How Many Wedges Do You Carry?

I currently have 5, i have made it my target to become more accurate from 160 yards and in. I have really worked hard using my standard wedges (PW & SW) but found i need more control for distance as i really struggle to play with anything less than a 90% swing, therefore i took the plunge and brought 3 further wedges, i now have the following in my bag.

PW 47.5

GW 52

SW 55

LLW 60

HLW 64*

My pitching wedge stock yardage is 145yards

GW - 125yards

SW - 110yards

LLW - 90yards

HLW - 70yards

So as you can see i have a very consistent gap between clubs which should hopefully tighten up my consistency.

3 wedges.

48* PW 110yds

52* GW 95yds

56* SW  80yds

I carry 3 PW, GW & SW but in theory I only use the PW & SW & alter my swing accordingly. In my opinion you'll be a much better player if you can learn how to play a variety of shots using only 2 wedges.

I carry  standard sand and pitching wedges that came with my mitsushiba set. I have tried to carry a lob wedge, but it is unreliable (or I am). Whereas I can hit some good shots with it, I can also hit some horrors. Hence I have dropped it and now give a little more thought to my shots close in, preferring to use a chipper where possible as it is far more prone to get me close, without the unreliability factor. Also my sand and pitch wedges are doing a pretty good job.

Standard PW, SW and a 60dg Cleveland for me. I'm not that flamboyant/skillful enough to try anything other than 'standard' shots, but for the courses I play these suit just fine. Could anyone try and help me out with advantages of more/ess wedges, and shot types? Always wanting to learn about this wonderful game!

I have PW, 52, 56 and 60.

Chris - See the previous post re 60* wedge for a shot I used my 60 for a few days ago.

• 47* PW (Titleist 710 CB, same as irons)
• 52* GW (Mizuno MPT-10)
• 56* SW (Mizuno MPT-10)

I used to carry a Cleveland CG14 52* and 58*, and before that a 52*, 56* and 60.  I found I hardly ever used the 60 so did the same as Lewis and changed to the 52* and 58* and put an extra club in my bag.  As my game and shotmaking ability improved I could create more so went to the 56* instead of the 58*

only use 2

std  pw (wilson di11)

58* wilson ,

i use my 7 iron a lot ,chip and run ,just hold it down the grip a bit more ,

I carry 4 but sometimes 5 depending on the course.

47* pw  titliest mb

50* Vokey

54* Vokey

60* Vokey

the only other time that i add an extra wedge is if the course is short but well bunkered. Then i add  a 55* sw from an old set of Cobras. This is not for the loft but for the extra bounce from the large sole. I find this useful when really having to attack plugged or under the lip bunker shots.

Its the age old arguement whether to carry a 60* wedge or have a 5 wood / 2iron / rescue etc.

For me, although i use the 60* rarely, the times i do use it are vitally important. A mistake from close to the green behind a trap or over a hazard can often cost far more than having to club up or down with my longer irons. 

Nick, an interesting analysis,. but what a funny way to play golf.

As i dont struggle for distance and don't need a range of long iron/hybrid options, I am a 4 wedge man most of the time but sometimes go with 3 esp. at this time of year

48* PW Titleist 690CB

52* TM Rac Black 9 deg bounce

56* TM Rac 12 deg bounce

60* TM RAC Chrome - bounce? just about nil i think and this club never really comes out of the bag in the mud and puddles of winter.

Nick, no, my post was not meant to be humourous, neither was it tongue in cheek. To me that is a funny way to play this game. Basing any form of distance measuring on mechanics is futile, in my opinion, but then, if that is the way you wish to play then it is your choice.

I carry 4 WIP wedges. - Work in progress!

Hi Nick,

Your method of playing is the modern mechanical way and is fine, if that is what you want.

To me, to make this game enjoyable shotmaking is what gives the satisfaction and your method will never be able to produce the same satisfaction as my method.

You say that the nadicap tells all, but that is not always so, because you are assuming that because I am now 18 handicap that I hav e never been able to play this game, when in actual fact I have an enviable record of having spent over 40 years with handicaps lower than 6. Yes even Scratch.

If you wish to get lower than you currently are then you have to bring some flair and imagination into your game as there will be many courses that require shots that you do not have to play using your current method.

All of my friends are good players, like yourself, and I have watched them still struggling to make the breakthrough, even off 280 yards drives. Ask Martin Millichip, one of our best players on this forum, how hard it is to get lower.

I wish you well in your endeavours to achieve your goals, but I have always felt that the good players become good very quickly.

Nick - When I do practice, I practice shaping shots both ways, high and low shots, lobs, chips, pitches, bump & runs and punches, playing from different sloping lies, bunkers, etc, etc. I enjoy these elements of the game and frankly would find it boring if I knocked it down the middle every time.

All of those shots cannot be performed using your current method of yardages. and distances by moving up and down the shaft for a certain distance. So now you are changing your tune.

I am no longer an accomplished player, but I have not fogotten how to play all the shots.

I have never swung at the same tempo for every shot as there is always an adjustment to be made for wind and its differening strengths, ground and its texture, the shape and condition of the ground at the target distance. A stock shot like yours is no use.

Put simply I use the principle of instinctive weight, something we are all blessed with.

I surrender, Nick, you are a better player than me, so I will shut up.

Let me know when you make it this year.

You must play a pretty short course to carry all those wedges. I carry a 52 and a 56 but to be honest i play along coarse and couldn't sacrifice clubs from the other end of the bag.

To be honest i'm with some of the other guys i wouldnt have any more anyway, but obviously that's just what i'd do you have to do what you feel comfertable and if that works for you then that's what your best doing.

You'll be glad to know that an earlier rambling reply was lost as my session timed out!

In short, I've got five wedges, four in the bag at present, but the rule should be: if your full shot (i.e. 80%) with one club is longer than your 3/4 shot with the next one up you're carrying too many clubs, unless they serve different purposes.

Some of the comments suggest the need for many longer clubs, but greens are 30+ yards long so if you have a club that will hit to the back of the green hit your 3/4 shot when the flag is in the middle and two clubs lower when it's at the front. Your dispersion with irons from 3-9 cannot be so tight that you need to carry all of them, assuming Luke Donald isn't on this forum! 

So, I think I'll dig out my winter carry-bag, not least because I walk a mile less per round than with a trolley, and take the following:

9 degree driver (also used as a 3-wood off good lies); 5-wood; 5-hybrid; 6-iron; 8-iron; PW ("10-iron"; SW; putter.

You don't need lots of clothing in the bag - you're wearing it all anyway - and nothing is sweeter than someone after the round saying "You've got the best score, and you only had a half-set"!

I have a Nike SV tour 56* (80-85yds & 60* (60yds) (v stiff shafts but as pointed out earlier these are not for distance as I have a a sand iron which will give me 100-110yds). I will use Nick's method of gripping down the shaft to 50yds for the 60* and 70yds for the 56*. Having said that whereever possible I'l use my 9 iron if I don't have to go over anything. 

Tried the halfset in a light carry bag and it worked well - recommended. Hit a couple of terrific shots with the driver off the fairway as I didn't have the 3-wood (preferred lies do help!), but I missed the resulting 10-footers for birdie then eagle. Several occasions where I would have taken a club I hadn't got so I went to the next one up and it turned out to be the right one. Silly decision to try to carry a fairway bunker downwind cost me two strokes to get out but went round in 76 so I'm going to stick with the system. Wedges are just the Titleist PW and a low-loft sharp-edged TaylorMade sandiron that's good off tight lies, though I did duff one from short of the green that I should have putted.