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54 sand wedge


marvin
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It's easier to hit off your back foot since you get more spin and less likely to blade the shot however you need lots of bounce to keep from digging.

Welcome to the site, would recommend checking out the threads below.  Playing the ball back in the stance makes you hit down more and that's where contact can become the most inconsistent.  Playing the ball forward and having a small amount of shaft lean, shallows the angle of attack and allows for a greater margin of error.

Mike McLoughlin

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Not sure hitting with the ball positioned off the front foot is the best way to hit a wedge shot. Doesn't make sense but I will give it a more thorough test and see. I use the Hogan method on everything but it might be obsolete. You say hit it positioned like a driver but without a tee? Hands leaned forward? Still doubtful but I'll see what I get. Almost positive I will blade some this way but I'll keep an open mind.

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Not sure hitting with the ball positioned off the front foot is the best way to hit a wedge shot. Doesn't make sense but I will give it a more thorough test and see. I use the Hogan method on everything but it might be obsolete. You say hit it positioned like a driver but without a tee? Hands leaned forward? Still doubtful but I'll see what I get. Almost positive I will blade some this way but I'll keep an open mind.

If you watched the quickie pitching video try to understand the use of the clubs bounce. The concept of that shot is to allow the player to hit behind the ball and still get a good result. The reason a lot of players like this shot (myself included) is this technique let you hit a little behind the ball so blading the ball is almost impossible. Once you become confident in this shot you can hit it from almost any lie. Also you can hit many different trajectories with different amounts of release.

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Lately I've been going with a PW, 50, 56 & [COLOR=FF0000] 64 [/COLOR] (hey if you find yourself looking UP at a short sided pin and if you're like me & can't rely on spin to stop it, lots of loft works ! The 64 is awesome - it's a specialty club - doesn't get used but a few times a round, but it's great for what I ask of it ... I find it so much easier than trying to open up a 60 & it really is very pleasing to my eye at setup ... secret is can't be afraid to swing it & only use it when absolutely necessary)

PW 45, GW 51, SW 57, LW 64. Yep. Not too many people carry the super-flop wedge but I do as well. Cleveland 588 gunmetal 64°. I got this club initially to help me get out of some very very deep bunkers on a course I frequented and it was great! Then with more practice I realized that it could be a great "secret weapon" in the bag. Yes it will get you up & down and stop on a dime but you do have to get used to it.. practice with it. I realize it's not for everyone but it works for me as well. Happy flopping!

Driver: Adams TightLies Titanium High Launch Max COR (10.5°) R Flex Graphite SuperShaft Lightweight Mid Kickpoint, GolfPride Multicompound Grip

Fairway Wood: Ping G20 4-Wood (16.5°), R Flex Ping TFC 169F Shaft, Ping ID8 Grip | Hybrid: Ping G25 (23°), Ping TFC 189H Shaft, GolfPride Tour Velvet Grip

Irons: Cleveland TA-5 Gunmetal R Flex True Temper Sensicore Shafts, BlackWidow Widowmaker Black/Black Grips: 5-I (27°) 6-I (30°), 7-I (33.5°), 8-I (37°), 9-I (41°), PW (45°)

Wedges: Cleveland Tour Action REG 588 Gunmetal Dynamic Gold Sensicore Shafts, BlackWidow Widowmaker Black/Red Grips: 51°/6, 57°/10, LW 64°/8

Putter: Carbite Polar Balanced DC, Tiger Shark Oversized Grip 31"

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Not sure hitting with the ball positioned off the front foot is the best way to hit a wedge shot. Doesn't make sense but I will give it a more thorough test and see. I use the Hogan method on everything but it might be obsolete. You say hit it positioned like a driver but without a tee? Hands leaned forward? Still doubtful but I'll see what I get. Almost positive I will blade some this way but I'll keep an open mind.

Thanks for keeping an open mind.  Not as far forward as a driver but still forward in the stance.  Weight is forward and the hands aren't leaning forward.  That's how you engage the bounce so the club can glide through the turf.

Here I am hitting a pitch off a green, notice the ball position and lack of handle lean at address and impact

http://thesandtrap.com/t/60526/erik-hitting-a-few-chips-and-pitches

Mike McLoughlin

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I would recommend the 54/60 combo, 47 to 56 is too big of a gap imo

That was my thought as well. re: bounce, what do you think about the Volkey wedges in a 54/08 and a 60/04..? I had always used Cleveland wedges in the past, but from what I've read, the Volkey sounds like a better way to go.

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I see the weight shifts to essentially hit like the ball is farther back. Looks like it works like a charm.

Thanks for the video links.

Again with the ball back I would have too much shaft lean, so it's not the same because the dynamic loft and angle of attack are much different.

That was my thought as well. re: bounce, what do you think about the Volkey wedges in a 54/08 and a 60/04..? I had always used Cleveland wedges in the past, but from what I've read, the Volkey sounds like a better way to go.

I think the new Vokey's are pretty good, would recommend going with more bounce and also recommend checking out the Edel or PING Gorge wedges.

Mike McLoughlin

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I game a 54.5 and a vokey 60/12 LW.....although I have been known to swap the vokey for a carbite 60 degree that Ive had for years. I ground the heel down and kept the old school deep square grooves nice and sharp...plus it hits like butter. Anyone out there if you find or see a Carbite wedge at garage sale or thrift shop then don't pass it up...you'll thank me later.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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Again with the ball back I would have too much shaft lean, so it's not the same because the dynamic loft and angle of attack are much different.

I think the new Vokey's are pretty good, would recommend going with more bounce and also recommend checking out the Edel or PING Gorge wedges.

Will do. Re: bounce. I found it easier to bunker shots in the hard packed sand to be easier with less bounce, then again maybe I was doing something wrong in hitting those shots. I had a 56/12 that I didn't hit all that well in hard packed sand, bad swing/set up on my part..?

Thanks Mike

On Edit: just read some older threads re: bounce, and it seems like my problems were MY fault, not the clubs. Having said that I will be going for more bounce.

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Will do. Re: bounce. I found it easier to bunker shots in the hard packed sand to be easier with less bounce, then again maybe I was doing something wrong in hitting those shots. I had a 56/12 that I didn't hit all that well in hard packed sand, bad swing/set up on my part..?

Thanks Mike

It depends on where your bounce engages. The issue with a lot of OEM wedges and high bounce is that the leading edge is high off the ground because the bounce engages too quickly. I owned a 60-10 Vokey SM4, but it can't do what the Edel can for me. Stan Utley can get his Vokey 58-12 to do anything but he is Stan Utley ... I am not, so an Edel works wonderfully for me.

Some wedges, like Edel, have a low leading edge yet high bounce, because they've placed the bounce so it doesn't engage until after contact. At least that's what I've experienced.

Ping G400 Max 9/TPT Shaft, TEE EX10 Beta 4, 5 wd, PXG 22 HY, Mizuno JPX919F 5-GW, TItleist SM7 Raw 55-09, 59-11, Bettinardi BB39

 

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It depends on where your bounce engages. The issue with a lot of OEM wedges and high bounce is that the leading edge is high off the ground because the bounce engages too quickly. I owned a 60-10 Vokey SM4, but it can't do what the Edel can for me. Stan Utley can get his Vokey 58-12 to do anything but he is Stan Utley ... I am not, so an Edel works wonderfully for me.

Some wedges, like Edel, have a low leading edge yet high bounce, because they've placed the bounce so it doesn't engage until after contact. At least that's what I've experienced.

Thanks, I'll look into those.

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Will do. Re: bounce. I found it easier to bunker shots in the hard packed sand to be easier with less bounce, then again maybe I was doing something wrong in hitting those shots. I had a 56/12 that I didn't hit all that well in hard packed sand, bad swing/set up on my part..?

Thanks Mike

On Edit: just read some older threads re: bounce, and it seems like my problems were MY fault, not the clubs. Having said that I will be going for more bounce.

Thanks for taking a look at other threads.  Yes, bounce is your friend (as we and Bob Vokey like to say), in that shot that I'm hitting it off the green, that wedge has about 20* of bounce.  Bounce doesn't mean the club "bounces" off the ground, it helps the club glide through the turf.

Mike McLoughlin

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Thanks for taking a look at other threads.  Yes, bounce is your friend (as we and Bob Vokey like to say), in that shot that I'm hitting it off the green, that wedge has about 20* of bounce.  Bounce doesn't mean the club "bounces" off the ground, it helps the club glide through the turf.

Bounce is the angle or degree of the sole from the leading edge.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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Not trying to insult anyone's intelligence but to clarify for those that don't understand bounce on a wedge. When you place your wedge at address....the space between the leading edge and the ground determines bounce...if it ha more space then more bounce...less space equals less bounce. Or high bounce and low bounce in simpler terms.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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Not trying to insult anyone's intelligence but to clarify for those that don't understand bounce on a wedge. When you place your wedge at address....the space between the leading edge and the ground determines bounce...if it ha more space then more bounce...less space equals less bounce. Or high bounce and low bounce in simpler terms.

That's not exactly true Micah. The camber and width of the sole can change that "space" too.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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That's not exactly true Micah. The camber and width of the sole can change that "space" too.

I know but I was directing it to higher hdcp players.....basically to give them basic understanding an it's the way my pro explai ed it to me many years ago. You can also change loft and bounce simply by opening or hooding your club face. .....which Ive been doing lately to compensate for leaving the lob wedge out of the bag....I don't reccomend it to higher handp players though until you become efficient with hitting wedges.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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I just recently fell in love all over again with an old carbite lob wedge that's been collecting dust in my garage. 60/12 and I ground the sole down a little at the heel and sharpened the grooves. I won't say it's better than my brand new vokey but it's a close second and actually feels better but it wont do as much around the greens but from the fairway it's money.

In the :ogio: Cart Bag :cleve: Launcher 9.5° Stiff :dunlop: 15° 3W Stiff :wilson_staff: D100 / 19 & 22° Hybrids Stiff :adams: CB3 Irons 4-GW Steel :adams: A7OS 54.5° SW :nike: 60/06 V Red LW :cobra: 35" Face Balanced Mallet Putter

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