How Many Wedges Do You Carry?

[iacas]

Thanks for the thoughts and information. I've found that I like Pelz's approach to putting and now the short game.

Just so I'm clear, in no way do I like his putting approach or think it is the correct or best way at all. Absolutely not. In fact, I've taken very little from Pelz except the development of four swings for each wedge (and really, I never hit the 60 full).

I used to carry a small attached to my bag that listed the distances for each club. Maybe I'll need to do that again, but with the wedges.

As I mentioned earlier - and I think there's a picture/attachment somewhere on this site that shows it - I taped the yardages to the underside of each wedge. After a round or two or a little practice I generally know which is closest, and really, it's more about trajectory first, then distance. If I have 55 and need to stop it quickly, that's different than 55 that needs to then run a little.

I'm intersted in watching the replies to this topic. I currently only have a PW of unknown loft and a 56* SW. I was thinking my next wedge purchase would be a 60* for when I'm close to the green and need to stop the ball quickly after it lands. However, after reading another thread here I had changed my thinking to that I need a 52* GW to fill the gap. I hit my PW about 115 or so and my 56* about 85-90 at full swing. The thinking in the other thread was that the 60* is difficult to hit and you are better off learning how to open up the face on the 56*.

You could do as I did and just go 48/54/60. Nothing says the sand wedge must be 56.

[WhiteSoxFan]

You could do as I did and just go 48/54/60. Nothing says the sand wedge must be 56.

Yeah, I already have and really like the 56 though - no plans on replacing it.

[MGP]

I normally only carry 3 wedges; PW (47), GW (52/7) and SW (56/12). I hit the bulk of my chips with the gap wedge. I don't hit full shots with anything below the PW.

I do carry a 60 lob wedge occasionally when I know I'll be playing a course with very fast elevated greens and I likely will be hitting some chips that require a very short/high chip that stops very quickly. Most of the time I can lay the blade of the GW open and play a flop shot if that's what's required.

The extra club lets me carry an additional hybrid that overlaps my 4i for the same distance. We have a lot of 185-190ish par 3's on many of the courses I play and they give me the most troubles. Since it's usually very windy here I like being able to club for high, soft shot (hybrid) or a lower, boring shot (4i). I've just started doing this at the tail end of last year and this year and it seems to be working.

[Turkovic]

I carry 3 wedges, 47 degree PW, 52 degree, 56 degree. I own a 60 degree but don't have the time to practice with it enough to take full advantage of it. I'm confident enough in chipping and pitching with my 56 around the green that I don't bother.

[CG031]

I just want to also add that I find sand shots are wayy easier if your using a 60 degree compared to a 54 or a 56...

[allin]

I carry 4 wedges most of the time. Because I drive the ball straight but short I don't have the huge gaps that that longer hitters have if they drop a fairway wood. I almost never hit a full shot with a lob wedge and question whether golfers who don't play on US open speed greens need a 64 degree. A slightly open 60 hits the ball very high. Any deceleration on a 64 at all would be pure death. I do drop the lob wedge and add a five wood when it is very wet or very cold and windy. I do feel also that we older golfers often over estimate our gaps on middle irons. Many would be well served by strengthening the loft on their the 4 or 5iron drop one or the other and carry a 2 or 3 hybrid. Since Older golfers hit more fairway woods off the tee and even as layup clubs on par 5s this makes sense as a way to make room for a fourth wedge.

[Turkovic]

I just want to also add that I find sand shots are wayy easier if your using a 60 degree compared to a 54 or a 56...

They can be yes, depending on the sand. I play out of softer stuff usually and find the added bounce on my 56 helps me, I've played a few links courses with some firmer sand and much higher and steeper faces and found the 60 degree to really help there.

[lumpuckeroo]

3, PW (47), GW (52), SW (56), I hit all my chips with a GW.

[bflat450]

Currently I'm only carrying 2 wedges... I'm in the action of revamping my clubs since my beginner clubs from 4 years ago dont cut it anymore, but I have a PW which I think is 47° from my Cleveland TA6 irons and a 56° spin milled Titleist Vokey. I use my 56° for all my chips around the green and sand shots. It works fine for me for lobbing chips because it is 14 bounce and I can open the face if I need to. The thing is I often find myself in a situation where I can't hit my PW or my 56° so I need to get a 52° gap wedge.

[smlxl]

Funny, I was just going to start a thread on gap wedges... I carry four wedges:

PW (46*) = 120 yd
FW (50*) = 105
SW (56* / 12) = 90
LW (60* / 6) = 80

I a big proponent of the gap (or "fairway") wedge, and it's the club I lay up to most often. No matter how you get there, I think it's crazy to have a hole between a 46* and 56* for full shots. For shorter approach shots I use the Pelz 3x4 method as well. I think the gap wedge is more important than the lob if you had to choose, but I'd give up almost any other club to keep all four wedges in the bag. That said, I hit most of my shots around the green with my lob, and I can vary the trajectory and spin quite a bit with it. The rest are generally low runners with my PW/9 iron.

[iacas]

No matter how you get there, I think it's crazy to have a hole between a 46* and 56* for full shots.

My PW is 48 and my sand wedge is 54. So yeah, a ten-degree gap would be odd... but I don't think most people have a 46 degree PW.

[Island_Duffer]

I currently carry a 46* pw, 52* gw and a 56* sw.

But I just ordered a new set of irons (mx-19's), so I'll soon have a 45* pw, 50* gw and a 55* sw. While I was in the spending mood I also ordered a Cleveland 588 RS wedge (Only comes in 60*). I have trouble in the sand so hopefully the 588 RS will help.

[ebin]

I'm at 3 right but in need of a 4th.

I'm 44deg PW, 54.14 SW, 60.04 LW so it's a big hole and I'm looking for a 50.08 Titleist to fill that hole but I've got a full complement of clubs right now so I have to figure out what to drop. I just picked up a Sasquatch 4 wood which is a reasonable bridge I think between my driver and my 3H so I could drop my 2H.

Of course I have the black nickel finish and it's damn hard finding a matching black nickel now, I think it's only available via custom order.

[supercow]

48 Pw
52/8 Gw
56/12 Sw
60/4 Lw

[rvanider]

3, PW(47), SW(54 bent from 56), and LB(60). I used to carry a GW(52) but gave it up for a hybrid.

[Roy Harris]

I carry three wedges:

PW 47 degree
LB 56 degree
SW 60 degree

Roy

[P3R3]

Adams PW
Burrows 52,56,60*

[mrobbie]

I currently have 4....

PW (48 deg)
GW (52 deg)
SW (55 deg)
LW (60 deg)

As I have just bought a new set of irons, they end at PW, so no SW. Bought a 56 deg as the SW so I am sililar to what I had before.

However, I may sell the 52 and take the 56 back and exchange it for a 54, so I drop back to 3 wedges - PW (47), 54, 60...