Revisiting the "forgiving" wedge…

[Solutions Etcetera]

After five years, the bag is almost set...

 

But with my old irons, my wedge setup was 52, 58, 64. It worked pretty well, but the gap wedge and the sand wedge in my new G20s are just so stupid easy to hit, I can't help but revisit the wedge setup once again and need the benefit of all of your experience here.

 

The first part of my conundrum is that the GW and SW of the G20s is now 50 and 54. My 58 and 64 are Jaws MD's, but I don't really have room for the extra wedge, so am thinking about replacing the 58&64 with a 60 or 61.

 

The second part is that my misses with the Jaws are either thin, or out on the toe (the result of which is too far or too right or both). My misses with the G20 GW and SW are ahh, ummm, well... I have no misses with these clubs. Now I don't think they are magically causing me to put a better swing on the ball, but they clearly forgive my misses whereas the Cally's do not.

 

I have considered just ordering the G20 L wedge, but I need as much loft as I can get (to make a long story short... where I play most often, I find myself scrambling from a severe downhill lie to a green running away from me due to severe trouble right in front of the green).

 

So what 60+ degree wedge is gonna perform most like the G20 54°. The various tour models, or the Eye2 XG, or maybe some other brand of club I have not yet even considered?

[benthegolfer]

A Cleveland CG16 might give you the slightly forgiving profile you want with its cavity, but plenty of playability.

[HoosierHacker89]

You could consider getting a g20 lob wedge bent 2* weak and/or putting a grind on the back of it. That would really make it versitile, and you could just open the face up when more loft is required

[B5G4B]

Ping i-wedge.

[Solutions Etcetera]

Thanks guys...

Ben: Really want to try a spoon this time. Want to see whether stupid easy beats versatility at the shortest end of the bag. Don't worry, I'll be keeping the jaws.

HH89: That thought occurred to me, but am a bit concerned about the added bounce… plus the grind options are a bit more limited on G series clubs. Still, it is an option I will not rule out yet.

B5: Want something new!

No love for Pings current wedges?

[TxFrog]

I play Ping G15 3-LW. Same as you I was hesitant about forgiving wedges. But I think the wedges are my favorite part of the set.

I got the Tour grind on my LW. Even though the sole is wide it's very easy to open up the face when you need some height around the greens.

Honestly I like theses wedges more than the Scratch wedges I used to have. They definitely feel different, but it only took a couple of rounds, and a couple of practise sessions to get used to.

[pkshooter]

I play G15 GW (50*) & SW (54*) and a Vokey 58* LW. I don't ever take a full swing with my LW, just used for pitching around the greens and short finesse shots. I bought a matching G15 LW with tour grind and it did not perform nearly as well head to head for me as my old Vokey. If I was forced to hit full shots with my LW, I would choose the G15 over the Vokey, but the reason I carry a LW is for touch, not full shots.

[rafal]

Try ATV 60/64 wedge. Very forgiving while much better for short game than G20 wedges.

[bogeyk]

I have the G15 lob and sand wedges with the tour grind. I find that the sand wedge is automatic from bunkers. I use the lob wedge mostly when I'm short sided or have a deep bunker to get out of. The only shots I've had difficulty with are flop shots from marginal or tight lies. I need a really good lie to consider the flop shot, but pitching the ball is a snap with the G15 lob. In all honesty through the course of a round taking a more conservative shot will lower the odds of a blow up hole. Might not get up and down from nowhere, but I won't blade one across the green either. I would recommend them to a golfer who struggles around the green. I took a chance on them when I got my G15's and have been pleased for the most part.

[Solutions Etcetera]

A couple of you have mentioned "tour grind". I don't see this in Ping's custom options at http://www.ping.com/uploadedFiles/clubs/customize/PING_Custom_Options.pdf so I am curious just what kind of grind it is.

I mentioned in my OP that I really don't have room for the extra wedge. What I didn't mention is that when one gets pulled, it is the 58°. Damn Ping… I am really not a believer in 4° gaps in wedges. I suppose it would be fine if I hit my PW 140, but I don't.

If I am out of range of the 64, or want a lower trajectory/more roll, I can get what I want from the SW. But it is NOT a replacement for the 64, especially on those all too frequent downhill lies to a green sloping away.

Funny… as I read some of your comments I grabbed the Jaws 58 and 64 and started hitting them into my net. Mostly 3/4 shots down to a soft pitch and I was hitting them perfect. Square, hooded, wide open, no problems… right in the sweet spot as I could see pieces of the ball in those MD grooves. (c; Of course this was from a flat lie off carpet. I rarely get that around the greens. The shot I miss most often is the full 58… usually from a drop zone after I have come up short on the approach. It is usually a downhill lie, over water, to an elevated green, long and/or right (skull/toe).

I am going to rethink this (again) as I am not sure replacing the 64 with a 58, albeit an easier 58, is all that great an idea. Maybe just a little more practice and learn to hit a backed off 54 in those circumstances I would go for a full 58. I think back and remember it was nirvana when I first got that 64. I think I would definitely miss it.

Maybe the answer is to bend the SW to 56 and put a grind on it? Thoughts?

[richard t]

All of the above and the Eye 2 XGs. They come 56 and 60, but you can bend 2* either way. Take a look Thursday, I think, when the new Ping Tour wedges hit the stores.

[TJCDAS]

[quote name='Solutions Etcetera' timestamp='1344947769' post='5468298']
A couple of you have mentioned "tour grind". I don't see this in Ping's custom options at [url="http://www.ping.com/uploadedFiles/clubs/customize/PING_Custom_Options.pdf"]http://www.ping.com/...tom_Options.pdf[/url] so I am curious just what kind of grind it is.

I mentioned in my OP that I really don't have room for the extra wedge. What I didn't mention is that when one gets pulled, it is the 58°. Damn Ping… I am really not a believer in 4° gaps in wedges. I suppose it would be fine if I hit my PW 140, but I don't.

If I am out of range of the 64, or want a lower trajectory/more roll, I can get what I want from the SW. But it is NOT a replacement for the 64, especially on those all too frequent downhill lies to a green sloping away.

Funny… as I read some of your comments I grabbed the Jaws 58 and 64 and started hitting them into my net. Mostly 3/4 shots down to a soft pitch and I was hitting them perfect. Square, hooded, wide open, no problems… right in the sweet spot as I could see pieces of the ball in those MD grooves. (c; Of course this was from a flat lie off carpet. I rarely get that around the greens. The shot I miss most often is the full 58… usually from a drop zone after I have come up short on the approach. It is usually a downhill lie, over water, to an elevated green, long and/or right (skull/toe).

I am going to rethink this (again) as I am not sure replacing the 64 with a 58, albeit an easier 58, is all that great an idea. Maybe just a little more practice and learn to hit a backed off 54 in those circumstances I would go for a full 58. I think back and remember it was nirvana when I first got that 64. I think I would definitely miss it.

Maybe the answer is to bend the SW to 56 and put a grind on it? Thoughts?
[/quote]

They just changed the names of the grinds--check out the old sheet.

[MattMo]

[quote name='B5G4B' timestamp='1344825315' post='5458608']
Ping i-wedge.
[/quote]

I'll second that. Best "forgiving" wedge I've used. I have 56 & 60* iwedges and really haven't even thought about switching. My gap wedge matches my G15's and that's money too. I tried the G15 SW and for me, it was great for everything but sand shots. It just wanted to bounce off the sand and I would blade them over the green.

[PINSEEKER72]

You should definitely give the Mizuno JPX Series wedges a try. These are the best wedges that I have used for all situations.....accurate pitching, chipping and all shots up to a full swing.

[Bravo36]

[quote name='PINSEEKER72' timestamp='1344965447' post='5470318']
You should definitely give the Mizuno JPX Series wedges a try. These are the best wedges that I have used for all situations.....accurate pitching, chipping and all shots up to a full swing.
[/quote]

Another strong vote for the Mizuno JPX lineup of wedges.

[alpsburner]

[quote name='bogeyk' timestamp='1344906501' post='5465646']
I have the G15 lob and sand wedges with the tour grind. I find that the sand wedge is automatic from bunkers. I use the lob wedge mostly when I'm short sided or have a deep bunker to get out of. The only shots I've had difficulty with are flop shots from marginal or tight lies. I need a really good lie to consider the flop shot, but pitching the ball is a snap with the G15 lob. In all honesty through the course of a round taking a more conservative shot will lower the odds of a blow up hole. Might not get up and down from nowhere, but I won't blade one across the green either. I would recommend them to a golfer who struggles around the green. I took a chance on them when I got my G15's and have been pleased for the most part.
[/quote]

After an elbow injury i went back to the game and fitted my irons with graphite shafts and added the U,S,L wedges to my K15 set and played 79 wit our range session.......

CU

[Solutions Etcetera]

Hello again…

Just got back from a quick morning 18 before it heats up… took all the wedges (15 clubs - I know). Had to scramble 10 times green-side. Never touched the 58 - it was about half and half with the SW and 64°, and played the UW once. I had one shot where I would have absolutely pulled the 58°, from the drop zone on 11; downhill lie over water to a green about 20+ feet above (what is with this hole?!).

Instead of grabbing the 58°, pulled the SW and took about a 2/3 backswing, just letting the club drop and then turning through it. Distance was pin high (although it went about 5 yards left of where I was aiming - but I can easily work on that), and trajectory was good.

I am starting to think that I am just trying to convince myself I should have a smaller gap then 10° at the very end of my bag because of what everyone else does, even though this seems like this will work for me. The 64° gives me so much confidence from downhill lies and when short-sided in gnarly rough, and it seems I can pepper down the SW when I need to take 10 or 15 yards off of it. I guess the hi-lipped green-side bunker is the shot the 58-60 is best at. I rarely visit the beach, but maybe it is time to start practicing the 64 out of the sand (I have never even thought about this until now).

Anybody play high, short bunker shots using a 64° (time for another thread me thinks).

Thanks!