choosing the right wedge set for my game

[trumb1mj]

I have a few questions for any wedge expert out there. I currently have a set of cast Tom Watson's (52*, 56*, and 60*) that I am considering replacing.

1) I want something that will fall in line with my set of irons. I have a set of TaylorMade R7s (3-PW):

The PW is 45*. Where should I start my wedge set? 52*? 50*?

2) Choosing the club. Before I bought my Tom Watson's a few years back I had Cleveland wedges which blew my TW's away. So I want to go this route. Anyone have a Cleveland recommendation? I was thinking something forged?

3) Any recommendations on bounce?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[dave.]

I would treat the 45 wedge as a 9 iron, its not really a wedge, your 3 is therefore a 2, so consider dropping it, I play off 3 and won't go below 24 degrees on irons, I will use a fairway wood or hackbrid.

Anyway, back to wedge.

I would go 49, 53 and 58.

I would treat the 49 as a normal pitching wedge and leave the length and weight alone, it can be 6 degrees bounce and will mostly be hit for full shots.

The 53 should be your 3/4 or 1/2 shot club, so it could be cut down by 1/2 inch maybe and increase the swing weight using tape, this will help you feel the club on 3/4 shots. The 53 can be around 8 degrees bounce.

The 58 will be the sand iron and should be around 12 degrees in bounce unless you have really fluffy or hard sand, adjust to taste (more for fluffier, less for harder). Again, it can be cut down for more control, don't worry about flex. Both my 51 and 55 have been cut an inch shorter than my nine iron as an example

 

[MCDavis]

I have 2 good forged wedges I'll sell you at prices you won't get hurt on. One's a Mizuno MP-R 56/10 black nickel finish used, the other is a brand new Srixon WG 504 56/12.

If those 2 are not what you're looking for, I'd recommend trying the TM TP series. I'm playing rac black TP's in my main bag and love them.

 

[trumb1mj]

sounds like you've done this before mcdavis!

Here is my current bag:

1)D
2)3W
3)2 hybrid (2-3)
4)3 hybrid (3-4)
5)5
6)6
7)7
8)8
9)9
10)PW (45*)
11)GW(52* old)
12)SW(56* old)
13)LW(60* old)
14)P

Assuming I take out the PW, and take your advice with the wedges here is what my new bag would look like:

1)D
2)3W
3)2 hybrid (2-3)
4)3 hybrid (3-4)
5)5
6)6
7)7
8)8
9)9 (40*)
10)49*
11)53*
12)58*
13)P

This leaves me one club short, and without a LW and healthy gap between 9-iron and 49* (9*). What would my 14th club be? from 9-Driver there are no big gaps... so a LW? or throw the PW back in??

 

[MCDavis]

I briefly played rac OS2's, which also have a 45º PW. I picked up a 48º PW to ADD to the set...yeah, it's only 3º, but I liked it. I then carried my 52/56. I'm not big on 60's, so I don't carry one. I feel like too many options is.....too many!

You don't HAVE to carry 14, you're ALLOWED to.

btw, there's a nice 48 in the classifieds (not mine) that would go nicely with those r7's if you're going to buy one.

Yeah, I've played around some with the wedges. I like the forged (and play another WG 504 in my beach bag), I just can't part with the rac TP's...they're too consistent for me. Hence the two wedges being for sale.

 

[clemsonhacker]

if your looking for something forged try some Nakashima wedges...

 

[SilverUberXeno]

I play Cleveland 588's and love them. The 52, 56, and 60 all have different bounce angles (8, 14, 3, respectively) so they offer a chance to make a play from ANY lie. My PW is also 45* and I'm thinking about just carrying my 52 and 60 from now on in favor of a 2hybrid. But last season I did use EVERY wedge nearly every round. One round in particular I hit each of the three to within 10 feet of the pin from quite a distance.

Ideally for you I'd suggest something with near constant intervals... like go from 45 to 50 to 55/56 to 60.

I LOVE my 60. moneeey.

 

[trumb1mj]

agreed

I love my 60* too. There is no way I would abandon that club. I am thinking I will stick with the PW, GW, SW, LW but change back to cleveland forged clubs. I tend to push the ball to the right a lot with the Tom Watsons and I never did that with my old Cleveland's (they were a bit shorter, heavier, and easier to control).

I really like the feel of the 588's as well. I use to have a 56* and I loved it. Seemed like I could spin the ball more with that club as well.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

I love everything about mine. I got them with the Dynamic Sole Grind and it really is nice when you need to open up the face for a touch more bounce or loft.

 

[Crossfire]

I just rearranged my bag with lofts too, I play forged irons so I was able to bend mine.

9- 44*
Pw- 48*
then 52,56,60*

I bent all of my clubs 2-3* weak. with my 4-iron now 26*, thinking of picking up another hybrid to close the gap between my 4 iron and 20* hybrid.
Having strong clubs really really hinders your shot making capabilitys, try to deloft to keep under the wind, the negative bounce will dig in ASAP.

 

[sssmokin]

Titleist Vokey Spin-milled chrome.............need not say more.

 

[ezra76]

50 and a 56 or 50-55-60. I had my 56 bent to 55 to lose some bounce. I have a 60 that I don't use much, didn't even bring it to FL with me. It's fairly useless. I like the 8 bounce on my GW and about 12 on my SW. Some guys say they don't like bounce on their wedges, most of the time they are not very good wedge players anyway and "think" bounce has something to do with them skulling shots. Bounce is your friend, it allows you to hit a "fat" shot from sand and rough and still put the club on the ball. I also dig and drive through my shots, no picking here so I like a mid-high bounce wedge with a blunted leading edge. I've filed all my leading edges blunt and rounded on my wedges.

 

[Hmbre97]

+1 for Titleist Vokey design wedges. Opted to not get the spin milled in my 52 since I've read of problems of balls getting torn up pretty bad by them on anything resembling a full swing.

 

[chemboy2]

I would treat the 45 wedge as a 9 iron, its not really a wedge, your 3 is therefore a 2, so consider dropping it, I play off 3 and won't go below 24 degrees on irons, I will use a fairway wood or hackbrid.

Anyway, back to wedge.

I would go 49, 53 and 58.

I would treat the 49 as a normal pitching wedge and leave the length and weight alone, it can be 6 degrees bounce and will mostly be hit for full shots.

The 53 should be your 3/4 or 1/2 shot club, so it could be cut down by 1/2 inch maybe and increase the swing weight using tape, this will help you feel the club on 3/4 shots. The 53 can be around 8 degrees bounce.

The 58 will be the sand iron and should be around 12 degrees in bounce unless you have really fluffy or hard sand, adjust to taste (more for fluffier, less for harder). Again, it can be cut down for more control, don't worry about flex. Both my 51 and 55 have been cut an inch shorter than my nine iron as an example

Here is my current bag:

1)D
2)3W
3)2 hybrid (2-3)
4)3 hybrid (3-4)
5)5
6)6
7)7
8)8
9)9
10)PW (45*)
11)GW(52* old)
12)SW(56* old)
13)LW(60* old)
14)P

Assuming I take out the PW, and take your advice with the wedges here is what my new bag would look like:

1)D
2)3W
3)2 hybrid (2-3)
4)3 hybrid (3-4)
5)5
6)6
7)7
8)8
9)9 (40*)
10)49*
11)53*
12)58*
13)P

This leaves me one club short, and without a LW and healthy gap between 9-iron and 49* (9*). What would my 14th club be? from 9-Driver there are no big gaps... so a LW? or throw the PW back in??

I think you misunderstood daves point. Dave can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he was eluding to the fact that at 45* your "PW" is really the loft of a 9 iron. He's suggesting that you get a "gap" wedge in the 49* range (the loft that pitching wedges USE to come in) and play that iron as you would a pitching wedge. From there the other two wedges help complete yardage gaps/uses.

For me, I play irons stamped 4-9 and then I replace the set's 46* PW with a 50* "utility" wedge bent 2 degress to 48*.

 

[dave.]

Yep, exactly what I meant. I didn't mean take out a club.

A 45 is not wedge, its a 9 iron, therefore you need a 48 or 49 as a wedge, then a 53 for the 3/4 shot club, which should be cut nd weighted according and a sand wedge, and with these lofts the 58 seems right.

my PW is a 47, but I regard it as the nine iron, and play 3 wedges on top of it, 51, 55 and 60. They have all been cut down and weighted for a much hi8gher swingweight to allow me to hit 3/4 and 1/2 shots. The 47 is only ever hit full