Anyone playing a 6 degree gap between pitching wedge and gap wedge?

[BH43]

Iplay a GW, Pw, 52, 54.

[Jaybuck4]

I also have a 44 degree PW and a 50° gap wedge and I sense that it is about 14 yards in between clubs I believe that it’s best for me to look at a 48° wedge to keep the gapping at 4° and then have a 52 and 56. Each gap does equate to about 10 yards

[Donn lost in San Diego]

My pw is either 44 or 46, whatever std loft i for Ping I 500.  My next is a 52 deg 9 bounce Mizuno on a full swing is about 80 yds, so like others, I hit a slighltly less than full swing on the PW, a real good full swing gets 110 yds.  I have a 50 deg Mizu too but haven't played enough to start using it on my regular course.  

[BostonSal]

I would imagine that to be fairly common.

6° isn't a big gap.

[Nitti]

I have played 6* gap in my wedges for the past 5 years or more. As my swing speed has slowed, I'm 68, this created better yardage gapping. I play two different sets of irons, one with a 50* GW and a 56* SW and a seconds set at 46*PW, 52* GW and 58* LW. I'd really like to find an iron set with 6* gapping that isn't a game improvement iron with jacked up lofts. I may just have order them bent that way.

[JFS2]

I play 4 degree gap:  46, 50, 54, 58.  Works out great.  Not sure about 6 degrees.  However, 46, 54, 60 sounds pretty nice.   Maybe the thing about 6 degrees is less confusion over which wedge to play.

[TitleistMike]

The gap differential to distance isn't linear.

As face angle gets flatter, a larger gap is needed to generate same landing gaps differentials.

 

Blame it on gravity, physics, and algebra.

 

[Hammer4413]

I am.....46/52/58 Cleveland CBX wedges with excellent results.

 

[Jweck21]

If you have smaller gaps between your driver, 3w, 5w, 3i/h, and 4i/h than you do your wedges you're just wrong. Tight gapping in your irons and wedges allows for more precision with distance control where you need it. 4° gaps is the way to go. The only gap where I would consider 6° is between my SW and my LW and that's because my LW is strictly used around the greens, it is never used as an approach club. 

[stuka44]

I bought my new irons specifically for 2 reasons, first slightly more aggressively lofted at top.  Second specifically that PW/AW were less lofted than in old set, and the 4 degree gapping gave me just what I needed in carry from them.   I found just the opposite from what some have said.   I found I needed the 4 degree gapping  to get the yardages I needed, given my swing.

[GregGarner]

On 11/17/2021 at 12:22 PM, Hook DeLoft said:

I’ve noticed that some strong lofted sets come with a 6 degree gap between wedges. Obviously, if this caused problems, you could adjust the lofts. But I was wondering if folks who have a set up like this find the gap to be too large. I have seen some write that the designers know what they’re doing and the gapping should be just fine, but the cynic in me suspects the big gap is a compromise. 

I've got a 46 degree PW (~125 yards), a 52 degree GW (~100 yards) and a 58 degree lob (no SW) and I can make due with this setup and had other fish to fry last season (top-end gapping was a nightmare) but as soon as I can scratch together a couple hundred bucks, I'm switching to a 3-wedge setup (50, 55, 60).

I don't ever swing the 58 full and I try not to hit full with the 52. Way too easy to rip the ball back too hard when I do, like when I had 107 to the hole, just slightly down hill, and I juiced the 52, catching it as flush as could be. The ball landed 2 inches long of the hole and ripped off the front of the green, leaving me a fun 30-footer. I've found over the last year I'm 100-115 out WAY more than I would have guessed. And while I'm getting pretty good as knocking down my PW, it's not ideal when a 50-degree could help fill the... gap? left by the current gap wedge.

[BIG STU]

On 1/9/2022 at 10:59 AM, Jweck21 said:

If you have smaller gaps between your driver, 3w, 5w, 3i/h, and 4i/h than you do your wedges you're just wrong. Tight gapping in your irons and wedges allows for more precision with distance control where you need it. 4° gaps is the way to go. The only gap where I would consider 6° is between my SW and my LW and that's because my LW is strictly used around the greens, it is never used as an approach club. 

Actually that is not necessarly so---- Depends on the player- Most of us old school players learned to deloft a club by using a little forward press or manulipulating the face open or closed . On wedges a lot has to do with the effective bounce. Remember when us old school guys learned the game all the different lofts and sole grinds were not available. We basically had a PW like 49* or 50* and a sand wedge of 55* 56* that was all we had basically. The lofts versus the numbers on the clubs have changed too. My more modern set I am playing now my PW is basically the same loft as my blade 9 iron and what is funny is the "GW" I am messing with now is actually a stock loft for its day Ping Eye2 PW at 50*. But with the sole design of this wedge I can hit a variety of shots with it. Ping Eye wedges you have to pay attention to the sole grind because they vary according to the year made and the offset. The top side as far as modern thinking can be a little off loft wise. The 5 iron is 24.5 which is stock then my 7 wood is 21*. My 3 wood is 14*. I can manulipulate them to make up most of what I need. With me carrying like 12 clubs as SOP it leaves me some wriggle room so to speak to insert clubs on either end. I have been known to insert some crazy stuff in the bag like a persimmon driver at 11* for some dogleg Par 4s where I can not quite hit the 3 wood far enough anymore and the modern driver is too much. I have also been known to insert a 1 iron in yes I can still hit one but then again I can hit a bullett stinger off a fairway lie with the 3 wood. Basically despite loft numbers I know what I can manulipulate a individual club to do. 

[GPS111]

Mine are even more extreme at 44* PW, 54* GW/SW, and 60* LW.  I had a 56* SW but change it to the 54* because I wanted less bounce (change fro 12* to 10*).  It works from almost all bunkers plus fits a gap in my game from a tight lie where the 12* bounce doesn't work.  Her there is a 10* gap and a 6* gap but if the shots are there how many more wedges do I need?  I do have a SW with a lot of bounce I can add for those courses that have that kind of sand.  My set only has 12 clubs so adding when needed does not mean sacrifice something else.

[DrRob1963]

I am currently playing 4 wedges in my bag. Starting with my Mizuno MP-68 set Pitching wedge 47*, plus Mizuno T7 52* loft/9* bounce, T7 58*/8* and MP R-12 64*/5* wedges. On a shorter course, sometimes I will swap out a fairway wood, or long iron, plus the T7 58*, for my Mizuno T7 56*/14* and T7 60*/6* wedges so there are less yardage gaps, but generally I am happy with the 6* gaps which give me about 15-16 yard gaps on a full swing. I've learnt to play 'in-betweener' wedge shots with firm 3/4 swings while gripping down the shaft about 1", so the gaps are manageable. Having four wedges with such varied lofts & bounces gives me plenty of options and versatility around the greens - the 64* lob lets me go at some crazy shots, and that's a lot of fun!

P.S. A 43* wedge, Berg Ryman? That's my 9-iron!

Edited January 13, 2022 by DrRob1963
clarify my postscript

[Deacon Blues]

I actually prefer 6-degree gaps: I carry a 40-degree 9-iron, followed by 46-, 52-, and 58-degree wedges.

I have an “analysis paralysis” tendency, and the larger gaps (and fewer clubs: I only have 12 in my bag) make club selection much easier. And practicing with larger gaps strengthens my touch and feel when I’m between clubs. Partial shots are a fact of life the closer you get to the green; might as well be prepared for it!

[cnosil]

4 hours ago, BIG STU said:

Actually that is not necessarly so---- Depends on the player- Most of us old school players learned to deloft a club by using a little forward press or manulipulating the face open or closed . On wedges a lot has to do with the effective bounce. Remember when us old school guys learned the game all the different lofts and sole grinds were not available. We basically had a PW like 49* or 50* and a sand wedge of 55* 56* that was all we had basically. The lofts versus the numbers on the clubs have changed too. My more modern set I am playing now my PW is basically the same loft as my blade 9 iron and what is funny is the "GW" I am messing with now is actually a stock loft for its day Ping Eye2 PW at 50*. But with the sole design of this wedge I can hit a variety of shots with it. Ping Eye wedges you have to pay attention to the sole grind because they vary according to the year made and the offset. The top side as far as modern thinking can be a little off loft wise. The 5 iron is 24.5 which is stock then my 7 wood is 21*. My 3 wood is 14*. I can manulipulate them to make up most of what I need. With me carrying like 12 clubs as SOP it leaves me some wriggle room so to speak to insert clubs on either end. I have been known to insert some crazy stuff in the bag like a persimmon driver at 11* for some dogleg Par 4s where I can not quite hit the 3 wood far enough anymore and the modern driver is too much. I have also been known to insert a 1 iron in yes I can still hit one but then again I can hit a bullett stinger off a fairway lie with the 3 wood. Basically despite loft numbers I know what I can manulipulate a individual club to do. 

I love  your old school approach.  Today golfers seem so focused on the details of the clubs especially loft or how many degrees of loft are supposed to be between clubs.   Put the clubs in the bag that enable you to hit the distances and shapes you need when you are on the course.  Sole grinds are now something that has become part of the base OEM product instead of what players like yourself created by hand.  

[BIG STU]

8 hours ago, Deacon Blues said:

I actually prefer 6-degree gaps: I carry a 40-degree 9-iron, followed by 46-, 52-, and 58-degree wedges.

I have an “analysis paralysis” tendency, and the larger gaps (and fewer clubs: I only have 12 in my bag) make club selection much easier. And practicing with larger gaps strengthens my touch and feel when I’m between clubs. Partial shots are a fact of life the closer you get to the green; might as well be prepared for it!

You are of the same school of thought as I am because I only carry 12 clubs too. For me it eliminates second guessing myself. And trust me around the green if the shot and lie dictates I will go to bump and run in the drop of a hat with anything from a PW to a 5 iron. And if I am around a green and overall conditions dictate I will get that putter in hand quickly. 

See from your profile you are from Charlotte---- I was born and raised in North Charlotte back when it was rough not Yuppieville as it is now.

[BIG STU]

7 hours ago, cnosil said:

I love  your old school approach.  Today golfers seem so focused on the details of the clubs especially loft or how many degrees of loft are supposed to be between clubs.   Put the clubs in the bag that enable you to hit the distances and shapes you need when you are on the course.  Sole grinds are now something that has become part of the base OEM product instead of what players like yourself created by hand.  

Thanks man---- A lot of it is the result of when you learned the game and the equipment you had available to play with. Remember most of the regular golfers out there are not as game or equipment savvy as us here on MGS. Most have no idea what the bounce will or will not do and how loft can help or hurt their game. I suggest to anyone wanting to research and mess with wedges get Ralph Maltbie's Book How Wedges Work. It is an eye opener. I knew quite a bit on wedges but really got enlightened on them from that book. Also remember everyones swing and AOA is different and I would never expect someone else to hit my wedges nor would I say that my grinds will work for everyone. 

Back in the day gambling I played a lot of 1 club and 2 club matches and learned a variety of shots. Before I was hurt in 2020 I used to play a lot of like 5 club vintage rounds walking. There was no set way as to what equipment I would use on any given day. But I will say that on any round the one club that would be in the bag would be some kind of 5 iron. That is the most versitile club in the bag for me. IMHO those 5 club rounds will make you think as to how to go about doing things and you will learn to be versitile with clubs. I have and still do practice my short game a lot. In our short game practice area I will often practice the same shot with different clubs. Someone asked me one day why? I told them it was just how I felt that day on that shot as to what I will do. Besides it is fun to me to practice different short game shots. At my old course ( now closed) the small putting and chipping green was right beside the starter. During a lull I used to get a couple of the starters to give me bad lies etc. I would use different clubs or methods again on what the shot dictates. That was fun for them and me both. Lots of times I would hit different shots with the different clubs from the same lie. I have gotten back to some of the old practice stuff because I need exercise and to stay loose yet I can not belt a lot of balls. I mess around the yard here at the house with whiffle balls. ------- But that is the beauty of golf in a nutshell one doing their own thing however they do it

[Raymond Irvine]

I had a gapping session with our Pro last spring. Found my PW was at 44deg and my SW was at 52 deg the same as my Gap wedge. What an eye opener that was.

Since then I've bought 2 new wedges. 48deg and 56deg and discarded the SW. That was probably the best decision I've ever made, related to my bag ever. My game has tightened up brilliantly.

 

[BIG STU]

9 hours ago, DrRob1963 said:

I am currently playing 4 wedges in my bag. Starting with my Mizuno MP-68 set Pitching wedge 47*, plus Mizuno T7 52* loft/9* bounce, T7 58*/8* and MP R-12 64*/5* wedges. On a shorter course, sometimes I will swap out a fairway wood, or long iron, plus the T7 58*, for my Mizuno T7 56*/14* and T7 60*/6* wedges so there are less yardage gaps, but generally I am happy with the 6* gaps which give me about 15-16 yard gaps on a full swing. I've learnt to play 'in-betweener' wedge shots with firm 3/4 swings while gripping down the shaft about 1", so the gaps are manageable. Having four wedges with such varied lofts & bounces gives me plenty of options and versatility around the greens - the 64* lob lets me go at some crazy shots, and that's a lot of fun!

P.S. A 43* wedge, Berg Ryman? That's my 9-iron!

LOL 43* wedge with the old Mac blades that would be a 8 iron!!!!--------- It is true one of my sometimes Shootout partners has a new set of Cleveland irons that has a "Number" and the loft stamped in the sole. Indeed his PW is stamped 43*----- The other week he was trying to hit a bump and run 5 iron like I do. I told him to drop down to his 7 iron. He did and he got better he is one of those that can not fathom about lofts.