Abandoning the 4 wedge setup...

[youngskip40]

I'm in the process of overhauling my entire bag, a process which I'm thankfully closer to the end than the beginning...

In any case, when I got new equipment I changed my setup a bit, taking out the 2 iron, and decided to add a wedge rather than replace the 2 iron. So I went with PW (47*), 52*, 56* & 60* with less than stellar results. I bent the 52 to 51* and the 56 to 55* and still wasn't thrilled.

I'm not sure what it is for me, but I don't like standing over a 90 yard shot and wondering whether I want to hit a full 60*, a 3/4 sand wedge, or a punch gap wedge.

The other thing is that my wedge setup has been 53* & 58* for the majority of my playing career, and since I'm just getting back into the game competitively from about a 2 and a half year layoff, it seems to be making my short game struggle even more to get the feel back because I'm trying to get used to a different wedge setup AND get my touch back.

So, long story short, I'm going to switch back to a PW/53/58 setup and hopefully have the same results I was used to before getting out of the game a few years back.


Anybody else ever have the same kind of issues when going from one wedge setup to another?

[rebby]

I'm just now making the transition from 48, 56, 60 to 47, 52, 56, 60. I find that I keep forgetting that I have the 52 when I'm between clubs. My brain is programmed to think, "soft PW or hard SW?" It will take a little while but I'll get used to it eventually.

[ApocG10]

Maybe you just bought a set of wedges that dont work for you.

I love my G10 irons and hybrids, but im already considering titleist or vokey wedges, the g10's dont seem that great.

[TN94z]

I have been debating back and forth about this for a little while. I currently have the 47, 52, 56, and 60. I have thought about going with the 47, 52, and 58 instead. I haven't made my mind up yet though.

[PiKapp23]

I have long played a 4 wedge setup with 45, 50, 54, 58 or 45, 50, 55/56, and 60, but when I got my latest set it came with a weaker PW and I changed my setup to 47, 51, 56. I had figured I'd add in a 60 at some point, but honestly I have not missed it at all. I always liked my LW (especially after going to 58), but I have learned to use the 56 for those shots that I used to think I had to use the LW for. As I have gotten better I actually feel better hitting a 3/4 SW than a full LW.

[youngskip40]

I'm just now making the transition from 48, 56, 60 to 47, 52, 56, 60. I find that I keep forgetting that I have the 52 when I'm between clubs. My brain is programmed to think, "soft PW or hard SW?" It will take a little while but I'll get used to it eventually.

Yeah, totally understand that. I tend to feel my way around the golf course so I feel like sticking to my old options is probably the best course of action right now. Which sounds stupid, because if I've been out of the game for a while and am trying to get my feel back, it should be beneficial for me to have more full-swing clubs, not the other way around. Oh well.

So what did you take out of the bag on the other end?

[youngskip40]

I have long played a 4 wedge setup with 45, 50, 54, 58 or 45, 50, 55/56, and 60, but when I got my latest set it came with a weaker PW and I changed my setup to 47, 51, 56. I had figured I'd add in a 60 at some point, but honestly I have not missed it at all. I always liked my LW (especially after going to 58), but I have learned to use the 56 for those shots that I used to think I had to use the LW for. As I have gotten better I actually feel better hitting a 3/4 SW than a full LW.

Yeah, that last sentence is my thoughts exactly. A 3/4 58* takes the place of my full swing 60*, and a 3/4 53* fills the gap where a full 56* would have been. For some reason the 53/58 setup just really jives with my swing and the shots I need to make.

[TN94z]

I have long played a 4 wedge setup with 45, 50, 54, 58 or 45, 50, 55/56, and 60, but when I got my latest set it came with a weaker PW and I changed my setup to 47, 51, 56. I had figured I'd add in a 60 at some point, but honestly I have not missed it at all. I always liked my LW (especially after going to 58), but I have learned to use the 56 for those shots that I used to think I had to use the LW for. As I have gotten better I actually feel better hitting a 3/4 SW than a full LW.

This is actually why I have thought about doing this. Last year I broke my LW and played without it for a while. I was chipping with my SW, hitting flops with my SW, etc....and it felt easier than when I was using my LW. Now recently my local shop had a sale on the Cleveland wedges and I bought a new 56 and 60. I don't know if I picked up the wrong wedge or what but my 60 has 4 degrees bounce and I can't hit anything other than full shots consistently with it. I don't know if I should try to get rid of it for a higher bounce wedge or just go back to using the SW for those shots....I wish I would have thought it through before buying these new wedges.

[AbsoluteZero]

I'm changing from a 4 wedge system to a 3 wedge because I want to add a 2 hybrid.

I also don't think that there is enough difference between my 52 and 55, and my 60 doesn't have enough bounce. So I'm going with a 46, 52, 58 setup.

[pshizz]

with the 4 wedge setup, i feel that you lose some feel with your shortgame. This is not good, because shortgame is all about having a feel with your clubs, and knowing your distances with half shots, bunker shots, rough, chips etc.

[TheWarHound]

I tried the whole 4 wedge thing, but pulled the Vokey 60* out, because I couldn't hit shite with it. Tried a Vokey 58*, better than the 60*, but I wasn't consistent with it. So, now I use a 47*/52*/56* set up. If I need to lob the ball, I just open the face up a bit, and hope for the best.

[Cody]

i have been thinking about the 4 wedge setup for a while, but i think im going to stick with my three. pw(45), 50, 56. I know right about where all my clubs will go with half swings and what not.

[GaijinGolfer]

I dabbled with the 4 wedge setup (45* PW, 52*, 56* and 60*) for a while but I got away from it. I just found it to be unneccsary to carry that many wedges.
I found that carry so many wedges gave myself so many shot possibilities that I was second-guessing myself and it caused me to not be as committed to the shot as I should be.

[NorFla19]

on shorter courses i use the 60* wedge and on longer courses i pull out the 2i.

[RC]

I changed from 4 wedges to 3 (47, 54, & 60) because the course I play the most has par fours over 450+ yards, and par fives over 560 and 570+ yards and two par threes over 200 yards. The wind blows a great deal and from all directions from time to time. I needed smaller gaps at longer distances. Plus, with three wedges, I can still adapt to short yardages and control distances fairly well. I think (as has been mentioned) your choice is dependent on the course and yardages you play. It is easier for me to take ten yards off a short shot than add ten or fifteen yards to a long iron, and with an extra long iron and rescue wood, I can hit more choices of trajectory in windy conditions.

[TomDonS]

I got rid of my 48 52 56 60 set up and added a 17 hybrid. Then put in along with my 48 a 54 and 58, and am thrilled. It gives me the same versatility short game wise and frees me up to add/subtract hybrid/wedge and have more flexibility without worrying about leaving a gap in my set.

Good Luck

[AbsoluteZero]

BTW, I'm amazed at how many pros use a 3 wedge system and keep a 5wood, 2 iron or hybrid in their bag. I guess it makes sense considering they play longer courses and are better with their wedges, but I thougth the whole 4 wedge idea was coming from the pros. Based on what's in their bag, I think it's coming from the wedge manufacturers.

[Marinemike]

BTW, I'm amazed at how many pros use a 3 wedge system and keep a 5wood, 2 iron or hybrid in their bag. I guess it makes sense considering they play longer courses and are better with their wedges, but I thougth the whole 4 wedge idea was coming from the pros. Based on what's in their bag, I think it's coming from the wedge manufacturers.

It's coming from manufacturers for sure! They get to make average people think their PW hits further than their old one (because it has less loft) AND sell another club. How can any manufacturer pass that up? Still a win for the people who care enough to figure out what works for them because there are a thousand different lofts/bounces to choose from.