Anyone still playing just three wedges? I'm seriously considering it.

[onthehunt526]

13 minutes ago, Lihu said:

How high is "too high"? 50 yards is high but 30 to 40 seems reasonable.

 

10:00 seems pretty reasonable for a wedge shot?

 

Are you sure about this? I'll wait for someone who knows better to comment.

In my experience, the thing that dictates my game is driver. If I drive like crap the hole is bad. If my approaches are bad as well, that's a double, or worse. . .

There's no way I'm going to be landing within 1 putt from 60 to 90 yards out, seems pretty unrealistic at least for a 10HC.

 

Are you sure about this as well? I don't see how using less wedges in the "sweet spot" distance for wedges will help? Unless you mean to learn to use one wedge really well for all distances? I have no idea how this would work in your favor?

I'm not necessarily trying to always get down in two from that range. Hell, @Lihu I would settle for 3.2 strokes averaged from there right now.... I'm just tired of taking 4 or more to get down from that range.... Would I like to get down in two more often? Absolutely. Am I going to do it all the time? Hell no!

The best players on the planet average 2.9 from 75-100 yards. I'm just trying to get to where I'm averaging in the low 3s... That's all... 

My driver is fine by the way... My shorter approaches do need work... 

[Lihu]

Just now, onthehunt526 said:

I'm not necessarily trying to always get down in two from that range. Hell, @Lihu I would settle for 3.2 strokes averaged from there right now.... I'm just tired of taking 4 or more to get down from that range.... Would I like to get down in two more often? Absolutely. Am I going to do it all the time? Hell no!

The best players on the planet average 2.9 from 75-100 yards. I'm just trying to get to where I'm averaging in the low 3s... That's all... 

My driver is fine by the way... My shorter approaches do need work... 

4 strokes from that distance? I'd say get on a short course practice area or make one, anywhere. Then pitch a couple hundred pitches from 5 to 80 yards per day for a week, then I expect you to tell me that you want to get under 1.5 strokes. . .

[JxQx]

I don't see myself moving away from 4 wedges (46,52,56,60) any time in the near future, just alter lofts (46,50,54,58). I personally would much rather have the large gap be in top end of my bag than the low end. I have way more shots in the 110-130 range than the 230-210 range.

[onthehunt526]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

4 strokes from that distance? I'd say get on a short course practice area or make one, anywhere. Then pitch a couple hundred pitches from 5 to 80 yards per day for a week, then I expect you to tell me that you want to get under 1.5 strokes. . .

@Lihu, under 1.5 strokes? That's holing out every other time. No, at that point, I'd probably want to get to somewhere under 3.1...

I will honestly give this a shot, I'll take the shag bag out and work on this... Maybe... some Yes and a shag bag will help me to fix this issue.

[Lihu]

1 minute ago, onthehunt526 said:

@Lihu, under 1.5 strokes? That's holing out every other time. No, at that point, I'd probably want to get to somewhere under 3.1...

I will honestly give this a shot, I'll take the shag bag out and work on this... Maybe... some Yes and a shag bag will help me to fix this issue.

That's great, you won't regret this practice.

Also, I'm sure you're familiar with this as well, but just posted it for reference in case anyone else reads this.

Unbelievably helpful. . .

 

[lastings]

PW (46), 50, 54 all day everyday.   

[mvmac]

13 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

I'm scared to death of anything between say 60-90 yards. I'd rather be 100 yards than there. 

I know you probably don't want to hear this but it seems like it's more of a technique/mechanics issue. Are you just not hitting those shorter shots solid?

[onthehunt526]

---

Very well could be. Might just be something I can work out on the range/practice fairway.

[onthehunt526]

So I played today... I had exactly 1 shot from the "death" yardage... My fourth shot on the 1st... It was a better shot, I hit a 52° from 85 yards, and it was actually not bad... Pin high about 20 feet right... I was like ok, I guess I can hit a wedge once in a while... I don't know why... But I honestly cannot hit anything with a "narrow stance"... Except feel shots from like 40 yards and in.

I may go back to my old 54°/58° bottom end set up... 

Just a question, for the better players: Is there a thought or feeling I can have when I hit a full swing motion wedge, that would help?

I think I need some Yessongs and my shag bag.

[billchao]

My PW is a 10 iron. I play a 50°, 56°, and a 60°. The 60° is my primary greenside club so it's not coming out of the bag.

[Aussie Abroad]

I would expect to at least hit the green from 60 - 90 yards 8/10 times.

I agree with another poster it sounds like a technique issue. and that 4 wedges should make this issue easier not harder. I needed a gap wedge between PW and 50 so changed from 52,56,60 to 48 AP2 ,52,58

I dont think you should need to go back further than 10 o`clock with a wedge. The shorter the club the more bend from the hips. To get parallel people tend to come out of correct posture.

60-90 I would describe my stance as a little narrow but not massively so. Stance probably changes 2 foot widths from full wedge.

You should have a little forward lean when hitting these shots. I tend to setup weight slightly on the front foot and leave it there during the swing.

You can adjust distance control a number of ways, grip down, open/ close club face a little open less distance, close more (they won't hook or slice), turn your body a little smoother or quicker. Trail with that shag bag what works for you.

confidence helps. If you can hit the distances in practice the confidence should come over. If you can`t I would recommend a lesson.

I personally couldn't go lower than 58 as I was reluctant to give up my 60 (which Ive noticed no real difference). I think it`s necessary for height. You may find correcting your technique brings the ball flight lower and then you may want a 58/60.

You seem to have a lot clubs in the garage. I wouldn't want to play 4 different types of wedges. I would have irons all the same kind and only one transition (to Vokeys for me)

No ones talked about wedge bounces. Bounce is important especially your chipping/ bunkers.

At your hcp you should be able to play a bunker shot. If you take a lesson on technique Id throw that at the instructor as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mvmac]

4 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

Just a question, for the better players: Is there a thought or feeling I can have when I hit a full swing motion wedge, that would help?

I'll share this thread, I'm sure you've seen it before but might be good to go through it again.

I rarely make full swings with wedges. When I do I'm making the same swing as I would with a 7-iron, ball is just back a little further, like just forward of the middle of my stance.

 

[Midpack]

I only have two wedges - PW 47 and SW 55, but I know that's not what most people prefer. My full swing 55 flies so high I can't imagine a 60, but I've never tried one.

Edited September 16, 2017 by Midpack

[onthehunt526]

7 hours ago, mvmac said:

I'll share this thread, I'm sure you've seen it before but might be good to go through it again.

I rarely make full swings with wedges. When I do I'm making the same swing as I would with a 7-iron, ball is just back a little further, like just forward of the middle of my stance.

 

My favorite club is my 8-iron. So Mike would you suggest I think like I'm hitting an 8-iron, when I hit my wedges? 

Another thing, I have trouble with the "narrow" stance thing... My stance isn't overly wide... But my feet are perhaps under my armpits when I hit my wedges, could that be causing my problems? 

[Mr. Desmond]

I'm not certain why I see similar threads everywhere over the last 10-15 yrs, but let's go with it. I think the PW was once a wedge that launched high and stopped. It was about 50 deg. Now, it's about 44, more or less, and is made for more distance and less spin. And for me, it's not really a specialty wedge, just another iron.

For me, the Gap (once the PW), other than fairway use, is fine around the greens when you want a low, spinning shot and you know how to pull it off. The real wedges to me are the 54-56 and the 58-60 - these wedges may have special grinding on the sole for relief and versatility, to open while leaving the leading edge relatively low, or just leave it square and address the club with the hands behind the ball. Both are made with a grind to assist you in the bunker. Some wedges are better than others at assisting you - depends on your game.

I go 45, 50, 55, 59 but rarely use the 45 or 50 other than I would use an iron. Good luck.

[allenc]

I have trouble counting what exactly is a wedge.  For example some of the Titliest sets have a 44* P and a 48* W.  Are those both wedges?  You could conceivably go 52, 56, 60 after those.  Some other sets may just have a 47* P.

A trend I notice is that better players tend to have more spaced out wedges.  That makes sense because they can hit the ball better and longer so there may be several useful yardages at the long end of the bag they want to have clubs for.  They are also probably good at partial wedge shots.

I think mediocre players may want more wedges, perhaps like the set I outlined above.  They may or may not be as good at partial wedge shots, so they'll get help there.  They defiantly are not as good at hitting several distances over 200 yards (for example), so having a vast array of long irons, hybrids, or fairway woods won't be as useful.

Not to leave out the bit about my own set, I've got clubs labeled "P" and "G" in my iron set, and then 54 and 60 specialty wedges.  Those include two 15 yard gaps so I'm considering rearranging to squeeze an extra wedge in there.

[Shindig]

7 hours ago, Midpack said:

I only have two wedges - PW 47 and SW 55, but I know that's not what most people prefer. My full swing 55 flies so high I can't imagine a 60, but I've never tried one.

I think the general view of additional wedges isn't for the full shot, it's to have better gaps in the partial shots.  For example, if I dropped my gap wedge and carried only my 47 and 56, I'd have trouble from 45 yards out in a clean lie:  a half swing with the 56 gets me 35, a half swing with the 47 gets me 55.  

[Binh Nguyen]

I use PW 115 ~ 130 yds and chipping around the green

,50 100~115 yds

 54 100 ~ 20 yds

56 for bunker shots.