Should I match my wedge shafts to my irons? How about a utility iron?

[Hammer_Hunt64]

Looking for advice here.  I need new wedges but want to know if i should do a fitting or get them in the same wedges as my irons?  Also considering a utility club with the same question, match to the irons get fitted?  I can appreciate the advantages of getting professionally fitted but that cost adds up.  Interested to hear what thoughts are out there on this!

Thanks!

[Kanoito]

For wedges, I think you'll have fans from both sides. Some like the same shaft to keep a uniform feel and launch conditions, others prefer a lighter/heavier or softer/stiffer shaft for touch shots. So it's a matter of preference.

For a utility irons I personally don't use oney, but I would probably take the same approach as with a hybrid: using a graphite shaft for more distance and easier launch. Assuming you use steel on your irons, that would be a big difference.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Yes and no for wedges. Depends who you talk to. Also varies in whether to go heavier or stiffer. 
 

For utility irons it’s typically going lighter and again you will see a yes and know answer.
 

I’ve done both ways with wedges and neither was more effective than the other. The few times I played a utility it wasn’t matched but was always lighter

[TBT]

I am using the same graphite shafts in my wedges that I use in my irons, its something I have been doing for years. I find that I get a more consistent launch and I can generate more spin on full shots plus I find it much easier to "flight" shots with my wedges to control spin.

As for utility irons, I don't play one but I would think a shaft more suited for a hybrid would be a better fit for a UI since the kick point is set on hybrid shafts to help get the ball higher in the air.

[Hammer_Hunt64]

Thanks for the replies!  

[Kansas King]

I think you could go either way on wedges. The other thing with wedges is that you could go with your iron shaft on gap wedge you usually take full swings with then maybe do a different shaft for better touch with the sand/lob wedge. I like using a gap wedge that comes with a set because I like the swing feel consistency on full shots but there is no reason a similar feel couldn't be replicated with a normal wedge head. Overall, it won't make a huge difference as there isn't much of a difference between steel shafts on the short irons as they shafts won't deflect that much, even on full swings.

Regarding utility irons, I like graphite but it really depends on your needs. If you are plenty long and looking for accuracy, matching up a steel shaft may be good. However, you're a mere mortal like most of us, the combination of graphite and utility heads can really help get the ball in the air to give you the potential to hold some greens from distance. I also like graphite to help give me the most distance off the tee if I need a safer option. It really just depends on your needs. 

Ultimately, getting some launch monitor numbers, even if from something like a Mevo that include spin, can really help you determine if you made the right choice or if something is really not working. 

[BigUrsus]

I kept mine the same. As others have mentioned rather than going lighter/heavier stiffer/softer the same seemed like the middle option.

[BADFanBoi Scotty]

When I got fitted with some 70g graphite iron shafts, they kept me in my 100g C-Taper Light Utility iron shaft and couldn't beat it. So go figure.

[moolman]

I just went through this myself. I searched all the internet recommendations and came across many. 

My current iron shaft is the Nippon 950 Neo in stiff. I'm right between a R and a S but since it's a lightweight shaft, the S works out. 

I tried the heavier route with the KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 in my 54 and 58 and same shaft in P and G. Then I reshafted it to the Nippon Wedge 105 which is Nippon's wedge specific shaft, just like the Hi-Rev is KBS's. All were fine, no complaints.

Then I read more stuff and tried same irons shafts in a softer flex or soft stepped. So now I have the Nippon NEO in R in my 54 and 58 and so far it's my favorite.

[Hammer_Hunt64]

Funny to look back and see that about 2 years ago I was thinking about a utility iron and I just posted in the "what equipment are you thinking about thread" that that was one of the things (besides all new irons, haha) that I was currently eyeing.  The itch never goes away I guess, lol

[BostonSal]

On 5/13/2021 at 3:05 PM, Hammer_Hunt64 said:

Looking for advice here.  I need new wedges but want to know if i should do a fitting or get them in the same wedges as my irons?  Also considering a utility club with the same question, match to the irons get fitted?  I can appreciate the advantages of getting professionally fitted but that cost adds up.  Interested to hear what thoughts are out there on this!

Thanks!

My driving iron, 5-9 irons, and three wedges, representing three brands total,  all have matching shafts and grips.

I don't think it's absolutely essential, though.  I did it so I wouldn't be thinking about it.

[Sinjin Todd]

After being fit I got the same shafts in my irons and wedges! (PX 6.5 in both). My fitter said this is what he usually does for people. I would say utility iron would likely have its own shaft based on fit


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[JakeSmith2316]

For me it came out to matching my 46 (PW) and 50 (GW) to my Irons (4-9) all C-Taper Lites Stiff. But we went with a Regular+ Flex KBS C-Taper for my 54 (SW) and 58 (LW). We did this because they are slightly heavier 110g vs 115g while being a lighter flex which is what my fitter tends to do for most people that come in with lightweight versions of shafts in their irons.

[CFreddie]

Great question - I'm using the same model (Pro Modus), but different weights (105 for irons, 125 for wedges).  They feel almost identical, but I prefer the heavier weight in my wedges.  For my Utility, I went graphite (UST Recoil) due to the feel / use of the club (its generally a club I hit off the tee).

[Hammer_Hunt64]

Thanks for the continued replies on this everyone!

I may end up getting that utility iron someday, haha.  I did end up getting the same shafts in the wedges (Hogan Equalizer IIs) but I'm not sure I'm sold on them.  I may be in the market for a new set of wedges in the not too distant future and I think I'll go with the S-400 in those instead of the X-100 I have in my iron set.  We'll see...

[knotthead17]

I've been contemplating this exact question for a few years now. My last set of wedges I ordered with shafts that match my iron set, and I never really thought I had a problem with them until I started hitting a similar wedge with a standard wedge shaft. I think I found that I do prefer the stock wedge shaft over matching it to my irons. I don't really know why but I hit that much more consistent with the stock wedge shaft. Another inconsistency that I found was that I tend to hit heavier shafts better on full shots but then I struggle with little touch shots, and the opposite for the lighter shaft. I think I'm going to end up doing two stock wedge shafts and then maybe a lighter one in my most lofted club.

[Rosey31]

I've done both with wedges and Utility Irons. The standard rule used to be if you were hitting full shots with your wedges then yes match your iron shafts to keep similar ball flights. With the Utility Iron, I like having a different shaft. It performs best for me as a fairway finder. 

I would say change the shaft in one of your wedges and see if it does anything for you. 

[ctg44]

To be able to swap out all 3 of my old SM6 wedges for SM9s, I initially went with the stock S200 shafts in my wedges when I got fitted last year.  I got the Nippon 1150gh shafts (stiff) in my Mizuno Pro 223 irons and promptly hurt my right arm playing ice hockey between the fitting and receiving the new irons and wedges.  By the time the wedges arrived about 8 weeks later, I'd had the irons almost 3 weeks, but hadn't been able to play much or practice hard due to the arm.  It wasn't until November / December that my arm started feeling 100% to go after every shot at full speed up and down the bag...and I immediately started having huge consistency issues with the wedges that were not present with the irons.  I found a couple of brand new 1150gh shafts being sold for less than the price of 1 new on eBay and bought them around Christmas.  The black finish on the wedges had started to fade anyway, and I was getting a bit of club ADD, so I decided to turn the wedges raw...and since the warranty was already going to be voided, I went ahead and rebuilt them with the 1150gh shafts.  It was a HUGE difference right away in consistency and spin for me, so I eventually ordered a new shaft from Golfworks for the 60* and got to work on dialing in my wedge game.  

 

I've NEVER been good inside of 100 yards and had been contemplating selling the SM9s for something else because of how bad I'd been with dispersion with the stock shafts.  Since the swap, I've been able to turn short-game shots into one of my strengths.  I laughed at a recent Adam Schenk video claiming amateurs should putt from the fringes as I consistently drop my 56* within a foot of the hole now to save par as long as there's any semblance of grass under the ball.  Even off hardpan lies, which we get pretty frequently on Bermuda grass courses when under / around trees in Texas because shade kills that grass faster than Roundup, I've found my short game to be better with the shaft swap.  I guess that's why my fitter recommended them in the first place and why he's so in demand he's now back working a tour truck building clubs for pros again....because he was very right in recommending the 1150gh for my irons and wedges, and I was able to follow his weighting and shaft tipping instructions he gave me on my original build sheets (before I swapped from 2 wedges and the 1150gh shafts to 3 wedges and the stock S200 shafts due to cost) to get these built out where I am hitting them well.  My son was so mad the other day when I came back from 2 shots down after 9 to smoke him on the back 9 when we were playing from the tips on a course we'd never played because I kept getting up and down for par from around the green and made 2 birdies in the last 6 holes thanks to some stop and drop wedge play (and my normally confident putting, which came back to me after getting used to the different greens around the turn).

 

My son on the other hand originally was fitted with 6.0 Project X shafts and his fitter put 6.5 shafts in his SM8 wedges.  He's struggled with feel ever since, so that's a move I would not recommend.  He's loving his new Apex TCBs with Nippon 130X shafts (the kid's a beast of a hockey player and has huge power), so he's looking to get some new wedges soon with matching shafts.  He's had the SM8s since shortly after they were released and has played a lot of golf, so it's time for them to get replaced anyway.  He's looking forward to being able to get back to beating me at all parts of the game again (well, except putting...that's not going to happen!) soon!

 

Short story long...I'd go with the right shafts for your game as recommended by your fitter, and make sure you don't do anything funky like going up or down too much in flex or weight overall if you want consistency, feel, and gapping to all match.  I got lucky that the Mizuno PW is a generally standard 45* and had my other wedges gapped at 50*, 55 (56 bent to 55), and 60*.  I dropped the pics of my wedges (which don't look quite that rusty now) below for anyone interested in what the Jet Black SM9s look like when turned raw...

[KevB_44]

Clearly a to each is own answer....  

I have Modus 105 X-Stff in the irons and in my 50 and 54 use a nippon wedge shaft, while the 58 still has a true temper dynamic gold.   When I went to the modus iron shafts, I thought it was wise to transition to the wedges with a slightly heavier "wedge" Nippon shaft (I prefer a heavier wedge shaft and I think the difference is really only 5 grams or so from the 105XS's....).   I like my 58 i didn't touch it.  The 50 and 54 degree I use for full, 1/2 and 3/4 swings (and less with the 54), while rarely a full swing with the 58...  I'm not sure any of it was beneficial or detrimental honestly...

I do use a driving iron (Ping iCrossover-3i) and have used others in the past.  I had been contemplating a modus 105XS in the driving iron for a smoother transition, but when I picked up the crossover I stuck with the stock Project X stiff graphite shaft (80g).   It is noticeably lighter and I like the performance I am getting from it.   I do have a Sub70 driving iron in 22 degrees (4i) that maybe as an experiment I will get a modus 105 XS in to replace my current graphite shaft.

I don't think there is a standard answer, it really boild down to what works for you and how you intend to use the clubs....