Cleveland Smart Sole Wedges

[majBC]

In my limited use of both the SS 58° and the C-wedge I feel the 58° SS is much easier for me to use than the 56° niblick. The 42° C-wedge is not as good for me as the 42° niblick. I feel the shorter shaft length on the C-wedge makes it a one trick pony, only a chipper. I'm sure with practice it would/could be a good one, but the 42° niblick is more versatile in my opinion.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

I've had the chance to play both the C and S wedges this week on a couple different courses in the Destin FL area. Nearly holed out a few with the S from the bunker and the C wedge is helping me scramble like nothing else when I miss a green. Even chipping from the short grass just off the green with the S wedge is stupid easy. That shot has always been tough for me and either resulted in a skull across the green or a fat shot. Not with the S though. Something about the larger sole seems to glide across the turf. I will say this...from a bunker you cannot be timid about the shot. Just hit it. I stepped into one the other day and took a weak swing at the ball and ended up short coming out of the bunker. Played another from the same lie and just hit it without thinking and dropped it 2 inches from the hole. Can't say enough how much fun I'm having with these wedges right now.

Tappin' from my Samsung Note 3

Man oh man these posts are going to hurt my wallet

 

[MUTiger]

Like many people here, I too went through a niblick phase. However, after a month-long experiment they all came out of the bag and on to Ebay. When I saw the new SS wedges I wasn't that interested because they seemed to be repackaged niblicks. Wrong.

After reading through the posts on THP I decided to get the C wedge. Chipping is clearly the weakest part of my game, and if this club could save me a couple of strokes per round it would be well worth the purchase...and it was. Once I got the roll out dialed in (more or less), I was getting more up n' downs that I ever had before. And easy ones, too. Pretty much anything chipped from the apron or fringe was going to give me a great chance for a one-putt, if not be an outright gimme. The club did not work very well for me out of the rough around the green, so for the most part, unless the lie was really good, I'd still use my SW for that shot.

After continuing to follow this SS thread, I decided to go ahead and get the S as well, and I'm glad I did. Those touch shots out of the rough around the green that i used to butcher with regularity have now give me good chances to save par. I've also found the club to be great from 50 yards and in for getting to the upper tier of our greens when the pins are placed up there. Or better yet, an easy way to get to a pin set just a few paces on to the green. High n' soft is this club's trademark.

For some reason, I have had some trouble trying to hit full shots out of the rough from distances greater than 50 yards. In my last round I had a shot from 60 yards that barely cleared a water hazard, and another from 70 yards that I dumped into a sand trap in front of the green. Probably bad swings, but still wasn't expecting better contact.

But, the S is a near automatic out when in sand traps. I did find that it helps a little bit to open up the face just a fraction or so. Nothing like you would do for a normal wedge, but for whatever reason just opening up the face a little bit helped me lift the ball easily out of the hazard.

I think the S is in the bag for good. I have a 58 RTX that's currently in the dead club bag, and probably will stay there. The C is probably in the bag for awhile as well, though I still have my PW in the bag as well. My course is relatively short, so I can take out the 4 or 5 irons and not miss them much at all.

I know the clubs were targeted for higher handicap players, but they also happen to address my biggest weakness - touch shots around the green. I'm confident these two clubs will help me become a better player.

Smart Sole wedges - I'm all in.

 

[oughtoh]

I do not hit far, but my ss is great from 35 yards in and I use the C at 50 yards. Both consistent as can be. Also use the C from just off the side of the green in the longer grass. Love these clubs.

 

[BamBooBender]

I have been finding that the S is really great for hitting out of longer rough. It works really well for when you have to flop over a tree from longer grass to get to the green. It works even better for me on fulls shots from the heavy rough. With a blade style wedge I was very inconsistent with this shot. I would either hit the ball thin trying not to dig right under it, or get too much under, pop it straight up, and end up way short. The S is just easy to blast out of deep rough and pretty consistently get normal full shot distance, and likely a little more due to flyers.

 

[UncleDanger]

I hit my S a couple of times yesterday.
One was an awkward downhill lie in thick rough on a green side mound with green running away from me - hit to 10 feet! I have used this club for similar shots this year and the results have been much better than I was seeing with my traditional sand wedge last season.
Also used it to hit over a trap to a short sided pin - 6 feet.
I am starting to get a real feel for this club and finding it is saving me strokes.
Classify me as a happy customer.

 

[JB]

Good stuff Uncle Danger.
Keep us in the loop on how its working for you.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I hit several great shots with my S yesterday, including a couple to tap in range, Then I ended up on the left side of a smaillish green with a large bunker to carry and then only about 6 feet of green to work with...I am about 25 yards from the pin.....I take my Smartsole, open it slightly and hit a nice high flop that lands just in the fringe...bounces out and trickles down the hill into the center of the cup for birdie!

 

[BamBooBender]

I hit several great shots with my S yesterday, including a couple to tap in range, Then I ended up on the left side of a smaillish green with a large bunker to carry and then only about 6 feet of green to work with...I am about 25 yards from the pin.....I take my Smartsole, open it slightly and hit a nice high flop that lands just in the fringe...bounces out and trickles down the hill into the center of the cup for birdie!

Congrats on the hole out! The S saved par for me four times yesterday from around 25 and in. Mid range pitches I still haven't quite got down yet. I mean I can get on, but would like to be closer to the pin when leaving only 50- 70 to the green for an approach.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[Michigan Slice]

One thing the smart sole has done for my game is that when going for a green now that has green side bunkers.
I used to really shy away from those bunkers, now with the added confidence that I have using the smart sole a wedge, i now go for it a little more, knowing I'll be able to get out!

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I almost holed out again today... One hopped the pin for tap in par


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[UncleDanger]

I hit several great shots with my S yesterday, including a couple to tap in range, Then I ended up on the left side of a smaillish green with a large bunker to carry and then only about 6 feet of green to work with...I am about 25 yards from the pin.....I take my Smartsole, open it slightly and hit a nice high flop that lands just in the fringe...bounces out and trickles down the hill into the center of the cup for birdie!

Nice! Got to love those.

 

[ryebread]

I did some more testing with the S wedge last night at the range. On my home practice setup it has been a breeze, and that carried over again at the range (effectively a very thin lie). It's definitely the easiest wedge of that loft that I have ever hit for full shots. I really like the weight of the club -- not too heavy and not too light.

I hadn't had a really good chance to chip with it, so I went to the practice green at the end of the night. I tossed some balls into the second cut rough (say 2-3 inches deep) and could just pop them right out. I was short on time because the lights were going out, so I only hit about 6. I aimed at two different holes from about 20 yards. One rolled into one hole and another one died on the front lip of another hole. The other 4 were within striking distance to be rolled in, which I'll take any time from the rough at that distance.

I practice with a lower handicapper friend and I think he was pleasantly surprised as well. It's not a wedge that he would probably play aesthetically, but I think he thought it was a piece of cake to hit and chip with.

I don't think it generates as much spin as some other wedges I have hit. With the trajectory I was hitting last night, I was expecting to see some balls stop dead, even with range (practice) balls landing on a hardpan artificial turf surface. I do see that with my Niblick 56 and even occasionally have some back up or sidestep. I need to get this on a monitor and get some spin numbers. The numbers wouldn't deter me in any way, but I am curious from a testing perspective. I'm not good enough to let a few hundred less RPM in wedge spin impact all the other obvious benefits of the design.

The maiden voyage on the course will be this weekend. My fingers are crossed.

 

[Ole Gray]

The S wedge is a permanent fixture in my bag. It's one of my comfort clubs and makes me smile after it saves my arse from some tough green side shots into the green. I think they should come out with a gap wedge model as no doubt it would be a huge success :thumb:

 

[salisboss]

After watching the Pelz corner with sand divots I feel I need the S. Been in the back of my mind for a while. I get out of the sand pretty well but this looks like it could be a game changer.

 

[Badger_Golfer]

I was checking these out at Golfsmith today. No thanks. I cant picture a wedge with that wide of a sole being in my bag any time soon...or ever. Im all for wedges that are forgiving and help me hit the ball better, however I still want something that looks at least SOMEWHAT classic...and not ugly.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

I was checking these out at Golfsmith today. No thanks. I cant picture a wedge with that wide of a sole being in my bag any time soon...or ever. Im all for wedges that are forgiving and help me hit the ball better, however I still want something that looks at least SOMEWHAT classic...and not ugly.

I agree she's lacking in the looks department but if she helps me shoot lower numbers, I'd bag it.

 

[sabig27]

I agree Ole Gray about a Gap Wedge. Maybe around the 52/53 degree area. Cleveland, I hope you are listening. Of course, JB and Mike could answer this already. Darn rules.:bicker:

The S wedge is a permanent fixture in my bag. It's one of my comfort clubs and makes me smile after it saves my arse from some tough green side shots into the green. I think they should come out with a gap wedge model as no doubt it would be a huge success :thumb:

 

[H-SC Tiger]

I agree Ole Gray about a Gap Wedge. Maybe around the 52/53 degree area. Cleveland, I hope you are listening. Of course, JB and Mike could answer this already. Darn rules.:bicker:

I'd be interested in a 60*. I've gotten so comfortable with the "S" that I really haven't been using the "C".

 

[Jersey Nate]

I'd be interested in a 60*. I've gotten so comfortable with the "S" that I really haven't been using the "C".

Isn't the S already 58 degrees?

 

[ryebread]

I agree Ole Gray about a Gap Wedge. Maybe around the 52/53 degree area. Cleveland, I hope you are listening. Of course, JB and Mike could answer this already. Darn rules.:bicker:

Seconded (or is that really +3 here)? It seems like there's a gap between where today's gap wedge ends (49ish) and the SmartSole S is (58). It seems like there is a play for a 53ish. Heck, I'd bite.

 

[H-SC Tiger]

Yep - I'd be interested in a 60*+ option.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[mysticfalcon]

I just got a C wedge. Played 9 today and purposely used it for every shot I could. With no practice it was almost perfect close around the green but I need some practice from a little further out. It never did anything unexpected though. No deep divot holes. No bladed shots over the green. It just plain works.
I may go try the S wedge after this although I like my 588 rtx

 

[Ole Gray]

Funny you say that. I played with some buddies today and the first time I pulled the C and S wedges out they all looked at me and said "what the heck are those goofy looking clubs". I tried to explain but they couldn't get over how "different" they looked. I then proceeded to knock a beautiful flop shot over and bunker with the S wedge to 2 feet then saved par while they struggled to get on the green and putt for bogeys. Next hole I came up just short of the green with my 2nd shot, pulled the C wedge and knocked it to 2 ft again to save par. My buddies didn't think these clubs looked too goofy after that!

I say if a traditional design means that I have to sacrifice performance then I have no problem leaving tradition in the past and moving on to whatever helps me shoot lower scores.

Coming from a wise man :bomb::thumb:

 

[BamBooBender]

Funny you say that. I played with some buddies today and the first time I pulled the C and S wedges out they all looked at me and said "what the heck are those goofy looking clubs". I tried to explain but they couldn't get over how "different" they looked. I then proceeded to knock a beautiful flop shot over and bunker with the S wedge to 2 feet then saved par while they struggled to get on the green and putt for bogeys. Next hole I came up just short of the green with my 2nd shot, pulled the C wedge and knocked it to 2 ft again to save par. My buddies didn't think these clubs looked too goofy after that!

I say if a traditional design means that I have to sacrifice performance then I have no problem leaving tradition in the past and moving on to whatever helps me shoot lower scores.

Great post! It took me a while to get this point, but I agree 110%.