Maybe grinds that work better in the sand and in softer / wetter conditions
Callaway JAWS Raw Wedges
league night I struggle with a couple portions of my game and they were all of the short variety.. this was nothing to do with the wedges… my touch is the last thing that comes back at the start of the season… I had a couple good chips but more decelerating chunks…also trying to get used to using a 58 around the green rather than a 60.
If I can get some practice in I think I will like it more but for now just taking it one step at a time
If I can get some practice in I think I will like it more but for now just taking it one step at a time
Ugh, the dreaded chunk!!! Hopefully you get some work in and get that touch back quickly!
Ya just lack of confidence right now, but love the potential these wedges have.
The hardest thing for me right now is trying to put things into play that lessons are trying to teach while on mats, and have it translate to on turf.
Hopefully I can avoid shank city to start the year!
No arguing my wedge play has been light years better this year from last year. Definitely been taking advantage of shorter pitch shots. In the past there was a pretty high chance I skull or chunk one but I‘ve been hitting the greens with my 54 and 58 S grind alot. I get a lot of spin out of them so I don’t have much concern about a roll out. Over the weekend the 54 had a 100% GIR from 50 yards and in from the fairway. The 58 should have had this as well but a flier came out of the rough weird. The wedges just seem to pick it right off the ground and get into the air with very little effort.
I struggled over the winter, as I always do, with chips and partial shots. There is no grass underneath the ball and it's usually soft, so the club just digs into the ground. Now that we have grass growing in, I'm not such a disaster around the greens.
Had two really good shots today with the 54* S Grind from the fairway that I put about 3 feet from the pin from about 105 out. Starting to see the wedge game get into shape and excited for the rest of the season.
It is quite the difference going to real grass vs the yuck or mats. Great shots.
Thank you. I really struggled over the winter so I'm stoked to see some good shots finally and being able to clip the chips around the green like I want.
The 58 wedge has become my favorite bunker wedge. There has been a bit of learning curve though as it really gets a lot of distance out of the bunker. Theres been a few fliers as result but I’ve started swinging easier and been pretty great out of the greenside bunkers. Definitely a good feeling knowing you can confidently hit a solid bunker shot around the greens. I had 4/4 out of bunker into a good up and down situation today. Didn’t seal the deal on all of them but atleast the opportunity was there.
The 54°S is my default bunker club, the 58°J comes into play when I have a high face to get up and over, or am shortsided. My bunker technique isn't the best and needs a lot of work, but the wedges are more than up to the task and give me great results when I hold up my end of the deal. Our bunkers vary from damp and packed in the morning, to soft and powdery later in the day, the Jaws Raw work equally well in either as long as you adapt your swing to the conditions.
After a first hole dumpster fire of approach shots, that ended up taking 4 shots to get onto the green from 50 yards (mainly from burying the wedge into very soft turf), I put that out of my head going into the second hole.
From that second hole on, the primary choice over the course of the remaining 17 holes was the Jaws Raw 58* wedge. Not typically a wedge I would pull in those areas, with a 54 usually being the choice in years past, on the advice of my instructor I was urged to try and go after more pins with some new wedge techniques.
I think it definitely paid off, with having numerous first putts within a much smaller radius than normal. Maybe even more reassuring was knowing that with some of the work we had put in over the offseason, that I was much more comfortable using the 58* from 60 yards and in. Usually I would be hitting something like a partial approach wedge, and wanting more roll out, but the 58 was allowing for more flight into the hole and less roll out.
Weirdly over the years I had shied away from going after pins more, even shorter pitches I would opt for scenarios that guarded against the chunk/thin more often, and had resulted more to bump and runs to try and be more aggressive.
All in all, for a first time outdoors this year, I thought short game was the most successful area of the game during the round. Very few shots that left me thinking "what the hell happened there". A welcome start to the year, when other aspects of the game left me with far more concern lol.
From that second hole on, the primary choice over the course of the remaining 17 holes was the Jaws Raw 58* wedge. Not typically a wedge I would pull in those areas, with a 54 usually being the choice in years past, on the advice of my instructor I was urged to try and go after more pins with some new wedge techniques.
I think it definitely paid off, with having numerous first putts within a much smaller radius than normal. Maybe even more reassuring was knowing that with some of the work we had put in over the offseason, that I was much more comfortable using the 58* from 60 yards and in. Usually I would be hitting something like a partial approach wedge, and wanting more roll out, but the 58 was allowing for more flight into the hole and less roll out.
Weirdly over the years I had shied away from going after pins more, even shorter pitches I would opt for scenarios that guarded against the chunk/thin more often, and had resulted more to bump and runs to try and be more aggressive.
All in all, for a first time outdoors this year, I thought short game was the most successful area of the game during the round. Very few shots that left me thinking "what the hell happened there". A welcome start to the year, when other aspects of the game left me with far more concern lol.
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Wedge game is so important and since moving into the Jaws Raw, I’ve never knew just how much of a weapon that area of the bag could be. I have the 54 & 58* wedges dialed in to the point any time I have one of the wedges in hand I know I’m going to have a putt inside of 10’. That trend continued today and the guys I was playing with said you just need to get into wedge distance on every hole and walk away with a one putt.
I love how the raw wedges are coloring up a bit as it adds flavor.
I love how the raw wedges are coloring up a bit as it adds flavor.
You're close to the coast and the salt air, those wedges should patina up in no time! What wedges were you playing before the Jaws Raw?
Mack Daddy
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What grinds are you playing?
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
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- 88,960
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- Handicap
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54X and 58J. I have been very impressed with the 58J Full Toe grind because at first I cringed at the sight of it. Now it the club I gravitate to pulling out of the bag any time I need a wedge in hand.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
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- 75,181
- Reaction score
- 88,960
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
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- 11.9
I’ll grab a picture of them when I get out in the garage. Prior to these I had a mishmash of wedges in the bag…Vokey, Homna, and a J40.
Now I’m squared away with some Callaway goodies! I’m thinking about adding another wedge, but just not sure where I’m leaning.
I just had some patina show up on my 58*. I wiped them down after most shots and especially if they are wet. I will grab a photo next time I'm out.I’ll grab a picture of them when I get out in the garage. Prior to these I had a mishmash of wedges in the bag…Vokey, Homna, and a J40.
Now I’m squared away with some Callaway goodies! I’m thinking about adding another wedge, but just not sure where I’m leaning.
I've mentioned it here recently, but I am so glad the grass is growing in now that winter is over. The bare lies were brutal over the winter with the dormant bermuda. I am starting to see how good these wedges are around the green and longer shots. I am not having any issues clipping even on the tighter lies and able to open up the face of my 58* Z grind.
Talk to me about the J Grind, how are you finding it for versatility? You play different grasses/conditions than I do, I'm interested to hear how it's working for you. Do you play mostly square face wedge shots, or do you open/close the face to play different kinds of shots with it?
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
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That is one thing I have noticed...no digging or chunking with my wedges. I probably just jinxed myself, but these are so good even off tight lies. The course my league play is at has tight lies all over the place. The confidence I have with these in hand allow me to not focus on what the outcome is going to be.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 75,181
- Reaction score
- 88,960
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
Oh my goodness the versatility is off the charts. In the past I around the green I would use a 54* for anything outside of a bunker shot and that was what I used my 58* for. I can't tell you the last time I have chipped with a 54* around the green. The J Grind has allowed me to open the club up and throw the ball closer to the hole knowing that it is going to stop quickly. Or if I want to close and square the face up for a low runner I am going to get two skips and the ball is going to check up. Have I used the grooves out towards the toe...absolutely and was done on purpose as it allows me deaden the impact and distance with a draw based flight pattern.