Irons being delofted to add distance - Why aren't standard wedge offerings following suit?

[Shambles]

FWIW, I work in a pretty big golf shop, and have tried to have the wedge loft conversation with customers for many years. For a very large portion of the population, It matters not what the loft of the PW, GW,and SW they carry are. All that matters is that they hit one less club than their buddy into a par 3.

 

Unfortunately for me, I have to agree to a considerable extent. It does happen more often than I am comfortable with.

 

 

Shambles

[NRJyzr]

So, after looking at a number of iron sets, and seeing the PW in the last 3 years or so work it's way down to a 45*, why haven't the big name wedge companies like Cleveland, Vokey, etc started stocking stores with 50 degree Gap wedges and 55 degree sandwedges to keep the distance gap in line?

 

For instance, if I wanted a 55 degree Vokey, I'd most surely have to order it, even if I walked into a big name golf shop. Back when PW's were 48, it was (and still is) much easier to find a 52, 56 and 60. (that say a 50, 55, and 60)

 

I know a lot of boutique wedge companies make them (hell, almost every wedge company makes them. However, if I modern set of irons with less loft, which seems to the be the newest trend, why would I want a 52 and 56 or 58 wedge?

 

I'm the type of guy who establishes extremely detailed distances on my scoring irons and makes every effort to avoid hitting "less" of a club. I prefer to hit just about every shot a full as possible and know how far the ball will travel. I.e - If I'm 75 yards from the pin, alot of guys would pull a low wedge or PW and hit a nice smooth pitch shot which could check and run. I would pull my 60 and take a full swing and get that 75-80 with almost no accidentally shorting it or having it run off the back of the green.

 

 

Kind of late coming to this party.

 

Loft creep is not a new phenomenon, it's been going on for far longer than many/most of us have been alive.

 

Several years ago, a friend of mine did some research on average loft progressions over the years. As you go back in time, the clubs get weaker in loft, PW go from the mid 40s to 48, 50, 52, and eventually not existing, because the 9 iron is 52°. 1 irons used to be around 20°, as the clubs got stronger, they went to 18°, then 17°, and not not existing because the 2 iron has taken its place.

 

Ten years ago, a lot of folks used the 50° PW as the "traditional loft standard" from which clubs had gotten strong, but that was only because it's what they knew from their younger days. Now, many talk about 48° PW being the "traditional lofts." But there really is no such thing.

 

The biggest negative in all this is how some companies compress their long iron loft gaps to try fit all the clubs in there. I used to have a set with a 46° PW, they had 2° gaps from the 2 thru 4 irons.

 

Interestingly, it looks like Mizuno's blades in the late 80s were amongst the first to creep stronger than a 50° PW.

 

Sorry for the length.

 

-ed

[PingManKMB]

who cares what the lofts are.. as long as your gaps are the same in the wedges you're good to go! be it 48, 52, 56, 60... or in my case... 46, 50, 54, 58..... keep the gaps consistent and you'll be fine.. be it 4 or 6 degrees. just keep it the same.

[xxio]

Still stronger lofts on the way.

 

Just saw an ad today in a Japanese magazine the new Kamui irons have a 56 lofted SW, but then have a wedges at 48, 45, 40 IIRC. The PW was 40!!! I can't recall what the other wedges were I think the 48 was "A"-Approach, the 45 "A/P", and then 40 P". I'll pass by the store again tomorrow to take a look at the designations.

 

The irons not on the Kamui site just yet, but the ads are out.