buying a used wedge

I have read a few places that the one club you do not want to buy used is your sandwedge. Is this true or am I just reading BS? I ask because if I can buy used I will. otherwise i will probably just pick up a new top flite wedge from dicks for like $29.

the only reason I can think of is that a sand wedge can have a lot of wear and tear after many uses, which will mostly impact the sole (thus the bounce/ leading edge/ grind)

As long as the club is not broke down, or otherwise can't be cleaned up well enough to made usable again, there is nothing wrong with buying used clubs. Obviously a used club will work better if it fits the golfer's swing who is purchasing it, so that should be taken into account. Most, if not all used clubs will need a new grip at the very least.

It also depends on what the used club will be used for. I bought a used 2 iron yesterday just to use out here for when I want to take a walk in the dry wash, sandy areas. If I destroy it, it's not a problem since it only cost a couple of dollars. I'm sure not going to use my gamers in those same sandy,  rocky conditions. A 2 iron also works well for snakes.

Maybe the golfer just likes the look of the club, and thinks it will play well for them. That's a good reason to purchase the club. In the end the golfer needs to decide if the club is worth buying.

It depends. Did someone use the wedge for heavy play over four seasons, or did the golfer buy the wedge new, pay it for a month, and trade it in? I see both in the used-club bins.

I bought a 54* Vokey used, the face is pretty beat up, but it still plays fine. Plus, I only paid 15.00 USD for it..

I've had for almost a year now, will likely buy another to replace it this summer.

thanks for the advice. I went to dicks sporting goods to check them out and picked up a new top flite one for $26 on sale, which was too hard to pass up for a new club.

Here's what you must consider:

First- Are you a solid player that consistently strikes the ball first with your wedges?  Do you consider your short game good enough to where you would benefit from a higher spin rate?  If you are just looking for something to get you started, go with a used vokey all day.  A new top flite wedge is not going to do you much good.

Second- How used is the wedge?  If there are huge dings, or the face is completely worn down on the sweet spot, it might not be worth it.  If it is just slightly used, I couldn't see a problem with buying it.  Personally, I replace my wedges once a year, but that is also considering I play nearly every single day, and I tend to hit the sweet spot more often than not.  So if you play once a week, a used wedge is the way to go.

I bought a Nike SV wedge used at an event last year for $20 because I despised the chunky cavity back SW that came with my iron set (never felt good opening it up or chipping with it). Grooves were plenty sharp despite the club being I think a 2008 release and it was otherwise in pretty good shape. Former owner must've never seen a sand trap, haha. I tried it out on the range right there to make sure and it was an absolute impulse buy, but something I'd wanted to get ever since I decided I want to get out of a bunker by means other than picking the ball up and chucking it. I adore it, and I get way more spin from it than I do from my 52° or 60° wedges that were bought new in 2012 but are cheap Tommy Armour brand (Sports Authority house brand).

So the moral of my story is that you should use your judgment and try it out if you can. I'm more happy with my quality used wedge than my new cheap brand wedges. As long as the finish is intact and the grooves have life in them, I'd be fine with buying used.

Used clubs come in many different conditions.  Most websites have a system that explains what kind of condition they are in.  Usually something like:

Open box return- opened but not used.

mint- probably not used, maybe a few swings, no wear.

very good- Used, but no noticeable wear, darn near brand spanking new.

good- Used with some noticeable wear, but only on the face and not very obvious

average- Used with noticeable wear.  Might have some paint chipped off the top of the club, scratches on the bottom...still playable, but has been used quite a bit.

I have noticed that globalgolf and callawaypreowned are very conservative with these terms.  My Odyssey putter in GOOD condition looked brand new to me (from callawaypreowned).  I also remember the hybrid I got from globalgolf was in better condition than I thought it would be.

If you would order a wedge in very good condition or better on either of these site, I would think you would be getting a very clean wedge.

Then there is ebay, which requires some knowledge before you buy.  Know exactly what club you want and all the details that matter.  Make sure you are getting pics of the actual club itself from angles that show the face and whichever other angles that are important in showing the condition of the club.  And then look into the seller and make sure they are reputable.  There should be a percentage by the seller's name which should be close to 100% and if they have a Top-Rated seller badge, then even better.

You can find some very good deals on used clubs, whether you are buying an older model club or even a new one.  If you are going to use the club for multiple seasons, it is not going to remain the current model anyways, so it won't matter that you got last year's model.  And if somebody used it for a few days, a week, or a month...you are going to be using for much longer than that anyway, so it really makes no difference.

I would not hesitate to buy a used wedge, you just have to know what you are looking for.