Big gap in wedges: is something odd here?

[Mr. Writing Desk]

This spring I got a new set of Ping G5 irons, which I love. I had them custom fit, 4 degrees upright and plus one inch length. A full swing on my pitching wedge gets me 125 yards.

My next wedge is an off-the-rack Cleveland CG-11 56 degree, standard length and lie. A full swing gets me 83 yards. (I also have a matching 60 degree wedge, which I basically never use for full swings, only pitches, flops, and an occasional sand shot.)

Now, obviously a 42 yard gap between wedges is unacceptable, even though I've gotten quite good at throttling down on the pitching wedge and do pretty well sticking a 1/2 wedge at 100 yards.

So come next paycheck, I intend to invest in a gap wedge. But my dilemma is this: even with adding a gap wedge, which I intend to fit around the 100 mark, it still seems like an inordinately big gap between a 125 yard pitching wedge, 100+- yard gap wedge, and 83 yard sand wedge. The question I have is, should I be looking at not only getting a gap wedge, but also replacing my sand wedge with something stronger? Also, if my irons are +1 inch, should I look into getting a fitting session for custom clubs to close the gaps, too?

[fluxcapacitor]

There's a couple of things to look at here. First the standard loft on a PW is 45-48* (or around there). The rest of your irons should only have a 3-4* difference. If your SW is 56* you've got a minimum of a 8* difference. The second thing to look at is your irons at an inch longer, and that will promote a longer shot because of the longer swing plane. So you have 2 factors that would shorten your SW by such a large gap. I would definately reccomend getting your wedges fitted too. That way your swing can be pretty much the same for all your clubs.

I would try fitting your sand wedge first and see if that helps, if it doesn't, then get your gap wedge. Good luck,

Cris

[clstrat]

There's a couple of things to look at here. First the standard loft on a PW is 45-48* (or around there). The rest of your irons should only have a 3-4* difference. If your SW is 56* you've got a minimum of a 8* difference. The second thing to look at is your irons at an inch longer, and that will promote a longer shot because of the longer swing plane. So you have 2 factors that would shorten your SW by such a large gap. I would definately reccomend getting your wedges fitted too. That way your swing can be pretty much the same for all your clubs.

+1 on the longer shafts in your other irons. my 3 wood has an inch longer shaft than standard and i hit it almost as far as my driver.

[hurley9192]

I'll interject as well....

the extra inch in your irons could be the difference and also the loft of the PW. I'd try and get the standard loft in your PW and then build a GW 4 degrees less and then have your sand wedge 4 degrees less than that. This should give you around 15 yards in between with your wedges. You would be about 110 on the GW and 95 on the SW then.

Also, if your SW is +1 inch, then you should look at hand position at impact compared to your PW...If you are 4 degrees upright and +1 inch, you much be pretty tall, so you should get more arc and power from an 56 degree SW...I found mine to be about 90-95 yards, so I upped mine to a 54 degree to get it to 100 yards.

[lamebums]

So come next paycheck, I intend to invest in a gap wedge. But my dilemma is this: even with adding a gap wedge, which I intend to fit around the 100 mark, it still seems like an inordinately big gap between a 125 yard pitching wedge, 100+- yard gap wedge, and 83 yard sand wedge. The question I have is, should I be looking at not only getting a gap wedge, but also replacing my sand wedge with something stronger? Also, if my irons are +1 inch, should I look into getting a fitting session for custom clubs to close the gaps, too?

I doubt you'd need a club fitting just for your wedge. When I bought wedges separately I just had them adjusted the same way my irons were (+1.5 inches, 1 degree upright) and they work out just fine. But I say go ahead and get a gap wedge, 40 yard gap is pretty ridiculous. I had the same situation when I could hit a PW about 120 and the sand went about 80. Thing is, the old sand would go about 105 if I muscled it, so it was no problem. But there apparently is no muscling the Vokey and getting any more distance out of it...so I was forced into a gap wedge.

[Shindig]

This spring I got a new set of Ping G5 irons, which I love. I had them custom fit, 4 degrees upright and plus one inch length. A full swing on my pitching wedge gets me 125 yards.

Pitching wedge is probably 44-46 degrees or so. That's an 11 degree difference, which for most people comes out to 35 or so yards. Add in that your PW is fit and your 56* isn't, and we see what's going on. You can fit two wedges in the gap if you like. I'm guessing on lofts here, but: 44* PW 48* PW' (no symbol for 'prime' I can find. Or call the 44* your 10-iron) 52* GW/AW/UW (whatever symbol your clubs use) 56* SW

[szaino]

The G5 PW has 46 deg of loft.

The normal gap between each club as mentioned above is approx 4 deg. Thus you have 10 deg difference between your PW and 56 deg wedge, which is too much.

My advice would be to go to a 54 deg wedge, which should get you close to 100 yds of carry.

The 54 deg wedge is by far the wedge of choice by most golfers on the PGA tour.

Check out the Ping wedges, I play the Ping 54 and 60. Like you the 60 is used very sparingly for tight flop type shots etc.

http://pinggolf.com/wedges_index.html