Are used wedges a bad idea?

[kleraudio]

Im wondering because of groove wear... A wedge is useless with bad grooves.

Whats your take on this?

Jim

[WUTiger]

Kle -

You called it right. It's all about the grooves - and clubface.

I got a version of my Callaway X-Forged SW for about $20, but after cleaning it up found it had a couple of rough dents just right of center in the face. Testing it on cheap balls showed that it damaged the white roundies about every other shot.

A couple of days later I found the same exact wedge - in much better shape - for $40. I arrranged an awkward trade-in, and my current SW works fine (as long as I keep my head still).

Sometimes a used wedge came from someone who bought it and didn't like it. That means it's almost new. But, do you want to pay $80 for an almost-new wedge?

You could also have a wedge face refurbished - the grooves redone - but that costs enough you might be better to buy a new wedge.

Anybody have experience with refurbed wedges?

[Dub]

  kleraudio said:

Im wondering because of groove wear...

Yup.

I wonder if the newer restricted grooves will last longer or about the same as our current stuff? I am looking forward to more spinny balls comeing to the forefront.

[Scott_K]

I have 2 wedges (PW and SW). My SW is 20 to 30 years old. It's practically bald. It is the oldest club I own and it's the only club I use 100 yards in. I'm not able to "pull the string", but I don't feel I have the need for that shot yet. The majority of my pitch shots are bump and role. Since it's so old and I've used it all my life, the sole is kind of worn out and I can feel how much I can open the face without the leading edge getting too high.

I'm looking to add a gap wedge since the distance between my wedges is rather dramatic. I've been looking at the used club sections lately, but haven't found anything to my liking yet. I'm looking for a used Vokey, but the prices aren't that great for a used club. I think new grooves will lose their sharpness rather quickly. I might be missing out.

[MI Rob]

It depends on how used it actually is. I got my Spin Milled Vokey for 35$ and it was like brand new. Could hardly tell it was ever hit.

[FrankZ]

I'm lucky that I live real close to a PGA Tour Superstore and a Golfsmith. There's a constantly changing supply of used clubs to browse thru. I've bought several wedges used and have been happy with all of them. You just have to give it a good look and use common sense. If it's beat all to hell, take a pass. I just picked up a used Ping Tour W 58 degree today for $60 that looks like it's never been hit.

[piper_clap]

I wouldn't buy a used wedge online, but I've had really good luck at golf shows on used wedges. This spring, I got the wedges in my signature for $45, and they seem as if they were used for maybe a year.

[CG031]

  MI Rob said:

It depends on how used it actually is. I got my Spin Milled Vokey for 35$ and it was like brand new. Could hardly tell it was ever hit.

Agreed. I wouldn't bother with anything that looks it was gamed for quite a few rounds.

You're better off just getting something like a Nike SV Tour wedge, which I used all this past year, and it was awesome, for like 75 bucks or something brand new then getting something for about 40 and having it be worn.

[diducmyball]

  MI Rob said:

It depends on how used it actually is. I got my Spin Milled Vokey for 35$ and it was like brand new. Could hardly tell it was ever hit.

That makes two of us. Bought my 54 and 60 spin milled vokey from GS for 40 a piece, absolutely pristine. Just have to take a look at them in person, don't take a chance and buy used online, but at a store you could possibly find a great deal.

[acj990]

  diducmyball said:

That makes two of us. Bought my 54 and 60 spin milled vokey from GS for 40 a piece, absolutely pristine. Just have to take a look at them in person, don't take a chance and buy used online, but at a store you could possibly find a great deal.

Make that Three of us. I bought a 56 Vokey Spin Milled from a local golf store for $50.00 and it works perfecto. Be careful though, sometimes stores that are wanting to make money on name over product will sometimes charge you higher for a wedge that really should be put out of it's misery. I saw a Cleveland CG14 52 in a different place that's grooves were nearly there and it was still $80. I couldn't believe it, even said something to the High School kid working who was "trying to sell" it to me.

[normdamarine]

They have some really good tools that will help with the resharpening of the grooves for your wedges... Unless you play competative I would not worry about the new rules for grooves...

[ping23lefty]

Wedges are something in golf probably better to be splurged on a purchased new. They're probably the most touchy clubs in any bag. You'll drop 125 bucks for brand new Vokey Spin Milled but theyre the best wedges out there. I play a 56 and a 60 and theyre worth theyre weight in gold for chip shots. Im not a fan of bump and roll and being able to fire a chip 5 feet in front of the flag and have it put on the brakes is great. My opinion, buy new with fresh grooves.

[diducmyball]

  ping23lefty said:

Wedges are something in golf probably better to be splurged on a purchased new. They're probably the most touchy clubs in any bag. You'll drop 125 bucks for brand new Vokey Spin Milled but theyre the best wedges out there. I play a 56 and a 60 and theyre worth theyre weight in gold for chip shots. Im not a fan of bump and roll and being able to fire a chip 5 feet in front of the flag and have it put on the brakes is great. My opinion, buy new with fresh grooves.

I "probably" have to disagree with you on pretty much everything you said.

You are not only spending more for one wedge than myself and at least 2 others did, you will also spend a lot more on balls for the first dozen or so rounds. And lets not even get started on the fact that the vast majority of amateurs can't create enough spin regardless. Advertisement clearly works.

[kleraudio]

  diducmyball said:

I "probably" have to disagree with you on pretty much everything you said.

What do you mean there? Buy used? I see your playing the Vokey's as well... How did you and 2 guys get vokeys for less than $125 combined?

Im interested Jim

[diducmyball]

  kleraudio said:

What do you mean there? Buy used? I see your playing the Vokey's as well... How did you and 2 guys get vokeys for less than $125 combined?

I suggested that you check out your local shop for something used in person, I am reluctant to buying used online (my mint is clearly not theirs). I got my vokeys at the Golfsmith near my house "used" (they where pretty much brand new, couldn't have been hit more than 5-10 times each) they had them listed for 50 a piece and bargained them down to 40 each (another beauty of used stuff you can actually negotiate since they don't have a mandated sale price). In regards to others scoring some vokeys cheap just read the thread pretty sure its 3 of us in here with a very similar story.

Check out golfsmith or golf galaxy near you they have huge used racks at least down here. PM if i didn't explain myself well enough.

[Fourputt]

  diducmyball said:

I "probably" have to disagree with you on pretty much everything you said.

I respectfully disagree with you. I bought all of my Vokey's new, and I've done no damage at all to my Burner TP balls with them. Haven't spent any more than usual on balls. But I DO have better overall control in my short game with them, something that was lost as my other wedges aged. I'd never by a used wedge unless it looked brand new. There's a reason why it's in the used bin.

I happen to be lucky enough to be in a position to buy new clubs at cost plus 10%, so the used bin isn't that good a deal for me anyway. But I never shopped used even before I got into this job. This is one area where I really don't want someone else's castoffs.

[GaijinGolfer]

It depends upon the club's condition. Ive bought several used wedges off of Ebay and they all worked well for me.
I usually play inexpensive, rock-hard distance balls and still get enough spin for them to take 2 hops and stop.

[diducmyball]

  Fourputt said:

I respectfully disagree with you. I bought all of my Vokey's new, and I've done no damage at all to my Burner TP balls with them. Haven't spent any more than usual on balls. But I DO have better overall control in my short game with them, something that was lost as my other wedges aged. I'd never by a used wedge unless it looked brand new. There's a reason why it's in the used bin.

We can agree to disagree.

sidenote: If you are going to quote me at least be aware of what I said before and/or after in regards to the condition my clubs where in when I bought them.