Wedge gapping

[Patrick Bateman]

Recently bought a set of Ping i500 irons (4-PW) so I'll be needing at least 2 other wedges given the PW loft is 45 degrees.

If you were choosing only 2 other wedges, what lofts would be a good bet?

I'm unsure on the below possibilities-

50/56- will I miss a proper LW option?
50/58- too much of a gap?
52/58- too much of a gap from the PW to the 52?

I may yet go the 3 additional wedges route but I think I quite fancy having an extra club at the top of my bag. Currently go from a Taymormade M2 3 Wood HL (16.5 degrees) to a 4 iron so I'll need to see if 1 or 2 other clubs between here would be best. Would be curious to see if someone has had a similar scenario and opted with the 2 additional wedges only.

The 50/56 makes the most sense in terms of gapping but I've never really used a 60 degree so would be good to see how handy one of them could be, especially from a tight lie when needing to stop the ball quickly.

 

[M2Giles]

I would probably do 50-56. Can bend weak if needed.

If you go Driver, 4W, 4i. If you only want to use two specialty wedges you would have space for 2 clubs between 4w and 4i. I500 4i I think is 21* so there may only be a one club gap between the 4w and 4i.

 

[Cbart]

I determined the yardage I wanted on my wedges and just bought the degree to fit those yardages. It ended up a 52 and 58.

 

[DataDude]

I would go 50 and 56 personally. I only carry a 54 as my highest though. I do not need a lob wedge so my thoughts will certainly run different than the average golfer.

 

[#troy]

I would drop a long club and add a 3rd wedge

 

[G-Man]

I play 4-PW and carry three wedges. What is at the top of the bag...

Perhaps something can be eliminated there and then get better gapping in the "scoring" clubs. I know for me top of the bag is ok we have a long way to go and need to take a chunk out of it vs wedge I want to get it really close and i would hate to have to do changes in swing and analysis on the wedges to make sure I am getting it close.

10 yards of inaccuracy means more in wedges than in the top of the bag.

 

[mpeterson]

If you lean on the LW, I'd go 50/54/58 with that setup. Gives you a gap wedge for full swings at the 50, and you can mix grinds/bounce with the 54/58 for different conditions around the green.

If not, 50/56 seems like a good place to be.

 

[JDax]

If you lean on the LW, I'd go 50/54/58 with that setup. Gives you a gap wedge for full swings at the 50, and you can mix grinds/bounce with the 54/58 for different conditions around the green.

If not, 50/56 seems like a good place to be.

Agreed- 50° 54° 58°

 

[Drumdog]

I would go with 50-56 if only 2 wedges and 50-54-58 if you want 3 wedges.

 

[Desmond]

Recently bought a set of Ping i500 irons (4-PW) so I'll be needing at least 2 other wedges given the PW loft is 45 degrees.

If you were choosing only 2 other wedges, what lofts would be a good bet?

I'm unsure on the below possibilities-

50/56- will I miss a proper LW option?
50/58- too much of a gap?
52/58- too much of a gap from the PW to the 52?

I can't do a 2 wedge option - so it's not an option.

I go Driver, 3, 5 wd, 3H or 4H, 5-PW Gap, SW, LW, Putter = 14 clubs

It's 3H or 4H depending on the course and conditions of that day.

the 50 doesn't have much of a grind to help you. It's just another iron. So you need something like this (not exactly because our swings are all different), I believe a 54 in a higher bounce (11-12) but with some grinding (I prefer a C or M Grind) to play to an effective bounce that is less than stated bounce, and a 58 in a C Grind with a mid bounce 8-10 that plays effectively as less. I've also bent a 56 to 55 to play a 55, 59, or a 54-59. I play around with it.

I say 54-58 because more studies have shown that more loft doesn't give you more spin but you rely on a higher descent angle in something like a 60 - I can open it up to get to 60-62 of loft when needed.

You are relying on your 2 highest loft wedges for versatility and for different conditions, so they may need to be a little bit different.

 

[Jman]

All about your distance (not loft) gaps and comfort with how versatile you can be.

I’m one who has a setup most here would OCD flip out over at a 46 PW, then 48/54/62, but it hits my distance and versatility gaps. I think too often we get too caught up on lofts alone.

 

[OITW]

Based on the post, I would probably go with a 49/50* then a 54/56 if you're only going with two wedges.

If you go with three wedges, could be 50/54/58 or 52/56/60

Really depends how you play your wedge game full shots partial shots etc.

 

[Joshnoble01]

All about your distance (not loft) gaps and comfort with how versatile you can be.

I’m one who has a setup most here would OCD flip out over at a 46 PW, then 48/54/62, but it hits my distance and versatility gaps. I think too often we get too caught up on lofts alone.

Do you have the same process with the bounce in your wedges? Or do you play a similar bounce because it suits your game?

 

[Guy In Lyon]

52/58- too much of a gap from the PW to the 52?

I have 46, 52, and 58 wedges, but that's mostly because I like the symmetry. It works for me but I suck.

 

[Par5zN2]

If you lean on the LW, I'd go 50/54/58 with that setup. Gives you a gap wedge for full swings at the 50, and you can mix grinds/bounce with the 54/58 for different conditions around the green.

If not, 50/56 seems like a good place to be.

I absolutely agree this this ^^^

For years of my playing we carried an iron set to PW and one sand wedge, usually a 56. Because of the length we all get with modern equipment we can lighten the load at the top of the bag and insert more wedge options; scoring clubs.

 

[scott.french3]

A lot depends on the gaping you want and the distances realized from your i500 and your proposed wedges. Variables such as head design and shafts can result in gap differences than might be different than assumed based solely on loft. You can start with loft differences but may need to tweak loft if the gaps are different than you want.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Thanks for the suggestions and input.

I won't be rushing in to anything so the main thing will be getting the gap between 3 wood and 4 iron sorted than see where I'm at regarding 2 vs. 3.

 

[Raiderboost]

I think as @Jman and other have said, start with getting the correct gapping from you pw to the next wedge. Then proceed to gap from that wedge to the 2nd wedge with a distance you want. If your comfortable easing off of of the 1st wedge then you might have a little more gap between the 2 wedges. Personally I would much rather ease off the 2nd wedge than the first.

When getting fitted for the Titleist Vokey Experience, I hit my 9i then pw and then found the first wedge. My PW is 43* so I ended up with a 48* bent to 49*. With the next gap I was fit into a 54* which I uses for most every shot 110 and in. I also have a 58* but I use that mainly for bunker shots, flop shots, or to short sided pins. I could play with just the 49* and 54* and be fine as I could always open up a 54*.

 

[Tywithay]

I'm weird I guess, because I have two 52* wedges with completely different sole designs. One for full swing and one is better for chipping. Never really got along with high lofted wedges.

 

[Desmond]

Thanks for the suggestions and input.

I won't be rushing in to anything so the main thing will be getting the gap between 3 wood and 4 iron sorted than see where I'm at regarding 2 vs. 3.

5 wood at 42 inches. There you go, now decide on the wedges.

 

[ShanksaloT]

I would go 50/56 and get a grind which you can open up.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

5 wood at 42 inches. There you go, now decide on the wedges.

I'd like to actually see the distances I hit the 3 wood and the 4 iron first. The irons are new to me, the 4 iron is the same loft as my old 3 iron but will still go further than the 20 year old Maxfli Revolutions. How much further I don't know.

I've also never had much of a go with hybrids either so would like to try.

 

[Desmond]

I'd like to actually see the distances I hit the 3 wood and the 4 iron first. The irons are new to me, the 4 iron is the same loft as my old 3 iron but will still go further than the 20 year old Maxfli Revolutions. How much further I don't know.

I've also never had much of a go with hybrids either so would like to try.

Well, you got me. I don't do 4i at the moment. Tried it on the LM with my instructor with a Recoil 95 in a HMP and my instructor said - "your contact will have to be perfect." lol. That's why I use a 3h or 4h.