RickyBobby_PR Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 On 11/18/2018 at 6:09 PM, revkev said: The best sand iron is the one you practice with. As in you need to practice to be a good sand player regardless of the wedge that you use. No "magic" about it. Good luck Bingo. The wedges like the Cleveland smart sole and the ones on informercials will make it easier but the one that fits a swing and is used to practice the shots will give the best results Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisag Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 3 hours ago, fozcycle said: Just saw these Harry Taylor Wedges from MGGOlf.com..... https://www.mggolf.com/golf-wedges/ Has anyone tried them? ... The dimple design is marketing at it's best. The super wide sole however, does help poor sand players hit better bunker shots. The problem I have as a good sand player is I have to basically make a poor swing to get these to work. I built one for my wife (Snake Eyes wide sole) because she takes a normal swing in the bunker, not a sand specific swing and it works pretty well for her. I tend to bounce the wide sole thru the sand with a normal bunker swing so it doesn't work for me. Fwiw, I do have 2 Harry Taylor standard wedges and they are as good as any wedge I have played. Slightly crisper feeling then say Vokey's or a forged wedge but the performance is there. tony@CIC 1 Quote Driver: Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R Fairway: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R Hybrids: 430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r Irons: '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r Wedges: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r Putter: Sport-60 33" Ball: Maxfli Maxfli Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiftyNiblick Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 I can't get anybody to bite on my implied question. Would a club designed to be sand specific outperform a full function wedge in the sand, even in the hands of a skilled player? I claim yes, and I also claim that despite the sole being the most discussed factor, it's in fact the curved leading edge that makes a true sand club superior for greenside bunker play. AH1980MN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaid Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 I have been through a few sand wedges recently, going so far as buying a Worx sand wedge to experiment as my bunker play was garbage. Well, all it really took was practice and my sand game has improved immensely, but the sand wedge that has really won me over, and Nifty will like this, is a 1970’s Hogan Sand Iron with a curved leading edge. I like my Hogan TK Wedges but actually didn’t like having so many. The Sand Iron is incredibly easy to hit from the sand and the rough. And, except for chipping, it is really the only club I use around the green. The magic of the club is how easy it is to open up for higher flop shots. I don’t know what the grind is, but it just lays wide open and hits the ball straight up if you need to. It also came with a jumbo grip, which I’d never play on my other clubs, but feels great on green side shots. Like others have said, the best wedge is the one you are confident hitting. My $18 sand wedge seems to have some magic in it. I put my 55,59, and 63 away and stuck this guy in the bag. Simple and effective. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk AH1980MN 1 Quote WITB: Stan Thompson “Reactionizer” persimmon woods 1-4 Spalding Tour Edition 3-PW Spalding Top-Flite E.V.A. Sand Club Rife Legend Z Putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiftyNiblick Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 I like that kind of club too, deejaid. The curved leading edge helps in the sand so much that the bounce doesn't have to be so severe that you can't get the leading edge down for greenside touch shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaid Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 I think maybe, and this is just my opinion, that before, sand wedges were thought of as merely specialty clubs and were designed to function better from specific lies, I.e. sand, heavy rough. Now, sand wedges are used for full swings from the fairway many times as the modern game has become driver/wedge, so they made sand wedges more of an 11 or 12 iron as opposed to a specialized club.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote WITB: Stan Thompson “Reactionizer” persimmon woods 1-4 Spalding Tour Edition 3-PW Spalding Top-Flite E.V.A. Sand Club Rife Legend Z Putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisag Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 16 minutes ago, NiftyNiblick said: I can't get anybody to bite on my implied question. Would a club designed to be sand specific outperform a full function wedge in the sand, even in the hands of a skilled player? I claim yes, and I also claim that despite the sole being the most discussed factor, it's in fact the curved leading edge that makes a true sand club superior for greenside bunker play. ... You can claim all you want Nifty but unfortunately it just isn't true. Now, it certainly may be true for you but that is just a personal preference. I never liked a round leading edge because it does not fit my eye when opening the club face. A straight leading edge just gives me a better feel for how much I want to open the face to produce a given shot. And I like dead straight with no curve at all because I learned my sand and green side game using a Tommy Armor 845 W4 and it had a dead straight leading edge. The theme in this thread is the leading edge is irrelevant with a standard bunker shot because it never touches the sand. The sand curls underneath the leading edge because the bounce is what is moving the sand, not the leading edge or face. ... And utilizing Occum's Razor, if an old time rounded leading edge were superior there would certainly be OEM's offering them. I can see where a rounded sole under the leading edge could cause shots to go a little off line if making contact with the sand toward the toe or heel, but imagine that would be minimal. That said, there certainly are times I think I can hole a bunker shot and I would defiantly want a straight leading edge on those shots. I think it just comes down to personal preference, at least from the sand but onset from a rounded leading edge on chips and pitches is something most better players would not find optimal and poor players should avoid at all costs. GB13, tony@CIC, MaxEntropy and 1 other 4 Quote Driver: Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R Fairway: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R Hybrids: 430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r Irons: '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r Wedges: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r Putter: Sport-60 33" Ball: Maxfli Maxfli Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnosil Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 . Would a club designed to be sand specific outperform a full function wedge in the sand, even in the hands of a skilled player?My question back would be howmany would a player have to bag. Fluffy lies, fried egg lies, buried lies, compacted sand, etc. a specialty sand wedge may be best for one condition but notall on the course. Also I think current players use their wedges both in and out of the sand and just having one would be too limiting. MaxEntropy 1 Quote Driver: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven Fairway: TS3 15* w/Project X Hzardous Smoke Hybrids: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 915H 24* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype Irons: TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite Wedge: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite Putter: TM-180 Testing: Backups: Milled Collection RSX 2, mFGP2, Futura 5W Member: MGS Hitsquad since 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWahoo Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 (edited) My sand wedge is a Titleist 52degree with a 10 bounce. I don't know what the grind may be, but if there is such a thing as a regular or standard grind, I must assume it to be such. The singular reason that I have this wedge is because that is what my instructor ordered for me. I assume it is a Titleist because my instructor's bag is totally Titleist. Regarding the degree and bounce, I can only assume that my instructor perceives it to be the best configuration for someone that does not know how to routinely get out of a sand bunker probably caused by a mental block, well me. Edited November 21, 2018 by TheWahoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 Seve learned and played with irons from the bunker so it’s not even necessary to use a wedge let alone a sand wedge or specialty wedge. Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiftyNiblick Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 3 hours ago, chisag said: I think it just comes down to personal preference, at least from the sand but onset from a rounded leading edge on chips and pitches is something most better players would not find optimal and poor players should avoid at all costs. But if it were a sand dedicated club, chips and pitches wouldn't be a consideration. Again, I refer to the rooster tail of sand being displaced (as opposed to a giant cloud) because of an onset curved edge. You can see that rooster tail on sand shots in ancient, sepia colored film. But chisag is definitely right in that even seeing it with my own eyes and experiencing it in over fifty years of golf, I'm still talking about my own game, not his far superior one. I always included the sand iron with the driver, driving iron, and putter---shot specific or "one-trick-pony" utility clubs not included in the set's overall linear loft progression. I didn't play a chipper or run-up iron, but that could go into that group as well. But what I really get out of this is that, despite having silver hair, chisag learned to play in the sand with a Tommy Armour 845 W4! To me, that club falls into the "modern club" category, so that's how old I am. The 845 was one of those "tumble finish" clubs popular at the time. It was a huge seller. I remember that guys with Eye 2s and Wilson 1200GEs added an 845 lob wedge to their bags because they cosmetically matched as far as finish and didn't have excessive offset for a lob wedge (as Ping's did once they offered one). They later came out with a more conventional finish toward the end of their long run. The Tommy Armour brand was a renaming of the old "PGA" brand of clubs which itself was historically named "Victor," I believe. For a short time, they were owned by the same company that owned Ram. They somehow acquired the Tommy Armour brand from MacGregor which had made it famous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ga_pike Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I know this is out of left field but for my money and purely out of bunkers, the old Pure Spin diamond face wedges were money. Not my favorite anywhere else though. Quote Driver: Cobra LTDx Max 5 wood, 7 wood: Cobra Speedzone 5 hybrid: Callaway Forged CB 24* Irons: Sub 70 699 (6), 659MB Raw (7-PW) Wedges: Sub70 286 50*, Edel 55*, 60* Putter: PXG Bat Attack Hail Southern and no place else!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarveyDiamond Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 I use a Wilson Sandy Andy. I’ve had this club for quite a while. It’s actually the third one I’ve owned and used. This is a 64 degree loft (stamped on the sole) with 4 degree bounce (also stamped on the sole). The club has a curved leading edge that really fits my eye. This is a club designed for sand, probably green side more so than anything else. If I really try and catch the ball pure from a fairway lie, I can get 60 yards tops, which is fine by me. I love hitting this club in green side bunkers because I know what to expect. I practice in my basement during the winter hitting little lofted chips at a target. This has resulted in me being able to pop a short sided shot over a bunker to a cup 6 feet on the green with no fear. It’s a result of the Sandy Andy and practice. Take dead aim.Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charli Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Xe1 65 degree wedge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froboz Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Miura 59 degreeSent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russtopherb Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Cleveland Smart Sole S. It's like magic. Absolutely worthless for pretty much any other shot, but amazing in the sand. johnny city and MattF 2 Quote In my carry bag: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex Launcher 5h Launcher CBX 6i-PW CBX 54* & 58* Huntington Beach #10 e12 Contact CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo42 Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 One of these... usually the 54°/12°, but sometimes the 58/10 for those steep deep walls to a close pin. Or even the 50/10 for a longer throw. That’s probably not the way a “pro” would do it, but I don’t know any better... sub70’s wedges have really been good Quote TSr2 on tensi blue stiff Speedzone 3-wood on Tensi blue S Epic Max 5 and 7 woods on HZRDUS Reg flex Paradym 9 wood on HZRDUS reg flex P770 / P790 combo set on Ventus R-6 shafts 6-AW T22 Denim Copper 54°, 58° on Kinetic X Trajectory ER3 or, E.A.S. #4 (“Fang” or “Adele”) ProV1x, or, Maxfli Tour X .Org 14 cart bag Adidas Tour 360 , or Sketcher shoes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fixyurdivot Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 On 11/17/2018 at 6:58 PM, tony@CIC said: Ping Eye 2 for me Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy Oh sure, the one I opted not to buy with the set. Honestly I cannot recall why I didn't include that wedge but it may have been sticker shock - PE2's weren't exactly cheap at that time. When my Dad passed away in 97, I began using his McGregor SW - what I was using prior to that I don't remember. Yikes, it's starting . Quote G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w ZX5 Irons 4-AW Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW (removed from double secret probation ) ER5v Putter (Evnroll ER5v Official Review) AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fixyurdivot Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 On 11/21/2018 at 9:19 AM, deejaid said: I think maybe, and this is just my opinion, that before, sand wedges were thought of as merely specialty clubs and were designed to function better from specific lies, I.e. sand, heavy rough. Now, sand wedges are used for full swings from the fairway many times as the modern game has become driver/wedge, so they made sand wedges more of an 11 or 12 iron as opposed to a specialized club. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Interesting. I alway wondered what made a SW and SW. Was there something unique to their design that made them better in sand than turf? For instance, does the "SW" in a G410 series of wedge have a special geometry that makes it less playable on turf? johnny city 1 Quote G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w ZX5 Irons 4-AW Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW (removed from double secret probation ) ER5v Putter (Evnroll ER5v Official Review) AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alf. S Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Use to just use the general purpose club marked SW for just getting out of bunkers because that's what it says it's for but it seems a waste just using a club for bunker shots which for me is maybe 1 shot a round. I evolved long ago to using a 56' wedge which has a bounce of 14'. This in most cases is enough to get me out of the bunker successfully. It is also a 100yd full shot, 60yd half shot and I use it to chip around the green. Open the face for a flop as well. I'm currently using Cleveland RTX 3.0 Quote WIMB Driver Callaway Epic 10.5' Fujikura Stiff 3W Callaway Epic 15' Fujikura Stiff 3-AW Srixon Z565 Nippon Stiff 52', 56' Cleveland RTX 585 Wedges Putter Taylormade Rosa Daytona Bags 2017 Callaway Org14 Cart bag or 2018 Srixon Z start Carry bag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AH1980MN Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 The Tommy Armour Over n Out in 62* has been pretty spectacular for me so far- slightly curved leading edge, a bit of a v-sole, and with good heel and toe relief. It's surprisingly versatile as well- I've never been quite able to teach my sweetie my patented flop shot, but with this, she really doesn't need it. Quote WITB: Adams 9064LS 9.5* (until I cracked the face) Adams Super LS 17* Adams XTD Ti 23* Wilson Staff Ci7 4-PW Adams wedges: 52/7 56/13 60/7 Wilson Staff Infinite Southside putter/Odyssey DualForce 660 putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waazzupppp Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Best SW EVER? Is there any other option than the Wilson Sarazen R20? That was on of the best clubs ever made (and had the retail life to prove it) and would be one that I would still be bagging if they still made them. I think they even did a copper head model at a few different points in history that gave an even softer feel to an already soft design. The only issue with them is that they tended to bend a bit if you used them too long, so you'd have to have the lofts and lies checked every season or two if you were really worried about that sort of thing back then. BIG STU 1 Quote In The Bag: Cortex Driver - 9° - Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 7 X-Flex Shaft - Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip Staff Model Blades - 3-PW - KBS C-Taper 130 X Flex Shafts - Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip PMP RAW Wedges - 50°, 54° & 58° - KBS C-Taper 130 X Flex Shafts - Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip Tri-Hot #3 (2002) Putter - Super Stroke Flatso 2.0 Grip AVX Balls + Exo Bag + shoes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cemorgan Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 For me it has to be the Nike vr x3x toe sweep! Unique grind (although inspire I'm certan from Ping Eye 2) that is versatile outside the bunker and yet super easy to use the sand. Not even necessary to open the face. Ball pops right out! Plus they can still be found new and for cheap! BIG STU 1 Quote Any Driver I can currently hit... Taylor Made Mini 14* Adams Idea Pro 3&4 Cobra S3 5-PW Cleveland 588 RTX 52* & 56* Cleveland T-Line putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19hole Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 My go to sand club is a 58° M grind SM7 Vokey. Quote TSi2 9.0 GD DI-6X TSi3 15 / 18.0 GD DI-6X TSi3H 20° (set for 22) CNCPT 5i-48° SM8 52° / 58° Fastback 1.0 Circle T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregh729 Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Ping Eye2 (drops mike and walks off stage) The best out a trap ever BIG STU and Kenny B 2 Quote Mavrik Max, 9* Stealth 15* / 18* Rogue 4H, 21* Steelhead XR 5-AW RTX ZipCore 52* / 56* White Hot Versa Seven S , 35" Many other putters in the bullpen waiting for call Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djahubes Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Cleveland cbx is a good choice Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy johnny city 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny B Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 15 hours ago, gregh729 said: Ping Eye2 (drops mike and walks off stage) The best out a trap ever I loved my PE2+ sand wedge, which is why I opted for the Callaway 2019 PM Grind wedge. Similar design in a modern club. Just amazing!! Quote “We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG STU Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 I know back when this thread started some 2 years ago I said Cleveland 588---- But I have changed some--- I found a Ping Zing LW in the scrap pile a few months back. Liked the way it sat at address and the sole grind--- It is one ugly SOB but it is money out of a trap any trap and money for the high grass chop pop shot. Now out of a tight fairway and over 50 yards it is not as effective but that is what I carry my 56* Mizuno for Quote Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56* Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seancgmartin Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 The TM hi-toe 60 has recently edged out my Epon wedge. It really is good. Quote Driver: Proto X 9° - Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6S Fairways: 0341X Gen 2 13° - Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 6S; 0341X Gen 2 15° - VA Drago 65 S 1&2 iron: 0311X - Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 95 X (1) S (2) Hybrid: 0317X Gen 2 19° - Accra Tour Z Xtreme Hybrid M4 Irons: 0311X Gen 1 4; 0311T Gen 2 4-PW - Oban CT115 S Wedges: Sugar Daddy Gen 2 - 50°, 54°, 58°- Oban CT 115 S; KBS Hi-rev 2.0 Putter: Directed Force 2.1 35" with 135 shaft Ball: TP5 Pix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG STU Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 On 7/19/2019 at 10:06 AM, Waazzupppp said: Best SW EVER? Is there any other option than the Wilson Sarazen R20? That was on of the best clubs ever made (and had the retail life to prove it) and would be one that I would still be bagging if they still made them. I think they even did a copper head model at a few different points in history that gave an even softer feel to an already soft design. The only issue with them is that they tended to bend a bit if you used them too long, so you'd have to have the lofts and lies checked every season or two if you were really worried about that sort of thing back then. Now the old R 20 and R 90s were some good wedges if you got the older forged ones--- Even the remake R-90 with the fake wood grain shaft made in the 80s were good. I have seen some remake horrible feeling cast R-20s sold in Wal Mart and such. Also there are some horrible cast Wilson Harmonized that mimic the old reliable JPs of the 70s and 80s Quote Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56* Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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