Big Distance Gap Between My Sand and Lob Wedges

[Joe Mama]

Always a big gap or just certain lies?

The results I reportedt are for clean fairway lies. I haven't tested distances for other tyoes of lies. [quote name="Brian W" url="/t/76633/big-distance-gap-between-my-sand-and-lob-wedges#post_1042807"] My fix was at address, putting my wrists more forward than usual [/quote] [quote name="Golfingdad" url="/t/76633/big-distance-gap-between-my-sand-and-lob-wedges#post_1042884"]I've recently started adjusting my ball position to more easily cover a wider range of distances with full swings on my wedges.  I learned that if I put the ball back in my stance and give it a little extra, I can add 5-10 yards to the Sw and LW.  [/quote] OK. I think these two posters are recommending basically the same thing. At the range today I will put the ball farther back when I use the lob wedge. Or, tilt my shaff toward the target more; I think one is about the same as the other?

[Ernest Jones]

OK. I think these two posters are recommending basically the same thing. At the range today I will put the ball farther back when I use the lob wedge. Or, tilt my shaff toward the target more; I think one is about the same as the other?

I think the reason so many people have issues with high loft lob wedges is because they try to create a different swing for them. Make sure you're hitting down on them, they'll still get up. I set-up and hit my 60* with the exact same swing I use on my PW, GW or SW. No changes to set-up at all.

[boogielicious]

@Joe Mama ,

I the book Lowest Score Wins, the authors recommend taking your wedges PW, gap, sand, lob etc and hitting them full, 3/4, 1/2 and even 1/4 and getting the distances down.  For the reduced length swings, you still swing full speed, but just shorten the backswing.  What you will get are reduced distances and different trajectories.

Example:  For me

PW - full (120) 3/4 (100) 1/2 (75)

52 - full (100), 3/4 (80), 1/2 (60)

58 - full (85), 3/4 (70) 1/2 (50).

The length of the backswing is approximate and what it feels to you.  What you get are a variety of shots with fewer wedges.  I would recommend you try this with your PW, 54 and 60 and see what happens.  The cool thing is a 3/4 swing, for me, produces a straighter shot with less dispersion than a full shot.  So if I have 80 to the pin, I can opt for a 3/4 52 gap wedge.  I would only use a full 58 if I had to carry the whole way.  i birdied a par 5 last week because I had 70 to the pin and hit a 3/4 58 where I had to carry a bunker.

It gives you tons of options.  They also recommend taping the actual distances to the underside of the wedge shaft for quick reference.  I haven't done this yet, but I do have a pretty good memory for numbers.

If you haven't read the book, I think you would enjoy it.

http://lowestscorewins.com/

[Joe Mama]

@Joe Mama The authors recommend taking your wedges PW, gap, sand, lob etc and hitting them full, 3/4, 1/2 and even 1/4 They also recommend taping the actual distances to the underside of the wedge shaft for quick rexference.  I haven't done this yet, but I do have a pretty good memory for numbers. [URL=http://lowestscorewins.com/]http://lowestscorewins.com/[/URL]

I just returned from the range after testing to see if I could increase my lob wedge distance. I had been hitting it 50 yards, and now it's 60. As for having three (or even four) different backswings for each of the four wedges (PW, Gap, Sand, and Lob), with each of the three distances marked on the wedges, I am sure that this a very workable solution. I have only one number marked on each of the four wedges. That number is for a full swing, but then I subtract five yards for a three-quarter swing. Should be no problem discovering the three distances for the three backswings for each club, then using a very small tip paint pen to write the three distances on the shaft.

[Brian W]

I just returned from the range after testing to see if I could increase my lob wedge distance. I had been hitting it 50 yards, and now it's 60.

As for having three (or even four) different backswings for each of the four wedges (PW, Gap, Sand, and Lob), with each of the three distances marked on the wedges, I am sure that this a very workable solution. I have only one number marked on each of the four wedges. That number is for a full swing, but then I subtract five yards for a three-quarter swing. Should be no problem discovering the three distances for the three backswings for each club, then using a very small tip paint pen to write the three distances on the shaft.

I wouldn't just subtract 5 without testing it.  That would be the same as if you were to just subtract 10 going from a 54 to a 60 because that is what happens going from a 7i to an 8i.

Better to get out and test it.  What I did after reading the book is to teach myself a half swing on each of the clubs.  Because I didn't ever really do half swings, I felt I needed to practice that "shot".  My pitching was what I would use at 80 yards and inside but now I have the ability to use full swings as approach shots.  The half swing will go further than you think.  Once you have half swings down on each club with the distances, go to the 3/4 and 1/4 shots and see where they fall in relation to your other shots.  I would hit a full shot and then a half shot and see where a 3/4 ends up between them.  Same with a half and a 1/4.

Just my opinion

[MasonAsher2014]

My 58 goes 100 and my 54 goes 130 and I am not sure why.

[Ernest Jones]

My 58 goes 100 and my 54 goes 130 and I am not sure why.

Lots of good pointers and suggestions in this thread. Do both clubs have relatively fresh grips in similar condition? Are they both "fit" to you? If it's not the gear then my money is on a flip. Do you hit the 58* noticeably higher than the 54*? Counter-intuitive but try hitting the 58* "softer".

[MasonAsher2014]

Lots of good pointers and suggestions in this thread. Do both clubs have relatively fresh grips in similar condition? Are they both "fit" to you?

If it's not the gear then my money is on a flip. Do you hit the 58* noticeably higher than the 54*?

Counter-intuitive but try hitting the 58* "softer".

Both brand new Vokeys purchased last winter. Grips changed in March, and yes they are fitted both 1/2 longer and toe is 2 degrees up. I do not hit it much higher, I hit all my irons relatively high with a lot of carry. I am pretty sure I don't flip but I'll check it out on film tomorrow. I play both about four balls off my back foot too.

[Ernest Jones]

I play both about four balls off my back foot too.

Where's that in relation to centre?

[MPtheKid]

My 58 goes 100 and my 54 goes 130 and I am not sure why.

Dat humble brag ...but in all honesty I see a somewhat similar gap. My 54 is 120 and my 60 is 100. Do you have the same shaft in the 58 as you do in the 54? If you're going super hard at the 58, the ball will launch really high with a lot of spin but distance may not be maximized (which isn't necessarily the most important thing with a wedge).

[MS256]

Dat humble brag ...but in all honesty I see a somewhat similar gap. My 54 is 120 and my 60 is 100. Do you have the same shaft in the 58 as you do in the 54? If you're going super hard at the 58, the ball will launch really high with a lot of spin but distance may not be maximized (which isn't necessarily the most important thing with a wedge).

^ Bingo! (Especially for most of us with borderline ball striking technique).

I used to swing a SW and LW harder and harder trying to make the club match the distance I thought it should be going, with little success. People with half my strength and half my speed were hitting those clubs farther than I was.

The harder I swung the more I flipped.

Once that light bulb finally came on my new problem became flying the ball way over greens using what were supposed to be less than full swings.

[saevel25]

I will say that the spin wont even be maximum because if you are adding loft to the club by flipping and if you return the club with more than 45 degrees of loft then the smash factor reduces greatly due to the obliqueness of the strike. This will cause less spin with more loft.

[MasonAsher2014]

Where's that in relation to centre?

Oh, I'd say maybe 4 inches back.

Dat humble brag ...but in all honesty I see a somewhat similar gap. My 54 is 120 and my 60 is 100. Do you have the same shaft in the 58 as you do in the 54? If you're going super hard at the 58, the ball will launch really high with a lot of spin but distance may not be maximized (which isn't necessarily the most important thing with a wedge).

Yes same shaft. I mean I can get both of those clubs about 7-8 yards farther but I don't really try too.

^ Bingo! (Especially for most of us with borderline ball striking technique).

I used to swing a SW and LW harder and harder trying to make the club match the distance I thought it should be going, with little success. People with half my strength and half my speed were hitting those clubs farther than I was.

The harder I swung the more I flipped.

Once that light bulb finally came on my new problem became flying the ball way over greens using what were supposed to be less than full swings.

I swing my wedges a little harder but not much.