Wedges - To Wedge or not to Wedge

benny79

What wedges do folks use? As in Models, gaps, bounce etc..

Since the recent boards outing I discovered my wedges are to old and not really fit for purpose! My 56 is from 2010 and my 52 is from 2018 and I get no spin or Zip... I did on my 52 when first bought a long time ago but didnt last long.. These are essentially your scoring clubs yet mine cost me shots! 🙄 I dont have a clue when it comes to wedges & bounce etc my current ones are 56 - cleveland 588 (2010) & 52 Cleveland RTX4 10 bounce (2018). My current Irons are Srizon Zx7's which I was recently fitted for and my PW is 46 deg.

I really just asking what are the best wedges out is Cleveland still one of them? (I did here there main man left & went to Callaway a few years back)

Do I have the right gaping? & what bounce should I be looking for etc

I have €150 in Mcguirks vouchers and do know they do deals if you buy two.. Since most my bag is fairly new, wedges are the last piece of the puzzle! I have to say I dont really get excited about wedges like you would buying a putter, driver or Irons! lol..

Russman

I'm the world's fussiest ba$tard when it comes to wedges, but IMHO, the main manufacturers don't make bad wedges anymore. For years and years I used Callaway wedges and loved them. I used to always see the hype about Vokeys and every year or two try one out and not like it at all. However in the last 4 or 5 years I've really come to like them and have them in the bag again for this season, after going back to the Jaws Raw last year. Personally speaking I've never really got on with Clevelands but they're a huge name in wedges, even if Roger left them 30 years ago or so to go to Callaway. They would fit easily alongside your set of ZX7s though as Srixon and Cleveland are the same organisation. Coming off a 46 degree PW, the "by the book" set would probably be 50/54/58, but 50/56, 52/56, 52/58 or 52/56/60 would work too. Really down to personal preference and if you carry a lob wedge or not.

You can't really go wrong with Vokey, Cleveland, Callaway or Ping IMO, Mizuno are also a sleeper under the radar. Your gapping is probably the most important thing to get right(ish). There's an online wedge selector tool on at least the Vokey & Callaway websites that you can use to get suggestions. Its worth the 5 minutes even if its just for a pointer. As regards grinds, Vokey are by far the most comprehensive in terms of the number of options, but honestly, I'm not sure that doesn't lead to confusion for us mere mortals. Obviously a proper fitting on turf is best, but I'd suspect most of us would fit into the bog standard S grinds. If you know that you're very shallow or too steep etc, you can factor that in.

Some good deals in McGuirks at the moment alright, especially with the previous model Cleveland Zipcores and Titleist SM8 Vokeys. I've found there's sometimes a better selection in store despite what their website says.

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058303635/wedges-to-wedge-or-not-to-wedge

I use 50/54/58 mid bounce. I have a 60 degree ultra low bounce that I use for messing about with. I occasionally put it in the bag for a dry links course with tough greens - a fun club for when you want to still maintain your full swing from the 9-14 yard range 😎

My advice.. and this is just me as I use the 58 degree wedge for almost everything around the green. I want the 58 to be fresh. That club for me I change regularly maybe every 40-50 rounds, which is <2 years for me. I try buy a few years old cleveland for that as it's cheap (a new club, I never buy used wedges) but I replace it often. Get to learn the club. I SHOULD have bought 4 or 5 of the exact sample club and just switch in a new one every year. When you hit a wedge with new grooves you'll notice it comes off the club face lower. If you're used to your shots coming off the clubface high, then it will take a bit to get used to the change that a new club offers you.

dan_ep82

Cleveland still make very good wedges and are generally the best value for money. They’re all good honestly, it’s more what shape suits your eye.

You’ll lose most of the initial crazy spin once the grooves get worn after a handful of rounds, but for the first game or so you’ll be stopping them dead and not meaning to, chips will come out a touch lower for a while as well until the spin goes back up.

As for gapping, what number do you need to cover? What do you chip with ?

You just need to make sure your wedges overlap. You want the choice of a hard 50° over a soft PW or hard 54° over a soft 50° etc. It gives you options depending on trouble ,flag position etc

Whatever you chip with most get the same bounce if your buying online or let someone fit you for it on grass.

RoadRunner

By the way there's numerous variables at play. The wedge is just one of them. There's also: The ball (quality of ball, urethane cover?), the lie (will there be grass between ball and club face), the conditions (rain, dew on ball, dirt?), the condition of the club face (covered in dirt? - btw there's no reason ever to be hitting a ball with dirt on the wedge face!) the green (receptive? ie soft, into a camber, darker shade grass because it's leaning towards you, wet), the distance of the chip etc, obviously the quality of strike too.

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120803632#Comment_120803632

I'm not sure I've helped? 🤣

benny79

Ha Thanks @RoadRunner 😂 The vokeys, Then Clevelands seem to be getting the best reviews I also notice the Mizuno 23's are getting a lot too. A lot of people seem to have 50/54/58 these days instead of the traditional 52/56/60. I personnally think 3 wedges + PW is to much but I will definitively have a fitting in Mcguirks. Although not mad on their fittings as I feel they sometimes dont have the experience as a club Pro would have..

The price of the new Vokeys is ridiculous €269! nearly get 2 Clevelands for that! madness..

Plus lots of people are saying online the new Cleveland are great in the wet with the new tech..

I mainly chip with PW this has been a game changer to my chipping. Probably my biggest weakness.

blue note

I've the same irons as you, so a 46 degree pitching wedge. I intentionally went with bigger more forgiving wedges. They're the clubs I fat and thin most often so, that's where I need something to do what I intended rather than what I deserve based on my swing. So I got cobra snakebite 50 (bent to 51) and 56 degree wedges. I think it was 8 and 10 bounce on them. I also have a 60 degree that's just used for a few shots where the only option I have it getting it up and down quickly. I've no idea how far I hit that with a full swing because I never try.

My old 8 iron for chipping is the thing I miss most from my old set though. For whatever reason, I just don't get the same trajectory from my new irons with that 8 iron. So if I bump and run with it it carries nothing. The great thing about the 8 iron was that it would take the funny bounces from the fringe out of the equation, but then run out very nicely. The pitching wedge on the other hand has about the same flight but stops up when it hits the green far quicker than the old 8 iron.

I think I might have to switch to the pitching wedge and just get used to it stopping faster. I need to hit it a lot harder than that old 8i though for a similar distance. It's probably just a case of getting used to it, but I don't know how long that will take. I'd the old one for about 12 years. This one for 1. It'll probably be a could more years.

bakerbhoy

I play with mizuno jpx hot metal 921 pro irons to gap. Only other wedge I play is a 56' medium/low bounce.

Currently a Cleveland RTX zipcore. In the bag about 3 weeks now. Bought last year , left in the locker at club.

Replaced a ping glide 2.0 with same loft bounce. That was in the bag 4/5 years i think.

New grooves bring a noticeable improvement in spin/check no mater which wedge you go for.

Regular golfers should really replace the main wedge every season. I will be taking my own advice on this from now on.

daithi7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804359#Comment_120804359

Is it that your new irons are just flatter?

Most modern irons are at least a club stronger that irons from 5-10 years ago, therefore your new 9iron might give you the same trajectory on short chips as your much loved old 8 iron.

It's worth a go!!

Ivefoundgod

Personally I think Vokeys are the way to go, theres a lot of options in terms of bounce, grind etc. plus they have an online tool which is really helpful to figure out what sort of specs would suit your game. They are not €269 by the way, thats a limited edition release. Standard model is 2 for €360 (https://www.mcguirksgolf.com/p/titleist-sm9-tour-chrome-vokey-wedge-gents-rh/p-ti22c0201titsm9tourchromevokeywedgegentsrh). The SM8s are as good too, not much change between generations of wedges really.

Fresh grooves is important for sure and depending on your ball striking a blade wedge 50d which you mainly use for full swings might be better replaced with one of the CB options that most manufacturers make (except vokey). I think the Cleveland CBX is well regarded.

Lofts should be dictated by your PW, mine is 45 so i've a 50, 54, 58 wedge set. Don't use the 50d vokey anymore though as I got the GW in my iron set when i got fit and i only use that for full shots. I use my 58 for every shot around the green so 54 is an approach wedge only or if i have a long bunker shot. I think those are the kind of things that should influence your decision but as others have said the manufacturers all make good wedges now so hard to go too far wrong.

Ivefoundgod

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120803595#Comment_120803595

The last part here about gapping, curious what the logic is there? I use the wedge matrix with 1/2, 3/4, full shots to cover a range of yardages. Is that what you mean by soft PW? Have heard playing partners say they're going to hit a soft iron or wedge plenty of times, can't say i've ever seen it end well very often. Difficult skill IMO that only the elite level should aspire to. Half swings, 3/4 swing is much easier control in my view.

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804490#Comment_120804490

The opposite is apparently the case. My old irons were stronger lofted, new ones a degree or two weaker. So the new 8 iron should launch higher but it launches lower on those chips. For full shots the new ones launch slightly lower, but nothing significant.

I should say though, I went for the fitting requesting clubs that would help me keep the ball down. So the shafts might be a part of the reason. I just didn't think about my bump and run shots!

dan_ep82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804550#Comment_120804550

ok I’ll stop it until I get to a + HC

zocklie

You could easily buy second hand wedges in good knick and sharpen the grooves yourself with a groove sharpener for a tenner .

I bought second hand sm8s this year (upgrade from sm4s) and the difference is night and day.

On an aside, the lofts of pw's these days is absurd, mine is 44*, think in my last set it was 49, had to buy a 48 wedge to slot in

spacecoyote

Can highly recommend the TM Milled Grind 3. Not talked about much, but they've won best wedges in the market 2 consecutive years in the MyGolfSpy wedge testing.

I've 50/54/58(bent to 59) in my bag. 50 from my iron set.

I basically never hit a full approach with the 58. Probably would max out on about a 50 yard shot on it in terms of shot decisions.

Have 11° bounce on 54 and 10° on 58, which is perfect for parkland golf where I play most of mine.

The other thing on wedges these days that people are now looking at is grind on the wedges, don't know a massive amount about the differences though.

One thing to think of is around matching the shafts in your wedges to your irons if you're getting a fit done for consistency of feel in the clubs through the bag.

Golfgraffix

I'm with Space on this one, I swapped out my Vokeys for the TM MG3 RAW TOUR GRIND. Went with 50, 52 and 58. Gapping seems to be perfect at 80yds, 97yds and 109 yds. My full wedge is a TM P790 48 degree that carries 117yds. can highly recommend the TT Spinner Shafts, slightly longer and lighter.

As i play most of my golf on links I went with the low end of Mid Bounce

Infoseeker1975

I use a 50/54/58/64 though I think a lot of it is how the face of the club sits and feels for you, then you need to practise the shot best suited to the level you are at.

I see 18+ handicappers use very lofted clubs when chipping onto greens with nothing in their way, a flat green and the pin at the back of the green - this should be a 8/9 iron chip and run all day.

Wedges can cost a small fortune so as someone mentioned, look at 2nd hand options as you would probably get decent options for all 3 wedges for the price of a premium one, as an example I have a Cleveland RTX3 50 degree that I barely used sitting on the floor next to me for the last year or so, if I ever take the time to upload a few photos I would only be looking for €50....not trying to sell it....merely an example😉

plumber77

Just got the Titleist Vokey wedges, 2 for 250, 10% if buying online with code IGW10. Great value

Miley Byrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804667#Comment_120804667

Grooves can be sharpened, yes. But the milled face is what creates the spin. Once that's gone, it's gone. If you use the same wedge for all chips around the green then the milling won't be long wearing down. I'd chip with different lofts depending on pin position, slope, lie etc so mine tend to wear fairly evenly across my 50*, 54* and 58*. I use the Cleveland RTX wedges and are the best wedges I've ever played with while also being on the more reasonable end of the scale pricewise too. Just had a quick look at Clubhousegolf there and you can get them for €82.00. While they may have been around a while, they are still a great wedge

gypsy79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804707#Comment_120804707

I can second these......i love them and even bad shots tend go 95% of the distance required

benny79

Cheers lads. My PW is 46 deg. I suppose I'll try out a few. My mate has a Mizuno T20 I think 23 is the knew one. I was messing around with it the other evening and quite liked it. They got great reviews too.

I actually bought a groove sharper and done the grooves dont think it made any difference to be honest.. didnt really get much shards either to be honest

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120830419#Comment_120830419

Only thing to be aware of with the groove sharpener is I think they can make your clubs non-conforming if you're too enthusiastic when using them. You'd never know and it would never be checked though.

benny79

Yeah I heard that too. I only done it as an experiment as I have vouchers to be used and I read somewhere or seen it on a u tube vid that you will never get grooves as good as on a new wedge!