Set Wedge vs. Specialty Wedge

[Just_the_Chip]

Getting a new set of clubs this winter, and I was curious what everyone's though is on going with a wedge from a set versus a specialty wedge like a Vokey? What would be the reasons that would influence you to go with a 52 degree set wedge vs. a 52 Vokey? 

[william_abu]

Choosing between a set wedge and a specialty wedge like a Vokey involves a nuanced decision. While set wedges offer consistency with the iron set and may seamlessly blend with your existing clubs, a Vokey wedge provides tailored performance and versatility. The Vokey's precision craftsmanship and unique grinds allow for enhanced shot control, crucial in delicate situations around the green.

Opting for a 52-degree set wedge might suit those seeking uniformity in their iron set, ensuring a smooth transition from irons to wedges. However, the Vokey's distinct design caters to players who prioritize shot-making and desire a wedge explicitly designed for finesse shots and tight pin locations. The Vokey's advanced sole grinds can adapt to various turf conditions, providing a strategic advantage in diverse playing environments.

Consider your playing style and preferences—whether you favor consistency or crave the precision offered by a specialty wedge. Additionally, evaluate your short game strengths and weaknesses, as this will guide your decision towards the wedge that complements and enhances your overall performance. Ultimately, the choice between a set wedge and a Vokey hinges on personal preferences, playing goals, and the desire for a tailored short game experience.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Personal preference, what one the wedge for such as full shots, partial shots, around the green, which gets to how much versatility one wants/needs.

 

[Stuka44]

Like others have said.  As it turned out when I bought new clubs a few years ago, the stock AW with the set, came in just the right loft to fit in with what i was trying to accomplish, with lofts in my new set.  So then I purchased 52 degree to add to my new set up.  So it went  48 degree AW( new Set wedge),... 52(Cleveland, added to new set up), and then 56 SW Cleveland which I had with  previous set.  For an example!

[Kansas King]

My preference is to have set wedges for the lower lofts 46* - 52* where it's unlikely you're manipulating the clubface much at address. The seamless transition and gapping generally leads to more consistency. Plus, set wedges usually have a more forgiving sole design over a specialty wedge. Yes, you can get almost any grind known to man on a specialty wedge, but I have yet to find a Vokey that is more forgiving than any non-muscle back set wedge.

The key thing to remember with most specialty wedges like Vokeys is that they are basically muscle back irons. I think they're great in higher lofts but I've found they can promote inconsistency in some of the lower lofted wedges, especially wedges under 50*. 

I've found the hardest part with specialty wedges is fitting. I think off the shelf wedge shafts tend to be too light for a lot of golfers. Most stock wedge shafts do the max possible to promote spin, but I find that can sometimes compromise consistency and accuracy especially on fuller swings. The other issue most golfers buying off the rack mis on is bounce/sole grind. I find it rare to have too much bounce even on hard/dry courses. I'm not saying you need a 14* bounce but any bounce angle less than 10* starts to become an invitation for chunks and lost strokes. It also pains me when I see people trying to hit flop shots with a K or F grind (wide flat soles) Vokey. It can be done but you're working against yourself. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

I’m with @Kansas King. I prefer the set gap or approach wedge for the same reasons. I have a 54* and 60* wedge in the bag for specialty play. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

I am in the set wedge camp. May not be for all, but the slight bit of added forgiveness is what usually wins me over in this situation. 

[Usmcgyrene]

It depends on what the intended purpose is. I use the set GW with my irons. I never use it for anything other than full shots. I use specialty wedges (54, 58) for sand and lob. As it pertains to Vokey particularly, I'm not really a fan. I know they are wildly popular, but I've gotten much better results with wedges that offer just a little bit of forgiveness. Presently, I'm playing Mizuno S23 wedges. I'm also very fond of Cleveland CBX wedges. Maybe they don't meet the cool factor, but whatever helps you get the ball in the hole.   

[ParFore74x]

I’m in the set wedge category as well, mostly full shots with mine at 49°. 

[fozcycle]

My set wedges are Titleist T300 W43 & Gap48. I then have Edison 53 & 57’s. I use the 57 for bunker play and 45-65 yd shots. The 53 is used inside 45 yds, mostly half wedge shots. The Gap48 is for 85-98 yds and the Wedge43 is for 100-110 yds.

Edited January 3 by fozcycle

[Mav0095]

Personally I go to the gap wedge in my Mizuno Pro 225s then into a 54° and 60° SM9 Vokey. Set wedges for fuller shots then Vokeys for all the yardages under 115. Although I have considered replacing my gap wedge with a Vokey with the same loft- just not sure there would be any meaningful benefit...

[ebaileymershon]

Played Cleveland irons for almost 25 years, third set, just work. Tinkered with wedges for years below the Dual wedge, Cleveland’s Attack wedge. Loved Vokey 58*, but had trouble gapping. Then went all Cleveland, currently 48*, 50*, 54* CBX ZipCore like the wider soles, 58* RTX ZipCore, knives through compacted sand on local course. Local corse has various green elevations many variables in height and rollout. On flatter courses not so much need. 

[JAYER38]

When I changed to my G710's irons I went with the set wedges top match just for consistency. After a few rounds I found myself not being able to spin them and blowing by the closer shots inside of 75 yards... Could have been the design of the club but wanted something that was easier to spin and "feel". Tried all the popular Cleveland's, Mizuno's, Vokey's, etc. Ended up with the Ping Glide 4.0 and some of my best clubs in the bag now which isn't saying much with my game haha.

Try them all and see what feels best in your hands off the rack.

[dnjoyce]

I'm with the consensus above - set PW (46deg), set Gap (50deg) then "speciality" 54 and 58. Forgiveness and distance /gapping continuity main factors for me.

[Julius]

I see it as more preference, at least at my level which is a 20 handicap. I just don't play enough to see a difference between my PING (which are not store bought however, they are fitted) and the specialty wedges, although I have both. I am more focused on the loft I think I will need.   I am sure the good/very good and pro players can tell the difference, but as I don't have the skill to spin the ball when I want to, to control this or that kind of landing, etc, I am more focused on the loft.  I change up wedges more than anything else in my bag as it depends for me the course I am playing and the conditions as well (more wet I bring my PING Glides as these seem to be better in wet conditions). Otherwise I am more agnostic except loft. 

[max31man]

My set comes with a W at 47 degrees, and then I game a 52/56/60. The 52 is still only for full swing shots and I might be the minority here, but I much prefer being able to hit the 52 into the green rather than the set W. When I get to my dedicated wedges, it just feels so much more automatic to land relatively close to the hole.

[Fatshot]

To me, your choice of a gap wedge depends on how you're going to use it, and what your chipping/pitching game is like.  If you're only going to use a gap wedge for full swing shots, then I'd stick with the set wedge b/c it will most likely look and feel like the rest of your irons.   If you're going to chip and pitch with it, then you might want to look at other options.   I find that set gap wedges feel LIGHTER than most specialty wedges, and for chips/pitches, I like a heavier feeling wedge.   This is especially true for me b/c I use graphite shafts in my irons, and a wedge that's light in the head with a graphite shaft feels like a feather!   Also, specialty wedges can come in a variety of bounces and sole designs which can suit your short game better.

[Bad Golfer]

I'm with the guys that like the set wedges. I bought a set of Cleveland Zipcores 2 years ago thinking that was the way to go. I then got fitted for Mizuno's last year that came with the gap wedge. That gap wedge was so easy to hit that I had to get the matching sand wedge as well. I just find the set wedges more forgiving for my game at the moment. 

[Kevin W]

My set starts at Pitching wedge.

I personally would keep it for exact gapping purposes and forgiveness. Specialty wedge for me would be Gap, sand and lob wedges.

I love my sets Pitching wedge. One of my most versatile clubs.

Experiment, see what you think.

[tdc1]

I'm in the set wedge through Gap (50°) which I will use for both full and bump-and-run to an unobstructed green.  SW is Ping Glide 3.0 (54°) and LW is Ping Glide 3.0/Eye 2 (58°) that are for useunder 100 yards, from rough around green, bunkers, etc.

Both my specialty wedges are 4+ years old and I'm actively considering new ones for 2024!

[toncol]

For me, it's a question of what you intend to use the 52 for most of the time.  In my set, I have Mizuno Pro221s thru the PW, but I almost always hit full shots with the PW.  For my other wedges, I go with TaylorMade MG series wedges(50,54,58).  I use the 50 for bump and run shots, mid-range pitches, knock-downs, longer chips etc and only occasionally for full shots, so I want it to feel/behave more like my other wedges than like my irons.  One thing I'm a stickler about is that all my iron clubs from 4I to LW have the same grip so no club feels "off" when I grab it.

[Shrek74]

As others have already said, it depends on what you want to use each wedge for and what type of "feels" you want with your wedges.

I used to be all about the specialty wedges for G/S/L, but over time I've made the switch to moving my GW to the set and my SW & LW to specialty wedges. The main reasons are 2-fold - 1) the set GW is the last iron I hit with a full swing, 2) added forgiveness and similar feels.

I don't use my GW for manipulated shots around the green. I don't see the reason to do that verses just utilizing the specialty 54/58 for those green-side and 50yds and in specialty shots, which is what they're designed for. I do use the GW for bump and runs, but that's a standard face angle without any manipulation and not really worried about spin other than just having it hit and release (some specialty wedges will overspin even on bump and runs and come up way short).

When I'm at 100 yds and needing to hit a full shot, I want the familiarity of the iron (weight, look, feel) along with the added forgiveness since full swings are the most likely to be wayward or inconsistent. 

Ultimately it comes down to how you play, where you play, and what you want to do with your wedges from that last full swing and in. You have plenty of good info above and I'm sure more will come in, but it ultimately comes down to what you want and need for your game.

[ChiefMikeOfficer]

Considering the direct question on a 52*, I think there are two big factors beyond what you intend to use it for: what iron set are you looking at (or at least what type of iron set), and what lofts do you plan to have above 52 in your bag?

If the iron set you're going to get has a hot face (like Super Game Improvement, or maybe even a Players Distance) and you generally have good contact with your wedges, I'd probably lean toward the specialty wedge for more consistent distance and spin control; for a Players iron, could go either way, so it comes down to skill and precision (higher skill around green / inside 100 -> specialty; looking for forgiveness -> set). If you need to work on contact on short shots, set is probably best. But also, that iron type would factor into which specialty wedges to consider -- many of the Vokey wedges are less forgiving than some of the other specialty wedges out there, so if you're getting more forgiving irons, also consider a more forgiving specialty wedge. 

Then, what lofts... watch for distance gapping, and make sure you have a plan to account for it. Especially for SGI and PD irons, I'd expect a 52 to go farther than a specialty 52 (make sure to research lofts too -- what you assume is a 52 in the set might not be, depending on which set). With many of the irons these days, if you have any specialty wedges, you'll probably have a 20+ yard gap somewhere, so where do you want it? Between the GW and SW, or between the PW and GW? (in other words, would you feel more confident taking a 3/4 swing with a PW, or a 3/4 swing with a GW?)

I switched out my PW for a Vokey 46 last year -- I do like the 46, but also might go back, because I now have a big gap between the 9i and PW that's been tough to account for (and I don't use the 46 a lot around the green, either). I think my favorite setup was the set PW with 50-54-58 as the specialty wedges, and might adjust the long end of my bag this year to get back to that.  

Edited January 3 by ChiefMikeOfficer

[Javs]

With the strong lofts of new sets, I have gone to staying with the set wedge for my Gap Wedge. Especially, if the set wedge is 50 degrees or stronger. My current set the Callaway Paradyms the gap is 47 degrees. I like this set gap better than my specialty wedge. I use the Vokey’s for sand and lob. 

[Swood1994]

My iron set (Mizuno MP-18) has fairly standard lofts on the bottom end of the bag. The set PW is 46° so I replaced that with a Vokey and then ran 4° of gap between my other 3 wedges making a total specialty wedge set of 4 wedges in the bag (46, 50, 54, 58). 

The specialty wedges provide a little more versatility vs the set wedges, in my opinion. I was never a bump and run shot type guy until I switched to the 46 Vokey. I couldn’t control the set per for that shot as well as I could the Vokey. Now that isn’t to say practice couldn’t fix that but it was an easier adjustment for me with the specialty wedge.

[CrazyGolfNut]

I play a PW & GW that match my set and use them as if they are a 10 and 11 iron.  My specility wedges are a 52 and 56 which I can replace after a lot of use chipping and pitching.   

[rbgntx]

When I bought new irons last year, I went with the set wedges all the way through.  I was tired of trying to figure out all the sole grinds and bounce levels.  I have been extremely happy with my decision.  Shafts are matched to the rest of the irons and having all the clubs in line has just made things easier.

[thadeuce]

I used to be in the set-matching camp until I really started working on my short game. Up until this past year, I played the set-matching GW(50º) because I used it primarily with full swings. Once I started working on my wedge matrix, I stopped using it so much for full swings and wanted to get a bit more spin. So now my wedge setup consists of specialty wedges...50,54,58.

[Cfhandyman]

Ideally, get fit for your wedges. They’re your scoring clubs so distance control, spin, etc matter. For most a set PW and GW will work if you tend to use them for full shot only. Pay attention to proper gapping between your clubs to allow for 10-15 yards between clubs.  Ask yourself are you steep or shallow on your delivery, do you pick the ball clean with little to no divot or do you take large divots. Do you typically play in soft or hard turf conditions. This will help guide you with respect to bounce and grind options for your wedges.  Vokey’s are popular for a reason in that you can select from many different grind and bounce options. The problem is which bounce and grind option work best for you and your game. Ideally, you may want one with lower bounce and one with higher bounce to allow you to play a variety of shots around/near the green.  The most common wedge setups are either  50*/54*/58* or 52*/56*/60*.  Once you’ve sorted that out, then pay attention to shaft and grip. A fitter then should be able to adjust the lie and loft to further dial them in. There are many good wedges available, so getting fit for clubs is most helpful to ensure that you get clubs that work best for you. So straight forward question, but complicated answer. See the links below from MGS, wedge fitting 101 and Ping to help guide you. Hope this helps. 

https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/wedge-fitting-101-where-to-start/

https://ping.com/en-us/fitting/our-process/wedge-fitting

[Schenectady Putter]

Winter reading 3 Releases by Daniel Grieve. A deep dive into the art of using wedges in the 30-90 yard range around the green. The author points out the different swing technique that is used on a full iron swing (using leading edge/divot after the ball) and the "finesse" swing used around the green (using bounce/divot either at or before the ball). My iron set has the PW at 44* with same bounce design as the 5-9 irons in the set  Mostly use set irons for full swings. Vokey 48* 10 F, 54*14 F, 58* 12 D for use around the greens, and rarely used for full swing.

If you buy in to the idea of looking at specialty wedges, you accept the need for addressing issues like gapping, swingweight, and bounce factor that is not dealt with with standard iron sets.