Do I need a Sand Wedge?

[PuttPutt]

I am a newbie in golf and just bought myself a new set of clubs. The set came with the irons 3-pw. I borrowed my friends set before and I noticed that there was a sand wedge, but my new set did not have it. Is it necessary to have a sand wedge or can another iron replace it?

[kfowler]

You can use a driver to get out of a bunker but it's a heck of a lot easier with a SW. A SW can be any wedge loft that you feel comfortable. I'd like at a 54* or 56* with a lot of bounce.

[Uncle Peter]

Yeah, I'd get a wedge, but it doesn't have to be a sand wedge, like what kfowler said. For instance, I use a 64* wedge instead of a sand wedge.

You should go to your local golf store, test out a few wedges, and see what you're comfortable with.

[3 wiggle]

You play to a 20 and dont know if you need a sw? Seriously?

[bwdial]

  3 wiggle said:

You play to a 20 and dont know if you need a sw? Seriously?

Could be one of those sickening "naturals". I had a friend in college that started tagging along with us to the golf course, and within a month, he was whipping us like rented mules. He eventually became a PGA teaching professional.

[Gerald]

Well actually it kinda depends on what kind of sand is in the bunkers at your course, if it is loose and fluffy .... buy a Sandwedge with about 12* Bounce.

But if it is hard or heavy sand, you don't need a Sandwedge and you can just use the PW or buy yourself a lofted wedge, like a 58* or even 60* which might be a good thought for a newbie starting at hc 19.1 ....... !

[BostonSully]

I absolutely loved my 56* the moment I bought right up until my new relationship with my Cleveland G15 60* mmmmmmmmmm. Its like my favorite club to use from anywhere under 60yds out.

[WUTiger]

  kfowler said:

... A SW can be any wedge loft that you feel comfortable. I'd like at a 54* or 56* with a lot of bounce.

As a newbie, get a SW as your second wedge. SW loft plus bounce helps you blast ball out of the bunkers, and it can be used for pop-and-stop shots around the green.

Learning to use the PW plus SW should keep you busy for the first year or two. If somebody you play says you need four or five wedges, smile and ignore them.

[clubchamp]

Do you need a SW? No... Could it be helpful? Maybe... If you can hit your PW ok out of the trap than a SW will be a good purchase but if you can't hit PW out of the sand then it might not help you. I'd look at getting a 56* SW anything more than that I think would be difficult to hit for a new golfer. Good Luck...

[Tugglife2]

What have you been using to get out of greenside bunkers? The PW? Are you really a 19.1 handicap? That's eye-opening.

[GaijinGolfer]

Yes, you need a sand wedge. IMO, its one of those clubs that you simply dont want to be without.

[Scott_K]

I'd get a SW because of the bounce as WUTiger mentioned. Get a used one to start with.

[Joeyvee]

He's obviously not a 19. You can tell he's only played 3 or 4 times. he probably jsut picked a number he thought was a beginign golfer handicap like I did when I started. Im not a 20 either. Closer to 25 now. But was closer to 30 when I put that 20 up there.

[zeg]

Depends on the courses, as was said above. It's not a necessity---you can get out of sand just fine with a PW or 9I, but it's a bit easier with a wedge. You need to practice, of course... Also, don't be fooled by the "sand" in the name. The club is useful in a lot of situations, not just for use in the sand. I used to do all my chipping with my sand wedge.

[ET-Taylor]

maybe he doesn't go in bunkers and maybe the bunkers at his course isnt like the bunkers at muirfield or st andrews

[ohiolefty]

You don't need a sand wedge. You don't need to play golf. Nor do you need golf clubs.

[Gerald]

  ohiolefty said:

you don't need a sand wedge. You don't need to play golf. Nor do you need golf clubs.

:-d :-d :-d

[David in FL]

Yes you do. There are a lot of different ways to hit a lot of different shots with different clubs, but there's simply no better option for the sand than a relatively high loft, high bounce sand wedge. You get to carry 14 clubs and a sand wedge should be one of them.

Welcome to the obsession!