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Considering Dropping 2 Most Lofted Wedges for Just 1, Thoughts?


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@WUTiger is going to like this one. I can hit my 54° around the greens well ok. My 58° is about as useful as a bucket of steam, except out of bunkers. My AW is currently 51° (will be 50° when my ZX5 irons come in Mid-May). I’ve been toying with only playing with my 45° PW, 50° AW and a 56° SW... is this a good idea?

Or am I missing something not having a more lofted sand wedge?

What's in Shane's Bag?     

Ball: 2022 :callaway: Chrome Soft Triple Track

Driver: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond 8° MCA Kai’li 70s FW: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond  H: :callaway: Apex Pro 21 20°

I (3-PW) :callaway: Apex 21 UST Recoil 95 (3), Recoil 110 (4-PW). Wedges: :callaway: Jaws Raw 50°, 54°, 60° UST Recoil 110

Putter: :odyssey: Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide 35”

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4 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

@WUTiger is going to like this one. I can hit my 54° around the greens well ok. My 58° is about as useful as a bucket of steam, except out of bunkers. My AW is currently 51° (will be 50° when my ZX5 irons come in Mid-May). I’ve been toying with only playing with my 45° PW, 50° AW and a 56° SW... is this a good idea?

Or am I missing something not having a more lofted sand wedge?

It’s whatever works best for you. I carry 51, 54 and 58, but have played around with other combinations. Try it for a few rounds.

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The best argument I've read for carrying two highly lofted wedges is that it allows you to have two different bounce/grind options to theoretically cover a wider variety of short game shots. As you are finding out from actually trying this you (like many other players I have noticed) tend to strongly prefer one of the two wedges to the point of using the other only in very specific situations. If you feel like you can make all the same shots from the sand with a mid-bounce 56° then there really is no reason it could not work. I was actually planning on doing the same thing with my set (including that exact loft stepping) because I feel comfortable using my SW for everything and wanted space for both a 5w and 2i. Considering getting a low bounce 60° as well to swap out for something at time but do not view it as default setup.

Edited by measureoffsetinnm
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Bunch of things to consider below

  • Are you dropping the 58 just to drop it, or would you plan on replacing it with a long iron/hybrid? 
  • Are you good/comfortable enough with the 54/56 to use it out of bunkers?
  • Do the courses you typically play have a lot of bunkers?
  • What clubs do you typically hit off the tee most of the time? Are there holes where you would want to hit something like a 2 iron or hybrid but haven't been able to because you've been carrying a 58 degree?
  • Do you have any distance gaps in the top end of your bag, say between your 3 wood and your lowest lofted iron?

Assuming you plan on still carrying 14 clubs so you'd be replacing the 58 degree, I think it comes down to where do you think that you would be saving more strokes, by having a 58 degree for bunker shots, or by having a long iron/hybrid for narrow tee shots and/or to fill a specific yardage gap you might have into par 5s.

Personally if you don't have any distance gaps at the top end of the bag and you are fine off the tee, I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping the 58 degree in the bag exclusively for bunker shots. You could go 45,50,56,58. I wouldn't worry about the 2 degree gapping between the 56 and 58 because the 58 has a very specific purpose.

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Driver: :callaway: Rogue Max ST LS
Woods:  :cobra: Darkspeed LS 3Wood/3Hybrid
Irons: :tmade: P770 (4-PW)
Wedges: :callaway: MD3 50   MD5 54 58 degree  
Putter: :odyssey:  White Hot RX #1
Ball: :tmade: TP5x

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8 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

@WUTiger is going to like this one. I can hit my 54° around the greens well ok. My 58° is about as useful as a bucket of steam, except out of bunkers. My AW is currently 51° (will be 50° when my ZX5 irons come in Mid-May). I’ve been toying with only playing with my 45° PW, 50° AW and a 56° SW... is this a good idea?

Or am I missing something not having a more lofted sand wedge?

If you have room in the bag, why not carry it?

I might exchange it for a 60° though.  Better to have and not need, than to need and not have, even if it’s only once in a blue moon.

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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Ditch it the 58, but don't get rid of it. If you don't have confidence in the club you shouldn't have it in the bag.  Personally, I would check the grind and bounce between the 58 and 54.  If you bought it used check the lie angle, loft and length. If the grip is not the same as the others change it.  

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8 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

@WUTiger is going to like this one. I can hit my 54° around the greens well ok. My 58° is about as useful as a bucket of steam, except out of bunkers. My AW is currently 51° (will be 50° when my ZX5 irons come in Mid-May). I’ve been toying with only playing with my 45° PW, 50° AW and a 56° SW... is this a good idea?

Or am I missing something not having a more lofted sand wedge?

I got new irons this year and had to address my gaps and rearrange  my clubs.
My old callaway pitch/gap wedge was 48 & 52, so I used a 56 SW and 60 lob.

Now my pitch/gap (or W & U) wedge is 44.5 & 49.5. So I swapped back in a old 54 Volkey and a new 58.
Love the 58 from anywhere up to 75 yards.
Oddly I have yet to hit the 54 clean yet. Shanked it on 2 different holes.

But I guess the point is, to use what ever club configuration makes you comfortable.
I knew a an old timer whose most lofted club was 50 of 52. he used it for bunkers, flops, chips, 100 yards and in. I am not even sure the club had grooves any more!

In my Grom:

Driver-Taylormade 10.5 Woods- Taylomade 3 wood, taylormade 4 Hybrid
Irons- Callaway Big Berthas 5i - GW Wedges- Titles Volkey  Putter- Odyssey protype #9
Ball- Bridgestone E6
All grips Golf Pride

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OP - Last Fall I went through and irons and wedges fitting, ending up with Ping G710 7-UW and a 56* Ping Glide 3.0 Eye-2 grind, which is now the highest lofted wedge that I carry.  Although I had carried a Lob wedge (either 58* or 60*) for years including after returning to the game in 2019, I was never consistent with the club. Furthermore, at this point in my life, I am a pretty short hitter and so can't make particularly good use of an extra wedge between my 95-yard PW and putter. The benefit I am seeing from dropping the Lob wedge is that I am learning to be more versatile with my 56* wedge. 

 

  • Clubs: Ping, Edison, Maltby, Callaway, SeeMore
  • Other: Maxfli Tour or Vice Pro; Callaway ORG 7 bag; Shot Scope X5; True Linkswear 
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What's the harm in carrying a specialty wedge? I used to play 48-56-60 and then 48-54-60 for 15 years, and found this to be really simplistic with the 60 only used for bunkers and handful of shots. With modern lofts I now am at 46-50-54-58 and really treat the PW as a 9 iron. I have looked at 46-52-58 but I really love the 54 over any other wedge loft. I find, the lob wedges have limited purpose, but the 58 is better for me than the 60. 

Looking at you bag, do you need to get rid of it? I went the other way and consolidated at the top end by spreading out the lofts that were bunching up. Going from 8-10 yards to 12-15 yards between 4, 5, 6 gave those clubs some greater purpose and less overlap. My current lofts look like this:

D 9, 3W 13.5, 3 Driving Iron 20, then we go from 4 - 23, 26.5, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58.  I really don't use that 58 that much, but I really like it from the bunker and with the 4 iron spread out 3.5 degrees and not less ( I just strengthened it and the 5). Anyway, I like to try out different combinations after agonizing over them and things work out. Honestly, the only thing that has really made any difference is by building my bag around the 54. I also have a 2 hybrid 18 that can sub for the 3 iron, but I prefer the U500 hybrid iron. 

Anyway, give it a shot and see how it goes and adjust from then. You will quickly find the answer.  

Cobra LTDx 10.5* | Big Tour 15.5*| Rad Tour 18.5*  | Titleist U500 4-23* | T100 5-P | Vokey SM7 50/8* F, 54/10* S, SM8 58/10* S | Scotty Cameron Squareback No. 1 | Vice Pro Plus  

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58 minutes ago, colin007 said:

I only carry a pitching wedge and a 56°...bag is lighter.

That is a light bag! Which one do you putt with? 

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Cobra LTDx 10.5* | Big Tour 15.5*| Rad Tour 18.5*  | Titleist U500 4-23* | T100 5-P | Vokey SM7 50/8* F, 54/10* S, SM8 58/10* S | Scotty Cameron Squareback No. 1 | Vice Pro Plus  

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7 hours ago, David in FL said:

If you have room in the bag, why not carry it?

I might exchange it for a 60° though.  Better to have and not need, than to need and not have, even if it’s only once in a blue moon.

I usually can do anything I want with a 56° wedge... The 58° though it has more loft has less bounce... I think it may be more of a bounce issue... 

What's in Shane's Bag?     

Ball: 2022 :callaway: Chrome Soft Triple Track

Driver: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond 8° MCA Kai’li 70s FW: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond  H: :callaway: Apex Pro 21 20°

I (3-PW) :callaway: Apex 21 UST Recoil 95 (3), Recoil 110 (4-PW). Wedges: :callaway: Jaws Raw 50°, 54°, 60° UST Recoil 110

Putter: :odyssey: Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide 35”

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11 hours ago, klineka said:

Bunch of things to consider below

  • Are you dropping the 58 just to drop it, or would you plan on replacing it with a long iron/hybrid? 
  • Are you good/comfortable enough with the 54/56 to use it out of bunkers?
  • Do the courses you typically play have a lot of bunkers?
  • What clubs do you typically hit off the tee most of the time? Are there holes where you would want to hit something like a 2 iron or hybrid but haven't been able to because you've been carrying a 58 degree?
  • Do you have any distance gaps in the top end of your bag, say between your 3 wood and your lowest lofted iron?

Assuming you plan on still carrying 14 clubs so you'd be replacing the 58 degree, I think it comes down to where do you think that you would be saving more strokes, by having a 58 degree for bunker shots, or by having a long iron/hybrid for narrow tee shots and/or to fill a specific yardage gap you might have into par 5s.

Personally if you don't have any distance gaps at the top end of the bag and you are fine off the tee, I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping the 58 degree in the bag exclusively for bunker shots. You could go 45,50,56,58. I wouldn't worry about the 2 degree gapping between the 56 and 58 because the 58 has a very specific purpose.

Basically perfect illustration of how to think through the decision. 👏

Edited by measureoffsetinnm
forgot the all important applause emoji
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12 hours ago, klineka said:

Bunch of things to consider below

  • Are you dropping the 58 just to drop it, or would you plan on replacing it with a long iron/hybrid? 
  • Are you good/comfortable enough with the 54/56 to use it out of bunkers?
  • Do the courses you typically play have a lot of bunkers?
  • What clubs do you typically hit off the tee most of the time? Are there holes where you would want to hit something like a 2 iron or hybrid but haven't been able to because you've been carrying a 58 degree?
  • Do you have any distance gaps in the top end of your bag, say between your 3 wood and your lowest lofted iron?

Assuming you plan on still carrying 14 clubs so you'd be replacing the 58 degree, I think it comes down to where do you think that you would be saving more strokes, by having a 58 degree for bunker shots, or by having a long iron/hybrid for narrow tee shots and/or to fill a specific yardage gap you might have into par 5s.

Personally if you don't have any distance gaps at the top end of the bag and you are fine off the tee, I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping the 58 degree in the bag exclusively for bunker shots. You could go 45,50,56,58. I wouldn't worry about the 2 degree gapping between the 56 and 58 because the 58 has a very specific purpose.

1st bullet point... is a maybe. I’m toying with putting a 7-wood in the bag. 

2nd bullet point... the only thing I use the 58° for is bunkers and my home course only has 1 bunker.

3rd bullet point... my home course not so much but some do... I do have an RTX Zipcore 60° that still has the plastic wrap on it. (I’m waiting for my ZX irons to come to put them in the bag).

4th bullet point... I hit a lot of 3-woods and Drivers at my home course normally. I do lay back on a couple holes with 3u or 4u because the shit creeps up... thinking about a 7-wood actually on that front. 
 

Final bullet point. I did a gap test and the answer is no, my longer clubs actually run into each other a little bit which is not a bad thing.

I just don’t like the look of my 58° if that makes sense, I’m more confident around the greens with a 54° unless I’m in the bunker. I’ll chip with a 4-iron before I’ll chip a 58°.

What's in Shane's Bag?     

Ball: 2022 :callaway: Chrome Soft Triple Track

Driver: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond 8° MCA Kai’li 70s FW: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond  H: :callaway: Apex Pro 21 20°

I (3-PW) :callaway: Apex 21 UST Recoil 95 (3), Recoil 110 (4-PW). Wedges: :callaway: Jaws Raw 50°, 54°, 60° UST Recoil 110

Putter: :odyssey: Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide 35”

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I struggled to hit the 58 a few years back. ...so I pulled the 54 and forced myself to play only the 58 (or PW). About 4 months later, I felt good enough about the 58, and I put the 54 back in the bag, and now I use both. 🙂

Edited by Roblar
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Before I got my new ZX5 irons, my Wilson FG Tour V6 set was 4-GW, with the GW at 51 degrees. For maybe 3 months before the ZX5s were in my bag, I decided I was using my 60 degree wedge too much, so I only carried a 55 degree wedge, and learned that I could hit almost all the short game shots I needed with that one club. And it made the bag one club lighter for when I carry.

Now with my ZX5s, I only got 4-PW, with PW at 45 degrees, so I also carry a 50 degree wedge which is mostly used for full swings (I am considering adding a ZX5 GW to replace the 50 degree wedge since it is essentially just a full swing club). I still carry the 55 degree wedge, and occasionally I put the 60 degree in, but I really only use the 60 degree wedge out of bunkers (its a super high bounce edel wedge so it gives me warm fuzzies hitting it out of sand), and also every once in awhile in a spot where the extra loft is useful (I can also open the 55 but I am not as comfortable with those shots). Situations where I would use the 60 degree wedge occur maybe twice a round at most, and I know that I can get by just fine with a 55 degree.

I have considered adding an 2h or 5W to fill a gap between 3W (14.5 degree, ~250 yd) and 3h (21 degree, ~220 yd), and leaving the 60 degree wedge at home.

-Peter

  • :titleist: TSR2
  • :callaway: Paradym, 4W
  • :pxg: GEN4 0317X, Hybrid
  • :srixon: ZX 3-iron, ZX5 4-AW
  • :cleveland:  RTX Zipcore 54 & 58
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19 minutes ago, Darkfrog said:

Before I got my new ZX5 irons, my Wilson FG Tour V6 set was 4-GW, with the GW at 51 degrees. For maybe 3 months before the ZX5s were in my bag, I decided I was using my 60 degree wedge too much, so I only carried a 55 degree wedge, and learned that I could hit almost all the short game shots I needed with that one club. And it made the bag one club lighter for when I carry.

Now with my ZX5s, I only got 4-PW, with PW at 45 degrees, so I also carry a 50 degree wedge which is mostly used for full swings (I am considering adding a ZX5 GW to replace the 50 degree wedge since it is essentially just a full swing club). I still carry the 55 degree wedge, and occasionally I put the 60 degree in, but I really only use the 60 degree wedge out of bunkers (its a super high bounce edel wedge so it gives me warm fuzzies hitting it out of sand), and also every once in awhile in a spot where the extra loft is useful (I can also open the 55 but I am not as comfortable with those shots). Situations where I would use the 60 degree wedge occur maybe twice a round at most, and I know that I can get by just fine with a 55 degree.

I have considered adding an 2h or 5W to fill a gap between 3W (14.5 degree, ~250 yd) and 3h (21 degree, ~220 yd), and leaving the 60 degree wedge at home.

Did you get your ZX5 irons weakened a degree? Standard PW is 44° mine we’re fitted a degree weak 5-PW and we kept the AW at 50. Still got about two more weeks to wait.

What's in Shane's Bag?     

Ball: 2022 :callaway: Chrome Soft Triple Track

Driver: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond 8° MCA Kai’li 70s FW: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond  H: :callaway: Apex Pro 21 20°

I (3-PW) :callaway: Apex 21 UST Recoil 95 (3), Recoil 110 (4-PW). Wedges: :callaway: Jaws Raw 50°, 54°, 60° UST Recoil 110

Putter: :odyssey: Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide 35”

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30 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

Did you get your ZX5 irons weakened a degree? Standard PW is 44° mine we’re fitted a degree weak

No, not sure where I came up with the 45 degree spec from, but you’re right, it’s 44. 

-Peter

  • :titleist: TSR2
  • :callaway: Paradym, 4W
  • :pxg: GEN4 0317X, Hybrid
  • :srixon: ZX 3-iron, ZX5 4-AW
  • :cleveland:  RTX Zipcore 54 & 58
  • L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1
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