What are your wedge degrees and why?

[CRW 230]

45* PW, 50/54/60 wedges. 
 

I’m considering bending the PW to 44* and going 48/52/56 with my next wedges. 

[jaywelby34 29]

PW is 45, then I have a 52, 56 and 58.  

Full swing 52 carries 120-5 yds, 56 carries 100 yds, 58 carries 80 yds.  I use them around the green depending on the lie and circumstances.  

[CoopsnNZ 8]

My PW is 45. I then go to 48, 52, 58. I did a gap test a few months ago. It did confirm what I knew in my mind. I previously had a gap from my PW to 52. Purchased the 48 after that test. I use my 52 the most as I find it most versatile for half and 3/4 shots into greens. 

Distances PW 115/120m, 48 100/105m, 52 90/95m, 58 73/78m. Those are full swings with winter and summer distances in meters. I've gained a little more distance recently with an improved grip and and better swing sequencing. 

[PingMD702 211]

I currently play T100s 6-GW. My stock PW is 44 while my stock gap is 48. I just purchased a 50 SM8 but I’m debating if I should revert to the 46 degree SM8? The face on the t100s is a tad bit hot when it comes to bump and runs but I’m holding off for now until I get some input back from the community. Thanks everyone!

[Haro 532]

Currently 48-54-62 

use the LW 62 for around the green bunkers, flops/    
for bump and runs I prefer the 54 to the 62 

SW 54 for pitching mostly when further at say 20-50 yards away  and  longer bunker plays 

PW 48 I for longer pitching and prefer belly wedge with around the green I used to toe chip with this but I feel better control with a 5 iron 

I don’t like 60-70 yard ranges. I usually go with a 54 SW full pitch 

70-90 yards is a flippy 48 PW also I shot I hate 

60-90  yards is awkward distance for me. I rather Lay up at 100 yards and hit knockdown wedge 

Edited August 27, 2021 by Haro

[AndySP 51]

I gave up on carrying 4 wedges about a year ago. I don’t think smaller gaps helped me with anything except taking money from my wallet and space in the bag. I am relatively comfortable with partial shots now which has carried over to longer clubs too which has been nice. 
 

I play a 45 (pw), 51, 57

[BostonSal 567]

This has changed radically over the years.  My first new set had a 50º pitching wedge and a 46º 9-iron.  That's not something you see anymore, of course.  The lob wedge was conceptually brand new, and specialty clubmakers were selling three- wedge sets with the strongest lofted wedge actually replacing the wedge that matched the numbered irons.

As lofts got stronger, I still omitted the numbered-iron matching PW  and widened the gap between the three add-on wedges.  I didn't go to four wedges because I like having a long iron to hit off the tee on tight driving holes.

As I recently posted on a similar thread, I'm still doing that but don't expect to be able to do so if I ever move on to another set from this one.   My present 9-iron is 42º.  The wedge lofts are 47, 53, and 59º.   

Except for pure blade sets, it's hard to find even a 42º 9-iron anymore.  This was a major factor in my choosing the iron set that I did.

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by BostonSal

[Popeye64 662]

My three wedges are 50 or 52 (depending on what set I bring out for a 4° gap) 56 and then all the way to 62. 

My 50 or 52 is my bread and butter club. I hit low piches that check up fairly quickly. It's a crisp blow that generates some nice spin. Two hops and a little roll out. I can really control this shot. 

The 56 is strictly from the sand. On the rare occasions I use it from the fairway it has to be an 80 yard shot. Other than that I seem to freak out and hit a terrible shot. 

The 62 is my go straight up.. have to carry over boiling lava shot. It's at the most a once a round shot but can really save some strokes when it's used. It is an Ultra Game Improvement design so it's kind of idiot proof. It has a big Ole sole on it. It's actually very easy to hit. I can 3/4 swing it for a 45 yard shot but again it's not happening very often. It lands like a dead fish with zero roll out. 

[Siamese Moose 784]

I use TM M3 irons, and the PW is is 45°. I'm not a TM-only user, but I also use TM MG wedges. These are 50°, 54°, and 58°. I have a huge yardage gap between the PW and 50°, 130 and 100 yds. (Presumably it's the difference between a cavity back PW and the rest being classic style.) Working with my instructor and fitter I could get the 50° up to 115, but it required a swing I was not comfortable making. All of the MG wedges are high bounce, so I had the 50° bent to 48°, and the 54° bent to 52°. The end result is I can hit the "50°" comfortably to 110, and I can push it to 120 if I feel comfortable with the shot. I haven't touched the 58°, as I don't use it for full shots very often, and I want that loft around the greens.

FWIW, I tried cavity back wedges, Cleveland CBX, and hated them. I could not control my yardage with them very well. Harder swings went higher, not farther. I don't know why, as I know so many people who love them, but they don't fit me.

[Crane263 13]

Pw is 46 and I play 50, 55, and 60. I play about 15 yard gaps between full wedge swings. 

[Firebird 388]

I have a 45° and 50° Callaway Steelhead Pro with Graphite Shafts - came as part of the set and 48° and 54° Clevelands with steel shafts. I love the way the 48 feels when pitching and chipping and find that I can open it up to almost flat and hit a full shot with confidence. 

[vagabon68 84]

Well my Pw is 45 then I go to49/53/57/61. I have specific yardages from 60 to 120 with them. Anything under 60 I prefer to use my 53 for chipping 

[ST3LTR0 180]

46-51-54-58

Recently changed my lower irons and my PW/GW are both part of my irons. I had a 54/60 Vokey SM8 but didn't like the 60 and went back to my SM5 58 which plays way better for me. The gapping works out well for me this way. I didn't like using my 60 and use the 58 significantly more than I used the 60 with more confidence.  Gapping seems better and my wedge play has been better. Still a ton of room to grow though. 

[Kansas King 639]

On 8/27/2021 at 7:36 AM, Siamese Moose said:

I use TM M3 irons, and the PW is is 45°. I'm not a TM-only user, but I also use TM MG wedges. These are 50°, 54°, and 58°. I have a huge yardage gap between the PW and 50°, 130 and 100 yds. (Presumably it's the difference between a cavity back PW and the rest being classic style.) Working with my instructor and fitter I could get the 50° up to 115, but it required a swing I was not comfortable making. All of the MG wedges are high bounce, so I had the 50° bent to 48°, and the 54° bent to 52°. The end result is I can hit the "50°" comfortably to 110, and I can push it to 120 if I feel comfortable with the shot. I haven't touched the 58°, as I don't use it for full shots very often, and I want that loft around the greens.

FWIW, I tried cavity back wedges, Cleveland CBX, and hated them. I could not control my yardage with them very well. Harder swings went higher, not farther. I don't know why, as I know so many people who love them, but they don't fit me.

I tried a 52* CBX as well and found it erratic. However, I think that is mostly attributable to the stock shaft. The stock shaft is light and rather high launching. It makes it really hard to control what I found to be a very forgiving head. I may reshaft it someday with something heavier if I feel the need for a more forgiving gap wedge. I generally recommend the CBX to most people for a lower lofted wedge but I do sometimes note that the stock shaft isn't going to work well for everyone. 

[Siamese Moose 784]

1 hour ago, Kansas King said:

I tried a 52* CBX as well and found it erratic. However, I think that is mostly attributable to the stock shaft. The stock shaft is light and rather high launching. It makes it really hard to control what I found to be a very forgiving head. I may reshaft it someday with something heavier if I feel the need for a more forgiving gap wedge. I generally recommend the CBX to most people for a lower lofted wedge but I do sometimes note that the stock shaft isn't going to work well for everyone. 

I did reshaft it twice, first with Steelfiber, then DG wedge steel, and then gave up. I am exceptionally pleased with the TM wedges since.

[Kansas King 639]

13 minutes ago, Siamese Moose said:

I did reshaft it twice, first with Steelfiber, then DG wedge steel, and then gave up. I am exceptionally pleased with the TM wedges since.

That's interesting. I really did find the head much more forgiving off the turf but I just couldn't control it very well because it was too light. You're results almost make me more interested in reshafting it to see if it would help or not. If getting a better shaft in it doesn't help that would lead me down a rabbit hole trying to figure out why.

[gavinski91 1,863]

On 9/2/2021 at 11:01 AM, Kansas King said:

I tried a 52* CBX as well and found it erratic. However, I think that is mostly attributable to the stock shaft. The stock shaft is light and rather high launching. It makes it really hard to control what I found to be a very forgiving head. I may reshaft it someday with something heavier if I feel the need for a more forgiving gap wedge. I generally recommend the CBX to most people for a lower lofted wedge but I do sometimes note that the stock shaft isn't going to work well for everyone. 

I previously used a 52* CBX and found it great on full shots - really forgiving, and I didn't have any issues with inconsistencies. However, with the Cobra wedges having a heavier head and shaft, I'm having a much easier time on partial shots.

[BostonSal 567]

I keep my equipment rather than sell it or trade it in, so after some poor recent choices, I took the WITB off of my signature until I'm on a stable lineup for the remainder of the late season.  

One thing that determines my wedge lofts are the number of wedges that will be in the overall set composition.

I'll give an example;  If I bag a driving iron PLUS a fairway wood of similar loft--something I usually do--

that's probably one fewer wedge in the bag.  That will of course affect the gap spacing of the lofts.

What is the 9-iron loft of the numbered iron set that I'm using?

Did I order matching PW, GW, or both with those numbered irons?

Since custom ordered clubs are ordered one at a time as opposed to fixed sets, that can and does vary. 

Am I scuffling with my sand game?  I may temporarily bag a "sand only" freaky sand iron like a Lovett or an Alien which I'd never hit from the turf.  That's also going to affect the choice of turf wedges and the gap spacing between them.

What short game method am I going with?   Am I using a matrix of expected distances playing various lofts against various clock positions on the backswing?  Or am I reverting to my usual look and feel method because the former introduces a level of complication that exceeds my interest and motivation?

With all of these paradigms in play, I will never be able to list my preferred wedge lofts, and because of that, my short game will never be as consistent as it should.  Then again, I'm a nine.  No part of my game is spectacularly consistent. One good thing is that I tend to remember how an assortment of collected wedges all individually play.   I miss enough greens to have a disgusting amount of wedge experience.  If I were a bomber who hit driver / wedge all around the golf course, I'd have even more.

Here's the deal for now.

47º Mizuno MP-52 wedge that matches the numbered irons.

53º Edison Forged wedge

58º Titleist SM7 with minimal 4º bounce.  Or recently purchased similar 60º. But probably the 58.

Ask me again the next time I have a nuclear round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by BostonSal

[Kansas King 639]

1 hour ago, gavinski91 said:

I previously used a 52* CBX and found it great on full shots - really forgiving, and I didn't have any issues with inconsistencies. However, with the Cobra wedges having a heavier head and shaft, I'm having a much easier time on partial shots.

I should say before I do a reshaft, I will try lead tape to see if extra head weight helps first. Then I would consider a reshaft. I do love how forgiving the CBX heads are but the stock setup just doesn't fit me very well. Lead tape and a different shaft should make just about any club head work for anyone. The only factor that could prevent getting a good fit is if the bounce of the clubhead just doesn't work. However, I know the bounce on the CBX is not an issue for me. 

[John Bachman 55]

I carry a 46 degree PW, then it goes 50, 55 and 60. Seems to cover my gaps and still allows me to hit half and 3/4 shots.