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Edel Wedges: The Chicken or the Egg??


Cyberbob
Note: This thread is 4124 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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I've been meaning to get some new wedges.  I'd say short game is a relative strength for me.  A long time ago, I read the Stan Utley book, and tried his technique.  Whether it was his ineptitude at articulating his method or my own lack at understanding it, it didn't work.  I had been doing 'bump and run' type shots, and doing all kinds of funky things to get the ball to do what I wanted.  Now, I've revisited his method, seem to have a better understanding of it, and find it works great.  (So I guess it was ME)

I was a bit intrigued by Edel's wedge fitting system/philosophy.  I'm a believer in more bounce now.  Case in point:  I have a 60* with 6* of bounce, and a 54* with 12*.  I like the 54* better now, get more consistent contact, can control the traj better (even get it high like a flop, but with consistency and without having to overly open the face). I'd like to play as much bounce as possible, but am still in the process of grooving my technique.  So do I get fit for my current swing, knowing it may change, and also have the potential drawback of not getting a wedge with maximum bounce for me; or get a wedge on the higher end of the bounce spectrum (digger type) and learn to use that?  I am totally willing/able to tailor my swing to fit the club because in this case, I don't think i'll need to change any fundamentals, and more bounce is definitely better and worth it.  Any thoughts?  Thnx.

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I think the ideal setup would be one wedge with lots of bounce, one with medium and one with very little.  Then play different shots based on the lie/obstacle/carry requirements.

Personally, I like the boutique / custom wedges from Edel (and others) - they look very nice.  But I've only hit a few pitch/chip shots with the Edel wedges so I can't really say how solid they are.  But, I know getting an Edel set of wedges alone isn't going to make you a better wedge player by default.  It takes a lot of practice and creativity to be a master around the greens.

The thing that is nice about Edel is the fitting process... They will walk you through the various combinations of loft/lie/swing weight options that will best suit your game.  So at least when you walk away from the fitting, you know you have the best set of wedges for your swing/game as you were swinging the club that particular day of the fitting.  Now if you go an overhaul your swing pattern, and setup to the ball - then the fitting may not be as relevant or best suited for your game post changes.

All-in-all.. If you have the disposable income, then I'd do it.  Swing changes or not... They are solid and beautiful looking wedges.

.

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Originally Posted by Beachcomber

I think the ideal setup would be one wedge with lots of bounce, one with medium and one with very little.  Then play different shots based on the lie/obstacle/carry requirements.

I'm going to ask what is quite possibly a really dumb-ass question but here goes anyway ...

What shots would you play that would require a club with very little bounce?  I thought that you just took your wedge with a lot of bounce, leaned your hands forward, and voila, you now have no or little bounce.

Both of my wedges (54.5 and 59) have a lot of bounce - not by custom made Edel standards, but by traditional OEM standards - (13.5 and 11, respectively) and I don't know of a shot that I ever thought I couldn't play because I didn't have a wedge with only a few degrees of bounce.

EDIT:  To the OP, I am with Beach on the idea that if you have the money, then go for it.  They look like fantastic wedges, just a little too $$$ for me.

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Not dumb at all, IMO.  Marketing would lead us to believe tight lies require low bounce.  But as you seemed to have experienced, there isn't much you can't do with your "high" bounce wedges.  I bought into that marketing too, and I think it has a lot to do with your technique.  Take me for example.  I could have the lowest bounce wedge in the world, but the way I was going at the ball, a nice crisp high ball was hard to hit.

I think the low bounce allows for a wider sole, which can be more forgiving.  Also, maybe the lower bounce helps get through thick rough.  I'm not sure.  And finally, it allows you to open up the club face without catching it thin.

If you forward lean your hands (deloft) to the point where bounce doesn't come into play, I think you really reduce your margin of error, and reduce your loft so much it's not what you want in a situation where you might typically hit a pitch or chip shot.

And these days, with the "C" grind on the wedges, it seems like you can open them up just fine without much risk of hitting it thin.

I don't have much disposable income, and Edel wedges are very expensive.  Which is part of the reason I was asking if I should fit the wedge to my (yet unformed) swing, or my swing to the wedge (because the high bounce wedge is a superior product).  I really do think Edel has a winner here, and it's not just marketing hype.  Much better philosophy/fitting system than Scratch, Japan OEM, etc.  I wouldn't be surprised if Vokey, Cleveland, etc are all making high, forward, dynamic bounce wedges in 10 yrs.

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Note: This thread is 4124 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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