What should I play if I only have room for 2 wedges?

[Danfix99]

Hello everyone.

I currently only have room in my bag for 2 wedges, and I notice that everyone here seems to play with three. I am looking into upgrading my wedges sometime in the near future, and I am wondering what my best bet would be.

I currently have a 45 deg PW, and I am playing with a cheap SW 55 deg and a LW 60 deg. I have gotten used to playing flop shots close to the green and chipping with the LW and playing bunkers and rough terrain with the SW. I think that based on the way I use the wedges, I should go with a 54 deg SW with standard bounce and a 60 deg LW with low bounce, since I almost mever hit the LW in a bunker. I realize that I have a huge gap between PW and SW, but I seem to get by using a PW with a lighter swing.

I am curious about what other golfers use if they only play 2 wedges. Thanks.

[iacas]

I am curious about what other golfers use if they only play 2 wedges. Thanks.

Driver = 1

3W = 1 5W = 1 SW = 1 LW = 1 Putter = 1 That's six clubs. 3-PW is eight clubs. 8+6=14. Why don't you have "room" for three wedges? You seem to have room as far as I can tell.

[Danfix99]

Sorry, I meant three wedges other than a PW. I thought you were only allowed 14 clubs total?

[iacas]

Sorry, I meant three wedges other than a PW. I thought you were only allowed 14 clubs total?

14 clubs total, yes. Most people count the pitching wedge as one of their wedges, hence, most people play three wedges: PW, SW, LW.

That's all Tiger Woods has. It's all I have. Those who put a fourth wedge in the bag would take out either their 5W or their 3-iron.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I think your wedge set up is fine as is at the momment. When you get better with the short game it would probably be a good idea to get a wedge to split the gap between your 45 and the 55 with a 52 or something. By then you will have the skill to forgo a 60 if you wish and do more things with a 55 or 56. I used to carry 4 wedges 47 52 56 60, but found i can get much of the same shots out of a 56/10 than i could with a 60. So i dropped it and put a 2 hybrid in.

[joshtpa]

I dont play a 5wood, so I play a GW. It is 52 degrees.

[DJYoshi]

Hello everyone.

try distancing your wedges. that's why I only go pw, sw & 60.

I know how to swing each wedge for the type of shot that I want. and that 60 opened up all the way is AWESOME when you want to hit a soft flop shot from green side rough and you want to get the ball up QUICK. just get comfortable with 1/4, 1/2 3/4 and full swings with your wedges. also...work in pitch shots. if you're hitting a flop, you can hit a pitch. it's amazing what you can do with those 3 clubs... i'm still learning..but it's fun being creative with your shot selection.

[mikelz]

Hello everyone.

Are you sure about that PW loft? 45 degrees is a 9 iron unless you have those unholy de-lofted sets.

[Danfix99]

Yes, I'm pretty sure my PW is 45 deg. I think all of the Big Bertha/X-20 clubs are this way.

[rudygu]

Sometimes I play with 4 wedges - 47,52,56,60 and drop the 3 or 4 iron out of my bag. I'll do that on certain 9-hole courses that I play frequently where I know I most likely won't need the long irons due to the shorter length of the holes. But, for the most part I find that 4 degrees between wedges doesn't really offer enough distance separation on the shorter wedge swings.

Most of the time I'll go with 47,52,56 or 47,52,60. Then I'll either open the face of the 56 on a lot of shots or hood the face of the 60. Eventually I'll get the 56 bent to 58 and carry 47,52,58 almost exclusively.

If I were using a 45 degree PW like you, I would go with a gap wedge somewhere around 50-52 and 56-58 degree wedge...5-6 degrees between wedges works well for me. I believe Callaway makes a 50 degree "AW" in the Big Bertha '06 if you like the way your PW plays...

[eberryhill7]

I use a 52* wedge and a 58* wedge. I can do most of what I want with a 58* wedge whether it is from a bunker or rough, and the 52* fills the gap after my 48*. This works very well for me.

[joseywales]

I have a 46* pw and I use a 50* gap wedge and a 56* sand wedge. It works out great for me. For any delicate shots around the green, I just use the 56* for almost everything. I like it because without a 60*, I can add other clubs on the other end of the bag. The key for me was making my sw more versitale to make this possible.

[jeffhale08]

With that setup, you really would be better off kicking the LW out and adding a gap wedge, something in the 50-52 degree variety. I have been playing with one for 15 years. If you practice enough, you can play any shot from 100 and in with the sand wedge, 55-56 degrees of loft. My bag has driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4-PW, gap, sand, lob wedges and putter. Pitching wedge is my 127-135 club, gap wedge goes 110-120, sand wedge for anything below 110. Lob wedge is used mainly from 85 and in. But about 50% of the time I use my sand wedge as well.

[Shindig]

I'm a short hitter, and I carry a 47 (P), 51 (A), and 56 (S). I've found that I can swing one of them to hit just about any ten-yard interval (in expectation) up to the full-swing distance of the 47 (100 yards). If you're on a 45, you might do well with a 50-52 and a 55-58, depending on other factors.

[CG031]

54 and 58 is what you should play.

[mancest]

I carry 4 wedges, but that is due to the coures I play, and the composition of my Iron Set.

My irons have a 46degree PW, and I had the option of a 3 iron, or 51 degree GW, I took the GW as I figured I can't hit a 3I and I play a short track usually. Having another club to hit from 120 or less has been helpful for me. I then go 56 deg SW, and a 60 Deg LW. I pulled out a 5W.

If I were to get a new set of irons that had a PW that was lower lofted, say 47, then I would probably get a stronger lofted SW (54) and keep my 60. Probably add a 2hybrid or 5W. Anyway, that is my 2 cents.

[meenman]

I may not be the best example but I only carry a PW and SW. I do a lot of *bump and runs* with my 7 iron. Granted at my home course I have the distances down enough to do that. I do have a GW but I never used it so I took it out of the bag.

Once I am comfortable enough with my 1 hybrid I will probably put the GW back in and take out my 3 wood.

[jerkeejoe]

I carry a 46, 52, 56, 60. I carry driver and 2 hybrid instead of having a 3 wood and a hybrid. I hit my driver fairly long and like to be able to swing a full 56* for 110 yards or a full 52* for 120 yards instead of trying to back off or kill a club that is the wrong yardage. If I were to drop a wedge though, I'd drop the 60* and bend my 56* to 58*.

In your situation, you're probably fine with your PW, a 52* or 54* and a 58* or a 60*.