Wedges: Bounce or Grind

[OITW]

What’s more important for you when selecting new wedges?

Do you go with Bounce before Grind or vice versa?

50°- 56° I’ll go Bounce option before grind, but 58° - 60° I’ll go Grind, just based on my uses.

If your OEM of choice offers both, let’s say they didn’t.

 

[Stemmy66]

roll....... bounce
Bounce is more important to me.... most of the year west coast ground is firm

 

[PKorf]

Bounce. Gotta have what I’m looking for before I even think about grind options

 

[Tevenor]

Bounce. Pretty sure I attribute a majority of my wedge issues to off-the-shelf bounce options.

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[CBaker]

Bounce is more important than grind by far IMO. Grinds are an awesome feature to bring to the masses, but bounce is far more important to me.

 

[6ixOhFore]

Bounce is very important for me as per my angle of attack. Lately I have been reading more into what makes the wedge more playable

 

[The Milk Man]

I am not sure I could separate bounce from grind. To me they work in concert. In order to use the wedge properly one needs both the correct bounce and grind. One without the another leads to a less than optimal setup IMO.

 

[PKorf]

I am not sure I could separate bounce from grind. To me they work in concert. In order to use the wedge properly one needs both the correct bounce and grind. One without the another leads to a less than optimal setup IMO.

This is the correct response. Not even sure I could pick one without the other. That being said I’m not heading out looking for a certain grind unless it comes in my preferred but UNC. ?

 

[OITW]

roll....... bounce
Bounce is more important to me.... most of the year west coast ground is firm

But Bounce would still factor in if you moved to say a local with softer conditions, would that change your priority

Bounce. Pretty sure I attribute a majority of my wedge issues to off-the-shelf bounce options.

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Is it a combination, if you’re playing off the shelf that is both? Most OEMs offer

Bounce is more important than grind by far IMO. Grinds are an awesome feature to bring to the masses, but bounce is far more important to me.

What bounce is ideal for

Bounce is very important for me as per my angle of attack. Lately I have been reading more into what makes the wedge more playable

What’s your Angle of Attack and what Bounce are you looking for? Has your angle changed recently?

I am not sure I could separate bounce from grind. To me they work in concert. In order to use the wedge properly one needs both the correct bounce and grind. One without the another leads to a less than optimal setup IMO.

Haha but if you were picking up a wedge and it only had loft and bounce on it or grind and loft on it which one would you grab first?

 

[greg19]

I usually just buy a wedge by loft. Never really gave a thought as to bounce or grind with the exception of Miura K Grind but only because I like the look. My gw and pw usually come as part of the set so I just use that. My only other wedge is a 58* but I very rarely take full swings with it and mainly use it to chip around the greens and over bunkers. No idea what the bounce or grind is on it though.

 

[OITW]

I usually just buy a wedge by loft. Never really gave a thought as to bounce or grind with the exception of Miura K Grind but only because I like the look. My gw and pw usually come as part of the set so I just use that. My only other wedge is a 58* but I very rarely take full swings with it and mainly use it to chip around the greens and over bunkers. No idea what the bounce or grind is on it though.

If you had to replace the 58° and went into a store, would you care what the bounce on the sole said or if it had the name of the grind? Or would you be content replacing the 58° with another one?

 

[greg19]

If you had to replace the 58° and went into a store, would you care what the bounce on the sole said or if it had the name of the grind? Or would you be content replacing the 58° with another one?

I would honestly just grab a 58* that looked best to my eye and just live with whatever bounce and grind it happened to be.

 

[CBaker]

What bounce is ideal for

I’ll guess that you’re trying to ask what bounce is ideal for me, so I’ll answer that one and relate it back to why grinds don’t matter as much.

for bounce, I typically would look for a more standard bounce of 10-12* in both my gap and sand wedges. This is because these clubs get swung harder than my lob wedge, so I just want the bounce to mimic mostly what short irons would. For my lob wedge though I want low. I think I’ve played anywhere from 4-8* here, and I’m good in that range.

for grinds though, while I like an aggressive grind on my lob wedge so I can open it up easier, I’ve played a few different grinds at low bounces and I’m able to play confidently enough with all of them. On the flip side I’ve tried a high bounce lob wedge before and have never skulled more wedge shots in my life. Whether it was a look at address or the actual bounce I’m not sure, but it was bad.

 

[The Milk Man]

Haha but if you were picking up a wedge and it only had loft and bounce on it or grind and loft on it which one would you grab first?

I would look for a manufacturer that provide both bounce and grind. If that was absolutely not an option. Then I am going with bounce. If the wedge has the correct bounce I can usually grind the sole to fit my need. Being lefty and not always having all the options, I have become pretty good at grinding. I have also ordered wedges in the past at the wrong loft and then bent the loft to get desired bounce.

The most important club for me to get correct is the 60° as I use it almost exclusively on all shots inside of 70 yds. Wide soles and high bounce is my standard. Vokey K and D grinds usually fit the bill. If used properly one should be able to use high bounce from any lie and helps eliminate digging the leading edge. The 52° and 56° are more full swing clubs so moderate bounce and sole relief. As long as I can knock down the 52° and 56°. Then I am good with those clubs.

 

[DataDude]

Bounce should be first for anyone. The bounce has to match your approach or the club will never work for you. Grind just adds versatility IMO. You either play the wedge at different angles or you don't. If you don't then you need the flat grind, if you do you need some other variation of grind.

 

[Jman]

Bounce should be first for anyone. The bounce has to match your approach or the club will never work for you. Grind just adds versatility IMO. You either play the wedge at different angles or you don't. If you don't then you need the flat grind, if you do you need some other variation of grind.

Ding ding ding.

 

[Kenomikes]

Bounce is my friend!

 

[Tenputt]

Bounce is my first consideration, but I cannot completely look at the two separately. A wide low grind is a very unique setup that works well for me and I think both aspects work in concert to help me be successful.

 

[Templet0n]

Ding ding ding.

To add to this, regardless of your playing conditions. I think that most do "not" play enough bounce. I know I have been guilty of this.

To add to the discussion. It is sad that wedges are probably the hardest to fit, least understood clubs in most players bags, and they may be the most important.

To really understand a wedge you need to play them outside, in real conditions, under playing stress. It is just not possible 99.99% of the time. You cannot grab a new wedge go out and hit chips pitches, bunker shots, in mud, off hardpan etc, then say no thanks to a wedges you just ruined for a retailer to sell. So we look at wedges online, we pick the one that we read or someone posted a review that had the absolute most spin. We pick the most in vogue grind that begins with a letter and think that will work. We walk into a store and say that one and walk out.

 

[Jman]

To add to this, regardless of your playing conditions. I think that most do "not" play enough bounce. I know I have been guilty of this.

To add to the discussion. It is sad that wedges are probably the hardest to fit, least understood clubs in most players bags, and they may be the most important.

To really understand a wedge you need to play them outside, in real conditions, under playing stress. It is just not possible 99.99% of the time. You cannot grab a new wedge go out and hit chips pitches, bunker shots, in mud, off hardpan etc, then say no thanks to a wedges you just ruined for a retailer to sell. So we look at wedges online, we pick the one that we read or someone posted a review that had the absolute most spin. We pick the most in vogue grind that begins with a letter and think that will work. We walk into a store and say that one and walk out.

I would actually say most don't know how to properly USE the bounce.

 

[wubears71]

Bounce then Grind. Normally the bounce then dictates the grind in my case.

 

[Templet0n]

I would actually say most don't know how to properly USE the bounce.

That is very true as well.

 

[wubears71]

I would actually say most don't know how to properly USE the bounce.

Agreed. I play with so many that forward press the wedge so much that they are eliminating the benefits of bounce.

 

[Templet0n]

Agreed. I play with so many that forward press the wedge so much that they are eliminating the benefits of bounce.

There are times for that and there are times that bounce is needed. I guess you could say most do not understand bounce and the benefits of it. While I feel I understand it more than others, I could for sure use more education on bounce, grinds, and how to use it..

 

[KY Golfer]

This is one of the most confusing things for me. Mainly because I need to learn more about it. I always usually just choose whatever is for the most players.