Number of Wedges or tee options

[peter_rs]

I know people have talked about loft/bounce before.

For the last year I had dropped a 3 wood for a extra wedge (to give me more full swing distances). With the thinking I can hit a controlled driver better then a 3 wood anyway and without a 3 wood I not be tempted to go for long par 5's in two (500m+).

Currently of the tee I have-
driver-trust
3RM- verdict is out (just reshafted)
Iron-but leaves a long second

Current setup

47*- 115m
52*-105m
56*-95m
60*-85m

During the pro-Am I notice a lot of guys only playing 3 wedges 46,52,58 and carrying a 13* as a back driver (only just shorter but more control). Even though they had the length to go at par 5 with the wood of the deck they chose not to.

My short game is getting better and I'm thinking of dropping a wedge to give me more options of the tee.

So the question (final)-
How many wedges do you play? why?
Would you give up a wedge (scoring club) for more options of the tee?

[Jarro]

i only play 2 wedges (as well as my PW) mine are 52 and 58* and i feel i can pretty much play all the shots i need with those 2 .

[brad]

Full set three (48, 54 and 60) currently carry half set with two wedges (48 and 60).

Why - 48 can be opened to almost 60 and 60 takes over from there so most bases covered with less weight.

Options - well new brighton can actually be played without any woods or drivers (many of our juniors train this way). I have played without woods once and come away with an OK score 38pts I think (was off 26 at the time). So options off the tee can also include a 2i or 3i for long holes and of course any other iron for shorter ones. I wouldn't own 4 wedges, don't see the need, so I don't have to worry about numbers of clubs.

[Stoney]

I carry 3

48 standard loft PW
56 standard loft SW used of fairway and longer bunker shots
60 Standard loft LW used off fairway and green side bunkers

My opinion is that to carry any more than this shows a lack of imagination and control of your golf swing.

[AndyP]

I carry a PW (not sure of loft), 50°, 54°, 58°.
I have a lack of imagination and control of my golf swing....or I don't practice enough and prefer to trust a full swing.

That said, I recently purchased a 48°/52°, so I can try a 48/52/58 combo. This would allow me to put a 4 iron back in the bag.

[Moe Norman]

recently went from 49*, 53* and 57* to a 48*, 54* and 60*.

I'm still not sold on the 60* it just goes too damn high to use from the fairway and I prefer lower lofted clubs for greenside chipping/pitching

[brad]

Sorry, just voted at the top of the thread, didn't notice before that it was a vote :oops:

[Toolish]

I carry 47°, 52°, 56° and 60°.

For tee options I have driver, 3w, 3 iron.

I like having more options around the green. To me it makes sense that from 3 iron - lob wedge the clubs are all fairly evenly spaced.

[shazza_rs]

I have my pw at 47
Then I have 52 and 58

I have driver, 5 wood, 3 rescue club for off the tee options

[Keza_G]

After reading a bit of Harvey Penicks Little red book... I am thinking of going for the wedge option....

Whatdayareckon pete ?

[peter_rs]

well until I got the RM reshaft I was happy to drop it for a 3 wood and keep the wedges. I like 4 wedges as it gives me more shots.

But I liked the way Nash had the extra control with a 2/3 wood and went after it like a driver. and only gave up at best 15m to the driver.

[dc68]

I currently carry 48* pw 52*gw 56*sw and 61*lw
I would not drop one of these but would gladly throw my
3I to the $hithouse for an equivalent RM or dare i say it a
7W arrrgh.

[peter_rs]

7w is good but you need a 3I in the tree :) RM's are love or hate

[dc68]

Nah I need a chainsaw in the trees.Normally in the trees when i hit the 3I for SAFETY:evil: .

[oz]

Yep. I would play 3 wedges instead of 4, if I felt I could get another tee-club in play. Something like a 12 or 13* head on about a 42-43" shaft, maybe. But it would need to be a whole lot more accurate than my driver (which is pretty well behaved, these days) to get me to make the switch.

[PeteyD]

7W is good. Nice club with easily controled flight. Ask Jack, he used to love his.

[peter_rs]

7W is good. Nice club with easily controled flight. Ask Jack, he used to love his.
What changed?

[PeteyD]

He probably still does, but I will leave that to him ... I know I bought one after careful consideration of something he said on isg (assuming it is the same Jack - seems to be!).

[AndyP]

(assuming it is the same Jack - seems to be!).
Nah, the one here is much more loveable.

[Grunt]

I'm playing with 4 wedges PW, 52, 56 & 60. Driver, 5w & 2 iwood in the other end of the bag. Am thinking of taking the driver out and slotting in the 3W this weekend in the final round of the foursome champs. The tees I have to hit off actually don't really require driver. So another club in the bag might be more helpful.

[connico]

i only have 2 wedges + the PW, i wouldnt mind another wedge...

But im dropping my driver for a 3 wood and keeping the 5 wood and 7 wood :)

[markTHEblake]

i already have 4 wedges and a 3w that i dont use. so it would be silly to drop a wedge for a 3 wood., i think i will drop my 3w instead.

[goughy]

I used 4 wedges at one stage and found that one of them never ever got used. pw, 54* and 60* hit every shot I can think I could need to play. And I've got one less club to have to decide over.

[peter_rs]

I use them all for approach shots.

52-low spinners/Chip and run's/ bunkers with little lip
56-longer bunker shots/ bad lies (hitting of paths if required)
60-little chips/pitchs/lob/bunker shots

So I guess around the green the 56 is used less but it does more approach work.

I could drop the RM for a 2/3 wood if I could hit it off the deck.

I have a 17* G2 that I love ,a solid 240m club for those tight holes but on those windie days I tend to ballon it to much and it drops to 200m (into wind but its just fun to hit down wind, its so fun to hit a 280m par 4 with a tail wind) and any side spin makes the club harder to control. I think the 14* would be perfect, I went looking yesterday and found that the g2 is more popular then the g5 and the rrp is more (go figure)

[The Hat]

Great thread....enjoyed catching up on this reading.

I got my first lob wedge 60 degree snake eye years ago when lob wedges first became trendy....by the way they were the days of 1 irons 2 irons and the firts metal woods

right now I have opted for a 60 lob 56 sand 52 gap 48 pitch all ping wedges all from the current range.

I almost always use 60 from the bunker....i find it AWESOME...beautiful flight out high and amazing spin rates....i use the 56 on sunken lie and buried lie only or longer distance bunkers....but lots of 56 from fairways....I also seem to be for ever using the 52 for pitches and low chips and all sorts of cool shots....so.....I am constantly fining my bag set up as driver 16 deg 22 deg hybreds then 4 iron to lob.....no 3 wood

[BrisVegas]

I have a 17* G2 that I love ,a solid 240m club.... I think the 14* would be perfect, I went looking yesterday and found that the g2 is more popular then the g5 and the rrp is more (go figure)

Wow! :shock:

The 14 may end up pretty close to driver length at that rate. Having said that, plenty of people go for 13 & 17 combos, just like 15 & 19 etc...

[peter_rs]

Well a good 2 wood should be close to the avg drive. For some people they will hit a 3 wood further then driver because the launch conditions are better.

[BrisVegas]

Well a good 2 wood should be close to the avg drive. For some people they will hit a 3 wood further then driver because the launch conditions are better.

couldn't agree more. Most of us, me included, hit 3 wood not much shorter than driver because we get decent height out of it. Goes straighter too, because the loft kills some of the sidespin that a driver will give you. There was a table somewhere that showed the optimal launch angle for maximum distance based on the swingspeed. For slower swingers, the best launch angle was pretty high, like 14,15,16 degrees if i recall.

[connico]

as i said before, my 3wood carries more than my driver, but i get more roll out of a driver than a 3w,

Just keep on hooking my 3 wood right now, bloody flat plane swing