Forum > Technique, Tips & Tuition

Matt Hargraves

Wayne Santorini

Bounce is more to do with your ability to execute the shot Matt, I prefer a low bounce as I hit the ball crisply, if I was to be an inch behind the ball I would have a divot that causes the ball to move rather than the clubface.

The best bet is to be custom fit for wedges as much as you would do for Irons, Driver/Woods or even Putter.

How many players have a custom fitted putter????

Chris Perry

Jason Vickers

I find the greater the degree of bounce you have on your wedge is more suited to players who have a steeper angle coming in to the ball and players that have a flatter swing need less bounce angle.

Do you think this is the case? 

John Pettitt

The amount of bounce needed depends on conditions. If you play courses with soft, fluffy sand, you'll need more bounce. If the courses you play typically have harder sand, you'll need less bounce. Playing from fairway - less bounce.

The type of swing can influence the amount of bounce needed, too. Players who swing their wedges steeply into impact need more bounce. Players who sweep through and undercut need less bounce.

Jason Vickers

Well put John.

That was the point i was trying to make you got it over better than me though.

Matt Hargraves

sorry i think your answering the wrong question, though theres some really good defintions of bounce here

what i mean is on this vokey the bottom one the  bottom is slightly curved left to right not front to back

going from the bottom groove  the bottom of the club is not a straight line. 

what im wanting to know is some wedges are rounder then this almost spoon like 

Wayne Santorini

Matt Hargraves

Wayne Santorini

Well apart from the fact you won't impart much spin it won't affect you, personally I'd recommend you learn to play shots with the clubface open (at various angles) otherwise your limiting the amount of use a wedge can give you.

Matt Hargraves

John Pettitt

Matt, a good firm strike with the wedge in its usual position will impart spin, especially if you take a thin divot.

One only needs to lay a face open if one does not have any club with the degrees that one is looking for. No need to open a 56deg wedge if you have a 60 deg wedge.

Wayne Santorini

Sorry John I beg to differ, 4 degrees of difference is quite substantial with a straight faced shot and there is still the technique something you have natural ability with, but a lot of players especially high handicappers suffer greatly with, therefore being able to play the shot with a slighly open face offers more opportunity to commit to the shot and deliver.

You know as well as I do that to get the best from a wedge you have to hit the ball crisply and commit to the shot (a problem a lot of amateurs suffer with), you also need to be sure your grooves are as they should be, and there has been a previous post on the need to ensure the sharpness of them for the wedge to work correctly.

John Pettitt

No need to be sorry, Wayne, if you honestly believe that a shot with an open clubface is easier to play than one with a straight clubface.

There are two reasons why one should open a clubface. one to de-loft it because one does not have a club with a greater loft than needed or to play a specialist shot, something which a high handicapper would not be able to play with any degree of accuracy and confidence.

One plays a bunker shot with an open clubface, but in reality the leading edge is still facing the target, only the stance has moved, together with a different ball position than normal.

Regarding grooves, that is one thing that I have been pretty lazy about during my golfing career. I do wash the clubs occasionally, but I never religiously clean grooves, like Mr Marshall does after every shot. I can stop a ball when I need to.