My New Wedge Set Up

[Grit Golf]

Wedge set-up seems to be a pretty personal thing, with tons of options (grips, shafts, heads, grinds, lofts, bounce, finish, you name it). I wrote down some different setups, which might be more like “ideologies” than “setups” from some of my regular playing partners who are all single digit hcp’s:

One Wedge to Rule Them All. A few guys who are closer to scratch (and my teacher who is plus) use one high loft versatile grind wedge (56-60) for everything around the green. Pros of this method are insane familiarity with that one scoring club. Cons are you need to have “the hands” as my teacher would say to manufacture shots. I tried this with a 60 first, and then a 56, I don’t have the game for this.

A Team of Specialists. A few guys in my group subscribe to the idea that you need one high bounce wedge (usually 54/56) for sand and soft conditions, one low bounce (58/60) for tight lies and elevating the ball, and a mid bounce gap wedge setup for simple mechanics (pitch shots and bump and runs). The pro of this setup is you always have a club suited to whatever situation you find yourself in. Cons (for me), hitting a “stock” shot with any of these wedges requires different setup and mechanics. It’s hard for me to stay razor sharp with each club when all of my wedges setup and behave differently. I tried this, and moved on. Once again, I don’t have the game for it.

Keep it Simple Stupid. It’s mostly the older guys I play with who game 3 of the same (or similar) grinds, and use simple mechanics but change clubs to get a different result. One guy has all Cleveland “mid” grind (52/56/60). The other is Vokey F and S grinds (50/54/58), there is also a guy using the Costco Kirkland wedge set to great effect. This is the direction I have recently gone in (with Sub70 wedges). I now pace off total distance to pin and required carry, and pick the wedge and swing length that best fits (with a simple pendulum square face shot). It has simplified things and removed some of the bigger short game mistakes. I am pretty good at getting out of sand, and like that I know have multiple “sand clubs”, a stock sand shot does different things with the 54 than the 58, and they are both easy for me to hit.

For my own personal setup, the last thing I’m playing with now is putting my iron shaft straight in to the wedges instead of a specialty wedge shaft. I still need to test it, but in the vein of simplifying things, I think going this route could make my punch and partial shots with irons feel more familiar (like the wedges) and vice versa; I sometimes struggle with fuller shots with the wedges, if those felt more like my irons I think it could save me a stroke or so on any given round.

What works for you guys? What do you want to try? Has anyone else tried a variety of different wedge philosophies before landing on something you like?

[PMookie]

My set-up of three is designed and fitted to have my middle wedge, the 54, be the versatile one. I almost always use my PW or 54 around the green if I’m not using an iron, and the 54 is my go-to in a trap, so I go with the one versatile wedge theory mainly due to comfort and confidence. 

[cnosil]

I am familiar with all those ideologies and I still struggle with my short game.  Have been working on it a lot over the past year and basically am learning to hit basic shots without a lot of club manipulation.  I move the ball forward and back to control height and will switch wedges to control distance but generally use one wedge for all short game shots. 

Wedge design is something I understand in concept, but would love to do a fitting where I try and learn how the different bounces and grinds influence the results.

[Shapotomous]

I think I am a mix of 1 right around the green & 3 for longer yardages up to my pitching wedge yardage.....

I have a set of 49, 53 & 57 old Cleveland 588 raw wedges  (and a couple spares!    )

I've always had 1 club i use around the green for 75% of shots and right now it is my 57* that has a personal grind on the sole.  The other 25% i use my 8 or 9 iron for a running type shot.   The 49* & 53* (both with personal grinds) along with the 57* are used for 40 - 110 yard shots all being a partial swing rather than a full swing.  I can practice up to 65 yards (and 75 if I'm feeling brave) in the backyard with the 57 & 53 and have hit 1000's of shots.  The good thing is I can then make the same swing with the 49* and get the longer yardages fairly consistently.

[Golf2Much]

I'm in the "Keep It Simple" camp.  I have three relatively new Edison wedges (50/55/60) which I love.  Their Koehler sole has a low bounce on rear portion of the sole and high bounce leading edge so I can get the best of both worlds.  I basically know my full shot distances and will use a simple half and three quarter swings to get intermediate distances with the same club.   I change wedge loft depending on how much green I have to the pin (as a half swing with my 50 works about the same as a three quarters 55).  I also will move the ball in my stance forward and back to get height or make the ball run and check depending on pitch or chip.  

On second thought, that doesn't sound too much like "Keep it Simple!"  Unfortunately, because I'm consistently short approaching the green I get plenty of practice with my system.  

[John W Sutch]

Playing a set of ping G700s. PW is 44deg, GW is 49deg. Just replaced a Cleveland 56deg SW with a Hogan 54deg Texas grind that I hope will help on tight lies. So far so good. Hogan works well in bunkers also. Use the GW for most chips around the green.

[heavygolffeels]

Really tempted to change to a 52/58 setup to simplify things. Pick wedge off based on launch, high or low shot.

Currently playing 50/56/60, with the SW having more bounce and a low bounce LW. 

 

[golfgod2k]

Currently playing 50 pxg 0211 and 54/58 pxg 0311 forged. The 50 I mainly using for 90-100 yard shots. I love the 54 and 58 as they are very versatile and can use them both around the greens. Use the 54 out of the trap as it has a little more bounce. Chip/pitch with 58 unless i need more roll out and then sometimes go to 54. The 58 replaced my 60 vokey which i could not get consistent with. The pxg 58 is so easy to hit in all types of situations. Huge upgrade for me that has paid off.

[TDubbGolferGuy]

Recently was a three Mizunos forged wedge (52, 56, 60) guy with bounces steadily going downward as the loft rose. 
 

But, after getting new irons, I went to get fitted for wedges from Taylormade based upon my head pro’s rec. 

Ended up with a 54 high bounce and 60 low bounce. Glad I got fitted as the gapping between 52 and my gap wedge was negligible, and this made much more sense. 
 

So far I’m extremely happy. 

[ForeRightAgain]

My new set I go with 4 wedges.  

43, 48, 52 and 56 degrees.

Use the 56 mostly for chip shots around the green, then the 52 when I need more run on a chip shot.  Working out really well so far

 

[Zorak]

I game 48, 52, and 56 degree Ben Hogan equalizer wedges, the 56 being an equalizer 2. Graphite Recoil shafts. Love them and not as ridiculously prices as some of the OEMs.

[Jonny_Crash]

I have Sub70 699 Pros in PW (45*) and AW (50*).  Then I added Vokey sm8's in 54* and 58* both 10* loft S Grind.  I typically only hit full shots with the 45 and 50.  Then I use the Vokey's around the green for more touch shots.  The 54 does most of the work with the 58 being for times when the ball needs to get up in the air higher (I don't like high lofts for chipping). 

I've sadly had a devil of a time dialing in distances with all of these clubs however.  I practice at a range with top tracer and routinely have a difference of 20 yards with the PW and AW (gap).  I've been getting a lot better lately, so that has some to do with it, but it makes it hard to play when you don't know how far a full wedge will go.  Time to work on them a bit more I think. 

[revkev]

I have those v grooves so that’s built in versatility. Basically I use 1 wedge - my 52 around the green. 
 

I have a 60 for when I’m shot sided or need to hit it high around the green. 
 

I carry a 56 but only use it for full or 3/4 shots. I’ve learned from plenty of game tracker data that I’m far better with the 52, 60 or a 9 iron around the greens. 
 

Generally I use 60 for sand shots but will use the 56 or 53 when the sand is firm as it can be with all the summer rain in Florida. 
 

I think this is a what works best for you sort of thing. 

[jroot327]

I play a set PW (44*) and AW (50*) and really only use them for 80%-full shots. Then I play a 56* for all partial shots into the green up to about 50 yards depending on lie. I'll also use it for longer bunker shots or when I need more bounce. My last wedge is a 60* that is really only a bunker club and toe down chipper around the green. I will play it on short pitches (inside 50 yards) to try to get a bit more loft and spin if needed. It seems to be a good set-up. Fresh new grooves with extra spin on the new wedges this year took some getting used to.