V Grind, 58: T Grind. Weights at 6h, 10c, 8t. 

 

 

Final Review - July 25, 2022

 

First Impressions - 4/5 Stars

My order was quick to ship. Communication from Edel was great. The box the wedges come in is absolutely top notch. And the packaging and materials exceed my expectations. I do find it concerning that between our group the packaging was not consistent though. I seemed to receive all of the stickers and info cards, while others did not. I was also a bit disappointed that there was not a tool included. 3 wedges retail for over $600, so not to include a tool seems trivial to me. Especially when the marketing behind the club is that it has moveable weights. I also find it odd that there is no mention in the ordering process of paint fills. There appears to be a red model and a black model, and although the ferrule choice is given, there's no mention that the wedges may be painted differently based on that choice. Or perhaps that the paint fill for stamps would be applied everywhere. Regardless, that's an oversight in my opinion. It didn't affect me, as my wedges were exactly what I imagined, but I could see how others could run into a problem there. In all fairness, if I was ordering after a fitting and with no knowledge of other order, I'd give 5 stars, but consistency is key. 

 

 

At the end of the day, you cant help but smile once you have these unboxed. The shafts labels are well aligned, the grips are straight, the weights are in the right spot, and my lengths were spot on. A great build that is just waiting to be put through the paces. 

 

Aesthetics, Sound and Feel - 4/5 Stars

I believe Edel has made massive strides in the aesthetics department from previous wedge releases. The SMS wedges are absolute quality. The shape is refined, sort of a mix between a classic Vokey/Cleveland type wedge and a Hi Toe which are all widely popular offerings. Full face grooves seem to be all the rage right now, but Edel has been at it for years and they do it properly by my judgment. Enough groove length for the benefit, while still trying to maintain a somewhat traditional look. The graphics are more subdued, with just the company name on the badge and other branding on the hosel. There may have been a time when the weight ports were an eye sore, and I can’t say that I am the biggest fan of the look, but its become common place with PXG and even Callaway having a similar appearance. And obviously these are integral to the technology and design of the wedge. I also appreciate the milled grind sole and the extra design element on the ferrule.If you believe in the performance and quality of your product enough to charge top dollar, then it has to look the part and Edel has certainly done an outstanding job here. 

My one wish, is that Edel offered a raw finish (or black or brushed steel). I get why manufacturers don’t. Part of it is sales volume, the other is in making a specially weighted head to reach specs without the additional 4 or 6 grams of weight that nickel plating and chrome adds. But it seems you could make use of the weight ports to easily add back the weight. For me, and I admit that my eyes are sensitive and I am playing in the absolute extremes of sunlight in Arizona in July; but the finish, while incredibly durable and incredibly beautiful in hand, is so glaring behind the ball. 

I’ll have to say I was probably most impressed with the sound and feel of the SMS wedges. The faces are forged with 1025 which is naturally a bit softer then then 8620 used by most wedge manufacturers. Full shots and the head feels heavy but delivers a soft blow. I use a hard ProV1x and out the middle it’s like a marshmallow. Dull sound. Very similar to my Srixon 785 PW (forged from 1020), which makes the transition to wedge very nice. That feeling is addicting when the strike feels like you hit a tennis ball and you know its a great shot just from the feel of impact.

 

The Numbers - 5/5 Stars

My fitting at Club Champion started with a light warm up with my 50* Cleveland RXT4 as my fitter looked over by bag, my swing, and launch conditions. After 20 shots, he asked my what I thought my yardage with that club was, and I said "113 yards." He brought up the averages and I was averaging 113 yards, which made me happy, but it was soon explained to me that these numbers were not optimal. 

It didn't take long to get the Edel SMS weighted properly in the SW and moving back to the 50 degree GW, my final set ended up averaging 118 yards with a slightly slower swing speed. Extra 5 yards. I gained 4 yards with the 54 degree as well, with the same or more spin. 

Gaining yards with my wedges were the last thing I was looking to do, but it was purely an outcome of finding the right weight that kept the club path consistent, and kept the face square. Instant increase in distance and better dispersion. And every swing felt like it was coming out of the middle. 

This transferred to the range as well, and on the course, where I was consistently hitting wedges 5 yards further with ease, with the potential to hit 10 yard farther if attempting to hit a lower draw. 

In a separate indoor Trackman session 1 week ago, I nearly replicated my fitting numbers. This time finding the Edels to be 6 or 7 yards longer with no real detriment to launch conditions or flight. 

 

 

On Course - 5/5 Stars

I love on course testing. Looks don't matter, brands don't matter, numbers don't matter. Everything is results based, and that's really where the Edel SMS wedges shined in my opinion. 

I shot my first ever under par round over 18 holes, albeit on a executive course that I skipped around on tee boxes to ensure that I could tee off with a wedge in hand on every hole. I only carried the 3 Edel wedges and a putter. Average hole length come to 110 yards, and I was in the zone. This was the first time playing on a course with the new wedges, and it was beyond an amazing honeymoon period. It's hard to ignore instant success the first time the clubs are in the bag. There's definitely something here.

 

The results did not really stop from there. My handicap has not moved much over the last few months, so there isn't any quantifiable evidence (my cap dropped from 4.8 to 4.6 while testing), but I just feel like I have much better control over full wedge shots. Distance and trajectory control is more predictable, and I feel the Edel SMS wedges are more workable then my Clevelands and especially my TM Hi Toes. It has really been beneficial to be able to add or take off 5 yards by changing the flight. It's tough to explain, but when the weighting feels right, there's a better feel for the clubhead and face, and for me that makes it much easier to hit high fades and lower flighted draws on command. I feel like I can slow the swing down and get more out of it.      

I 

 

 

Besides one really difficult course, I've been very happy with my scoring with the Edels in the bag. I'm usually a 78-82 player with a low anti-cap, and I've been comfortable within that margin every time out while shooting better on several rounds at executive courses. And for me, this is not peak season and conditions can be more difficult in the summer, so I am excited to see what the Fall and Winter will look like. 

I can say that my putts per round has dropped 1.3 putts over the 8 rounds with Edels versus the 8 previous rounds. Could be coincidental. I also put a new putter in the bag. But I feel like I haven't even been putting that well, and that my hole proximity is better. 

 

The Good, The Bad, The Inbetween - 4/5 Stars

 

I find it a bit odd that Edel does not have a weight kit available. As is, the SMS wedges are going to be best for people looking to get professionally fit for them. That seems to play into the niche golfer that is already familiar with the brand and is going into a fitting already expecting a purchase but just dialing in specs. I’m not sure how big of a draw that is. I think they audience becomes a bit more limited, whereas the weight kit could open it up to the tinkerer that wants to experiment with over 100 combinations of head weights. I will say, the fitting component was extremely successful for me and I would highly recommend that route for anyone that is truly interested.

 

Play it or Trade it? - 4/5 Stars

This is a bit difficult to grade, but I have to give high marks because the 50c and 54v are staying in the bag. I’ve never felt so confident from 120-90 yards. There’s something to the weighting where the club just feels in position, and I finally feel like I am throwing darts and not just spraying balls. I feel like my approach play on fuller shots has been as good as it has ever been. The 54v has also been a revelation around the greens. Played off the back foot, this has quickly become a go to club for lower flighted pitches and chips. And in bunkers with adequate sand, it has performed admirably.  

The same can be said about the 58t on full shots and in the bunker, but in all honesty there's just too much bounce on touch shots around the green for my liking. Again, I have a shallow attack angle, I play on firm tight lies, and I’m hitting onto fast greens, so I prefer being able to pick the ball with LW. Could a different grind fit me better? Possibly. Would bending a 60 degree stronger to lower the bounce help? Possibly. But right now I just have more confidence with a much lower bounce option than Edel provides. That being said, I’m definitely keeping the 58t. I could see it being useful depending on course conditions or on my travels. 

 

Final Score -  26/30 Stars

There's something to the Edel SMS wedges. It can be hard to pinpoint exactly. By Edel's own admission the moveable weights don't have much influence on the COG. So every change to the ball flight with different weight settings is purely brought on by the users feel. Snake oil? Marketing hype? I cycle through alot of clubs, especially wedges, and these just feel right. Above all, I feel in full control of the club. And naturally, when there's that connectedness and confidence, I've seen better dispersion and distance in my fitting, in subsequent monitor sessions, and on the course. 

Again, there's something here, and there's not currently another wedge like it. I'd have to say, if you are in the market for new wedges and are planning to get fit, then I would recommend atleast considering the Edel SMS wedges. Get them in hand. There are really a unique product. If you get the grinds right, they are as good as anything out there. 

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by edingc

Introduction - May 28, 2022

A full introduction can be found in the comments section.

A big thank you to Edel and MyGolfSpy for another outstanding testing opportunity.

My name is Cody and, if you ask my wife, I am obsessed with golf. I practice or play almost every day when the weather permits. Living in West Michigan is a golfer’s dream with many beautiful courses and practice facilities. My handicap hovers in the upper-mid single digits with my distance being the strength of my game. My length means I hit a number of full and partial wedges throughout my rounds.

I will be testing the Edel SMS wedges with the following specifications, per my fitting at Club Champion:

• 50 degrees, 54 degrees, 58 degrees
• Standard Loft/Length/Lie
• V Grind
• Weight in Toe
• Nippon Modus3 Wedge 125

I have access to a short game area, a practice range and my indoor garage bay equipped with a FlightScope Mevo+ launch monitor and Titleist RCT golf balls. My plan is to put the Edels through their paces on course, on the practice area and in my garage bay. Specifically, a few areas I am most concerned about are turf interaction, ball flight/shape and wet weather performance. 

Final Review - July 25, 2022

Crazy how fast time flies when you're having fun! We received our clubs over a month ago (full unboxing post here), and I've had a blast with the Edels on both the course and practice range. I was able to get the wedges out for 10 18-hole rounds, eight 9-hole rounds, a scramble and at least 15 trips to the range/practice area. I even played an entire nine holes with nothing but the wedges and my putter.

First Impressions - 4/5 Stars

The quality of the Edel wedges is evident by the fit and finish of the packaging and the clubs themselves. From the securely-packed, suitcase-style shipping box to the hand-turned ferrules, the bespokeness of the SMS wedges is obvious.

Edel promotes the weight system as a means to ensure the best possible fit for an individual’s swing type. The weight positions allow them to fit for any type of swing, shallow to steep. Edel claims a combined 44 percent increase in accuracy in distance and lateral dispersion.

I am very impressed by the Edel experience. Chris Koske, Edel’s Chief Marketing Officer, helped schedule my fitting and took my order via email. That was a very nice touch. It made me feel like they cared about their customers more so than a larger OEM might.

I’m removing a star from this area for two reasons:

• There were some differences in what each tester received inside their shipment. I received a card detailing how to self-fit the wedges but some of the other testers did not. I did not receive stickers. Some of the other testers did.
• It seems odd to me at this price point to not include a tool to change the weights alongside the self-fitting card.

Aesthetics, Sound and Feel - 5/5 Stars

This is a very subjective area of the review. To my eyes the SMS wedges are some of the most beautiful wedges available. While the milled sole is not unique to Edel, the combination of the sole, modern branding, custom ferrules and a chrome finish makes for a stunning golf club. 

I prefer the look of the slightly rounded leading edge. It makes me confident I won’t lay sod over the ball if I catch it heavy. The matte face sets itself against the polished hosel and back. The squared off, almost full face grooves are unique and act as a nice alignment aid as well.

The wedges are minimalist enough as to not draw attention. You really start to appreciate the whole package once the details like the sole milling and the diamond texture on the face reveal themselves.

After an adjustment period, the Edel wedges feel great. As a Japanese 1025 carbon steel forging, they have a very soft feeling when hit on or around the sweet spot. There is still plenty of feedback, and I can readily tell my strike location, however.

I play a firmer golf ball (Snell MTB-X), but impact with the SMS wedges produce a nice solid thwack sound. Only when moving to range rocks could I describe some shots as producing a harsh clicking sound and feel.

The Numbers - 4/5 Stars

The heaviest weight has been in the toe throughout my testing per my fitting. The weight placement has resulted in consistent impact and shots. I haven’t wanted to move it around.

My left-to-right dispersion is predictable. I used to be capable of big left misses even with a wedge in my hand. My left miss has almost completely disappeared. I most often miss the ball to the right now, which is a much better miss in most circumstances.

I hit the SMS wedges very consistent distances that fit my gapping. They have a nice high flight for me with a stock full swing. However, these wedges seem to love partial swings. I’ve made an effort to hit partial shots more often as a means to combat wind. On full swings into the breeze I’ve noticed I can get too much spin which results in a ballooning and short shot.

The weight in the toe does make a noticeable difference. I can feel the face wanting to stay open longer through the swing. I have had some struggles with full swing wedges staying too open. This results in the right/short miss I mentioned above.

Make no mistake, these wedges are still a solid forging and do punish balls that miss the center by too much.

On Course - 5/5 Stars

The Edels made an immediate impact on the golf course. I quickly felt comfortable with the wedges on partial shots around greens. The toe weight helped my short game because it became so effortless to hit high, soft shots. I never had that kind of short game shot in my repertoire before bagging the Edels.

The V grind is the perfect choice for my swing and course conditions. I can tell there is a lot more trailing edge bounce on the V grind than on other wedges I’ve used in the past. It is a wonderful grind for the softer conditions I usually play on. On firmer lies, the trailing edge bounce glides along the ground giving me a ton of confidence.

Wet weather performance has been more than adequate for my needs. I still seem to be getting plenty of spin even when the clubface and ball are both wet with morning dew.

I am not as comfortable with full swings as I was with my previous wedges. That has required a small strategy change on course to hit more partial wedges. I'm still practicing at getting better in that area.

ShotScope confirms an improvement in my short game since putting the Edels in the bag. Over the past 15 rounds I’ve gained 0.04 strokes in my short game over a scratch golfer. Those 15 rounds include a mix of rounds with the Edels and my previous wedges. Over my past 10 rounds with Edels only, I’ve gained 0.62 strokes in my short game over a scratch golfer. That’s a big improvement!

The Good, The Bad, The In Between - 4/5 Stars

Don’t overlook the endless grind/loft combinations. Edel offers all four grinds in every loft. Add on the weights and there is endless customization. For me, finding the right grind/weight combination made a big difference.

I do think the Edels are not wedges you would want to buy off the rack without a good fitting. It is also concerning to me that each of our authorized fitters seemed to approach the fittings in different ways.

Play it or Trade it? - 5/5 Stars

The Edels are in the bag. Period. Combined with a lesson taken a day before receiving the clubs, I’ve played some of the best golf of my life this summer. As of this writing my unofficial handicap has dropped from around nine at the start of the testing to below six. My improved short game caused a lot of that improvement.

While the Edels are priced above their major OEM competitors (and much more than some smaller brands), there is a lot of value in the fitting options. I have no doubt the multitude of loft, weight and grind combinations could fit every type of golfer.

Conclusion

Edel’s swing match weighting system is a unique feature not found on other wedges. The Edel SMS wedges lived up to the marketing hype during my review period. They have helped me drop two strokes from my handicap since putting them in the bag.

The seemingly endless combinations of loft, weight location and grinds mean a golfer can expect to get a wedge tailored especially to their swing. I would consider the Edel SMS wedges to be a must try for anyone who is looking into a new set of wedges, especially if one can locate an authorized Edel fitter near them.

Final Score - 27/30 Stars

 

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by xOldBenKenobiX

Introduction – May 31, 2022

First and foremost a huge thank you to Edel and MyGolfSpy for another awesome testing opportunity.

My name is Elson, and I am golf addict, I have been playing golf for about 12 years now, born and raised in Brazil, I honestly don’t play and practice as much as I would like to. I have been calling Southeast Michigan home for the past 15 years, and really enjoy the many courses that our area and the Northwest Ohio area have to offer. My wife has accepted that she loses me for a few months during the summer. I am a high handicapper, and my numbers will vary from the high teens to the mid-20s depending on how often I can play.

I will be testing the Edel SMS wedges, my specs are as it follows:

Ø  48, 54 and 60 degrees

Ø  Standard Loft/Lie + ¼ inch length

Ø  T Grind

Ø  Standard 2g weights on the edges and 8g on the center

Ø  Shafted with a KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 - R 115g with a standard size Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip

Currently I do not have a suitable testing area at home for wedge practice and testing, nor I own a Sim/Shot tracer equipment, however I do have a few golf courses nearby with good range/short game are to practice at. Also, there is a new X Golf location down the street from me to where I can go and test with a full Sim and test spin rates.

Overall, I want to test these wedges with my regular game, and see how they perform, or how can I make them perform.

The main measure of testing here is if they can help me save strokes, more greens in regulation and such. As any new clubs I expect these to be different than what I am used to play with and to see some good differences with the spin rates and shot shapes. Edel is one of the companies to which I have never held one of their clubs before, just saw pictures and videos and I think it will be awesome to play with it.

I am very excited for this testing as my wedges are the oldest clubs in my bag right now and were never fit for my game. My short game is also a weak part of my game and one that I would love to see improve. With that being said, I cannot express how excited I am about testing these wedges.

Final Review - July 25, 2022

First Impressions 

My first impression of those was that they are very well made, from the clubs I tested during my fitting to the clubs I receive, the craftsmanship on those is simply great, I love the looks of the clubs.

I love the looks at address and really enjoyed the overall looks of the clubs.

The head looks very compact at address, and with a very nice look at address. The full-face grooves are great, allowing for mishits to still be struck within the groves, hence the mishits were not so punishing to me.

Edel claims that this wedge can be up to 44% more accurate, I can say that personally I did see an improvement with my shots, not up to 44%, but I was able to keep more balls in the green, and get it closer to the flag overall, despite not experimenting with moving the weight around I do still think that the moveable weights are a great advantage for better players who can shape the ball flight one way or another, and who want to have that set as a default shot shape with the weights.

 

Unfortunately, at my current skill level, I do not shape the call at demand and honestly prefer to have my ball flight as straight as possible.

Aesthetics 

I was fit for the T grind across the board, the tripe sole design allows for some versatility when using the wedge. These feature the traditional pear shape from address.

The logo is not too distracting when looking at the bottom of the club as well the T grind information, I think if wanted the bottom of the club would be a prefect canvas to add some lovely personal touches, I did not get these wedges customized, but I can see a lot of potential with the available customization.

As I mentioned before, I do like the overall looks of this wedge, I think the overall package was well put together, these are not flashy, but very noticeable when sitting in the bag.

Comparing these with other wedges of similar price, I think that these wedges are spot on with their looks, maybe not as a such refined looks as a Vokey, but they do look good on their own way.

These wedges sound good, they are not too loud and give a feeling of softness when they are hit, when swinging through the rough and grass in general, these sounded soft and not distracting, very pleasing, even swinging from the sand did not yield any loud or displeasing sound.

My mishits still ended up with some good overall results, knowing my game, other clubs where I know the mishits would generate a very bad result, severe miss, and such, with these, the misses where not as bad, and in general I got the ball closer to my intended target.

My worse hit with this clubs was a bad chunked toe hit, that pretty much caused the ball to go sideways, however this one was on my swing not the club, as for the best, I did get a lovely high shot over the trees into the green after putting my tee shot on the rough in front of the next tee box, this shot went exactly how I had pictured in my mind, and it felt really good to be able to hit that shot with the confidence that I would pull it off, especially because I know that I hit a lot more bad shots than good ones.

As for the normal mishits, hitting it thin would get me a longer shot than I wished for, but nonetheless close to my intended line.

With my chunky shots, I did experience the normal last of distance, but still following my intended line.

With the mishits and non-square to the face shots, I did see some side traction, but not as bad as my old wedges.

The Numbers

I did not had a chance to take these wedges to a sim and test out the numbers, however as for real life play, I did notice that my shot dispersion was a little better, I did notice that on the shorter shots 100 yards and less, where I usually struggle a lot, I did indeed have better results and have hit more greens or with the misses, I got it closer to the green.

As for my distances if hitting the wedges with a full shot these are the numbers I have averaged.

For my 48 degrees, I was hitting between 95 to 105 yards.

For the 54 degrees, I was hitting between 75 and 85 yards.

As for the 60 degrees, I was hitting between 55 and 65 yards.

The trajectory of my shots was a mid to high flight.

As I previously mentioned the mishits were not as punishing as my older wedges, especially as these ones had been fitted to my game.

Dead center hits were very pleasant and yield good shots, with the toe and heel shots, indeed the shots would go right and left of the target, not as far offline as I would hit with my old wedges, I noticed that when I try to recreate the same shots with both the old and new wedges, the Edel wedges gave me a much closer proximity to the the hole as well as to the green.

Shooting similar wedges on the range I took 10 shots with each wedge and its comparable old wedge that I had in the bag, the shots were post warm up, and I was feeling loose enough for all of them.

Wedge	Shot distance	Hole average Distance
Edel 48	30 Yards Chip shots	32 feet
Vokey 48	30 Yards Chip shots	41 feet
Edel 54	20 Yards Chip shots	25 feet
Vokey 52	20 Yards Chip shots	29 feet
Edel 60	15 Yards Chip shots	12 feet
Vokey 58	15 Yards Chip shots	21 feet

That is quite a noticeable difference with the distance, especially with the shorter shots, I had a couple of the 15 Yard chips where I nearly holed them out.

As for the full shots on the range, unfortunately I had to do more of a visual evaluation as I could not walk down the range and measure each individual shot from its landing spot compared to the target line.

Due to having a steep angle of attack, I naturally hit shots to the right.

Mind you, most of my misses are to the right, and once again after warming up and with a good rest break between sets, I hit 10 balls with each wedge.

Again, this was the hardest part to estimate during the test.

Wedge	Shot Distance	Estimated deviation to the target line
Edel 48	100 Yards full shot	15 Yards
Vokey 48	100 Yards full shot	30 Yards
Edel 54	75 Yards full shot	10 Yards
Vokey 52	75 Yards full shot	25 Yards
Edel 60	60 Yards full shot	10 Yards
Vokey 58	60 Yards full shot	15 Yards

I wish I have had the chance to take these to a Sim and gotten numbers that way, but between the bad knees, sprained wrists and ankles, the past few weeks have made my outings much harder.

I did prefer to spend the limited time I had in real golf conditions, and oh boy did they deliver during that play.

On the Course

I have noticed that on my course play, I have used the 60 degrees wedge a lot more than the 48 and 54, as for my last round, I found myself trying to fit usage of the wedges, maybe a little too much, looking at the opportunities had and the distances I knew I could hit the wedges comfortably, I hit some shots that I knew I did not have the distance with a wedge, so on the next shot I would have a chance to hit a different wedge.

If I was approaching a green and the distance left was between 110 and 125 yards, I would still hit the 48 degrees wedge, so I would have a chance to hit the 60 degrees for my next shot, that is because I wanted to hit as many shots as I could with these, and I honestly contemplated, yet I did not, play the shorter par 4s with wedges only, I might do that in a future round as my home course of Taylor Meadows, have a lovely stretch from the 8th to the 10th hole that are shorter yet challenging with water in play on all 3 holes.

8 playing downhill 309 yards

9 playing downhill with water to the right the entire way 281 yards

And the 10 with a new Pond guarding the front left of the green is the shortest at only 256 yards.

The only area that I truly had an issue was with Sand traps, both during my range sessions and the actual course play, I had a real hard time getting out of them, but I cannot fault the wedge, that is my game and the flaws I have with it.

I hoped that the new wedges would be a magic bullet, but that was not realistic.

Where I play most of the bunkers are of heavy compact sand with a very low sand dept, these are the type of bunkers that only really have 3 inches of sand than it is the hard soil below.

I noticed that despite missing the green from the sand, either long or very short, the wedge glided through the sand with no issues, despite most of the times me taking a steep swing that really dug into the sand.

I felt confident every time I had the wedges on my hands and that is one of the best characteristic of these.

 

 

I quite honestly really loved playing these wedges and cannot really say any bad things about it, maybe because these were such an improvement from my old mix and match set of vokeys.

These have impacted my game in a positive way, these had bee

n optimized to give me the best spin rate and flight.

I had never had an Edel product on my hands, and I got to say, I am impressed with the over engineering of these clubs, the fact that you can move the weight around and adjust the ball flight is the type of thing that I would expect from a driver, not really from an wedge, but to have the option is one of those tools that is a great one to have on your bag.

I would love to see more of the moveable weight technology, I love to see where Edel will take those and what it becomes of it, that technology being integrated to their new SMS irons shows Edel’s commitment to the technology.

The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween

The good, these wedges are awesome, and the technology behind them is very impressive.

The bad, and my bad on these, I feel that even though I am not a very tall person, the wedges feel short, the 35 inches for the 60 degree, the 35..25 for the 54 and 35.5 for the 48th, have me squatting down a little more than what I feel comfortable with, but that is something I can get addressed later and have an inch added to each one of them.

Play it or Trade it?

These are a play it for me, these wedges have improved my game, and indeed it has been a such short time and I think a few more rounds of play will help me get even more accustomed to these wedges, but I do like what I have experienced so far.

The main measure of success for me with these wedges is confidence, I have gained confidence on hitting different shots around the green and know that I can pull of those shots.

I think that everyday golfers like myself benefit from these wedges, as they show a great deal of forgiveness and playability.

I think as I use these and get more comfortable with them, my short game will improve.

Conclusion

Edel has brought forward a great set of wedges, the technology behind these is impressive, the fact that one can customize your shot shapes with the moveable weights is a big plus.

The exceptional forgiveness and workability of these jump out at you as an advantage with these.

As my personal experience, again the word here is confidence, these felt very good on my hands and did improve me game, I have hit a lot more of good shots than I did bad shots with these wedges than my old ones.

Final Score 29 out of 30 Stars
 

 

17 minutes ago, scooterhd2 said:

I noticed that in your pictures. It seems like they have a red/black build and a black build. Notice how yours also have black ink on the Edel logo and on the leading character to differentiate the grind. I'm guessing these changes are based off the ferrule you chose. And the black paint fill on the weights was probably purposeful and not an oversight. 

 

Possible ... could be

The eagles have landed!

Full unboxing and first impressions coming soon. They look just as good as the demo clubs!

19 hours ago, GrumpyGolf said:

Possible ... could be

Regardless of color combination, they should still provide a way to tell the weights apart... so I would agree with your initial assessment. Missing wrench and no marking for the weights are not ideal in this price category.

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by edingc

Unboxing - June 16, 2022

Warning: gratuitous number of photos ahead! These clubs are too pretty to not take a million photos.

I received my wedges last night. Edel placed my order on May 27, so from order to delivery it took about three weeks. The Nippon Modus shafts I was fit for ended up not being a problem.

@GrumpyGolf has already covered the packaging. The handle is a unique touch I haven’t experienced with other manufacturers. The wedges were securely packaged and arrived without incident. 

The clubs are gorgeous. There is not another way to describe them. The milling on the soles completes the very clean and modern look. The custom ferrules (which appear to be hand turned) are a very nice touch. They are something that sets the Edels apart from other products. The chrome finish glistens in the sun, while the face has a matte finish that should cause no issues with glare.

One of the things drawing my attention to the Edels is their shaping. It seems like a very classic wedge shape to me, and I love the slightly rounded leading edge. The grooves extend in a way that makes them seem almost like a full-face wedge.

I fit into Edel’s V grind for all three wedges. My hope is that the grind provides some forgiveness on softer turf. The leading edge inspires confidence I won’t dig behind the ball on a slight miss-hit. The leading edge raises only slightly when the face is opened. I don’t foresee an issue playing shots with a more open face if needed.

The clubs arrived as requested with grips shipped loose in the box and the weight in the toe. Like others, I do find it a little strange there is not a tool included to change the weights. Especially because the card that comes in the box outlines the process for fitting the weights to your swing (a process that requires a tool!).

I gripped them with my own grips. I have been using undersized Star Sidewinders on all my clubs. I do some custom taping underneath that adds one more wrap to my lower hand and ends up with a “standard” size grip.

After gripping, I checked the specs of each wedge against what I requested. The lengths were spot on standard. Swing weights were also very close. Kudos to Edel for the build quality.

I should be able to get out to the range with these soon, and they'll get their first on course time this weekend!
 

On 6/15/2022 at 7:27 PM, GrumpyGolf said:

Unboxing of the Edel SMS Wedges:

So I arrived home yesterday and this was by my front door:

Let the testing begin ... erm, gotta take care of some pending matters for the home life first. So, I set it inside the door until I can get time for it.

Ok, so I pick it up and the box looks heavier than it is, and includes a handle for easy carrying.  This is a well made box, stiff and the dents and dings, it looks like it withstood a lot of heavy jostling with no issues. So time to unpack.  Placing box on my workstation, I inspect it for any further damage, looks good so far:

Cutting the tape and opening the box, wasn't expecting the packaging interior that was presented:

Basically, three  pieces of foam and some butcher paper at the top of the handles. Expecting more - bubble wrap, plastic foam, plastic wrappers, just more - but actually pleasantly surprised by the lack of plastic in the box.  I am good with this.  Wedges and shafts seem content in their little safety zone.

Found some stickers in the box, very cool.

Now to get to the wedges.  First one out:

Look at how the sunlight just makes it shine. From hosel to toe, 2g, 8g, 10g.  The SEND stamping is to remind me to SEND the ball to the target not just hit the ball. The look of the SMS wedge is clean and almost looks like it is both retro and futuristic at the same time, almost steam punk.  The machine sole grinds are both aesthetically pleasing to me and remind me of grooves in a record that guide the needle around and produce music, hopefully these will be music to my ears.

The stamping of the Edel logo on the hosel is really cool and a better location in my opinion that on the sole of the club.  

Notice that I went with the black and silver ferrule rather than the Edel standard that includes red. Not a fan of the color.  Something about red and black together just doesn't sit well with me.

The club face looks really cool at setup. The size and the profile inspire confidence.

All in all, I am very pleased with the what I have seen with this unboxing, I already knew what I was getting from my time at the fitters, but it is still something else to see them made out just to your specs. Also am impressed that even with the grinds all being the same C-Grind, you can look at the three soles and tell immediately that the 54 degree wedge is the sand wedge because of the different grind profile even though it is still setup for my shallow swing. 

While truly not my first impression with Edel since my fitting actually covered that, I can say that these have reinforced the impression I had then. I have a follow-up session with the fitter coming up, followed by a couple of range sessions and then an actual round on the course over the next few days, so there will be plenty more to come.

Oh and in case you are wondering about if these have made it into my bag yet or not and if I have a preference for keeping them in working condition, here is something that I am sure, based on other threads will split this crowd ...

More thought below ... 

 

24 minutes ago, edingc said:

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by edingc

Unboxing - June 16, 2022

Warning: gratuitous number of photos ahead! These clubs are too pretty to not take a million photos.

I received my wedges last night. Edel placed my order on May 27, so from order to delivery it took about three weeks. The Nippon Modus shafts I was fit for ended up not being a problem.

@GrumpyGolf has already covered the packaging. The handle is a unique touch I haven’t experienced with other manufacturers. The wedges were securely packaged and arrived without incident. 

The clubs are gorgeous. There is not another way to describe them. The milling on the soles completes the very clean and modern look. The custom ferrules (which appear to be hand turned) are a very nice touch. They are something that sets the Edels apart from other products. The chrome finish glistens in the sun, while the face has a matte finish that should cause no issues with glare.

One of the things drawing my attention to the Edels is their shaping. It seems like a very classic wedge shape to me, and I love the slightly rounded leading edge. The grooves extend in a way that makes them seem almost like a full-face wedge.

I fit into Edel’s V grind for all three wedges. My hope is that the grind provides some forgiveness on softer turf. The leading edge inspires confidence I won’t dig behind the ball on a slight miss-hit. The leading edge raises only slightly when the face is opened. I don’t foresee an issue playing shots with a more open face if needed.

The clubs arrived as requested with grips shipped loose in the box and the weight in the toe. Like others, I do find it a little strange there is not a tool included to change the weights. Especially because the card that comes in the box outlines the process for fitting the weights to your swing (a process that requires a tool!).

I gripped them with my own grips. I have been using undersized Star Sidewinders on all my clubs. I do some custom taping underneath that adds one more wrap to my lower hand and ends up with a “standard” size grip.

After gripping, I checked the specs of each wedge against what I requested. The lengths were spot on standard. Swing weights were also very close. Kudos to Edel for the build quality.

I should be able to get out to the range with these soon, and they'll get their first on course time this weekend!
 

I think the mods need to categorize these pics as NSFW... Not Safe For Wallets 

2 hours ago, edingc said:

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by edingc

Unboxing - June 16, 2022

The clubs arrived as requested with grips shipped loose in the box and the weight in the toe. Like others, I do find it a little strange there is not a tool included to change the weights. Especially because the card that comes in the box outlines the process for fitting the weights to your swing (a process that requires a tool!).

 

Hmmm, I did not get a card.  Seems to be a little Quality Control issue on their part.

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by xOldBenKenobiX 

Unboxing - June 18th of 2022

Look what just showed up. 

They arrived fairly quickly since they were shipped out on the 15th. 

Standard packaging, the box had the wedges and an informational card. 

No wrench or stickers, no extra packing material, which is scarry as the box had been beat up on transport. 

Here are the beauties. 

They feel as good as the demos ones at the store. 

The lengths felt just right, swinging it around the yard with them and they feel really good, the standard weights also are perfectly set. 

I'm going to figure out what wrench I need to use and move the weights around. 

Now is out with the old vokeys. 

And in with the new. 

I'm ready to take these to the range. 

On 6/17/2022 at 5:54 AM, Kanoito said:

Regardless of color combination, they should still provide a way to tell the weights apart... so I would agree with your initial assessment. Missing wrench and no marking for the weights are not ideal in this price category.

Call them. I promise, they’ll rectify any issues!

Nice first weekend breaking these wedges in. One range session, 27 holes, plus a few more practice holes under my belt since Friday. Overall first impressions are mixed-to-favorable.

I left the weights in the toe for now. I will spend some time in my garage testing the different configurations sometime soon.

As I said in my unboxing post, the clubs look fantastic. They have a very pleasing shape that frames the golf ball very nicely at address. This morning I had some harsh lighting on one hole and did have a small issue with glare despite the matte-finished face. I hit a few very old golf balls at my in-laws house yesterday (we built a small pitching area in their backyard) and there are some white marks on the faces now from the deteriorating surlyn. But, so far, despite being forged the wedges show very little scuffing, dents or dings that would be a cause for concern.

I made the mistake of hitting range balls as my very first experience with the wedges. To be honest, on the range the Edels did not feel very good. They felt very clunky and lifeless, with a very firm and harsh sound. We've gone from very wet to very dry all of a sudden and my range is starting to get very firm. The turf interaction did not feel great in these conditions.

My wife and I went out Friday evening and walked four practice holes while enjoying a beer. I wish that had been my first experience with the wedges. They felt so much better with the Maxfli Tour X I was hitting, and on the less packed down fairways and rough I had no issues with turf interaction.

I played nine yesterday and 18 this morning and have continued to adjust to the feel of the Edels. I need to recalibrate my feel to an extent as I'm moving back to steel in my wedges from graphite. The Nippons feel good, but they do have a significantly different sound and feel than the more muted graphite shafts I have in my Cobra MIM Black wedges.

The 58 degree wedge has quickly become a weapon around the green. I've gotten up-and-down to save par several times already, and there have been several more holes where my putting let me down inside of five feet. It feels awesome on partial swings and chipping around the green. The V grind just glides right along the ground and gives me a ton of confidence that I won't chunk the ball. I've hit some partial 50 and 54 wedges with similar success.

I'm struggling with full swing shots, which are usually a strength of mine. The Edels seem to be 5-10 yards shorter than my Cobras on full swings. I flushed two 50 degree wedges, one yesterday and one this morning, and they both came up 5-10 yards short of what I would expect. On No. 18 today I took a full swing 58 and experienced the same 5-10 yard loss. 

I also stone-cold topped a 54 degree wedge on a full swing today, which is something I've not done in a long, long time. It was a bit amusing to see the ball kicking up dew rolling down the fairway.

Now, the correct adjustment here is to hit more partial wedges. That's not something I'm terribly comfortable with at the moment, but I will spend more time in practice on. I also need to re-align my expectations on distance, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Oh, and not topping the ball might help. 

The Edels played a big part in my one-under 35 on the back nine this morning.

The 58 is quickly slotting in as my go-to for anything around the green. I got up-and-down on No. 11 to save par after running an 8 iron long into the back fringe for my approach. Nice little putting stroke chip to 10 inches for an easy tap-in par on one of the more difficult holes on the course.

On No. 13 I ended up well right of the green in some really thick, fluffy rough under a tree. I knew that I'd get a bit of run out but had quite a bit of green to work with. The 58 popped the ball out nice and soft, where it landed just on the fringe and released to five feet below the hole. I got up-and-down to save another par, bailing out what was not a good tee shot at all.

I was short of the green on No. 15, which is a short par 4 from the very back tees (I hit a tree with my tee shot, which is a habit of mine!). I got a good bounce into the rough, but being under the trees it was very patchy and hardpacked. I trusted the bounce on the 58's V grind sole and hit a nice little pitch that released to about six feet below the hole. I saved my birdie with a center cup putt. 

And, finally, on No. 18 I hit one of the best full swings I've taken so far with these wedges. A full 54 wedge from 120 out that set up a straightforward two-putt to finish off my round. 

I'm definitely starting to adjust to the steel shafts. I am looking forward to seeing my comfort with them grow over the rest of the season.

On 6/19/2022 at 6:43 AM, edingc said:

I'm struggling with full swing shots, which are usually a strength of mine. The Edels seem to be 5-10 yards shorter than my Cobras on full swings. I flushed two 50 degree wedges, one yesterday and one this morning, and they both came up 5-10 yards short of what I would expect. On No. 18 today I took a full swing 58 and experienced the same 5-10 yard loss. 

Curious if you are noticing any differences in spin? Or if you experienced something similar when first testing the Cobras? I've heard this before where brand new wedges with sharp grooves are going to spin more and there's some distance loss on full swings because of it. As they break in, the distance returns. I'm not saying that is the issue here as they could just be shorter, but could be something to be mindful of. 

16 minutes ago, scooterhd2 said:

Curious if you are noticing any differences in spin? Or if you experienced something similar when first testing the Cobras? I've heard this before where brand new wedges with sharp grooves are going to spin more and there's some distance loss on full swings because of it. As they break in, the distance returns. I'm not saying that is the issue here as they could just be shorter, but could be something to be mindful of. 

That's a great point. I've also attributed this to moving to a heavier and steel shaft back from graphite. It does feel like I might have a tough much spin on the balls and that could certainly make a difference.

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by scooterhd2

Unboxing - June 19th of 2022

Order confirmation on May 31, received June 18th. Not bad considering the custom order. As mentioned, this is one of the better golf boxes I've seen. Very sturdy, nice handle. Would be suitable for a full set of clubs, let alone 3 wedges. So first impressions are great with no visible outside damages.

 

Loving the logos inside, and again its safely packed. Club heads are well protected, shafts are separated. Nice job! Seems like others had inconsistencies, but I've got the standard add-ins with the stickers and info on adjustment. Of course no wrench. I'm assuming this is just a standard driver wrench, and if thats the case, I'm okay with it. I dont know if I have a right to be disappointed or not, but I did ask the regional Edel rep that I placed the order with for at least one extra 2 gram weight. I was fit to heavier weights (6h, 10c, 8t) and made a case for getting a lighter weight for better testing. Its hard to underweight the heel or toe for feedback when all of the weights are on the heavier side. But to be fair, he did say he didn't know if it would be possible but he would pass the request on. And since thats probably not standard for the builders and shippers, it didn't happen. I can always go 0 weight, but was hoping for that personal touch.

 

The faces are perfect. Looks like they have never been handled. I love the diamond texture on the face. Its very subtle. And the ferrules look great.

 

The milling on the sole is quality. Really gives a higher end look and provides confidence that these grinds are functioning as planned. Paint fill is also consistent. Good look at the progressive sole widths with the different lofts and grinds. Looks very natural and what I would expect they way the grinds were described.

 

Good look at the leading edges. Really liking the look of the T grind on the 58. Hoping that will yield good results from some tight lies. 

 

This was a successful unveiling! Comparisons to follow, and will be hitting the practice greens today for some initial thoughts. 

 

Edel SMS Wedges – Comparisons 

Some comparisons to a few common wedges. 

Edel SMS 50* C Grind has a fuller sole than the Cleveland RTX4. Blade lengths look similar. The near full face grooves are a little harder to find in the lower lofted wedges, so a nice feature from Edel if you are into that. I count 17 grooves in each, and definitely a more rounded and squaty look to the Edel.

 

TM Hi toe 56-10 / Cleveland ZipCore 54-10 / Edel SMS 54 V grind. You really notice the shorter, meatier hosel right away. Sole widths looks similar. A little more movement in the V Grind. 

Shorter hosel, and you can see why the V grind used to be called the driver grind. Gives the impressions that the V Grind rips through the turf.

 

At address the Edel looks like a good mix of the HiToe and Zipcore. Its definitely not a classic Vokey-esque wedge, but has modern attributes and isnt going to get as many jeers as the HiToe/PM Grind/Eye2 wedges would. To me its not a love it or hate it look. I think most people could get on with it just fine. I count 19 grooves in the TM and Cleveland and 17 in the Edel SMS. That makes the groove spacing noticeable. 

 

TM Hi toe 60 ATV / Cleveland RTX4 60-6 / Edel SMS 58 T grind. I'm seeing more heel relief in the Edel. Hopefully that helps to open the face. I tend to favor lower bounce in the LW and the sole width seems reasonable. I'm happy to see that's is not miles wider than the low bounce Cleveland.  

Just like in the SW, at address I'm seeing a near even mix of the HiToe and RTX4 in the LWs. Leading edge is a bit rounded like the Hi Toe, near full face grooves, has loads of width in the hosel, but much softer lines. Not nearly as pointy in the toe. Feels like the blade length is smaller and more similar to the Cleveland as well. I count 17 grooves in the Edel, so it is consistent throughout the set in different lofts and grinds. RTX4 with 17, and the HiToe with 19 for what its worth. 

I was able to get out to TimberStone on Friday but was unable to post any information about my round until today due to other commitments but I am going to make up for it now.  The round itself, was nothing to write home about.  Lots of missed opportunities, a couple of lost balls, and a couple of three putts that never should have happened.  However the course was in great condition and I enjoyed my time out with my playing partners.

Now on to the wedges and how they performed for me. I can say without a doubt they were the best part of my game for the day.  I was able to use them on every hole in a variety of situations that I had gotten myself into, both good and bad.  I had three bunker shots that were good or better than what I had with my previous sand wedge (admittedly one was from a fairway bunker that I should have used a 6 iron to reach the green, but I had a new toy so I used it).  I was able to knock a couple of shots with my 50 degree stiff, I mean they literally fell from the sky and stopped within 3 feet of where they hit, two of them were within 3 feet of the pin (once I get this dialed in better, I have no doubt that this club will be my go to club from anywhere within 100yds).  The 58 degree club was a bit more problematic for me, I was never able to get comfortable with it as far as how it was going to come off the clubhead.  I hit one shot that I thought was flush and that I needed to travel about 60 yds to the green that came up 10 yds short. Then I hit another one that flew the pin by about 15 yds, again it felt flush.

I hit off the practice tees before the round (grassy area) and I had hit the range last Thursday night, where I hit off a mat. I noticed a difference in two areas mat vs grass and range ball vs BS Tour BX.  These clubs excel in the grass.  Hitting off the mat, which in this case is like hitting off a artificial putting green with cement under it, is not conducive to getting the proper response from the clubs, I won't do that anymore.  These clubs seem to want to be hit in anything that has give or that they can cut their way through.  When I hit the range balls, I noticed that the balls seemed to want to jump off the club without providing much feedback at all.  Couldn't feel the difference between a good shot or a thin shot or a toe hit.  It was just a pop and then look at the club face to see what part of the club hit the ball.  However, when I was on the course with my game ball, I could definitely tell when I hit a good shot vs when I caught it thin or on the toe.

As for the wedges in general, one thing I noticed on both the driving range and the course, they are heavy.  The club itself is heavy being the Stiff KBS 120s with the added weight of the 8 and 10 gram weights, makes it noticeably heavier that my Cobras with the Kuro Kage shafts.  While I actually do not mind the weight with regards to it only being in the wedges (it helps with wedges move through the sand and through some thick rough), it does make me have to stop and think before I use them.  Having them on a lighter shaft, even an extra stiff one, to me might make it really heavy on the head and take even more getting used to. I could be wrong on this.  Overall, I think the weight of the shaft and the heft of the head balance out with this combination for my game.

Today, I had my first follow-up with Bill at Golf365.  Today was more of quality control on the set and what I actually received form Edel in relation to what was ordered.  Here is what we found out from a quality stand point.

Gap wedge: loft 50, lie 64.5 swing weight E4, wedge static weight 471 gr, and CPM frequency 320 (stiff)
Sand wedge: loft 54, lie 65, swing weight E4, wedge static weight 475 gr, and 2CPM frequency 320 (stiff)
Lob wedge: loft 57, lie 65.25, swing weight E6, wedge static weight 477 gr, and CPM frequency 310 (less stiff)

With the findings today, it helps back up that I could not dial in the lob wedge as well as I could the other two clubs. The loft was a degree strong, the swing weight was higher, and the shaft itself is not as stiff as the other two.  This may be by design on the part of Edel, I don't personally know.  I would be interested to hearing from the rest of the testers if they have checked their wedges to see it it really matches what they ordered.

Lastly today I wanted to talk about how the clubs looked after three range sessions, 1 practice green session, and one complete round.  Now admittedly, I am a bit OCD when it comes to cleaning my clubs after usage, either practice or playing.  So I clean them to the point of wearing out paint of given the chance.  However, I also know that usage during practice or a round causes blemishes on the face, on the bottom, and sometimes if you are really unlucky even the hosel (been there, done that).  These bad boys are still glistening after usage and I cannot find a mark on them.  Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.

Bonus pic - I undressed the club to show the inside of the weights and the cavities that they belong in.

More to come as I get out to the course more in the coming days.  Also, more to come as I get back to Golf365 for follow-up sessions and simulator shots.

Took the 54V and 58T out for my normal lunch time practice session. I usually spend 40 minutes 2 or 3 times a week chipping. 

Something compelled me to try and video my first swing. I propped the camera up against the bag and really no had idea if I was even in the shot, so needless to say it's crooked and out of focus. But this is a tricky shot that is downhill with little green to work with. I hit my landing spot in the fringe to take some off of it and it released to inside a foot tracking right at the hole. Great start.

 

First impressions are these the feel nice and heavy. No surprise as I have heavier weights in the heads but I'm going to go get the specs verified more out of curiosity and as quality check. I started with some simple greenside bump and runs. The V grind is so good off the back foot. I holed 2 of 15 shots on my first set with the 54V. I was concerned with sand shots, but again the 54V was a winner. Feels like it cuts right through with the face open.  

I hit some 50 yard pitches and flop shots with the 58T. I will say in the Arizona sun, the glare is harsh. I have an affinity for raw wedges, the view takes some getting used to, but I did really well with the 58 on pitches. I might have to adjust some on the flop shot as I was catching some turf, but overall was a promising session.

Couple more thoughts to add since I've been able to play and practice a lot since receiving them just last week.

The V grind is outstanding. Seriously. I liked the versatile Cobra grind on my MIMs, but the V grind is other-worldly good. Just the right amount of bounce to feel chunk-proof, but it also handles a lot of different turf conditions with ease. I've caught a few balls just a hair heavy and the grind doesn't dig but instead quickly gets out of the ground and keeps the ball on line with only a bit of distance loss. I also found myself in a few bunkers during today's round and the V grind just cut right through the sand despite its fuller shaping.

I stepped into the thick rough at the range today and hit a few balls to see how the V grind would react. The rough at my range is long Kentucky Bluegrass that just swallows up the ball. I was really impressed with how well the V grind went right through the thick grass. Obviously, the ball came out with very little spin and some lost distance, but on course I'd just have to play with that in mind.

I was hitting full shots on softer parts of the range and can't replicate the same clunky feel I experienced during my initial swings. I'm quickly adjusting to the steel shafts and that may have something to do with it, however, I do think the grind may not be the absolute best on very firm turf for full swings.

The wedges really shine on partial swings for me. On full swings it feels to me like the toe weight is helping the face stay a little too open. I made an adjustment today and tried not to hit full swings and instead stuck with partials where I could. On No. 5 I had about 120 yards to the flag, so I pulled out the 50 degree wedge and just played a 3/4 shot. I flushed it and it flew hole high just to the left. Even with a partial swing, from the rough and with a wet ball and clubface, I still had it back up slightly. It left me a 15-20 foot birdie putt that just slid right of the hole.

 

On 6/20/2022 at 1:26 PM, scooterhd2 said:

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by scooterhd2

Unboxing - June 19th of 2022

Order confirmation on May 31, received June 18th. Not bad considering the custom order. As mentioned, this is one of the better golf boxes I've seen. Very sturdy, nice handle. Would be suitable for a full set of clubs, let alone 3 wedges. So first impressions are great with no visible outside damages.

Man, forget the wedges, I'm stealing that ping pong table! If you're in Phoenix, then the only thing that could make it better is if it had the old American West livery color scheme. If that's not at a corporate office, you're going to have to share where someone could acquire such a table!

Great photos and I appreciate the comparisons to the other wedges!

It is 70 degrees and clear skies here today, so a trip to the range was a must, despite the fact that I am clumsy and took a fall and sprained my right wrist.

It was a little painful, but I enjoyed the wedges. 

These feel way different than my old mix and match set, I'm still missing to the right, but that is my swing, not the clubs. 

As for the well struck shots, the full shots flew nice and straight with a great high flight, I need to work on the bad ones as my wrist gets better. 

The partial pitching shots were also good, with the exception of a few tops, the range balls were fairly responsive. 

 

 

Here are a couple of the short pitches. 

 

I'm hoping that my wrist will be better so I can play sometime next week, and post a more comprehensive initial feedback. 

 

 

58 minutes ago, xOldBenKenobiX said:

It is 70 degrees and clear skies here today, so a trip to the range was a must, despite the fact that I am clumsy and took a fall and sprained my right wrist.

It was a little painful, but I enjoyed the wedges.

I enjoy the dedication, playing through the pain to deliver test results, that's another level.

22 minutes ago, ejgaudette said:

I enjoy the dedication, playing through the pain to deliver test results, that's another level.

It is actually an addiction, I love this game way too much . 

 

On 6/20/2022 at 5:50 PM, GrumpyGolf said:

I was able to get out to TimberStone on Friday but was unable to post any information about my round until today due to other commitments but I am going to make up for it now.  The round itself, was nothing to write home about.  Lots of missed opportunities, a couple of lost balls, and a couple of three putts that never should have happened.  However the course was in great condition and I enjoyed my time out with my playing partners.

Now on to the wedges and how they performed for me. I can say without a doubt they were the best part of my game for the day.  I was able to use them on every hole in a variety of situations that I had gotten myself into, both good and bad.  I had three bunker shots that were good or better than what I had with my previous sand wedge (admittedly one was from a fairway bunker that I should have used a 6 iron to reach the green, but I had a new toy so I used it).  I was able to knock a couple of shots with my 50 degree stiff, I mean they literally fell from the sky and stopped within 3 feet of where they hit, two of them were within 3 feet of the pin (once I get this dialed in better, I have no doubt that this club will be my go to club from anywhere within 100yds).  The 58 degree club was a bit more problematic for me, I was never able to get comfortable with it as far as how it was going to come off the clubhead.  I hit one shot that I thought was flush and that I needed to travel about 60 yds to the green that came up 10 yds short. Then I hit another one that flew the pin by about 15 yds, again it felt flush.

I hit off the practice tees before the round (grassy area) and I had hit the range last Thursday night, where I hit off a mat. I noticed a difference in two areas mat vs grass and range ball vs BS Tour BX.  These clubs excel in the grass.  Hitting off the mat, which in this case is like hitting off a artificial putting green with cement under it, is not conducive to getting the proper response from the clubs, I won't do that anymore.  These clubs seem to want to be hit in anything that has give or that they can cut their way through.  When I hit the range balls, I noticed that the balls seemed to want to jump off the club without providing much feedback at all.  Couldn't feel the difference between a good shot or a thin shot or a toe hit.  It was just a pop and then look at the club face to see what part of the club hit the ball.  However, when I was on the course with my game ball, I could definitely tell when I hit a good shot vs when I caught it thin or on the toe.

As for the wedges in general, one thing I noticed on both the driving range and the course, they are heavy.  The club itself is heavy being the Stiff KBS 120s with the added weight of the 8 and 10 gram weights, makes it noticeably heavier that my Cobras with the Kuro Kage shafts.  While I actually do not mind the weight with regards to it only being in the wedges (it helps with wedges move through the sand and through some thick rough), it does make me have to stop and think before I use them.  Having them on a lighter shaft, even an extra stiff one, to me might make it really heavy on the head and take even more getting used to. I could be wrong on this.  Overall, I think the weight of the shaft and the heft of the head balance out with this combination for my game.

Today, I had my first follow-up with Bill at Golf365.  Today was more of quality control on the set and what I actually received form Edel in relation to what was ordered.  Here is what we found out from a quality stand point.

Gap wedge: loft 50, lie 64.5 swing weight E4, wedge static weight 471 gr, and CPM frequency 320 (stiff)
Sand wedge: loft 54, lie 65, swing weight E4, wedge static weight 475 gr, and 2CPM frequency 320 (stiff)
Lob wedge: loft 57, lie 65.25, swing weight E6, wedge static weight 477 gr, and CPM frequency 310 (less stiff)

With the findings today, it helps back up that I could not dial in the lob wedge as well as I could the other two clubs. The loft was a degree strong, the swing weight was higher, and the shaft itself is not as stiff as the other two.  This may be by design on the part of Edel, I don't personally know.  I would be interested to hearing from the rest of the testers if they have checked their wedges to see it it really matches what they ordered.

Lastly today I wanted to talk about how the clubs looked after three range sessions, 1 practice green session, and one complete round.  Now admittedly, I am a bit OCD when it comes to cleaning my clubs after usage, either practice or playing.  So I clean them to the point of wearing out paint of given the chance.  However, I also know that usage during practice or a round causes blemishes on the face, on the bottom, and sometimes if you are really unlucky even the hosel (been there, done that).  These bad boys are still glistening after usage and I cannot find a mark on them.  Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.

Bonus pic - I undressed the club to show the inside of the weights and the cavities that they belong in.

More to come as I get out to the course more in the coming days.  Also, more to come as I get back to Golf365 for follow-up sessions and simulator shots.

I know that guys like Vokey recommend multiple grinds at different lofts for versatility. Are you worried about having all of the wedges be the same grind and not being able to hit certain shots?

18 hours ago, Rtracymog said:

I know that guys like Vokey recommend multiple grinds at different lofts for versatility. Are you worried about having all of the wedges be the same grind and not being able to hit certain shots?

We talked about that at my fitting, but because of how shallow my swing is it seemed better for me to use the same grind.  I know the some other testers used different grinds and it probably suits them better.  However, the nice thing about the C grind for me as you can see in the picture below, if you look you notice that the 54 is a different looking grind, I am assuming for the sand, but either way, I have not ran into a problem with how the club reacts as much as I have just mis-hit them due to my abilities. I am not saying that different grinds wouldn't help me in certain situations but I have not ran into one yet.

17 hours ago, Rtracymog said:

I know that guys like Vokey recommend multiple grinds at different lofts for versatility. Are you worried about having all of the wedges be the same grind and not being able to hit certain shots?

I've played with similar/same grinds before on all my wedges, but for the Edels I will say that the V grind feels like it has significantly more bounce than I've had in the past. I know Edel does not assign a measure of bounce, but I can tell there is a lot more bounce there.

This is good for most situations I find myself in with all three wedges (fuller swings, especially), but I could see why you might want at least one different grind in there. For me it's probably the 58 that I'd look to go with a more aggressive grind, since it's the "shotmaking" wedge of my bag. I played a ball out of the sand twice this afternoon with the 58 and the bounce bounced just a little too much - more than I'm used to. Of course, I've spent no time in the practice bunker yet so I didn't really know what to expect going in.

Got in 36 holes today split between a normal morning 18 and an afternoon scramble. I'm continuing to get more comfortable hitting both partial and full shots with the wedges. I've surprised myself with how quickly my partial wedge touch has come around. The wedges really seem to shine for me when hitting 75 percent shots.

For example, today I pulled the 54 from about 110 yards after me tee shot left me in the middle of the fairway with a great look at the green. This used to be a full 58 for me, but instead I opted to go with the 75 percent 54. I hit a perfect shot to about five feet. Don't ask if I hit the birdie putt... 

This afternoon I had a natural birdie during the scramble on a tough little par three. From 124 yards I pulled a 50 degree wedge and again hit a 3/4 swing. I dropped the ball pin high and it spun back to about 7 feet left of the hole. My putt snuck in the left side.

The face glare can sometimes be tough to deal with, especially in the harsh morning sun. I do miss the black QPQ finish of my Cobra MIMs in that kind of light.

3 hours ago, Clayton said:

For the entry - I have access to a Trackman4 to compare my current wedges with these.

So we're headed to Chris's @Thin2win's basement soon... cool . 

Shout out to the folks at Edel for this opportunity.  They are really nice looking wedges and look forward to hearing about how they perform.  Good luck all!

I’m still playing 2006 Titleist wedges…would be interesting to see differences in technology. 

Currently Ping Glide wedges.

Would love to get thee on the monitor and gauge them against my current wedges. Look forward to seeing the reviews regardless and Good luck to everyone who applies.

Dave Edel fitted me for one of his putters in late 18. I play it to this day. I’d love to test his wedges. 

I would be a good tester for these wedges and provide feedback. Wedge play is my strength, whether bunker shots, full swing, 3/4, 1/2, hit and stop, chip and roll, or bump and run. I usually play MIzuno or Vokey wedges but these wedges look real nice!

I seriously doubt anything can beat my Ping Glide 3.0s and I have most other brand wedges gathering dust to prove it, but having said that there is probably room with the rest so at least  these would have company, maybe . 
can compare on shotscope v3

Using Cleveland CBX wedges, so it will be great to test Edel wedges in comparison.  

Definitely wanting to give the Edel wedges a try. 

It will be interesting to test wedges with various balls, low spin, high spin etc. to see if the wedge can make a low spin ball react better around the greens. Best of all worlds type of thing. 

Good luck everyone! The wedges look classic, I like that! Weather is getting better here in Ohio! 

i have struggled with wedges so maybe these will help

 

I’m Kind of a hot mess with my current (tired) wedges…

Cleveland 588 50* Gap, Mizuno T-20 56* SW, and Titleist SM5 60* LW.
At times the GW is my go-to, best in-btwn wedge. Conversely, most times the LW is my arch enemy due to Inconsistency and low forgiveness, which add up to Lowered Confidence and Unacceptability for my 5.3 Hcp and overall game. 

Would love to test.

ppatto

Would love to test these edel wedges.

Have just put a couple of new wedges in the bag so would be great to compare them and give a review 

Disappointed in my Vokey wedges so I changed to Taylor Made and I still struggle. Maybe Edel will be the one I can play. One can hope.

After trying these out at Club Champion, have to throw my hat in the ring on these. Simply stunning wedges.

I've been interested in Edel's wedge technology for some time now, but haven't had access to anywhere to test them. I have a GCQuad at home and a world class short-game facility at my club and would love the chance to put them through their paces.

I’m so fascinated by this test. Wedges are definitely a weakness for me, and I’d love to go through this type of process to get them dialed in. 

And I have access to a practice facility with two full foresight simulator bays, so it would be awesome to see the difference in the numbers. 

When I was playing well, my playing partners have told me they would rather I have a putter in my hand than a wedge. Maybe these could get me back there.

Would like to see if these can help me get closer shots to the pins. 

 

Moving from Colorado to South Carolina in two weeks. Will soon be able to play 365 days per year.  I would LOVE to test these out at my new course!

I'm all in!