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Need some gap wedge advice

SuperStroke
Speedliner

Speedliner

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Hi folks,

I played my 3rd round with my new clubs today and I think I have too much of a gap between wedges. I have callaway razr x irons through PW at 44 degrees and a mizuno r-12 56 degree wedge.

Looks like I'm hitting the PW ~130 yards with a full swing. The 56 degree, I can only get to 80. I was planning on buying a 50 degree r-12 to fill the gap, but am thinking that may still be too much of a gap. I seem to get a lot of 100-110 yd shots and that's proving a challenge to step the PW down that much. I'm thinking that one more wedge in the gap, may not be ideal.

So what do you experienced players think? Go with the 50 and sort it out? Or drop a long club and get the razr x approach at 49 degrees and add maybe a 52 degree R-12?

I could drop a 5-wood or 3 hybrid to make room. I like those clubs, but am thinking I'd get more use out of the wedges than all of those long clubs (3w, 5w, 3h, 4h).

Thoughts?

Speedliner
 
If you're concerned about the gaps on the lower end, you have room for 48* and 52* wedges between your PW and 56*. Then just drop the longer clubs you don't need.
 
In my experience the 3 hybrid and 5 wood are close in distance and different in functionality so if one of the two could let you do all the shots you are expecting from this club then get rid of the other one and get a 50 0r 52 wedge as a gap wedge. Even a 51 could work. having a gap wedge can be really helpful in awkward situations when a pitching wedge was too much and a sand wedge was to little also the low flight and release on a chipping shot vs a higher softer chip from a sand wedge can be really useful.
 
My pw is 44* and my sw is 56*. I added a 50* to be my gap wedge and find myself using it the most around the greens unless I need the extra loft. It is my 100-110 yd club. Hope this helps.
 
I say just go for the 50. I personally think gapping is a bit overrated when you get down into wedges. But that may be because I barely ever hit full wedge shots. Actually never with my 56*. Anyways, I think wedge loft is about personal preference so go test a few gap wedge lofts if possible. See what's best for you. If that means 2 wedges in that gap, so be it.
 
I would just give a 50 degree wedge a try and you could get it molded a few degrees in which every way you would like. But 50 is a solid gap wedge. I find it strange you hit a PW that far and can only get 80 out of a 56 degree wedge. I'm at the same distance with a PW and can get my 56* 110yds, I hit my 60* 85yds.
 
If I were you I'd be dropping the 5 wood and adding a 50* gap wedge.
 
Speedliner said:
Hi folks,

I played my 3rd round with my new clubs today and I think I have too much of a gap between wedges. I have callaway razr x irons through PW at 44 degrees and a mizuno r-12 56 degree wedge.

Looks like I'm hitting the PW ~130 yards with a full swing. The 56 degree, I can only get to 80. I was planning on buying a 50 degree r-12 to fill the gap, but am thinking that may still be too much of a gap. I seem to get a lot of 100-110 yd shots and that's proving a challenge to step the PW down that much. I'm thinking that one more wedge in the gap, may not be ideal.

So what do you experienced players think? Go with the 50 and sort it out? Or drop a long club and get the razr x approach at 49 degrees and add maybe a 52 degree R-12?

I could drop a 5-wood or 3 hybrid to make room. I like those clubs, but am thinking I'd get more use out of the wedges than all of those long clubs (3w, 5w, 3h, 4h).

Thoughts?

Speedliner
Click to expand...

Start with a 50* and see how it goes. When most players get 4 wedges, they're usually in a 46*, 50*, 56*, 60* configuration. I doubt you'll find much practical utility in a PW, 49*, 52*, 56* configuration.
 
Thanks all.

AllenPC - I find it strange that the gap between PW and 56 is so large as well. They are very different clubs and the local pro says he expected 80yds fora 56 so...

I forgot that lofts can be adjusted. Getting a 50 and modifying it later if I decide i need to would work.

Damaikis - I agree in that I didn't expect to ever need, or have the skills to benefit from multi wedges. I am getting more and straighter distance out of the new clubs and for some reason, I'm finding myself in the 90-110 yd range surprisingly often. Going to a 50 was the plan. Need to see where I'll hit one.

omega4 - I agree with what you said, but didn't expect such a wide gap. Can't imagine ever being able to hit a 60 given how I hit the 56, but I have a long way to go in my comeback to determine such things.

So sounds like best approach is to find that 100-110 yd club and leave it at that for now.

Thanks all.
 
I also have the razr x irons and use the following

razr x pw - 44
50 degree wedge
razr x sw - 54
58 degree wedge

These seem to work for me.

Since you have the 56, you could go 48 and 52 or just 50
 
Dude get a 50 and it will all be sorted out for you!
 
I have a 46* PW and a 56* wedge. I have a similar gap, and from the wedges I've been trying out, 52* seems to fill it nicely. That should give me about 12 yards in between each wedge.

My advice, see if there's a single wedge you like that fills the gap and does leave you guessing what kind of shot to hit. If that doesn't work, maybe you do need two wedges.

~Rock
 
Speedliner, my lofts are the same and my distances similar. I carry three wedges after my PW. A 48˚ (100-120), a 52˚ (90-110) and a 56˚ for anywhere inside 90 yards. Sure if I really swing hard with a 56 I could probably hit it 100, but I don't like to do that with my wedges if I don't have to. If you're comfortable with two wedges, then grab a 50. I thought about it but I don't have a need for more clubs lower in the bag. It really boils down to how you play. I like having options going into the green. So now I have a bunch of layup distance options that result in a full swing shot, which I find helps my game more than long game options.
 
I dropped my 5 wood and added a 52* wedge a few years ago.
That took care of my gap problem. Good luck !
 
What type of player are you? If you are the type that would like to hit a lot of different shots with your wedges, I'd fill the gap with 48 and 52. It would give you more versatility IMO.

However, there is no right answer here. I would go to an Austads, Golf Galaxy, or whatever golf store you have near you and just try to find a wedge or wedges that would fit your needs.
 
Thanks again everyone. Obviously this is one of those things to sort out with trial, but it's fun to think about. You've confirmed that my thinking is valid whichever way i go and that's great.

The change in Driver tech and the explosion in short-game options was the biggest surprise to me after my hiatus.

Thinking about it now though, with all of the options for getting a little more distance out of clubs, it does start to make sense that approaches get a little shorter.

One thing for sure is that I am having a blast learning the new bag. Yesterday I had a 30 ft tall tree, with branches practically over head that I had to punch under, or go over with 70 yards to the green. Under was not fun, so I thought I'd try to go over. What the heck, I'm still testing things right? Didn't think I could, but it did. Opened the 56 a bit and it skimmed tree line and sailed right over. I was shocked and boy was it pretty. :)

All the best
 
Great input...I will be getting a gap wedge for myselft
 
Your 5W and 3H are pretty close yardage wise, I would drop whichever one you don't like as much, also if your iron set is 4i through PW then I would drop the 4H or the 4i whichever you like least because that is also a double up on about the same yardage and go with more wedges. I would go with a 48, 54, and either a 58 or 60 wedge if I had a 44 PW. 6 degrees gap is manageable between wedges. 3 degree gaps are not necessary, 5 or 6 degrees is not too much.
 
Based on your setup I think dropping the 5w/3h would be a benefit to add another wedge. I play a 46/50/54/58 setup with the 46 coming from my irons. I carry a 3w/3h/4h before starting 5-PW. I like the setup myself, but have always wondered about combining the 50/54 into a 52 and adding a true 4/5 wood. I think having the wedges to fill the short yardages gaps is much more helpful than the longer yardages you might need on say a second shot on a par 5 or longer par 3.
 
My PW is 46 and my next wedge is 54*...and that gap, imo, is waaay too large. My PW gets me 145-150, and my sand gets me 125-130. As luck would have it, if I hit anything less than driver off the tee, I have a lot of shots in that gap left, so I am adding a 50 degree to my set asap.

Asap meaning I am ordering tonight once I know I wasn't selected in the ATV testing.
 
Rather than sat try a 50 or 52 go hit some and find what fills your 100-110 yard gap that your looking for it will change your game lots of great wedges around this year
 
Pj, icey,

I agree that the 5w and 3h are the most overlap and where I'll look to drop one if I get to a 4th wedge one day.

Today I went to galaxy and tried a 50 degree mizuno. It was landing at -100 yards, which I thought too short because I wouldn't get the 10-15 yard roll that the simulator was predicting. So I decided to order the A wedge matched to my set. I'll see how that does then I'll decide what to do with the other/others. Anyone want a barely used mizuno R-12 56 :)
 
I have the same issue with this low lofted Burner 2.0 PW at 45*. I have a cleveland 52* gap wedge I really like, it is my go to club at 100-105 yards. However, this PW goes about thirty yards further than my 52* leaving a noticeable gap. I can hit my 56* plenty high and my distance with my 60* is super short. So I have thrown in a 48* wedge and it fits in nicely. I could have tried to play shorter shots with my PW, but it is easier for me at my skill level to grab a club and make a full swing.
 
deff consider dropping the 5w or 3h like someone said earlier very similar clubs that you should be able to hit about the same distance. i personally just play a 3w 3h for the longer types and then a r11 pw and a 50 54 60 atv
 
the 50 would be ok. I would bend that PW to 45 and bend the 56 to 55 if I was you then go 50 & 55 if you want to keep your longer clubes.
 
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