Iron or Wedge?

[Nateyeight]

Just a quick question; Should your PW match your iron set or your wedge set?

[Pandaman]

Mine came as part of my iron set (as did my GW and SW), but I would say it doesn't really matter.  Whatever works best for you.

[cnosil]

Just a quick question; Should your PW match your iron set or your wedge set?

Pros and cons for each. Since PW is generally standard with most sets people play the set PW. GW the spot many people start making the switch from set to specialty wedge.

[THEZIPR23]

Depends on how you use it. If it is for full swings most advice will be for it to match your set. If you use it for a lot of partial shots then specialty wedge may be the way to go. 

[aerospace_ray]

If its a modern day/stronger loft on the PW imo I would want it to match what your irons have.

A long time ago when the PW was much weaker in loft I played a heavier stiffer wedge shaft (in reality just a normal dynamic gold tipped a little stronger) that more matched the sw. And as others have suggested, what feels good for you and gives you your needed distance. 

[zrumble]

Completely up to you! Not a hard rule to even match every iron in the set. Each one should complement the others and fill a need in your game. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The important thing to look at is gapping. If you pick up a pitching wedge or gap wedge not from your set it would need to closely match the loft of the sets pitching wedge or gap wedge. Other wise you could wind up with a gap in distance. Personally I prefer to get my set through the gap wedge, then use a different sand wedge and lob wedge. Then I select the loft of those two to be even steps to match the loft pattern throughout the set.

In the end it's your choice. 

[Firebird]

In the past my wedges have always been Cleveland Rusty's. I found them so well balanced and they inspired confidence. When i was forced to change to  graphite shafts due to an illness I bought matching PW and AW Callaway Steelhead Pro wedges but still use a Cleveland RTX SW with steel shaft. It took me a while to get used to them but now I am just as confident with them as I am with the Clevelands. Only difference is that I find that you loose some feel with the graphite shafts.

[RoverRick]

I have gamed it both ways, currently I play JPX919 Hot Metal Pros. The PW is 45° and it in theory has a hotter face. First off, I do not try to hit any iron as far as I can. To me irons are about distance control and accuracy not max distance.

 

As a side note, last year I traded in my blades (MP5’s) for the more forgiving JPX919HMP. Yes they are longer and more forgiving and missed greens are closer than a mishit with the blades. This means more chips vs more pitches. One of the reasons I still gamed blades was that the spin on chips, and thus distance control, was better with blades.

 

I use the “Rule of 12” when chipping. Divide the distance to the flag by the distance to the landing spot on the green and subtract this number from 12. For example 24 total paces to flag and 8 paces to landing will give you 3 so subtract that from 12 and it is a 9 iron. 6 paces to landing and you have an 8 iron. Etc. I find that these hotter faces and different CG’s make it very easy to create more spin which will cause a higher launch and faster check on the green.

 

When I compare the HMP PW to my Vokey SM6 46° (which I bought new in the plastic recently, cheap because it is 2 models “old”) I can’t tell a big difference as far as the fuller shots go. But I run into the same issue with the HMP PW as I do the irons. A pitch will launch higher with more spin and thus check faster than I sometime want.

 

I stop my back swing at set locations in an effort to create distance control. I have used Scor 46-50-55-60 for a number of years but today I bought a SM8 50° and will swap the Scors, which are pretty worn, for new Vokey tomorrow. 46-50-54-58. I still have to commit to the 58 vs 60.

 

I also do not mind having my divided by distance. Say 125 and in is wedges. 130-180 is forgiving irons. 190 and up is hybrids and FM’s.

 

Some people say (Okay, Titleist said it on YouTube, so it must be true) that the sole of a Vokey wedge will interact better with the ground than a PW from the set. I can’t say that I’ve really had an issue with the HMP PW interacting badly at all.

 

It is all about inside 25’ from the green that makes the difference to me and being more able to make the low spinning low launching shot when I need it.

 

 

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[Perrymr]

to piggy back off other replies, my opinion is this:

If you use your pw for mostly full straight forward shots, matching the irons might be bennificial, I think of my pw and gap as irons more so than wedges. ( I also have a sand and a lob that are not apart of the set)  But if you are someone who manipulates the face to create different shots with your pw you may want to consider straying from the set wedge.

[HardcoreLooper]

I've done everything from playing specialty PW / SW / LW (back in the days of weaker lofted irons) to set PW / GW - specialty SW / LW.  And right now?  All irons are Cobra F8, 4i to LW.  But the GW / SW / LW are built like specialty wedges and do not match the set.  What does this mean?  Who knows.  My suggestion is to experiment to see what works best for you.  

[RyanJohnson_Official]

I tend to recommend that people stick with the PW that comes in the set. It is designed to respond similar to how your irons respond, like full swings. GW is where I begin to ask questions about how you use it. My GW came as a part of my set, but I use that for full swings as well, so it is great for me. Anything inside 105, I use my 54, which is a specialty wedge for the various shots I try to hit. If you will be using your GW more around the green or in ways that are different to the full swing, then I might start recommend a wedge that matches your others. 

I work at 2ndSwing, so I get these kinds of questions all the time! (I know that my employment doesnt guarantee correct knowledge, but I'm confident here!)

[Micah T]

My PW(43*) and my GW(48*) are part of my AP3 set, and my 52, 56, & 60 are vokey with various grinds and level of bounce. I look at my pw and gw as full swing clubs that I’d prefer to have the same weight and feel as my iron set.


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[Letthebigdogshunt]

I have usually had my set down to the gap wedge and a  sand wedge from another OEM company. This one I play now has a SW and it is great for me. If I buy another set I may just keep the SW in the bag. 

[Badams69]

Late to the thread and hope I don't repeat prior responses.

If it is a club I plan to "chip" with or rely on for full shots ....... I prefer it be in the mold of my iron set.

If it is more pitching or feel shots then I'd prefer it be in the mold of a Wedge  i.e. Vokey or Ping Glide

But - I generally use a 56* for everything that isn't full, and I don't ever hit it full.  So maybe I'm not a great gauge on this one.

Ideal set up for me.......PW & GW = iron set shape with max loft at 51 or 52* followed by 2 of the following ......... 54, 56, 58 or 60  which will be in the mold of a true wedge with variations of bounce blended in.

[tchat07]

PW part of my irons. Do not think I would do ever do a gap as part of an iron set though. Like my wedges a little too much.

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[TBT]

Most sets come with a PW standard so most people buy gap, sand and lob wedges separately.


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[SRL]

I have played both sides of this, prefer a pitching wedge to match my iron set, due to durability more than anything 4 wedges every couple of seasons gets expensive, when I switch Irons every 2 years. I don't tend to use a PW around the greens and don't tend to punch a half PW into a green either. Looks from the replies and a general view of the tour that this is a 50/50 thing? 

[Alf. S]

In my latest set I have matching 3i to AW including PW (3i and 4i are parked and using hybrids). I also carry 56' and 52' RTX 3.0. The reason is gapping for me 

PW is 130 yds Full, 90 yds "Half" Swing
AW is 120 yds Full, 80 yds "Half" Swing
52' is 110 yds Full, 70 yds "Half" Swing
56' is 100 yds Full, 60 yds "Half" Swing

I use the 56', 50 yds and in,  for chipping around the green and greenside bunkers.

On days when when it is firm I will  swap out the 3h for a 60' this again fits into the same gapping as above.

If I remember correctly I had to get the loft changed on the AW to be 2' stronger 48' c.f. 50', I also have all my wedges the same length as the PW 

[Buffly]

On 7/24/2020 at 9:42 AM, Nateyeight said:

Just a quick question; Should your PW match your iron set or your wedge set?

There is no rule stating it has to match. 

Before matched sets were popular it was normal to have a wide variety of brands and designs. 

I would think it has more to do with how you use your PW. If you play one stock shot = set PW. If you play a variety of shots = specialty PW. 

A specialty PW just gives you bounce options and sole grind options that are different enough to change turf interaction to suit you. 

Most people play their set PW and add specialty Sand and Lob wedges. 

The Gap/approach wedge floats around depending on player preferences. 

I play set PW and Gap. My specialty wedges are my 54* sand and 60* lob wedges. 

[Buffly]

On 8/4/2020 at 1:46 AM, Alf. S said:

In my latest set I have matching 3i to AW including PW (3i and 4i are parked and using hybrids). I also carry 56' and 52' RTX 3.0. The reason is gapping for me 

PW is 130 yds Full, 90 yds "Half" Swing
AW is 120 yds Full, 80 yds "Half" Swing
52' is 110 yds Full, 70 yds "Half" Swing
56' is 100 yds Full, 60 yds "Half" Swing

I use the 56', 50 yds and in,  for chipping around the green and greenside bunkers.

On days when when it is firm I will  swap out the 3h for a 60' this again fits into the same gapping as above.

If I remember correctly I had to get the loft changed on the AW to be 2' stronger 48' c.f. 50', I also have all my wedges the same length as the PW 

Great example. 

As I was looking at your makeup, you have two Gap wedges in your set. 

It makes perfect sense you needed to make the AW 2* strong for gapping. 

My set UW is 50* so I went with a 54* sand and 60* lob. 

We all find what works if we want to.

 

[Kansas King]

I haven't seen anyone post this yet but wedges that come with an iron set typically have their grooves cut (or cast) differently than stand alone wedges. The wedge with your set will likely have less aggressive grooves than say a Vokey wedge. However, that isn't all bad but it depends on your situation. If you love hitting flighted down shots that hop and stop then the stand-alone wedge may be for you. However, if you like taking full swings then the set wedge may be the better option. You're swing characteristics also matter. If you balloon wedges and aren't the best ball striker, then the set wedge may be a better option as they typically are a little more forgiving. You may also prefer the less aggressive grooves even if you are a better ball striker because you may get better control. Too much spin is too much and pitching wedges are certainly a club where using the set wedge may be advantageous. Just because you can use a stand-alone wedge doesn't mean it will always be the best option. 

As always, you have to get fit to know for sure and stay open minded with you're options.

[Alf. S]

16 hours ago, Buffly said:

Great example. 

As I was looking at your makeup, you have two Gap wedges in your set. 

It makes perfect sense you needed to make the AW 2* strong for gapping. 

My set UW is 50* so I went with a 54* sand and 60* lob. 

We all find what works if we want to.

 

Yeap the AW is normally 50' and I have had the loft strengthen to 48'. I also found years ago that I found it hard to hit a full shot with my 60' due to the shaft length so now all the wedges have the same length with is the same as the PW => 36"

[Larryd3]

for me I hit my PW as a full swing club so I want it to match my irons and same for my gap wedge  Sand and lob are specialty wedges for me.