Anyone else play with out a wedge (besides Pitching wedge)

[Whiskey84]

Originally Posted by deasy55

I took out my 3 iron for another wedge a few years ago. I now have 4 wedges and I've never looked back.

I did this exact same thing. Many more options in the short game now...

[awmgolfer]

I have 5 wedges including the pitching wedge and use them all fairly regularly. I could use only 3 just fine but I like having all the different tools at my disposal. I have a PW, 52, 56, 60, and a 68. I got the 68 as a fun club to just mess around with but I am so solid with it and it has some great uses for a few shots on the courses I play.

[tmf9]

I Could not imagine playing with only 1 wedge.  I have 5 wedges because the majority of my approach shots are within wedge distance and i feel it gives me the best opportunity to score well.

[CuppedTin]

I've always only used 1 wedge, a 56 for everything. Inside 80 yards I can do the same thing with it that I could carrying 4 more... Stance and Ball Position is the only wedge change that I need...

Ok, I do carry a 60 with no bounce but it sees very limited use.

[mdl]

Quote:

Why is it always taught that getting a ball on the ground sooner is better? I've seen no proof that this is true but its always taught, is it just assumed? I would prefer a ball that sits soft doesn't run as far and its not like its much harder to hit if at all...

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It's a lower percentage shot simply because there is a larger potential for a stroke losing error on a miss hit.  A slightly thin hit with an 8I chip will still turn into a playable shot.  The same miss hit with a 56° SW is likely to be skulled across the green.  The 8I chip is much more like a putt, while the wedge shot has a higher arc, more like pitching over a bunker.  Why play a shot like that if it's not necessary?  Just watch any bogey golfer who chips with his SW or LW all the time and count the number of times he either chunks or skulls the shot.  That should be all the proof you need.

Fourputt, I've heard that argument, and it's logically true, and it's also true that a bad golfer will have much higher variance, just cause you swing so much easier to bump a 7i as you would to pitch a 60˚ the same distance, so obviously the 7i skull shot won't go as far.  But it's also true that most pros use wedges around the green, and even when they play a bump and run most of them are hitting it with some sort of wedge.  I think unless you're quite bad, you should hit what you're most comfortable with.

Personally I hit all my shots around the green with my 60˚ (except for bunker shots, which I hit with my 54˚).  I've skulled it only once that I can remember in the past couple months.  If I had more time to practice every single day, maybe I'd try to expand the number of clubs I use, but I know how far my 60˚ will go with different types of shots, and I don't have time to dial that kind of feel in with a bunch of different clubs.

Plus, the bump and run with a low lofted club is only useful in very limited situations, whereas a 20 yard pitch that you can land softly is useful all over the place.

[CuppedTin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jshots

Why is it always taught that getting a ball on the ground sooner is better? I've seen no proof that this is true but its always taught, is it just assumed? I would prefer a ball that sits soft doesn't run as far and its not like its much harder to hit if at all...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It's a lower percentage shot simply because there is a larger potential for a stroke losing error on a miss hit. A slightly thin hit with an 8I chip will still turn into a playable shot. The same miss hit with a 56° SW is likely to be skulled across the green. The 8I chip is much more like a putt, while the wedge shot has a higher arc, more like pitching over a bunker. Why play a shot like that if it's not necessary? Just watch any bogey golfer who chips with his SW or LW all the time and count the number of times he either chunks or skulls the shot. That should be all the proof you need.

Fourputt, I've heard that argument, and it's logically true, and it's also true that a bad golfer will have much higher variance, just cause you swing so much easier to bump a 7i as you would to pitch a 60˚ the same distance, so obviously the 7i skull shot won't go as far. But it's also true that most pros use wedges around the green, and even when they play a bump and run most of them are hitting it with some sort of wedge. I think unless you're quite bad, you should hit what you're most comfortable with.

Personally I hit all my shots around the green with my 60˚ (except for bunker shots, which I hit with my 54˚). I've skulled it only once that I can remember in the past couple months. If I had more time to practice every single day, maybe I'd try to expand the number of clubs I use, but I know how far my 60˚ will go with different types of shots, and I don't have time to dial that kind of feel in with a bunch of different clubs.

Plus, the bump and run with a low lofted club is only useful in very limited situations, whereas a 20 yard pitch that you can land softly is useful all over the place.

I don't believe that you swing easier with any club, you may shorten the backswing but you should accelerate through every shot. I think that is why you see high handicappers chunk and duff, because they try to swing easy and decelerate in my opinion.

[CuppedTin]

[quote name="mdl" url="/forum/thread/52036/anyone-else-play-with-out-a-wedge-besides-pitching-wedge/18#post_634947"]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jshots

Why is it always taught that getting a ball on the ground sooner is better? I've seen no proof that this is true but its always taught, is it just assumed? I would prefer a ball that sits soft doesn't run as far and its not like its much harder to hit if at all...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It's a lower percentage shot simply because there is a larger potential for a stroke losing error on a miss hit. A slightly thin hit with an 8I chip will still turn into a playable shot. The same miss hit with a 56° SW is likely to be skulled across the green. The 8I chip is much more like a putt, while the wedge shot has a higher arc, more like pitching over a bunker. Why play a shot like that if it's not necessary? Just watch any bogey golfer who chips with his SW or LW all the time and count the number of times he either chunks or skulls the shot. That should be all the proof you need.

Fourputt, I've heard that argument, and it's logically true, and it's also true that a bad golfer will have much higher variance, just cause you swing so much easier to bump a 7i as you would to pitch a 60˚ the same distance, so obviously the 7i skull shot won't go as far. But it's also true that most pros use wedges around the green, and even when they play a bump and run most of them are hitting it with some sort of wedge. I think unless you're quite bad, you should hit what you're most comfortable with.

Personally I hit all my shots around the green with my 60˚ (except for bunker shots, which I hit with my 54˚). I've skulled it only once that I can remember in the past couple months. If I had more time to practice every single day, maybe I'd try to expand the number of clubs I use, but I know how far my 60˚ will go with different types of shots, and I don't have time to dial that kind of feel in with a bunch of different clubs.

Plus, the bump and run with a low lofted club is only useful in very limited situations, whereas a 20 yard pitch that you can land softly is useful all over the place.

I don't believe that you swing easier with any club, you may shorten the backswing but you should accelerate through every shot. I think that is why you see high handicappers chunk and duff, because they try to swing easy and decelerate in my opinion.[/quote]

[Gioguy21]

I couldn't do it. my specs are below:

PW: 46* - 140 yds
AW:50* - 130 yds

54* - 115 yds
58* - 90 yds

i couldn't think of using my PW for everything inside 140 yds...that's a huge hole if ya ask me.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by jshots

Why is it always taught that getting a ball on the ground sooner is better? I've seen no proof that this is true but its always taught, is it just assumed? I would prefer a ball that sits soft doesn't run as far and its not like its much harder to hit if at all...

Is it easier to get closer to the pin with a lofted wedge or a putter? The idea behind getting the ball on the ground sooner is once the ball hits the green it acts like it was putted. When you use a lofted club to try and get close to a pin you are bringing in a lot of variables like how far the ball will roll and the chance of hitting fat or thin.

Lets say you are 5 yards off the front of a green with a back pin. It's much easier to hit an 8 iron chip and roll the ball to the pin than to try and land a SW near the hole and judge the roll. A chip also reduces the variable of hardness of the green.

[NuclearMike]

Nope.  Can't do without it.  I need the bounce from the sand and the loft for a close pin over a bunker or hazard.

[Doctorfro]

I carry a PW and GW that are part of my iron set.  I also carry a 54 and 58.  I used to do a lot of chipping with my 7, 8, and 9 but since I got the 54 I use it most of the time.  I can do so many different things with it including a one hop and stop.

I, too, was taught the theory that you should get the ball on the ground rolling as quickly as possible.  The only problem I have is with undulating greens it requires a lot of green reading and getting the speed just right.  For me, sometimes taking all that out of play, carrying the ball closer to the hole and making it stop on a dime is a far better play.

[ochmude]

I very recently upgraded to new irons (Wilson Staff Di11's), and as a result of the crazy strong lofts used these days I carry a bunch of wedges now.  I used to just carry a 60* Cleveland CG15, no sand wedge, and the 48* PW from my Snake Eyes set.  Now I carry a 42.5* club that Wilson claims is a PW and a 46* club that they claim is a GW.  So since the new GW has less loft than my old PW, I now have to carry a legit 52* GW.  I also finally got around to getting a 56* SW with more bounce, as the 60* wasn't cutting it since it was low bounce.  So my current set of wedges would be as follows:

42.5* "PW", W/S Di11

46* "GW", W/S Di11

52* GW, Adams

56* SW, Adams

60* LW, Cleveland

[jshots]

Originally Posted by mdl

Quote:

Fourputt, I've heard that argument, and it's logically true, and it's also true that a bad golfer will have much higher variance, just cause you swing so much easier to bump a 7i as you would to pitch a 60˚ the same distance, so obviously the 7i skull shot won't go as far.  But it's also true that most pros use wedges around the green, and even when they play a bump and run most of them are hitting it with some sort of wedge.  I think unless you're quite bad, you should hit what you're most comfortable with.

Personally I hit all my shots around the green with my 60˚ (except for bunker shots, which I hit with my 54˚).  I've skulled it only once that I can remember in the past couple months.  If I had more time to practice every single day, maybe I'd try to expand the number of clubs I use, but I know how far my 60˚ will go with different types of shots, and I don't have time to dial that kind of feel in with a bunch of different clubs.

Plus, the bump and run with a low lofted club is only useful in very limited situations, whereas a 20 yard pitch that you can land softly is useful all over the place.

This is how i've felt lately too. And if you did have a bunch of extra time to practice you might as well continue to practice with the 60 and get even that much better at it.

[DaSportsGuy]

I did my first year I played until I got a wedge set at the beginning of last year.

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by MSchott

Is it easier to get closer to the pin with a lofted wedge or a putter? The idea behind getting the ball on the ground sooner is once the ball hits the green it acts like it was putted. When you use a lofted club to try and get close to a pin you are bringing in a lot of variables like how far the ball will roll and the chance of hitting fat or thin.

Lets say you are 5 yards off the front of a green with a back pin. It's much easier to hit an 8 iron chip and roll the ball to the pin than to try and land a SW near the hole and judge the roll. A chip also reduces the variable of hardness of the green.

Or you can bump a SW or a 54 and do the same thing.  If the only shot you can hit with a wedge around the green is a a higher lofted shot then you're not taking full advantage of your wedges.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by jshots

Why is it always taught that getting a ball on the ground sooner is better? I've seen no proof that this is true but its always taught, is it just assumed? I would prefer a ball that sits soft doesn't run as far and its not like its much harder to hit if at all...

It may not be the shot for you, and it's not always the shot for me either, but try both ways on different courses and see if there times when the old adage is true. Consider the origin of golf and their conditions (course and weather) and maybe there'll be an "aha" monent. Having said that, there are a lot of pretty damned good players who play short game shots the way you do - a lot!.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by Paradox

Or you can bump a SW or a 54 and do the same thing.  If the only shot you can hit with a wedge around the green is a a higher lofted shot then you're not taking full advantage of your wedges.

Sorry to be late responding but I know few golfers who carry a 54 degree wedge or are skilled enough bump and run a 56. It's much easier to chip an 8 iron to a back pin than a 56 degree sand wedge. There's a reason we have 14 clubs in our bag. And I can chip with my 56 degree wedge when the situation calls for it but if I'm 5 yards off of the front of the green with the pin in the back, a sand wedge is not the best option most of the time.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I've been carrying just six clubs lately, and between my 7-iron, pitching wedge, and 56* wedge, I can do what I want to around the green. I even chipped with my 24* hybrid once. You just have to be creative.