What SW to buy?

[kleraudio]

So I need a new sand wedge and am on a little bit of a budget....

I dont want to buy used because I'd like to have some fresh grooves, what'ya guys suggest?

What bounce should I get?

Thanks!

Jim

[NativeTxn]

My sand wedge is a Snake Eyes 685BX - black finish. http://www.golfsmith.com/products/CC...nake_Eyes_Grip

I bought it assembled at Golfsmith and it was $70 (no $80 like in the link). If you are adept at clubmaking, you can buy the components and possibly come out under the $70 for the assembled one.

So far, I like it a lot.

Mine is 56/14.

[out_in_30]

bounce depends on what you want to do and in what conditions. from softer conditions and soft sand ud like a little more bounce. probably above 8*. but something with a lot of bounce in firm conditions might make it skid a bit and make it easier to skull the ball. and the reverse is true for soft conditions. in soft conditions if you have low bounce it makes it prone to digging. So depending on if you have a wedge with hi bounce right now; you could purchase one with lower bounce and take whatever one you need depending on conditions; variety is always nice IMO.

[WUTiger]

Kler,

Out_in_30 explains well the meaning and importance of bounce.

You might consider Cleveland, which is trying to clear out its remaining C10 wdges from a couple of years back. The C10 SW is 56*, and most of these remaining SWs have a two dot "medium bounce" rating.

C10 prices are at $70 for a new wedge.

Anyone have advice on how the C10 plays?

[theislandofpen]

i recommend the cleveland 588 wedges. I have a 51* and love it. Pretty cheap too.

[WUTiger]

Update from Friday!

Went to golf shops today and saw some budget wedges, including SWs, GWs, and Lobs.

The following all price at about $40 each:
* Acuity GN2
* Adams Golf Tom Watson Oilcan
* Maxfli Black Max (w/rubber cushion strip in back of head)
* Slazenger Onyx

Anybody play these wedges? Someone must, as the stock has been shrinking all summer long.

Wilson also has some good looking wedges in the $70 range.

[NativeTxn]

  WUTiger said:

Update from Friday!

I've played with the Slazenger Onyx (though it didn't last long) - mine was a 52/8. If you end up thinking that you'd go with the Slazenger, I suppose it's fine, but I'd recommend spending $20-$30 more (if possible) to get a Snake Eyes, or one of the Nike SV Tours (that are on sale), or even one of the Clevelands that some of the people have plugged.

If going above $40 is not an option, the Slazenger would be fine. I can't comment on any of the others, as I haven't played them.

[juanjohn]

Check out the Adams Puglielli 2009. 50 bucks for an awesome wedge @ RBG

[FrankZ]

You should take a look at the F2 wedge. You can get them new for $89 I think. Very underrated, great performing club from the Fairway, rough and sand.

[CG031]

Callaway, Nike, Titleist, Ping, Cleveland, and all the other top companies you really can't wrong with their wedges. Almost all have a nice feel to them.

As far as bounce I prefer around 13 or 14.

[kleraudio]

Hey CG, those SV wedges look pretty nice... And the price is great on them too....

Is 14 degrees of bounce a lot on a SW?

And is the general consensus that they are a good club?

Jim

[CG031]

  kleraudio said:

Hey CG, those SV wedges look pretty nice... And the price is great on them too....

Yes and no - 14 degrees of bounce is a lot for a sand wedge, but I like my wedges like that. I find it easier to hit out of thick rough and deep sanded bunkers. I use my SW inside of 50 yards only, so I am not taking a lot of full swings with it, so high bounce was perfect for me. I prefer a lot of bounce around the greens. I find it easier to escape from bad lies, fescue, etc. with the high bounce.

As for is it a good club, yeah, it's a good club. I believe Tiger has played them for quite sometime. They also feel similar to the Titleist Vokey's, just cheaper. Like I said, I used one for a year and I can't say the Callaway I have now is better or worse. I like both a lot.

[kleraudio]

How bout the Macgregor MT Pro wedges? 2 for 99 bucks at golfsmith? Anyone ever play those?

How long can I expect the grooves to last with once or twice a week on the course and once a week on the practice range?

Jim

[NativeTxn]

  kleraudio said:

How bout the Macgregor MT Pro wedges? 2 for 99 bucks at golfsmith? Anyone ever play those?

I took Golfsmith up on their offer of 2 for $99 - figured that it was a hard deal to pass up, and even if they weren't that great, I wasn't out a lot of money.

I got a 52/8 and a 60/8 in the gunmetal finish. So far, I like them - they come stock with the Golf Pride DD2 grips, which is nice (at least I think it is). Can't comment yet on their durability, as I've only had mine about a month or so.

[CG031]

  kleraudio said:

How bout the Macgregor MT Pro wedges? 2 for 99 bucks at golfsmith? Anyone ever play those?

Sounds like a good deal. Like I said, if you feel comfortable with them in your hands and like the feel, most wedges are FAIRLY similar, obvioulsy some spin a little more than others but not an AMAZING difference.

They'll last at least a year. Probably 1 1/2 years - 2 years.

[wolverine_man]

I am looking at the previous year's Mizuno MP-T Wedges. I need both a 56 and a 60. I currently have an old Mizuno 56* Faldo and a Cleveland 588 60* that I am replacing.

I'm a sweeper with all of my irons, shallow to no divot at all and I play fairly dry courses with heavier, thicker sand. If I think back on my sand shots, I usually hit it very well or catch too much ball and get the scull shot. From the fairway chipping or pitching, I SOMETIMES hit the ball a tad fat but not often. All of this leads me to think I should get the 56.10, but most people think more bounce is better in the sand wedge. The other option here is the 56.14, which I could always bend to 55.13. I have no clue on the bounce of my current 56 Mizuno Faldo wedge.

As for the lob wedge, I currently have a Cleveland 588 which has 3 degrees bounce, but I've read the amount of camber on that club effectively produces the result of 8-10 degrees bounce. So I am debating on the MPT between the 60.5 or the 60.8. Probably better get the 60.8. Yet, if I do that I will have the following wedges: 52.10 (CG12), 56.10(MPT) and 60.8(MPT), three wedges all with nearly identical bounce. Hmmm Any help here would be appreciated.

By the way, I used the Scratch golf fitting system and got the result of: PDG grind. I am, however, very reluctant to purchase a SW with 56 degrees of loft and 6 degrees of bounce!!

[wolverine_man]

Well, they did not have the MP-T 56.10 or the 60.8, except for the beat up demo clubs. I spent about 1.5 hours chipping and full blasting wedge shots with the following:

MP-T
56.14
60.5

MP-R
56.10
56.13
60.5
60.9

MPT-10
56.10
56.13

I even hit a couple Vokey wedges which I found too light.

Conclusion: I was even more confused than before. I liked the looks of the MPT-10 finish and I liked the way the MPT-10 and MP-T looked at address. However, the best feeling shots came from the MP-R with the round head shape.

I bought: a 56.10 and a 60.9 for $110 + tax. I am not confident that I made the right choice but I was getting frustrated with the whole "bounce" thing. I am 70 percent sure I got the right 56 and 30 percent sure I got the right 60. Again, I am a sweeper/slider who likes to open the face up on bunker shots and I play the flop shot whenever it is helpful.

[James_Black]

Take 10+ degrees bounce with a SW.
You want to be able to hit it all around the course well.

Can't help you with the wedges, prices differ everywhere.