4 Wedges?

[jballer78]

So I just got my first nice set of clubs.. (x-20's) The set came with a pitch and an approach wedge. I'm looking at getting a lob or a sand wedge, or maybe both. Do I really need to carry 4 wedges in my bag? I feel like that is just to dang many short clubs..What do you guys and gals think?

[gogolfing]

I like having the 4 wedges; I know I use them a lot more than the longer club I had to sacrifice to have the 4 the wedge.

Another solution can be to go with a 54˚ and 58˚ wedge along with a PW, and then just carry 3.

[jballer78]

It makes sense to me, since over half your game is played within 100 yards. You would need to have at least half your clubs for that distance and below. I think I just been so use to only carrying a couple from my old set. Any suggestions on which one first? lob or sand?

[TinCupTampa]

  jballer78 said:

It makes sense to me, since over half your game is played within 100 yards. You would need to have at least half your clubs for that distance and below. I think I just been so use to only carrying a couple from my old set. Any suggestions on which one first? lob or sand?

Definately a sand wedge... a lob is harder to hit so get used to the sand and work your up to the lob. Alot of people carry 4 wedges but you can easily get away with carrying only 3.

[Par Fore]

I carry a PW, 52, 56 and a 60.....if I had it to do over again, I would just carry a 52 and a 58 so I could have a 2 iron in my bag, I rarely use the 56....granted, 70% of your shots are within 100 yards, so having wedges is never a bad idea....

[proff49]

I have a pw(45*), aw(50*), 54*, and a 60*(getting bent to a 58*) and am very happy. My actual hp is around 27 and having 4 wedges lets me have more full swing wedge shots, which I think helps me a lot. I don't to too bad with the 60* but I do have to keep practicing with it, probably more than any other club. I also don't have an arsenal of shots with it; it's either a smooth, full swing or a little chip if I don't have much green.

Unless I completely misjudge the distance having 4 wedges keeps my misses closer to the flag.

[Shindig]

  jballer78 said:

So I just got my first nice set of clubs.. (x-20's) The set came with a pitch and an approach wedge. I'm looking at getting a lob or a sand wedge, or maybe both. Do I really need to carry 4 wedges in my bag? I feel like that is just to dang many short clubs..What do you guys and gals think?

I don't know the loft on your approach wedge or your expected distances, but I think:

* Too many people - myself included - spend too much time getting used to a lob wedge. Better to get and get used to a sand wedge than both until you're a better player, unless you play on super fast greens. I got used to mine and don't carry it anymore. If I need its loft, I can open my SW. * Your clubs should be based on the distances of shots you expect to face and the gaps in distances of your other clubs. This is your primary concern! If I had Sean Fister's distance, I would probably carry 5 wedges (P,A,S,L,X). Since I have my distances, three is more than enough.

[ks8829]

PW 130 yards
52 100 yards
56 90 yards
60 80 yards

[uttexas]

3 wedges until you can hit a lob wedge consistently
4 wedges really helps once you learn to strike the 58-60* club regularly. Take out the 2 iron or 2H or the 3W or 15-18* H

IMO, anything over 60* is questionable, unless you are a tour pro, or play courses like Augusta (elevated extremely fast greens) regularly

[panulovac1]

I am in a 4 wedge club as well (PW-47; GW-52, SW-56 hb and LW-60 lb).
You have to think of distance but a bounce selection is important as well (think where do you play most - and is it mostly soft, hard , type of sand in the bunkers...).
GW is great for those 100 yards shots - gives you the confidence over the trouble (especially water) and I like it a lot. Lob wedge could be very tricky club - and could lead to some disappointments but if you hit it well could be the opposite as well. So I would suggest LW goes first out (you do not need it so much), but you need 3 mentioned...

[I KyotE I]

I think that with your handicap 4 isn't bad. the lob wedge tends to be a hit or miss on if you pick it up quick. But having 4 tends to make it a little more easy in the fact that you don't have to do those toned down 1/2 and 3/4 shots with other clubs. If you are planning on getting the x20 wedges to keep it consistant it will be a little more easy too. I have hurd that the matching cavity back lob and sand work well and are more easy to hit. But if you are a little unsure play a while with out a lob and if you think it will help, all you can do is try. Deff on the sand though. You do need some kind of short game club. having 4 just gives you a little more options 100 yeards in and around the greens.

[imtomtomim]

more wedges lol. I play a 48, 52, 56, 60. I only go up to a 5 iron, then it's 4 hybrid, and 2 hybrid, no woods. I'm lucky enough to get 240 carry out of my 2 hybrid so I don't need the distance with a 3 wood. I like to hit driver off as many holes as possible so those close range clubs are really important.

[miller72]

im actually adding a 64* to go along with my 52 and 58... im keeping all my gaps right. The more wedges you carry, the closer you can do a full swing. It makes you more confident. (if you can hit it)

[GaijinGolfer]

I have 4 wedges. A 47*, 52*, 56* and 60*. (but I dont carry a PW) IMO, having more wedges is more important than having more fairway woods, hybrids and long irons.
Shot making around the greens is the key to lower scores and thats where more wedges come in handy.
You probably dont need 4 wedges, but IMO at the very least you are going to want a 52* and 60* wedge. A 56* wedge in between would be good too.

[flanagan]

A "P" at 47, which is what I have, isn't much different from what a 9 iron was way back when, so I carry 4 wedges, but would have been considered 3 wedges not many years ago. I got a 52 to close the gap between the 47 and the 56, and I'm glad I did. Can make "full" swings at certain distance that I would have normally pressed with my 56, even though I shouldn't have. I think it makes sense to have more options from 130 or whatever, on in.

[Petden]

Right now I am only carrying 2 wedges, however I am looking at getting one more. I dont mind having larger gaps between my wedges. Not that I'm very good with my chipping, but I prefer doing 1/2 shots, more consistant. I would have to say that the best combination for wedges is 46, 52, 58, IMO.

[hamletsdead]

Depends on your approach. The Pelz method is to dial in your 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full swing with all four wedges, and mark the distances on your clubs until you remember them. Then if you have a 27 yard pitch, you decide if you want a 1/2 swing with your lob wedge (which in this hypothesis goes 30 yards high and soft) or you want to used a 1/4 swing with your pitching wedge.

The other method is to use one wedge for all your shots inside 40 yards or so.

Obviously, some folks use a method other than the two described above, but I notice that these are pretty common.

[Jcp907]

I recently purchased a new iron set (Titleist AP1) and the P is 45, and the W is 50. I had a 60 in the bag for a bit, and decided to take that out of the bag, and put a 54 and 58 in the bag-both 12 deg. of bounce. I have a great deal of confidence in the AP1s but no confidence in the 60 degree unless chipping from a tight lie. I haven't played enough with the new wedges to know if they will do the job I am hoping they will, but I believe they will!

So, I have four wedges, starting at 45 degrees loft...which really doesn't seem like it should be called a wedge...