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How Do You Test Wedges?

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JB

JB

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The question is exactly how it sounds. Before you buy your wedges, how do you go about testing them? What are you looking for?
 
I don't think I've ever "tested" a wedge before. I've always gone with looks and how confident I feel with the club in my hand. May sound silly but i think it works for me
 
In all honesty, with every wedge I have owned, I have not ever tested before buying.

Really interested to hear how everyone evaluates a wedge before the purchase.
 
I hit 'em. I want to feel the ball off the face and how the lie angle fits me.
 
Typically at my local demo day. I can hit then out on the range from the grass
 
PhillyV said:
I don't think I've ever "tested" a wedge before. I've always gone with looks and how confident I feel with the club in my hand. May sound silly but i think it works for me
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I'm the same traditionally dude. Only this year have I done what I can to really try and educate myself on grind and bounces to know what I really need in a wedge. Now it's just lots of research and hopefully finding some one with one that I can try outside.
 
This may be why I've own quite a few wedge sets over the past couple seasons, but I have to like the looks first but I have to play multiple rounds on the course. It's the expensive way to do it lol.
 
For my new wedges the pro grabbed a bunch from the shop, masked them (so I couldn't tell what I was hitting), and we went to the chipping green to test them. I hit a variety of shots, from close, tight lies to deep rough, to some 50 yarders, and out of bunkers. I picked the ones that I liked the best in terms of overall feel.

When they were unmasked it turned out to be the new version of what I've been hitting most of the last 15 years. I don't think that was any coincidence.

Edit: I have no clue what the grind or bounce on the clubs are. I went purely on feel. My WITB was me just copying what is written on the club.
 
I grab one on the rack and hit little pitch shots into the sim and buy what feels best and has the lofts I'm looking for. They don't let me hit full shots because of the loft and unless you belong to a club and they have a great demo program there is no where to test live bullets.
 
Jman said:
I'm the same traditionally dude. Only this year have I done what I can to really try and educate myself on grind and bounces to know what I really need in a wedge. Now it's just lots of research and hopefully finding some one with one that I can try outside.
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See the bounce to me was just another number stamped on the club head. It wasn't until THP that I realized what that meant. I still don't have a solid idea what bounce works for me or what grind works for me lol in fact I couldn't tell you honestly without looking what the bounce is on all my wedges. Hell I only know the grind on the SM5 because it's stamped on it lol
 
I'm supposed to test them ?

I just buy the ones that have the colors I like best. I wish I was exaggerating.
 
JB said:
The question is exactly how it sounds. Before you buy your wedges, how do you go about testing them? What are you looking for?
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Funny you should ask because I just went through this today. I just took them in a simulator and played a bunch of different shots and relied on feel. I went to a place that offers a guarantee so I will take them on the course and put them through the paces. With a 54* I look for center face contact on full swings and turf interaction since I use it mostly on fairways. With a 58* I will take it straight to the sand and see what is what. I like to go a little higher bounce on a 58 and lower bounce on a 54*.
 
I'm guilty of not testing. Then again, I haven't bought a set of wedges in years. If I were to test, I'd do all kinds of swings with the LM, then either demo one for a few rounds or buy one on a 30 day return program. And I'd check out the THP feedback.
 
Hmm, interesting when I think about it. I have never once 'tested' a wedge. I simply go out and buy one or two and see how it fits my game on the course. Of course it's usually the next iteration of Callaway wedges I'm buying. I'm also a big fan of a heel/toe grind and it helps that the C sole is always a stock option.
 
I try to hit a demo day of sorts for the wedges, they are pretty important clubs. I look for a nice blend of variable bounces and looks, I open my wedges up a touch on almost every shot and how they interact with the turf is huge, I want high bounce and a smallish footprint, very similar to the Tour Trusty.
 
For me it usually comes down to if I like the look at address, the head weight and swing weight.
 
I don't really, mostly base off looks, which inspires confidence, which i think are the most important aspect of wedge play at my level (same as a putter). I usually only buy one, and if I like it i'll by another or two. In my current case, I got a monster deal at over 50% off msrp, figured what they hey, and they've worked out tremendously. My wedge play right now is the best aspect of my game, ironically.
 
I have never tested wedges. Just find something that suits my eye and see how it goes from there.
 
I either hit them at demo day for general feel then get the pro at my driving range to let me hit his demos at the chipping area. I get fit for right lie and bounce. I use the chipping areas to see reaction around the green. Other than the year I played SM4s I have played and continue to play Cleveland sor for me it's more about the lie/bounce. A lot of people don't consider bounce, in the Md/VA/DC are most courses golfers only need standard bounce unless their swing or the type of shots they play dictate something different.
 
I don't test them but weight is important. I like a heavier feeling wedge. However I took a flyer on my J40 based on reviews from THP and I love it.
 
This is a good question many probably don't think when acquiring wedges. As I got more into the game people stressed the importance of grinds, bounces and what not. i felt left in the dark. As far as how i acquire wedges I tend to notice the grooves, look at approach, then the overall weight of the club. Ive come to realize my cg 16's may not be best for me and i wish i had tested wedges at a demo day. They leave a lot to be desired with some shots.
 
Three simple words: will they rust?

Honestly, though, I got some samples and tried some green side shots and that was about it for the MD2s I've got right now. I liked the weight, look, and feel more than the set wedges and that was that. I deferred to my fitter for grind and bounce based on what would work best in the Carolinas, as well as what was available for grind options. Worked out pretty well. I eventually found my 75 yard shot.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5
 
I go to demo days and I try them around the greens chipping from a fairway length grass and then I also hit some from the rough. I want to see how the weight effects me making good contact and I also use my own golf balls to see how well I can get the ball to check up from the fairway or the rough. Trying them from different lies helps me see how versatile they may be
 
I've got to like the look, then it's check for swingweight (not a number, just do I feel good swinging it).
Probably most important, while I know perilous little about grinds, I need to be able to open the clubface and not get an immediate sense I'll skull everything I hit like that.

I've hit the odd wedge at Demo Days, but there's really nowhere to put a selection through the paces around here.
 
For me how it feels, looks at adress. Second how the turf interaction is, as I like to open and close the face this is vital. Last part would be looks it is semi important, usally like a darker shade.
 
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