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Wedges

4 wedge in the bag: PW (45°)/52°/56°/60° - I know my yardages with each of them on a full swing and it makes everything from 120y and in a lot easier + it gives me a hell of a lot of versatility around the greens...
If I took out a wedge to make space at the upper end of my bag I honestly wouldn't know what to add...
 
Den60 said:
OK, I carry four a PW (44), Gap Wedge (50), SW (55) and LW (60). Today a guy I know who is a scratch golfer told me that was too many, he carries just a PW and SW and has learned how to adjust distances with them. He says I am thinking too much. I really can't hit my long irons so the only penalty I get from carrying 4 wedges is whether I carry a 3 wood and 2 hybrids or 3 hybrids (right now it is the latter because my 3W hasn't been very good for me lately). I love my LW when I am around the greens because I can get it up (and I'm over 50) and it lands soft (OK I'm over 50) so when I don't have a lot of green to "work with" this club seems to fit the bill. My SW I like in the sand and rough though in compacted sand I go with the 60. I bought the 50 GW just because I had a rather large gap between my PW and my SW. I have been overly reliant on my LW around the green and I have discovered that my 50 gives me the same comfort level as my 60 but with more roll so I am now using it more when I need the ball to roll out more.

So, the first question is am I thinking too much and the second is what do y'all have in terms of wedges in your bag?
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A couple things: I like your wedge setup, and if it works for you then definitely stick with it. Your scratch buddy may have a higher lofted PW which may help to minimize the gap. Going from a 44* PW to a 55* would be too much IMO. It would almost be the equivalent of taking your 6i and 7i out of the bag, and having to make due with a 5i and 8i (extreme example, but best way I can describe it). I wouldn't say you're overthinking it (I think we call do that with our clubs/bag setup and it shows a thoughtful commitment to getting better), but from what you've posted it looks like you have a good reason for all of your wedges and you like where they sit in the bag. I wouldn't mess with it.

My wedge setup is PW (48) GW (52) SW (56) LW (60) and I like it a lot. I personally believe you should look at the wedge of your PW and go up in increments of 4-5* to the highest lofted wedge you feel comfortable hitting. I'd much rather have a gap at the long end of my bag than in the short game.
 
Earlier this year I only had 46 degree PW, 52 SW, 58 Lob Wedge. The ~20 yard gaps were not good for me though. I was carrying a 4hy that I never hit so dropped it and went to 46/50/54/58. I'm hitting more greens than I was, even though it was a pretty minor change. When I was trying to take 15 yards off my PW or SW I'd often come up even shorter and turn what should have been a good chance at birdie into a chip-and-putt to save par. I know other people who are very consistent taking half or 3/4 swings with various clubs to hit certain yardages so 2 wedges works but it's not something I can do right now.
 
I still don't get how one can consider pw, gw, sw, as anything else but part of a basic iron set which follows suit in basic gapping as well as offering a sand characteristic which of course is still nothing but standard and basic anyway. Just because they carry the name "wedge" doesn't imo add them as though anything extra or anything special nor to imply that one is now carrying 3 wedges as though they are outside the norms of a set. The pw and gw are imo really simply the same as a would be 10 and 11 iron following suit after the 9.

So a person decides to then carry a LW (which imo is the only extra or special club outside of the norm) and the thought by another is then to say "wow, you have too many wedges"? Its really a very misguided thought there imo.

as for overthinking around the greens. One who overthinks can overthink just as much without a lw. One can use any number of clubs around the green anyway. And still overthink or be undecided what to do for a given short shot or greenside shot. I mean sw, gw, 9i, pw, 8i,7 whatever, heck even putter and I've see people including Bubba use a driver to chip.. Sometimes there are a few ways one may chose from for a shot even without a lw. On many occasions there are very often at least two ways. So the overthinking (if that's what one does) will not really stop just because one doesn't carry a lw. On the other hand that lw may be the very best option or even the only real option for a given shot which one wouldn't have if he didn't then carry the club. But regardless , a lw doesn't make it as though one now has too many wedges. Imo that's a wrong statement when simply based on the fact the other clubs carry a wedge name. Doesn't mean anything and is just a name. When thought of this way, perhaps that fact in itself helps to simplify some of ones overthinking.
 
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It comes down to the number of shots you need the club for. If you find it more often than not you're needing a long club than your wedge then perhaps it's time to swap. Otherwise just try using different wedges for the shots you are looking for, perhaps you would find a way to be more versatile with less wedges. I've certainly tried and found that I'd rather have all my wedges than a long club I use once a round.
 
I carry four wedges and they PW, 50*'54*, and 60*. If I where to drop a wedge it would be the 50* because I rarely hit it. I love my 54* and my 60*. My thought would be, if I drop a wedge, what club would I add and I have no idea what club I would add. My setup is locked.
 
rollin said:
I still don't get how one can consider pw, gw, sw, as anything else but part of a basic iron set which follows suit in basic gapping as well as offering a sand characteristic which of course is still nothing but standard and basic anyway. Just because they carry the name "wedge" doesn't imo add them as though anything extra or anything special nor to imply that one is now carrying 3 wedges as though they are outside the norms of a set. The pw and gw are imo really simply the same as a would be 10 and 11 iron following suit after the 9.

So a person decides to then carry a LW (which imo is the only extra or special club outside of the norm) and the thought by another is then to say "wow, you have too many wedges"? Its really a very misguided thought there imo.

as for overthinking around the greens. One who overthinks can overthink just as much without a lw. One can use any number of clubs around the green anyway. And still overthink or be undecided what to do for a given short shot or greenside shot. I mean sw, gw, 9i, pw, 8i,7 whatever, heck even putter and I've see people including Bubba use a driver to chip.. Sometimes there are a few ways one may chose from for a shot even without a lw. On many occasions there are very often at least two ways. So the overthinking (if that's what one does) will not really stop just because one doesn't carry a lw. On the other hand that lw may be the very best option or even the only real option for a given shot which one wouldn't have if he didn't then carry the club. But regardless , a lw doesn't make it as though one now has too many wedges. Imo that's a wrong statement when simply based on the fact the other clubs carry a wedge name. Doesn't mean anything and is just a name. When thought of this way, perhaps that fact in itself helps to simplify some of ones overthinking.
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I really want to take the time to fully analyze what you say here about overthinking. :D
 
I can't say it any better than the master of the short game.

 
I carry 4 including the 45 and 50 degree XR Pro set wedges. Right now I'm carrying Wilson Staff TC 54* and 60* to round out my wedges. I have so many approach shots from 90-140 yards that I really like having 4 full shot distances in that 50 gap. My normal full swing distances are 138, 125, 110, and 90. When I played 100+ rounds a year before kids I didn't need 4 wedges because my touch was better but I really don't have any long clubs I would want to add to my set so I'm guessing it will always be 4 wedges for me until my club head speed slows down.
 
Den60 said:
I really want to take the time to fully analyze what you say here about overthinking. :D
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hahaha, :)
over thinking can occur around the greens with an extra club or not because too often their can be other choices of a few different clubs anyway. I often go through such thinking as for "do I want to run it more, or fly it more" based on the layout in front of me. And than once decided now its which club to use? And many times I get the shot correct but wrong distance because I didn't go up and view the slope from a better angle. But sometimes that's due to laziness and also sometimes just for sake of pace.
 
i am a long iron hitter and need extra wedges to fill gaps. I game 5* gaps at 45(PW) 50, 55 and 60. I would never play with less than 4 wedges. Like it has been mentioned, with clubs going farther we need to compensate with wedges for the short game. As an example- I'm a full 3 clubs longer than my dad. My 50* wedge at 140 yards is the same as his 8 iron. If I only carried 2 wedges I wouldn't have full swing shots from 95-140 yards.....this would be bad!
 
TYork said:
i am a long iron hitter and need extra wedges to fill gaps. I game 5* gaps at 45(PW) 50, 55 and 60. I would never play with less than 4 wedges. Like it has been mentioned, with clubs going farther we need to compensate with wedges for the short game. As an example- I'm a full 3 clubs longer than my dad. My 50* wedge at 140 yards is the same as his 8 iron. If I only carried 2 wedges I wouldn't have full swing shots from 95-140 yards.....this would be bad!
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and that is why the word wedge is misleading and just a name (or number). The could have left the pw alone along with the sw and instead of adding a gw between them we would be hitting a 10iron between the 9 and the p. Or perhaps they would have still called it a gw or perhaps an aw if not a 10i. It really doesn't matter or mean anything when trying to put a limit or a count on the amount of wedges in ones bag. Its just not relevant imo.
 
OK, so let's say a high handicapper such as myself is looking at wedges. Currently, I'm playing with a PW and a SW. My current way of thinking is, with the short distances I hit, only using the SW for sand, or deep rough right around the greens, and the PW/7-iron for bump and runs for everything else, why would I need the 4-wedge set? I'm never against getting clubs, but don't want to spend needless money. (Or more needless money, since I have done so many, many times.)
 
Hamfist said:
OK, so let's say a high handicapper such as myself is looking at wedges. Currently, I'm playing with a PW and a SW. My current way of thinking is, with the short distances I hit, only using the SW for sand, or deep rough right around the greens, and the PW/7-iron for bump and runs for everything else, why would I need the 4-wedge set? I'm never against getting clubs, but don't want to spend needless money. (Or more needless money, since I have done so many, many times.)
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Around the green, I'm generally with you. I don't use that many clubs around the greens. But think about full and partial shots from inside 125 (that's Cleveland's new marketing campaign number but it mostly is true for me). We start dialing in very specific distances and having different types of shots available to us with the different clubs. I find that very valuable, especially in comparison to say my 3h which I hit maybe 1 time per round.
 
Hamfist said:
OK, so let's say a high handicapper such as myself is looking at wedges. Currently, I'm playing with a PW and a SW. My current way of thinking is, with the short distances I hit, only using the SW for sand, or deep rough right around the greens, and the PW/7-iron for bump and runs for everything else, why would I need the 4-wedge set? I'm never against getting clubs, but don't want to spend needless money. (Or more needless money, since I have done so many, many times.)
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it's all personal preference really. I employ 4 wedges because around the greens I've developed shots I can make with all of them. Flops, bump and runs, chips etc. I use a different loft depending on the situation I'm in to try and get it as close as I can.
 
I have 4 wedges,my set pw which is 47,another that is 48,54 and finally 58. I like the options I have with every since one as they are multiuse. I would rather have more clubs at the short end then the long but that is me. #Own125.

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Hamfist said:
OK, so let's say a high handicapper such as myself is looking at wedges. Currently, I'm playing with a PW and a SW. My current way of thinking is, with the short distances I hit, only using the SW for sand, or deep rough right around the greens, and the PW/7-iron for bump and runs for everything else, why would I need the 4-wedge set? I'm never against getting clubs, but don't want to spend needless money. (Or more needless money, since I have done so many, many times.)
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But you need to also view this from a different angle. As I've mentioned imo we cant just think of these wedges as some sort of special club. If you are playing with a newer set of clubs the gap between your pw and sw for full shots should be significant and therefore requiring a gw to go inbetween. This is nothing to do with shorty touchy stuff around the greens. This is just for a natural (for lack of a better word) progression in yardage gaps for making regular shots. No different than an 8iron sitting between your 7 and 9. The gw would sit just the same between your pw and sw within perhaps 4 or 5 degree or perhaps 6 degree increments. Its really just part of completing a basic set of clubs. That part of it is not about special greenside wedge shots as that in itself is another thing different. That's where one may want to add another wedge or 2 higher lofted than the sw. And some people even do that while also following suit along with the lofts and gaps.

Lob wedges are not so easy to hit at first and many people don't carry any nor do you have to. But your sw (regardless of your distances) could also be used for regular full shots as most people do. Simply being the next club shorter than your pw or at least until you may get a gw and than its simply the next club shorter than your gw.

But here again the word wedge used in the name- gw imo just almost automatically comes with over thought as though something special when its really just a filler between two clubs just like any other iron in ones set.
 
Nate said:
I can't say it any better than the master of the short game.

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Great video! I think he is right on with everything. Thanks for posting!
 
kb1042 said:
Great video! I think he is right on with everything. Thanks for posting!
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It is a good vid imo too.
I've thought of adding something in addition to my 60 but I just don't know where else I would pull a club from. I already made changes when I added my 60.
I carry Dr, 3w, 3h,4h, 5 thru sw, and my 60LW.
I removed my 5w for the 3h. The only option I would have is removing either my 5iron or 3w and I don't think I really want to do that. I do use all my clubs enough to warrant them.

If I were to ever remain always coinsistent from the tee I could probably rid myself of the 5iron. But while I am great from the tee in some rounds I will struggle in others and then the 5iron gets a lot of use due to missed tee shots. And its also used to punch out from undesirable locations too. My3w is not used too often from the fiarways but is used more often with layup tee shots. So I wiould be stuck to try to fit another wedge at this time. perhaps as my game changes for whatever reasons I then may be able to make chsnges to the bag so for now it stays with just one lw.
 
I don't think its a big deal. If you are using the wedges and have enough room in the bag... who cares.

I currently have a PW (46), 52 and a 58. I am going to add a 50 and bend my current 52 to 54 to help my gaps. Right now I take 3/4-full swings with my PW to help the gap from 46 to 52. However, I have enough room in the bag so...why not, I will add another wedge and try it out.

I think you're fine.
 
i'm having wedge debate right now as well. currently carrying set PW, 52, 54, 2x56, 58. I think I'll end up with set PW, 54 and 58. I would agree that you don't necessarily need a different club for different shots around the green. should be able to hood or open up your clubs to give you the versatility you need.. I'm about to pull at least 3 wedges out of the bag.

I'm also going to back to basics and using PW anytime i have enough green and no trouble between me and the green. I'm even chipping with 8i when I can to take the loft variable out of the equation.

after watching the Pelz vid, makes sense to carry more scoring clubs.. maybe I'll add a low bounce 52 to complement my strong 56
 
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I don't think you are over thinking at all. The short game is all about vein comfortable, and being able to repeat swings and the balls reaction. If 4 wedges make you more secure then so be it.
What works for him might be a disaster for you.
In moving forward and you are not using a particular club then eliminate it. If a teaching professional was reviewing your game on course and thought your techniques could be cleaned up with less clubs then try his advice. But I would certainly guess that if he sees positive results he wouldn't change a thing. Because it's all about results. If it's working, look elsewhere, like the long game!

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This year I myself added a 60°
My PW is 46, GW is 50, SW is 56 and a 60°. I have developed a 3/4 swing for the SW that is perfect for a 75 yard shot. It's deadly accurate and lands soft. That same swing with the LW is right at 50 yards. The GW is 90 and the PW is 115. Same swing, just insert club for the yardage. Sure I could use a PW for all those yardage but I insert a repeatable and easy swing for each scenario with excellent results. My scores have plumetted drastically.

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Wedges

I carry 4 wedges: PW (45) 110 yards, gap (52) 95 to 55 yards, green side sand and within 55 yards (56), and just added a WS Ping Glide (60) for green side chipping out of the rough or shortsided sand. Use them all. My only fairway wood is a 7 (travels 200 yards). Anything over 200 is a lay up and play for up and down or bogie (worst case scenario) 3 wood got me in trouble and made large numbers appear on my scorecard. It's whatever works for you.


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The light bulb went off for me a couple months ago and I decided to simplify the bottom of my bag. For decades my sets had always been 1-9,PW,SW so I was conditioned to doing so many things around the greens with just that 56* SW. But when I revamped my bag in 2014 I went the 4 wedge route, 45*, 50*, 54*, 58*. After doing so I was never "sure", even when standing over the shots, if the 54* or 58* was the "right choice" so I was never as committed and my results suffered. Two months ago I replaced both with those wedges with a 56* SW and am becoming more consistent already.

In addition to eliminating overthinking and indecision at the bottom of my bag, going that route just made sense for me. I'm not a long hitter so I was rarely ever looking at a full 54* shot anyway. My 3W isn't really a long approach weapon either, it's geared to get me as much as I can off the deck to include lots of roll. So I realized a second, (stronger) hybrid would provide a longer carry yardage option that should provide me more value than that 54* wedge ever would.

I really think this is going to work out for me as I've been playing with just 13 clubs the past half dozen rounds while sorting out which hybrid/s to get. Only once have I come across a shot (high lob over a tree) where I would've used the 58* were it still in the bag but there have easily been 15 times where I thought to myself I'll be using the new hybrid for this shot soon.

My one concern is those few weeks in early spring when the courses are squishy, the grass is sparse, and the traps are wet/frozen. The bounce on my new 56* SW won't work well then. But the plan is to put the 54* and 58* ATVs back in play then and pull the 3W out to make room. 3W is beyond useless off those squishy thin fairways anyway. Again my plan seems to fit me but I doubt it's the right one for longer hitters or those who learned the game playing a lob wedge etc...
 
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