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Wedge Ponder and Your Decisions

SuperStroke
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? No

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic? NA

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? No ability to test various models where I live so have always just gone with the brands I have experience with, Cleveland and Mizuno.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design? Certainly no expert, but have developed a better understanding literally over the past week. Currently in the market for new wedges and have done more reading and research on different brands and the options they offer than I have in my entire 37 years of playing. I always just opted for the standard bounce options out of lack of understanding and experience with other options. Always figured that was the safest way to go.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? I'm sure I have and likely will continue to do so until I have a chance to get properly fit and educated.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? Never.

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? I do both and of course look at THP for reviews

How well do you understand grinds and sole design? I know what I want the wedge to do and from experience know what my previous grinds were, but do I understand grinds and sole design, NO.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Definitely , lets also include shafts which I am a total dummy on.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges?

I've never been fit for my wedges. I've always just gapped them off my PW from my irons.

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic?
Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?

I usually have one or two brands I've used in the past and trust. I'll look at their current lineup before looking elsewhere

How well do you understand grinds and sole design?

I understand grinds and soles pretty well. Given the harder surfaces I play I make sure I don't get too much bounce and at the same time chose grind/bounce combos that offer versatility and will play when I travel.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above?

I'm not sure I'm leaving anything on the table other than not looking at other OEM's than the few i normally gravitate towards.
 
I've never been fit for wedges and honestly know very little about bounce. Will give every new wedge a swing when they come out usually so really not brand focused.

My full swing stops at the PW but use it as well as my 9I for "touch" shots for lack of better term.

Wedges I currently use are 50-54-58 and 98% of those swings are never full...only partial based on yardage and shot I would like to attempt.

I for sure am leaving something on the table even with non-full swings with my lack of bounce knowledge. Even partial swings will benefit from that I'm thinking.

When I'm comfortable that day on the course there is no pin I won't go at with my wedges. Results very widely when the feeling is not there though.
 
I've never been fit for wedges, the ones I do have I grabbed because they were deals. I do understand a bit about bounce, but I'm sure that if I was fit I'd be better around the greens. I don't take full swings with my wedges, but I'm guessing if I had the right wedges for me I'd bit more confident in doing so.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? No
If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic? N/A
Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? I always test multiple brands to find what I seems to work best for my game. Wedges seem to be my worst area for selection since I struggle with my short game.
How well do you understand grinds and sole design? Yes. I have a fair amount of knowledge about grinds and sole design.
Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Yes. I think if I were to get some professional fitting help it would allow me to know that the problems isn't the equipment.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? Never been fit for wedges, never been fit for anything..period
If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic? N/A
Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?Before I commit to buying wedges, I like to see what's out there and compare each company's design, feel, and performability
How well do you understand grinds and sole design? Very little knowledge, All I know is that most of the time, I'll choose the middle wedge that favors all types of lies, the most versatile wedge
Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Absolutely, I believe with more you know about grinds and sole design you are able to incorporate that in to your game and help choose the correct grinds and sole designs to help your game and make it a lot easier for 100 yards and in shots.
 
I have never been fit, always been Taylormade brand loyal. Because of this I am sure I am leaving benefits on the table. I don't really understand grinds and sole design but I do understand bounce and how it affects club to ground interaction. This is something I should learn about and practice

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Have you ever been fit for your wedges?
If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic?
No, not a proper fitting off of grass with true targets. I've demo'd wedges on green grass before and in those instances it was always Titleist only.
Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?
I do my research and typically buy whatever I feel will work, otherwise THP Events have kept my grooves fresh for the last few seasons!
How well do you understand grinds and sole design?
Quite well I think. I know that I want/need relief on the heel to hit the shots I like to hit, and I know that I need at least one really low bounce wedge in the bag.
Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above?
No, I feel my current setup is very well fit to me and my game.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges?
These are the only clubs in my bag I've never had any fitting for

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic?
N/A

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?
Have always stuck with Vokeys until my current setup. Pretty much stuck with what I knew.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design?
Well enough to understand turf reaction, and the benefits of the different grinds, but not well enough to dare tinkering

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above?
I don't believe so, wedges to me, are all about feel and confidence. I'm currently trying to work through the weight difference from my old SM4's to my new MD3's. The MD3's are noticeably lighter, which is causing a different feel throughout the swing. Having a hard time locating the club head. I'm sure once I get a few more rounds in with them I'll be just as comfortable with them as I was with my Vokeys.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? No

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? I would like to test out multiple brands but I've never had a set of specialty wedges, have either gotten the wedges to match my iron set, or bought some cheap wedges off the shelf.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design? Bounce I understand. Grinds I find a bit more confusing as the type of grind and what they call it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Hard to keep it all straight. Now applying my understanding of those grinds to my particular swing is where I really fall short.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Probably. At this point though it's my lack of skill that's holding me back more than anything to do with the club.

I've swung some wedges at Dicks for fun but I couldn't really tell from that whether they would work for me. Seems like the best way to try out a wedge would be to hit it outdoors but I haven't had that opportunity yet.
 
I have never been fit for any clubs unless you count the little bit of assistance i got from the golfsmith employee who helped me pick out a putter.

I didnt test multiple brands in store. I read reviews online and had a buddy who was doing really good things with his MD3. Then I had an opportunity to purchase an MD3 with my work reward points (aka free) which is where my 54* came from. I liked it so much i decided to try a PM grind 58* and loved it even more (seriously that club is magic for me)

I dont have an expert knowledge of grinds and bounce but have a basic understanding and picked grinds that callaway's description sounded like a good fit for me. (s-grind on the md3 and PM grind on 58*)

I think I need to improve my own performance before I can honestly say I am limited by my club's capabilities...
 
I've never been fit for wedges. This makes me sad. I'm pretty brand agnostic as well, I don't feel like my bag has to be all matchy matchy so I'll put whatever looks interesting. For a long time my wedges were big box store generic, but I'm using a PM grind and a chipper now, specifically for certain shots. Basically anything between 50 and 120 yards is my gap wedge and under that it will depend on the lie and the path to the hole.

I know very little about grinds, I'm trying to learn more about those just so I can understand the options better. I know I'm leaving something on the table with my lack of understanding.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges?

No.

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic?

n/a

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?

My last purchase was on the cheap, $39 a wedge. But, I did try hard to keep the bounce ranges in what I thought were reasonable. 52 and 58 both have moderate bounce. 56 has bounce sufficient to quality as a classic "sand wedge".

How well do you understand grinds and sole design?

Moderate text book knowledge, applied knowledge is limited because I'm a vanilla wedge player. I've not progressed far enough to find value in opening the face for a variety of shots.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above?

Yes. Being fit I think would be helpful.

Dave
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? Nope
Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? Mostly just go with what I know, I don't have much experience with other brands.
How well do you understand grinds and sole design? Very -VERY little
Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Probably, but I have a lot of confidence with my wedges so I don't think about it.
 
1. Have you ever been fit for your wedges?

Yes. Several times. Fit for 3 wedges between 50-60 degrees

2. If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic?

The latest was Edel, in 2013, by a custom fitter on Trackman. Before that, Ping and Titleist at PGATSS at separate times.

3. Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?

Before 2013, I field tested several wedge brands - Cleveland, Ping, Bobby Jones (Pelz), Titleist, Mizuno, Miura, Callaway, Scratch, Bridgestone, etc.

I was in search of the perfect 58-60 grind for my game, and second the 55-56. Previous to 2011, found that the Bridgestone West Coast design worked great for me in a 60 through all this testing. Odd, it was about the least expensive wedge. But I had my best wedge game with it. Still trying to get back to that accuracy from 40-60 yds. Uncanny.

4. How well do you understand grinds and sole design?

I understand more than the average bear about bounce, leading edge, relief, and where bounce is located and when it is cut off, and how to use it.

5. Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above?

No. I was fit on Trackman, and know in general as to shaft, what weight and wedge shaft characteristics fit me - 110-115g steel - Nippon. I know what type of grind fits my swing. Since 2013, I've wandered as to the 50 but am going back to Edel, wandered from the Edel 55 because a

Miura K Grind fits me better in the sand when playing as it has more bounce deeper into the club (more effective bounce, the K Grind is unquei and nothing I've found feels as pure as a Miura), and

the 59 and 62 Edel are great (versatile and work great from tight lies) as they have the same grind -the leading edge sits low but it has 18 deg of bounce in the middle of the heel to toe, then the bounce cuts off suddenly due to the heel and toe, and trailing edge relief. So lots of bounce in front and then none, which does not make it great in the bunker for weaker bunker players, which I am, and that is why I use the Miura K grind for the bunker.
 
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Great conversation thread. I've tried just about every wedge on the market and always gravitated toward callaway. At first it was brand loyalty. Then I started to really take the wedge game seriously and learned about the bounce and grind options. Many trial and error runs to find the right combo of lofts, grinds and bounce options for my game and conditions I play in. As for the answers to the original questions...

1. I've not been fit for the wedges
2. I test out a lot of them. Vokeys, j15, Mack daddy, md2, md3, pm grind, MD forged and rtx 3 recently.
3. As far as understanding the sole design, I know what works best for my game and how I like to use the wedges. I like more bounce on gap and sand wedges. I full swing those and use the sand wedge in fluffier lies around the green. I like low bounce in my lob wedge for tighter lies and shots that require getting the ball up quicker. And I love the v sole
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? No but had a lot of wedge talk with my fitter during my irons fitting.
Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? Normally I test many brands but in the case of my wedges I researched obsessively and eventually ordered online without ever swinging them. As luck would have it they worked out really well. I am a big fan of my wedges.
How well do you understand grinds and sole design? I can read and comprehend well enough to choose wedges that suit my skill level and playing style but, I couldn't write a legitimate paper on the subject.
Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Yeah, maybe. I could have tried other wedges and didn't but, as luck would have it, my wedges are my favorite clubs in my bag. I love the feel and performance that I get from them and when it is time to replace them, I will likely get the latest version of the same wedges. They just feel so good.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? Fit for wedges for the Morgan Cup but that was only for one brand and there were no different grind options.

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic? One brand only

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? I go off reviews on here and what appeals visually to me. Unfortunately, I am not in a location where I can try them before buying. I would much prefer being able to take swings with a wedge before buying.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design? I think companies are doing a better job of explaining what the different grind options are and player they are best suited for. I am not an expert, but I have a solid base of understanding.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Yes, but more based off not being able to test different wedges before deciding what is best.
 
I've never been through any sort of wedge fitting at all. I'll research what's out here on the forum and make most of my decisions based on them. I'll usually start by buying one wedge and testing it out to see if I like it or not and then work my way into filling out the rest of the spots, usually the same brand or type of wedges at one time. I somewhat understand wedge grinds and what works for me, but not fully. I more or less know what I like to look at and how that effects me. So yeah, I'm probably leaving a massive amount on the table.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? No, I know what I like to play with for certain shots and lofts. Could I become even better/more consistent with a fitting? for sure haha. just hard to find a decent one around here for wedges. Especially when for me a wedge is more a feel/artistic shot than just swinging and hitting it.

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? I will try any brand that appeals to me shape wise from address. Although the PM 60 I have was not on that list at first. I tried a buddies and really enjoyed hitting it so I bought one and haven't looked back yet.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design? I feel like I have a little more than average knowledge of how it works and what they are aiming to do with the sole/grind. Of course I could and want to learn more

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? Not really. I mean a fitting may help me with my 52 and 56 as I do use those for full shots occasionally, but not for my around the green shots. I have gone through a lot of wedges in the past 5 years since picking up the game seriously. just trying different bounce options, grinds, etc. THe only thing I haven't really messed with would be shaft options (type/flex/soft-hard stepping/etc).

Great Topic JB

I will also add that I do enjoy higher bounce wedges more than low bounce. Even in my 60 I like more than 10* I had a 60 at one point (can't remember brand right now), that had 14* of bounce. Loved that thing. Could hit it off tight lies as well as soft mushy ones. all in one wedge
 
I have been fit for wedges and it was not brand specific. I discovered 30+ years ago that any wedge or iron I buy will need to be bent about 2* flat. I buy a lot of wedges from multiple brands but I do have brands that I prefer. Most of my wedges are from Cleveland, Wilson, and Taylormade. I like to buy 3 or 4 wedges every year and test them which means my buddies get good deals on slightly used wedges. I understand grinds enough to know that I need different grinds for different courses. I first experimented with grinding wedges in the garage when I was 15 years old but now there are so many options available I just buy what I need. Sometimes this means having the exact same wedge in 2 different grinds.

My wedges are not holding me back but lack of practice time devoted to shots inside of 40 yards definitely is. I have great focus and purpose during my practice time on full shots and putting but I sometimes am just going through the motions when practicing partial wedges.
 
I've never been fit for wedges. IME if it didn't involve grass, rough, sand, etc. one would get little from a wedge fitting.
Before I decided to pick up the RTX3 I did hit them alongside other offerings available to test, but again it was indoors on a sim so I'm couldn't really tell and differences where it mattered.
I decided to pick them up based on the positive feedback on them in particular, and v-sole tech in general, I read here.
I think I have a better understanding of grinds and design in no small part to the content THP brings.
Could I be leaving something on the table? Probably. I doubt I have the knowledge to choose the perfect wedge setup for my game. But I will say what I did choose works pretty darn well and I have no apprehensions when pulling any of them from the bag.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges?

Yes, once when I did a full bag fitting. We ended up using the wedges that came with my set.

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic?
It was only one brand.

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know?
Currently, it's a mix of what I know and what THPERS are saying about what is being offered.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design?
I understand them a bit. I know how different grinds and bounces can be beneficial in different conditions. The Hopkins website was pretty good at educating on grinds.
Sole design I am less familiar with.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above?
Probably. I tend to stick with a design that is intended to work in a variety of conditions, since I can't have a wedge for every condition I may ever encounter.
 
Have you ever been fit for your wedges? Have not been but I've hit just about every wedge out there and have a pretty good feel on what I'm looking for regarding weight, offset, face height, etc.

If you have, was it by brand or brand agnostic? N/A

Do you test out multiple brands or just go with what you know? Multiple. I've played Vokeys, TM, Clevelands, Callaways, Hopkins and hit Cobra's. I have not hit the newer stuff like Miura or Edel.

How well do you understand grinds and sole design? Went to the Cleveland event a few years ago and got a better understanding in bounce and grinds and which ones I should be looking for in regards to how I play and the conditions I usually play in here in Texas.

Do you think you are leaving anything on the table as far as benefits go because of the above? I don't think so based on my understanding of what looks good to my eye and the bounce/grinds I need to be playing........but you never truly know I guess, as fast as technology changes in this game!
 
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