1 wedge to rule them all

[ppine]

It kind of depends on how technical you want to be. Lee Trevino was a great example of a guy with enough feel to just step up and hit it. I like the 3 x 4 idea for longer wedge shots. As a casual player, it is hard enough to get really comfortable with one or two clubs around the green. I am a minimalist by nature, but have gone to 4 wedges. I like the 60 degree wedge around the green, but there is some danger of swinging under the ball from the rough. Then the 56 degree SW with plenty of bounce is better. If it is uphill or a long pitch I like the 50 g wedge.

[Fourputt]

I personally think that it complicates things to use several clubs.  Maybe that's because when I was new to the game, chipping was looked at differently.  The idea was to get the ball rolling s soon as possible, or some small variation on that theme.  For that reason, I've never subscribed to the idea of using a 60° wedge as a primary greenside tool.  For me, even a 56° is only for special occasions.  

I was taught to use a 7I for most chipping, but I've moved from that as equipment and greens have changed.  That was at a time when fast greens were 9-10 on the Stimp and a ball needed some momentum to get to the hole.  I have messed around with everything up to 64° at one time or another, but now at the twilight of my golfing life, I'm still a firm believer in letting the ball release and roll to the hole.  Maybe not as much as I was taught with the 7I, but more than you get with the more lofted wedges.  

For that reason, I've gone to doing most of my short chipping and pitching with my 51° wedge.  I can usually depend on it to get me somewhere near the hole, and because the ball is rolling when it gets there, it has a reasonable chance to drop if I hit the right line.  After some seasons of relatively poor short game because I was doing too much experimentation, last year I chipped in quite often, and that is how I had come to expect my short game to work when I was playing my best golf.  

I'm done with trying new things in that part of my game.  I like just getting most comfortable with one lower lofted club, then only modifying that plan in cases of absolute necessity.  That necessity usually only arises when I've put my ball somewhere where it isn't supposed to be, so if I'm properly managing my round, I rarely need to use any other club.

[MrDC]

Nope, I use them all, I always use PW if there's some green to work with, chip the ball and keep it down with lots of roll, but if not LW for hop and stop, SW for the shorter bump and run.

[ppine]

The 3 x 4 system actually simplifies shots beyond 40 yards.  For 30 yards and in it is easy to make a case for using the same club most of the time.

[Gunther]

Have for years used my 60 for all shots inside 85 yards.  Left it in my bud's pickup Sat so had to play Sun without it.  I used that club more than any (except putter) throughout a round so I was nervous.

Result:  chipped better than I have in ages with my 55° SW.  Actually chipped one in from 20 yards and 10' below the green.  Heard it hit the flag and boom, down.  Even hit a perfect bunker shot with it.

I hit the pitches much crisper I think because of the bounce on the club, which my 60 has very little.  It's winter so most of the lies are very tight, often virtually no grass.  The ground is wet too so to use the 60 I need perfect contact every time.  I'm decent with it but I'll dig it into the ground a time or 2 a round.  Didn't happen at all with the 55.

Was a learning moment for me.  Once the grass starts growing, I'll gravitate back to the 60 but until then, it's my 55 all day from inside 100.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Gunther

[pganapathy]

I tend to use my PW for as much as possible around the green.  I prefer running it to the hole.  For whatever reason, I tend to chicken out when hitting the SW and LW and then wind up chunking or blading the club.  Unless I have to go over a bunker or there is a lot of fairway between me and the green with a front pin, I will avoid the lofted wedges.  I could probably reduce a couple of clubs from my bag being realistic about how many times I hit it in a round.  Not sure the LW and SW are needed, can probably finesse it into one club

[Lihu]

On 2/27/2016 at 9:49 AM, jshots said:

I wanted to hear some thoughts on using 1 wedge for the majority of shots around the green. I find myself reaching for my 60 deg wedge for everything from a flop shot to a bump and run played a good distance behind my back foot. I find it so much more simple to develop muscle memory with one club than to try to learn distances and roll outs for 3 or 4 different wedges. 

I know a lot of people here used to preach the 12 shot program (lol), where you learn 3 shots with 4 different wedges to give you a repertoire of 12 shots for any situation. I think that is way more than necessary!

I tend to do pretty much the same thing. My LW appears to be my go to club for some reason.

[Gator Hazard]

I have a 54 degree wedge that I use for the majority of my chipping around the green.  I too find it easier to use one for most shots as I know the air to roll out ratio to expect and can vary my swing.  I have used other clubs such as PW and 9 iron but more often than not, unless it is a long green with the pin far away requiring more roll I will use the 54.