What’s your next AW/GW - Irons match or Traditional?

Jimmy3864

“JimmyD”
Albatross 2024 Club
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Is it just me or do I see that more and more golfers are buying their new iron set with the matching GW/AW. I know that over the years most OEM’s in select sets have offered the option of a GW/AW but typically now it seems like a large majority offer this specialty club as just another set option in each OEM iron lineup. I am sure there are benefits of a match OEM GW/AW (head/shaft) but also from a marketing/sales side it is great way to increase irons sales from 10-20%.

I am typically a traditionalist going as high a PW in my iron set than move to the traditional specialty wedge in the GW/AW up to LW. In my wedge lineup I usually go GW (50), SW (54) then LW (58). Everyone is different in their configuration but that’s my traditional profile.

Question -when you look ahead at purchasing your next new set of irons or your most recent purchase, did you buy the matching iron set’s GW/AW and if so, why?
 
I have the weirdest setup ever. My T200's have a 43* PW. I had that bent to 42* and got the T100 PW at 46* added in as a "gap" wedge. I also have a 50* Vokey as a more traditional gap wedge. So whichever camp that puts me in....
 
All depends on what you do with them. Mostly full swing? Get the set GW. Variety of shots? Look at a traditional wedge.
 
If available with the iron set, I always order the GW as part of the set. It always seems to gap better from the PW in terms of full swing shot distance.
 
. I am sure there are benefits of a match OEM GW/AW (head/shaft) but also from a marketing/sales side it is great way to increase irons sales from 10-20%.

Im not sure I follow the last part, because traditionally sets were 3-PW and now they appear to be 4-AW, so the same number of irons are in the sets, right?
 
I have the weirdest setup ever. My T200's have a 43* PW. I had that bent to 42* and got the T100 PW at 46* added in as a "gap" wedge. I also have a 50* Vokey as a more traditional gap wedge. So whichever camp that puts me in....
Similar but without the custom bends. T200 PW at 43°, T200 GW at 46°. Then jump to 52°, 56°, and 60° vokey SM6's. I am switching to Callaway MD5's in the same config however and will end up going through a gapping session to see if I need to go stronger/weaker on anything to get the right distance gaps.

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That is mainly a full swing club for me so I will stick with the set wedge. If for some reason it does not work out its easy to replace it with a specialty wedge later.
 
I prefer to match the PW and AW and then do a regular set for the rest of the wedges
 
I went matching GW in my current set, it was fine, but I wasn’t thrilled with the performance.

I’ll probably go back to a 50/54/58 wedge setup
 
Im not sure I follow the last part, because traditionally sets were 3-PW and now they appear to be 4-AW, so the same number of irons are in the sets, right?

I don’t disagree with you that the 3 iron is gone from the typical set but I haven’t bought a set in 25 years that included a 3 iron so I’m thinking of the traditional set bring 4-P and now evolving to the 4-AW.

I have no sales statistics to support, just my observations from reading and other golfers I play with. Fellas I play with that never carried a 3 iron and were traditional a Vokey or Cleveland 3 wedge set up, excluding a PW, now seem to be acquiring a iron set matching AW with their new set.
 
Set composition is changing from 3-PW to 4-GW/AW but the lofts are getting stronger. My new 4i is almost the same loft as my old Apex Pro 3i and I hit the new 4i a touch longer. It's a wash. It's all just numbers on a club head. Distance gap should dictate set makeup regardless of what number is printed on the head.

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I went with a stock GW with my current set and haven't found it as versatile as I would like. I use all of my wedges around the green and could use a regular wedge in the spot to give myself some more shot options.
 
I’ve been playing a blade type non-matching GW for most of the year with decent results. The set I just ordered will have a matching GW.
 
I’ve been a big fan of set gap wedges for full swings. I may make a change next year but I think the full swing is most common use of something of less than 50.
 
I play a non matching 52* Vokey GW in my current set. In the set I just ordered went with a non matching 48* bent to 47* Vokey for the PW. In that set I will be playing non matching PW and GW. Have always wanted to try non matching PW, so thought I would give a try this set.

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I have been using the GW/AW that came with the sets for 10 years but this summer I bought a set with a 45* P so I got a 48* SM7 as a GW and it’s been a lot harder to get used to than I thought.
 
I've been after @BHGtylerb to bring out a set matching GW in the PTx Pro irons! I like a set matching GW. It's usually the last club I take a full swing with, so it's a shorter PW. I'm not going to open my 50* and try something.
 
Some AW/GW are actually very good. Has to pass my eye test test. I can always change them out if I don't like them.
 
I have tried the set AW, but prefer to have the specialty wedge in the bag, a bit more versatile IMO. I do try to keep the same shafts in those wedges as my irons when possible.
 
I prefer a set gap wedge that is just another iron. The irons I have now (Cobra F7 One Length) have a gap wedge, but it is more of a traditional, blade style club. I can’t hit it worth a darn. Of course I’ve only been to the range with it once, but I had the same issue with the set gap wedge for the SpeedBlades I played previously.
 
I've done both, as long as it works I'm fine with either. I do tend to lean toward a dedicated wedge in the 50* spot, such as my current RTX-4.
 
i’ve been irons matching for awhile. i only full swing my aw and use it for bumps. i prefer the set club for those shots.
 
The problem with “matched” wedges is they usually don’t have very aggressive grooves compared to regular wedges. Therefore the ball lands on the green and tends to roll out instead of checking up.
 
I usually go traditional because the sets I’ve played didn’t offer an A/G wedge. I’d have no issue playing a set wedge and have never had a lack of spin on any I’ve tried. I also rarely use an AW/GW for anything other than full swings. So I don’t need anything other than a standard sole/grind.
 
Set GW for me. I actually even prefer the set SW with my Cf16s. Tried vokey, cleveland etc., but from 90 yards in the set SW is money for me. I think just seeing the same look with each club helps me out.
 
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