AP2 PW or comprable Vokey wedge?

[Valleygolfer]

I am looking at change irons ......again Hopefully for the last time for a long while. My question is: Do I get the PW consistent with the set or go with a Vokey instead.

Please show your work (or tell me your reasoning) for the choice.

[David in FL]

I can't "decide" for you, but I've always preferred the PW as part of the set.

The PW is a full swing club and as part of the set, it's purpose designed to fit as the next club after the 9-iron.  Looks the same at address, and has the offset, bounce, and shaft that best fit the remainder of the set.

[Valleygolfer]

I was not sure if it mattered since I transitioned into the Vokeys anyway. I was thinking a 2 degree weaker loft and the swing weight is a D3 vs the AP's D2.

[Alohaed]

Hmmm. Interesting. I apologize for hacking into this thread, yet, I have the same concern with a gap wedge, regardless of manufacturer. Part of the iron set or an actual wedge?

[Golfingdad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valleygolfer

I am looking at change irons ......again Hopefully for the last time for a long while. My question is: Do I get the PW consistent with the set or go with a Vokey instead.

Please show your work (or tell me your reasoning) for the choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alohaed

Hmmm. Interesting. I apologize for hacking into this thread, yet, I have the same concern with a gap wedge, regardless of manufacturer. Part of the iron set or an actual wedge?

I currently own both the PW and GW (well, "U" actually) that are part of the i20 iron set, rather than wedge "style" but I think if I had to do it over again, I'd get wedges for both of them.  So if I was using Titleist, I'd have AP2 4I through 9I, and then Vokey P, G, S, and L.

Somewhere on this site somebody (I think it was @iacas **) gave a good explanation as to why they do it that way that resonated with me.  Basically, when you look down at a wedge, it looks like a "scoring" club, so why not have all of the wedges look like that?

** I found one place I read it ... a review Tristan wrote on Scor wedges.  He said:

Quote:

Before I start talking about the performance of these clubs, there are a few things that you have to understand about Scor. First off, where many manufacturers are now including a gap wedge in their sets, Scor is going the other way and saying that not only should you have a traditional gap, sand, and lob wedge but also replace the PW, 9 iron, and maybe even 8 iron with one of their clubs. The thinking behind this is that the majority of shots played with those short irons are much more like wedge shots than regular iron shots and so those clubs should blend in well together.

Anyways, that reasoning makes sense to me, so when it's time for new clubs, I'll probably get wedges all the same, and start the iron set at the 9 iron.

[Dave2512]

Too lazy to look up Titleist specs but with modern lofts I more or less consider my PW to be a 9i so I match it to my iron set. Before I messed around with my wedge lofts I had to carry two GW's, 4 wedges total beyond the PW to account for the strong lofts. When I went to gaps of 5* and made my most lofted wedge 58* I was able to free up space and bring another long club in. FWIW I used different shafts in my irons and wedges so that was a factor.

[David in FL]

I currently own both the PW and GW (well, "U" actually) that are part of the i20 iron set, rather than wedge "style" but I think if I had to do it over again, I'd get wedges for both of them.  So if I was using Titleist, I'd have AP2 4I through 9I, and then Vokey P, G, S, and L. Somewhere on this site somebody (I think it was @iacas **) gave a good explanation as to why they do it that way that resonated with me. Basically, when you look down at a wedge, it looks like a "scoring" club, so why not have all of the wedges look like that? ** I found one place I read it ... a review Tristan wrote on Scor wedges.  He said: Anyways, that reasoning makes sense to me, so when it's time for new clubs, I'll probably get wedges all the same, and start the iron set at the 9 iron.

Ah, but remember, we're not aiming at the pin unless we're inside of 100 yards, right? ;-) Even a short-hitting old guy like me seldom hits PW inside of 100 yards unless an unusual situation calls for it.

[Golfingdad]

Ah, but remember, we're not aiming at the pin unless we're inside of 100 yards, right?

Even a short-hitting old guy like me seldom hits PW inside of 100 yards unless an unusual situation calls for it.

Right.  I don't mean to say that I'm aiming at the pin on all shots with wedges, just that perhaps I'd be more confident that I'd nail my target (whatever that may be) with a club that looked like a wedge than with a club that looked like an iron.

Also, just is totally just in theory.  I've never had a gap wedge or pitching wedge that didn't match my iron set, so I really have no idea if it would even matter at all.

[Jodastra]

Funny, I was thinking that today. I have started hitting my Vokey 52 SM4 as far as my 714mb PW, which is 47 degrees. (110-120 yds) My wish however is that I can take the PW out of my bag and install a third (draw) driver. I don't want a 48 degree vokey that I clock out further than my 9-iron, but I like the play of the Vokeys... so I'll ditch the PW

[Dave2512]

Right.  I don't mean to say that I'm aiming at the pin on all shots with wedges, just that perhaps I'd be more confident that I'd nail my target (whatever that may be) with a club that looked like a wedge than with a club that looked like an iron.

Also, just is totally just in theory.  I've never had a gap wedge or pitching wedge that didn't match my iron set, so I really have no idea if it would even matter at all.

I suspect for some the problem would be design related, the lack of forgiveness for full swing shots of a blade style wedge compared to their iron set if they are playing CB's or some type of GI club.

[Valleygolfer]

I am veering towards the vokey. I love the wedges and want a higher loft than the pw offered. Although I can have it bent...

[boogielicious]

I am veering towards the vokey. I love the wedges and want a higher loft than the pw offered. Although I can have it bent...

One consideration is the AP2 will have the shaft that the rest of the irons have.  The Vokey will have the wedge shaft.  The carry distance may be affected by this.  So the equal loft Vokey may be a bit shorter than the AP2 PW depending on your iron shaft.

[Valleygolfer]

One consideration is the AP2 will have the shaft that the rest of the irons have.  The Vokey will have the wedge shaft.  The carry distance may be affected by this.  So the equal loft Vokey may be a bit shorter than the AP2 PW depending on your iron shaft.

I ordered my vokeys with the same shafts as my full set.

[David in FL]

Right.  I don't mean to say that I'm aiming at the pin on all shots with wedges, just that perhaps I'd be more confident that I'd nail my target (whatever that may be) with a club that looked like a wedge than with a club that looked like an iron.

Also, just is totally just in theory.  I've never had a gap wedge or pitching wedge that didn't match my iron set, so I really have no idea if it would even matter at all.

Let me slightly change the wording in the OP's original post and ask the same question.....

I am looking at change irons ......again .   Hopefully for the last time for a long while. My question is: Do use the club from the set that I would expect to hit about 125 yards, or throw it out and replace it with a club of another make and model completely?

For some reason, just because it says "PW" on it instead of a number, some like to think that it's an entirely different animal.  What if it just said "10" on it?

Don't misunderstand......I love my wedges.  I have a custom Scratch and 2 new SM5's in the bag, but that's primarily because my irons didn't offer a GW.  Had they, I would have played it.  If in doing so I found that I didn't like it for some odd reason, then I'd look to switch.  But without having a reason not to like one club out of a set you otherwise like, it strikes me as a little silly to assume that another completely different club will suit you better.

Just my .02 worth.

[Ernest Jones]

Let me slightly change the wording in the OP's original post and ask the same question.....

I am looking at change irons ......again.   Hopefully for the last time for a long while. My question is: Do use the club from the set that I would expect to hit about 125 yards, or throw it out and replace it with a club of another make and model completely?

For some reason, just because it says "PW" on it instead of a number, some like to think that it's an entirely different animal.  What if it just said "10" on it?

Don't misunderstand......I love my wedges.  I have a custom Scratch and 2 new SM5's in the bag, but that's primarily because my irons didn't offer a GW.  Had they, I would have played it.  If in doing so I found that I didn't like it for some odd reason, then I'd look to switch.  But without having a reason not to like one club out of a set you otherwise like, it strikes me as a little silly to assume that another completely different club will suit you better.

Just my .02 worth.

All psychological, but I can't stand CB on my wedges. I dunno why but I'm much more confident with MB wedge. OTOH, I don't consider a PW to even be a wedge, I certainly never hit it like a wedge and tend to lean more towards the 10 iron viewpoint when it comes to the PW. For me, it's a full swing club not a finesse club.

[David in FL]

All psychological, but I can't stand CB on my wedges. I dunno why but I'm much more confident with MB wedge. OTOH, I don't consider a PW to even be a wedge, I certainly never hit it like a wedge and tend to lean more towards the 10 iron viewpoint when it comes to the PW. For me, it's a full swing club not a finesse club.

Exactly......

[Golfingdad]

Let me slightly change the wording in the OP's original post and ask the same question.....

I am looking at change irons ......again.   Hopefully for the last time for a long while. My question is: Do use the club from the set that I would expect to hit about 125 yards, or throw it out and replace it with a club of another make and model completely?

For some reason, just because it says "PW" on it instead of a number, some like to think that it's an entirely different animal.  What if it just said "10" on it?

Don't misunderstand......I love my wedges.  I have a custom Scratch and 2 new SM5's in the bag, but that's primarily because my irons didn't offer a GW.  Had they, I would have played it.  If in doing so I found that I didn't like it for some odd reason, then I'd look to switch.  But without having a reason not to like one club out of a set you otherwise like, it strikes me as a little silly to assume that another completely different club will suit you better.

Just my .02 worth.

That's a pretty solid .02. ;)  Just remember, though, that he's not talking exactly about "another completely different club," but rather a wedge that will match his other two or three that he already has.

In this day and age, isn't it kind of arbitrary where the transition is made from irons to wedges?  The pitching wedge and sand wedge got their names from their jobs, but those aren't really their only jobs anymore, are they?  I use my SW all of the time (OK, 90% of the time) around the greens, but I also use it for full shots as well.  My GW can only be used for full shots simply because I can't look down at it and think "finesse."  If I had a wedge style GW (and the same is true for a PW) I could still use it for full swings, just like I already do the SW, but maybe I could also be comfortable around the greens with it.

That is my .02.

For me, it's a full swing club not a finesse club.

And I think that it could be both.

[Valleygolfer]

That's a pretty solid .02. ;)  Just remember, though, that he's not talking exactly about "another completely different club," but rather a wedge that will match his other two or three that he already has.

In this day and age, isn't it kind of arbitrary where the transition is made from irons to wedges?  The pitching wedge and sand wedge got their names from their jobs, but those aren't really their only jobs anymore, are they?  I use my SW all of the time (OK, 90% of the time) around the greens, but I also use it for full shots as well.  My GW can only be used for full shots simply because I can't look down at it and think "finesse."  If I had a wedge style GW (and the same is true for a PW) I could still use it for full swings, just like I already do the SW, but maybe I could also be comfortable around the greens with it.

That is my .02.

And I think that it could be both.

That is just it. My PW is used dually as a scoring club and full swing club. Since I have been playing the Mizunos the PW tends to go way farther than my Pings with my choked down shots. I was thinking of dropping the loft down with a SM5 to dial in a 115-120 yard shot because it seems like I use my PW for more choked down scoring shots than full swing shots. Of course I may just need to practice with the distance too instead of using the SM5. It is almost a buy both scenario and then decide which one I like better.

I think it is all how you perceive the club.