Wedge Gapping

[MrBandit 460]

I appreciated everyone comments and suggestions, just to give you an update. I replaced the 50 with a 52, keeping the 56, 60 grouping. The Irony to this was as soon as I put the new wedge in play, I had yardages that were on my 50s range, so I was short on most of those shots. I just need to learn where that new number is for the 52. Not sure I would put another wedge in my bag.. I will adapt and overcome. 13 clubs is enough.. lol

Because I'm so used to using the 56, 60 combinations and have great feel for those wedges with the bounces, switching them would have been a disservice.

 

Is like when they put you in the baseball game, and the first ball hit, is coming your direction..

 

 

[Duct Tape 0]

This has been a good discussion, thanks. I’m using my set PW and AW, 44* & 48* (Apex 19) plus 54 and 58 wedges. Might play some with the bounce and grind options.  Looking at the Ping forged ones vs Glide 3 or Vokey. 
 

jon

[hartrick11 578]

I like this discussion, and I go back and forth on this myself. I have a set PW & GW at 46* and 50*, and then a Vokey 54* & 58*. That means I don't have room for both the hybrid and driving iron at the top of the bag. At some courses I have removed driver, some I have removed the 50 (I can dial down the PW or hit a 3/4 9 iron, but need to get better at both), but usually I just keep the driving iron out of the bag as I would only hit it 1-2 times per round at most of the courses I play.

I have been toying with a 52* wedge to replace the 50 and 54 and give me back the slot at the top of the bag, but am probably just going to wait until I get my next set of irons in a year or two to make the change.

[3GZ4ME 19]

On 11/30/2020 at 5:33 PM, scooterhd2 said:

Your SW and LW should vary in bounce or grind so that one of them is more preferable in sand or fluffy lies and one is better from a tight lie. Drop the set GW and pickup a specialty wedge that you feel comfortable with around the greens and can hit some bump and run shots, assuming you cant already do those things with your PW.

I have to agree with this. I have been gaming a set of 52/56/60 Callaway Jaws MD5 wedges with all different bounce and grind combinations as well. With lie dictating the selection for the most part inside say 40 yds I feel I have more versatility around the greens and short pitch shots which is where I was losing a ton of stokes at the beginning of the year. 

[Scooby456 14]

This has been good to read. Currently play 50 GW, 54, and either 58/60 depending on conditions. Debating if just playing a 56 would pay off, takes away the option of trying to fire at tucked pins with the higher loft and the bigger numbers that can sometimes cause, play to the middle and let the putter roll which is a stronger point of the game. 

[MrBandit 460]

What has been funny the past few weeks is how much I need it a 50 instead of a 52.  I have found myself in need of a 50 more often lately, which was not the case before, or not a prevalent as it has been lately.

[golferguy27 44]

I have 45 PW, 50 GW, and an assortment of sizes with more loft.  Was gaming 54/58 to Karl 4 degree loft gaps BUT my yardage gaps are too wide.  So I hope to do some wedge fitting to smooth out those gaps. For me the gaps I mention are full swing.

a related question - what is your max loft full swing club? I use full swing up to 58 but have been  reading quite a bit about people using partial swings for 58 territory distances to get better trajectory and control.  What’s your strategy?

[Scooby456 14]

The ‘max’ full swing I’ve gone is 58. I say ‘max’ in that I always try to swing at say 90% with my approach shots for control. I’m comfortable cranking that up to 100% on P and up if needed. For whatever reason can’t get comfortable with anything outside 50yds with a 60. Probably mental but that’s my strategy. 

[golferguy27 44]

@Scooby456 thanks - that describes me as well.  I once made the mistake of trying a friends 64 degree lob in a golf dome - full swing - not recommended as the guy in the swing bay above me saw a ball go nearly vertical .... there are better ways to make friends I must say

[SlowNLow 380]

I can't really gap these clubs, I'm not accurate enough to hit the center of the face to dial in distances. Yes. I need them to work around the greens, for full shots, I can't hit them solidly enough every time to know how far each one will go.  So I use my 56 from inside 100 yards. The 60 is so inconsistent,  so I'd rather hit a light 56 if needed. The 60 is ok around the greens.

These are feel shots, for me it works better to use one club with the best feel for distance,trajectory, spin. etc. Thats Mr. 56.  Just like putting, we use one putter, and use it from 50 ft or 5 ft.

[greggarner 609]

On 12/28/2020 at 5:44 PM, taskerc said:

a related question - what is your max loft full swing club? I use full swing up to 58 but have been  reading quite a bit about people using partial swings for 58 territory distances to get better trajectory and control.  What’s your strategy?

Depends on the course conditions and the ball I'm playing. It's tougher for me to control spin with high-loft wedges on a full swing and unless I need 12k revs, I'd rather hit a softer shot with a lower-lofted wedge. Typically I don't hit lob wedges with a full swing and rarely hit sand wedges full, but if I'm playing a 2-piece ball and/or the course is really firm, there's less chance of ripping it back too far.

To more directly answer your question:
Playing my standard ball (ZStar XV) at my home course (reasonably firm Bermuda greens), 50 is the last full-swing club. Anything inside of 100 gets a partial wedge, though I try not to leave myself inside 80 (strokes gained methodology notwithstanding)