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Do i need 5 wedges with my play style?


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Im currently thinking about re working my wedges in my bag. I currently play a 52, 56, and 60 along with my PW. I hit my 52 around 150, 56 around 125-120 and my 60 around 100.As an ex-collegiate baseball player im pretty long off the tee as well with my irons and wedges and i feel my gaps are way to large for the yardages i normally hit from. If i was to work another wedge in along with my bag what do most people with this problem do. Im thinking of just steeping down from my 60 in steps of 3. Is that normal or are there other options?

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Im currently thinking about re working my wedges in my bag. I currently play a 52, 56, and 60 along with my PW. I hit my 52 around 150, 56 around 125-120 and my 60 around 100.As an ex-collegiate baseball player im pretty long off the tee as well with my irons and wedges and i feel my gaps are way to large for the yardages i normally hit from. If i was to work another wedge in along with my bag what do most people with this problem do. Im thinking of just steeping down from my 60 in steps of 3. Is that normal or are there other options?

Learn to hit half shots and control your yardages.

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... If i was to work another wedge in along with my bag what do most people with this problem do. Im thinking of just steeping down from my 60 in steps of 3. ...

LaTech,

Could you explain the "steeping down" remark? I'm not sure what you mean.

Also, a fifth wedge will be a lot to manage for practicing. If you learn how to hit partial shots with the four you have, that would cover you in most situations.

mvmac has a thread on this: http://thesandtrap.com/t/77861/how-to-hit-partial-wedge-shots-learn-your-tweener-yardages

Also, partial-wedge videos are posted here and there on this site.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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I played with a guy that hit PW where we normally play 7 or 8 iron. He was delofting the club so much that he was at least two clubs long. Do you come through with your hands that far forward? Its not obvious but if you do you probably could use a 68

Tom R.

TM R1 on a USTv2, TM 3wHL on USTv2, TM Rescue 11 in 17,TM udi #3, Rocketbladez tour kbs reg, Mack Daddy 50.10,54.14,60.14, Cleveland putter

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Im currently thinking about re working my wedges in my bag. I currently play a 52, 56, and 60 along with my PW. I hit my 52 around 150, 56 around 125-120 and my 60 around 100.As an ex-collegiate baseball player im pretty long off the tee as well with my irons and wedges and i feel my gaps are way to large for the yardages i normally hit from. If i was to work another wedge in along with my bag what do most people with this problem do. Im thinking of just steeping down from my 60 in steps of 3. Is that normal or are there other options?


@LaTech Bulldawg ,

Welcome to The Sand Trap.  I agree with others that it would be better to learn 1/2 and 3/4 shots with your wedges.  I did this last year and it really makes a difference.  This way, you can have more woods or long irons in your bag. I went to just three wedges last year, PW, 52 and 58.

Check out the link that WUTiger posted.  I've found these shots to be really accurate to as compared to full shots with wedges.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LaTech Bulldawg

... If i was to work another wedge in along with my bag what do most people with this problem do. Im thinking of just steeping down from my 60 in steps of 3. ...

LaTech,

Could you explain the "steeping down" remark? I'm not sure what you mean.

I'm pretty sure the "steeping down" was meant to be "stepping down", and what he meant was that instead of 4 degree gaps he was wondering about 3 degree gaps.

Obviously, 3 degree gaps will shrink the yardage gaps but for what you quoted for yardages, maybe not enough.

I would move the 52 first. 150 yard gap wedge kind of ruins the meaning of "gap". Make it 53 or 53.5.  the SW 56 or 56.5 and 58.5 or 59 for the LW. Give it a try, if it doesn't work easy to bring back to normal and add the other wedge or the 1/2, 3/4 swings need to be in your bag.

Do you have a bending machine? Makes these little experiments much easier. 5 minutes in the garage before the next round/practice session.

Bob

WITB

Driver:                         Ping I25 10.5 PWR65 stiff Flex

Fairway Woods:          Ping TiSi Tec 3, 5 and 7 graphite Cushin stiff flex

Irons:                         Pinhawk SL 5-PW 37.25 inches 

Wedges:                     Reid Lockhart 52 and 60 quad bounce, 56 dual bounce 

Putter:                        Boccieri Heavy Putter B3-M (250 gram back weight)

Ball:                            MG C4 / Wilson Duo

Grips:                         Winn DriTac midsize Blue

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I would ask another question: what is the gap between PW and 52 deg wedge? My PW is 44 deg, as are a few modern iron sets, so therefore I have an extra GW of 49 deg to even out that gap. So although I have 5 wedges by name, they are only 4 by loft.

Callaway Big Bertha V Series 10.5 Driver stiff shaft
Benross Hot Speed 16 deg 3 fw
Callaway XR 22 deg hybrid
Callaway XR 25 deg hybrid
Callaway Big Bertha 6-pw
Callaway Mack Daddy 3 48/54/60 wedges
Odyssey White Hot Pro Havok

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This last summer I spent 2 hours with a Pro on nothing more than chipping, I suggest you do the same, your wedges are fine. BTW, it was the best money spent in getting my score lower. Everyone is into hitting long, which is OK, but within 75 yards of the hole is where is counts. If you are having trouble with your wedges a good Pro can grind them for you or adjust the lie, loft and grip. Based on my swing I had all my wedges adjusted. My Fourteen 58* needed the heal ground down, now it feels like butter on all my short shots.

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This last summer I spent 2 hours with a Pro on nothing more than chipping, I suggest you do the same, your wedges are fine. BTW, it was the best money spent in getting my score lower. Everyone is into hitting long, which is OK, but within 75 yards of the hole is where is counts. If you are having trouble with your wedges a good Pro can grind them for you or adjust the lie, loft and grip. Based on [U]my swing[/U] I had all my wedges adjusted. My Fourteen 58* needed the heal ground down, now it feels like butter on all my short shots.

I am glad you feel you got a good lesson, but within 75 yards is not where it counts. I do not mean to single you out but I am always surprised at how many of these myths pervade - PARTICULARLY on this site where the owners have done MORE than anyone to dispel them IMO. [CONTENTEMBED=/t/14930/relative-importance-of-the-long-game-short-game-etc-mark-broadie-strokes-gained-etc layout=block][/CONTENTEMBED] [CONTENTEMBED=/t/58816/65-20-15-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time layout=block][/CONTENTEMBED] [CONTENTEMBED=/t/75141/lowest-score-wins-by-barzeski-and-wedzik layout=block][/CONTENTEMBED] I guess some people just are not on line as much as others. I really do not mean anything bad-Just read those threads though please. I think they will help you.

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"The expert golfer has maximum time to make minimal compensations. The poorer player has minimal time to make maximum compensations." - And no, I'm not Mac. Please do not PM me about it. I just think he is a crazy MFer and we could all use a little more crazy sometimes.

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If the op is hitting those distances regularly and accurately he has plenty of room for more wedges as he probably has no need for a driver,

That makes no sense at all.  He will score lower with tee shots that are closer to the hole.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

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That makes no sense at all.  He will score lower with tee shots that are closer to the hole.

But that's not the point, if he's hitting a pw approx 170yrds, allowing 12yrds per club, that's an approx 230yrd 5 iron, if you can hit a 5i 230 yards, there isn't really a need to carry a driver, therefore allowing room for an extra wedge if he desires? I've never known any amateur hit irons that far, although I think I recall McIlroy hitting a 6i 240yrds in the open, but then he is the worlds number 1.

Gaz Lee

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In your OP, you don't outline your "play style", so I can't answer the question posed by the title. I tend to think that for the VAST majority, 4 wedges are more than enough though. Given your distances, it's likely that you're delisting your irons as is, and might be better served by learning to make use of the loft already there..... Just my .02 worth.
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In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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From 1994 to 2008, I played with Pro Tour Black component irons (heads = Ping Eye2 clones).

The 9i was 44*, the PW was 50*, the SW was 56* and the early LW was 60*.

As club manufacturers went to stronger lofts, you ended up with 44* PWs in some cases, and a sizable loft gap between PW and SW.

For the 2014 Titleist AP1, you can get a 44* PW, a 48* W, and a 52* W2. ... two gap wedges? (Shaft increments above 9i are 1/4" rather than 1/2").

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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From 1994 to 2008, I played with Pro Tour Black component irons (heads = Ping Eye2 clones).

The 9i was 44*, the PW was 50*, the SW was 56* and the early LW was 60*.

As club manufacturers went to stronger lofts, you ended up with 44* PWs in some cases, and a sizable loft gap between PW and SW.

For the 2014 Titleist AP1, you can get a 44* PW, a 48* W, and a 52* W2. ... two gap wedges? (Shaft increments above 9i are 1/4" rather than 1/2").

I agree. Hence in my mind you need to forget what the club is called and just look at their lofts. If you have 8 or 9 degrees between 2 of your clubs then you probably need an extra club between them.


Callaway Big Bertha V Series 10.5 Driver stiff shaft
Benross Hot Speed 16 deg 3 fw
Callaway XR 22 deg hybrid
Callaway XR 25 deg hybrid
Callaway Big Bertha 6-pw
Callaway Mack Daddy 3 48/54/60 wedges
Odyssey White Hot Pro Havok

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You can probably get away with 5-6 degrees in the wedge area. If you are hitting full shots with the irons then usually 5 degrees is the max, typical is 4 degrees.

I think 5 wedges is overkill. If that is your game then fine. I think doing more with less is a better option.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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Note: This thread is 3152 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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