Next to one’s putter, your wedges are the most important club in your bag. Considering that the majority of your golf shots occur within 100 yards, having a wedge (or wedges) you can trust is vitally important to playing good golf.
To give you an alternative to the “big boys” of the golf equipment field, Bobby Jones Golf have combined the forces of clubmaker aficionado Jesse Ortiz and short-game guru Dave Pelz and have come out with a set of wedges that are one part classic and one part science-fiction technology.
I spent a month playing the Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges and though I had to adjust my wedge game a little bit, I was pretty impressed by what Ortiz and Pelz had come up with. Read on to find out what I thought of their creation.
Technology
The Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges are a cast club made from 302 stainless steel. It’s the only wedge I know of that has an insert – the entire clubface is a different material than the rest of the club. To set the insert into the club, a pocket and some deep channels are milled out of the clubhead. The face material, an aerospace steel alloy Carpenter 440XH, is an alloy that is often used for industrial bearing assemblies and critical valve components. The face material is then milled to USGA specifications for conforming texture. The milled channels also serve to move some weight around for better utilization.
Featuring a darker gray insert, the wear-resistant face material should keep your grooves fresh for years to come.
According to Bobby Jones Golf, “heat and pressure are applied to a special structural bonding membrane in which Jesse Ortiz facilitates the release of an epoxy resin, which – upon cooling – creates a bond between the club’s stainless body and face material that is stronger than welding. Upon curing, the membrane returns to its slightly spongy state, thus creating a soft forged-like feel to each shot.”
This material is supposedly very resistant to wear, providing you with a wedge face that will maintain its grooves for a longer period of time over conventional wedges. If you’re a golfer who changes out your wedges frequently to keep fresh grooves, these might be what you’re looking for to maintain your groove integrity for several years.
Esthetics
The Pelz/Bobby Jones boast a more rounded face shape compared to the teardrop-shaped of my current wedges. The difference was subtle and something that didn’t really take any time to get accustomed to. The sole of the club is very basic with nothing more than a single letter – “G” (gap wedge), “S” (sand wedge), “L” (lob wedge), or “X” (extra lob wedge) stamped and paintfilled in black.
Classic-looking and very simple even with all the names stamped on.
The back of the club has the Bobby Jones name and medallion, Jesse Ortiz’s name, a small “Pelz,” and the degree of loft and wedge initial. It seems like a lot of information for a back of a wedge but it’s done in a tasteful manner and looks pretty sharp.
The finish is a pretty standard stainless steel that looks to be a bit more gray which is nice as it didn’t give off a glare at address. Toss in the dark gray for the face insert and the Pelz/Bobby Jones wedge certainly stands out from the wedge crowd.
Performance
I’m pretty set in my ways when it comes to my Titleist Vokey wedges and other than demoing out a few different manufactures over the years, never found a good enough reason to switch to anyone else.
Having said that, the Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges offered a nice alternative to several other wedges I’ve tried out recently and it didn’t take too long to get accustomed to their feel and performance. Now, if you’re looking for an oversized, game-improvement style wedge, look elsewhere as these certainly are not for you. I’m not saying you can’t use them, just don’t expect to be rewarded for your bad swings.
It took a little time to get accustomed to the darker-colored face insert but not much.
I tested out two models, the 56-SW (14° bounce) and the 60-L (4° bounce) which was a bit different from my normal wedge setup of a Titleist Vokey 52.08 and a Spin Milled 56.10. I had a bit of gap than what I was used to and it took me a few rounds to get accustomed to having a gap between 125 yards and 100 yards but having much more versatility under 100 yards with the addition of the lob wedge.
It also took me a little time to get accustomed to the different color of the insert. While not a big issue, it was still a bit strange to look down and see the darker gray color rather. It’s not a deal-breaker, mind you, just something that might take you a little time to get used to. If anything, think of it as a sign saying “Hit it here.”
Generating spin with wedges is a big topic (search our Forum) and manufacturers seem to come out with new or improved grooves annually that boast to be able for you so suck back your wedge shots like the Tour pros do. Unless you are really good or it’s an accident, its been my experience that most average golfers can’t generate the clubhead speed necessary to get those types of shots.
The design of the sole allows you to play a variety of shots.
Because I fit into that category of the “average golfer,” I’m not going to be able to tell you whether or not the Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges will suck a shot off the green. In the hands of a good golfer, they undoubtedly will. In my hands… not so much.
Having said all that, I have gotten better in my wedge game through some instruction and practice so now my typical full wedge shots from the fairway drop and stop or spin back a little, but it’s usually not more than a foot in any direction. With the Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges, I found that I was getting a little more release with my shots as I didn’t feel I could generate quite the amount of spin to which I was accustomed. Mind you, it wasn’t a huge difference, but for the most part, my shots would drop and then release a little rather than stop immediately.
On less than full shots from the fairway, the results were pretty much the same, as the ball would release a bit rather than just stop. Part of this could be due to the design of the grooves and part of this is my swing. One advantage of this however was that my golf ball wouldn’t get ripped up as would happen with my other wedges, so I didn’t have to banish my ball to the shag bag after a few wedge shots.
I read Stan Utley’s The Art of the Short Game earlier this year and have subscribed to his theory of using one club for all my greenside shots. However, while testing the Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges, I split the time between the 56-14 and the 60-04 equally to find out whether or not I need to change up my wedge configuration in my bag.
Using the 56-SW, my pitches and chips responded similarly to what I’m accustomed to. Again, the ball seemed to run out a bit more like all my other shots but not so much to make a difference in my game. Out of the sand was pretty much the same as well as the 56-SW preformed well.
The 60°Lob wedge on the left and the 56° Sand Wedge both worked well around the green as well as out of the bunker.
I haven’t had a lob wedge in my bag prior to the Bobby Jones, so using the 60-L was a new experience. While perhaps having a bit too much loft for my taste, I enjoyed being able to use it in the sand (which made it much easier to escape the bunker) and it performed very well around the green. I may end up adding one to my bag after this experience.
Specifications
The Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges come in four lofts; a 52° Gap wedge with 4° bounce, a 56° Sand wedge in either 10° or 14° bounce, a 60° Lob Wedge in either 4° or 8° bounce, and a 64° X-wedge, which comes with 4° bounce. Sorry lefties, but these are only available for righties.
The two I tested came with a Lampkin Crossline mid-sized grip which I found to be an odd grip to come standard as I have longer fingers yet the grip was too big and hard. I believe this may be Dave Pelz’s influence, as he feels that too many amateurs get too handsy or wristy with wedges. At any rate, I regrip my own clubs in my basement, so putting a standard grip on was a quick fix.
The Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges retail for about $150 each and you can order them directly from Bobby Jones Golf or Pelz Golf as well as several different online retailers.
Custom lengths and lies are available at no additional cost and you can get custom sole grinding options, available upon request and produced directly within the Jesse Ortiz Design Studio.
Final Thoughts
The Pelz wedges by Bobby Jones are a really nice wedge and performed quite well on a variety of shots from various lies on the course and around the green. I did have to rethink my wedge game to allow more release in my shots as these don’t spin quite as much as other wedges I’ve used in the past.
Also, at $150 a pop, I’m not sure how many people are going to drop that kind of money down when a vast majority of wedges are at a $120 pricepoint and below. Still, considering how often one uses their wedges, perhaps $150 isn’t too much, but I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Do you have any feedback on the sole grind? Is there some leading edge relief. I like what Cleveland is doing with the DSG and Callaway with the C-grind. tnx
Is the face insert the new technology or are these just the old Pelz wedges with the addition of the Ortiz name?
I like the original Pelz wedges but for the life of me can’t tell the difference between these and the originals with the exception of the name on the back.
I wonder why they are using the insert technology for these wedges…what’s the benefit?
When looking to improve my short game I looked to put a gap wedge in the bag. I was considering a Cleveland or a Titleist wedge being that they were successful clubs and a good place to start. I stumbled on the Bobby Jones wedges while watching the golf channel. I subscribed to the whole idea of the new age metal that Jesse Ortiz was using to insert in the club head figuring the extra forty or so dollars I ‘d be spending wouldn’t be a big loss especially if the club does last a considerable amount of time longer than the ones now available. The 52 degree gap wedge has been a great addition to my bag and has been a laser within a 110 yards for me. I look forward to shots at the range because I feel confident with this club. Shortly after I went out and replaced my sand wedge with a Bobby Jones. It’s to early to tell if the technology is true about the club face lasting as long as they promote it last but I love the look feel of these clubs.
I guess if you play quite oftin then the money wouldn’t be an issue. for a mid HC like me who is happy in the off chance that I even can get out these would last a long time. I don’t expect to spin a ball back 1+ feet. But I guess for a mid HC there could be at least two types of people. Those that can deal with wearing soon with cheaper clubs and adapt quick and those who would rather spend more money early to keep clubs longer. For someone like me that can’t even get 120 for a vokey (curse of still being in school) getting 150 seems like a big challenge. I also don’t know if I would stray away from the more known wedges. Not that Pelz and Jesse Ortiz doesn’t give a true name. But there is a reason that titleist and cleveland are still at the top.
I recently got the 56 degree bobby jones sand wedge for Christmas. I tried it out a little and really liked the feel. Even on the longer shots it felt as if i was barely hitting the ball and the club seemed to generate a good amount of spin as I could either stop the ball dead or occasionally spin it back a bit. What I found strange about the club though was that after only a few hits the face had already begun to appear worn and the grey color on the face insert was already really wearing off. Also, there were a few chips in the club already after 20 or so shots. Overall though, I found it to be a very well-designed club that worked very well for me and I believe that, if it really lasts as long as they say it does, it is worth the extra money.
I have the 56 deg. with low bounce. I’m a 2 handicap, so i buy a wedge for versatility and spin. This is a great wedge, but there is a little issue with me… My favorite shot is a low piercing wedge with a butt-load of spin that takes a giant hop and then zips back to its ball mark. This wedge is designed for a variety of higher lofting shots, so i have to manipulate the club to get a lower ball flight. While it’s no fun changing your game around a club, I have found that with practice, i can still get that hop and spin action, just a little higher ball flight. This wedge’s grooves are just awesome by the way. After awhile, you can create a circle mark where you hit it, which is awesome, and the grooves are still completely fresh like a new wedge. This wedge is indestructible. I love it, and the thought of a replacement because of groove wear has never entered my mind as the groove integrity is good as new. A plus side to the wedge also is that it doesn’t completely tear the ball apart (which does not translate to lesser amounts of spin, you naysayers.) 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
My wedge also started having that circle where i always hit it, but i kind of like it. And sand shots tear up any club.
These look really great and I usually hit a club great if I like the look.
I have the 48* P and 56* S. I like them both and although I noticed the discoloration of the face after a couple rounds it hasn’t affected the play of the clubs. I think Jesse’s use of the super hard insert will force the larger companies to change their designs to keep up. Edwin Watts offers the clubs for $119 as their regular price
The original Pelz wedges had V grooves for 52, U for 56, enhanced U for 60, and max U for 64. You could visually see the difference in the grooves, and the different spacing of the grooves. The Bobby Jones Jesse Ortiz Dave Pelz (what a mouthful) wedges are supposed to have max U grooves on all models. As 2011 approaches and the big name manufacturers go to the newly legislated groove, then these inserts, which are supposed to last 8 times longer, will be valuable through 2014. Indeed, some of us may keep them around until 2024 when the groove rule changes again. Both the original Pelz and later Bobby Jones are no nonsense, fully-functional clubs. Get the loft and bounce that fit your game and the playing conditions, and they should be a good as any tools out there. Both websites run really good specials, and the costs come way, way down.
I’ve just bought an original PELZ 56 sand wedge! I’ve been wanting to purchase a new wedge for sometime now, but dishing out 120 to 150 for a top end wedge seems a lil rough. Ive seen the new B-Jones wedges in store as well as on the TV VIA info comercial and after watching the comercial i was really sold on the concepct of the face insert, the material being extremly durable, the grooves being legal for the next 14 yrs and the surface roughness ECT…. Both Jesse O. and Dave Pelz do a really swell job of SELLING the new B. Jones wedge, they defenitly SOLD ME! 🙂 I went to my local golf shop 2day with the intenions to buy the new Jones wedge. Once i arrived i decided to have a look in the USED wedge section and came across a DAVE PELZ ORIGINAL 56 SAND WEDGE in MINT condition! I did a side by side comaparison and to my AMAZEMENT they where identical!!! I had never seen a wedge that had an insert like the new Jones wedge does, this original PELZ wedge has the exact face. I was able to talk sales men down from 50 bucks to 30 buck since i also spent money on a new glove, tee’s and putter grip (Winn Jumbo “IT’S AWESOME”!) I imediatly took it to the range and WOW! I love it! Im just curious to know if wether or not this ORIGINAL PELZ WEDGE and the NEW BOBBY JONES WEDGEs are 100% identical? They look almost identical except for the logo & name on the back. I just want to know if the face insert metal and advhisive compound are exactly the same, SINCE DAVE PELZ states in the info comercial that the design of ths NEW BOBBY JONES WEDGE is a NEW STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY!!!! and this is why we, addicatied golfers / consumers shouldn’t worry about coughing up a half weeks paycheck for a single wedge!!!!
I do have to say that both Ortiz and Pelz are great club designers, but DAMN IT!!! DAVE ur just like all the rest of these bullcrap latenight infomerical salesmen and LIE through ur teeth just 2 sell a product!!! If your product is really as good as u say it is then why lie to try and sell it? Just let the product speak for it’s self as WORD OF MOTUH is the best advertisment known to man!!!
By the way I’m not exactly sure how old this DAVE PELZ WEDGE i just bought is , but I would think it’s gotta be at least 3+ yrs old since i’ve never seen one advertised, owned or even spoke of untill now. With that said both the grooves and the actual special surface roughness is still in prestine condition! They look and perform like they were just made yesterday! I belive that the NEW BOBBY JONES WEDGES will perform and last for a VERY VERY long time as advertised.
PS: U can purcahse these new B. Jones wedges for 80 to 90 used! I recomend getting them used since they perform like they are brand new anyways!!! But the way I see it why spend 120 dallors or even 80 bucks if u can get the EXACT same wedge (PELZ WEDGE) for 50 ??? They are rare and hard to find, but I found a couple for sale online.
Hope you all found the info helpfull !!!!
The Pelz/Bobby Jones wedges like the one shown above can be bought straight from bobbyjonesgolf.com for $89.95.
I’ve always liked these wedges – especially the 48, 52, 56. These wedges are accurate, versatile, and I like the slight increase in heft. As to spin, they do release slightly more when compared with their pre 2011 counterparts like Callaway and Vokey, but the difference is slight. I thought tee 60 grind was a little too wide and didn’t offer sufficient relief for all shots around the green. With the 2011 redesign, Ortiz has added relief with a new grind. That has me interested.
I purchased the complete set of wedges, 52,56,60,64 and love them! From 110 yards and in I now have a full swing club for 110, 80,60, and 40 yards. I don’t play as much as I’d like, so for me getting and keeping the feel of multi yardages with one club is difficult. Now I can use the same consistent full swing and achieve pretty accurate and consistent distances. I also love the loft and straight down landing of the ball so most of the time the ball hits and sticks like a dart. Great clubs!!!