Stuart,
It's a bit more problematic these days when the lofts are more variable.
I've gone to 50/54/60 since upgrading to 718's as the AP2 PW is stronger than the previous model and the 46* to 54* gap was far too great in the scoring clubs. However, I'm not content with the situation. Like you, I'm loathe to throw out some of the bats at the top end of the order. This does leave me with a dilemma about the balance of my bag. My solution at the moment is to optimise based on where I'm playing - So I may drop a wedge or a hybrid or 3 iron.
I have toyed with a wedge bent to about 64* and shudder to think how to arrange gapping without carrying half a bag-full of wedges!!
I'm still trying to work out my long-term gapping strategy...
JT

For years I was 56/60 wedges only in my bag.
Then after my latest trip to Titleist Craigielaw, it came to light that the gap between my 56 to my 718 ap2 P wedge was too much.
Graeme the fitter challenged me and showed me how I needed an extra 50 wedge in my bag.
My 718 ap2 P wedge was 125 yards and my 56 wedge good for about 80 yards.
He challenged me to hit a number of shots to 100 yards.
I did ok, but not good enough for a single figure handicap.
He then built up a 50 wedge for me and asked me to hit 10 balls at the 100 yard flag again.
To my surprise all 10 were on the green and 6 were inside 10ft!
So I now have 3 sm7 wedges in the bag

It's all things to all people I do understand that, guess it depends how far you hit certain clubs. My 52 carries average 112(I know this through trackman gapping) and I admit I may have an issue between that and my PW which was 125 but for me my biggest issue is PW to 9 where my 9 is 141. I just can't justify throwing out a 2 iron or hybrid for another wedge and if I did I think I'd need to go 50/54/58 but to me a 54 can do the same job as a 58 so one would be almost pointless.

Hi Stuart

I too have moved to a 4 wedge set up, Ap2, 50,54,58 SM7 following advice from a fitter. I think this is the main reason I managed to hold onto my 9hcp
Stu

AP2(712) pw 48*, vokeys SM4's 52, 56, 60, getting roughly 12-15 yds between each, 56.11 lots of bounce for sand and softer ground, 60.07, 52.08 for firmer ground and bunkers with little sand, flexibility for different ground conditions not just distance.

In my AP3’s I went for 5 iron to gap wedge so have pitching wedge and gap wedge then Vokey SM6 54 degrees which I use for bunkers and chips around green . I also have SM6 58 which doesn’t normally make bag as I fluff them too much plus bag is getting too crowded and heavy!i seem to be much more consistent with 54

I agree with Stuart on this one. PW, 52, & 54 for me. I'm partial to my 2 iron.

Up until May, my set up was 718 TMB PW, SM6 54S and 60K with a custom low bounce grind. I had a fitting with Bob at Woburn and distances / gapping was addressed. Like El Bandito above, there was too much gap between my PW and my 54. We worked on a gap wedge and re gapping the wedges, I like to have a 60 so we worked back from there ended up with a 46.10F, 50.12f (bent to 51) 54.14F (bent to 55) and a 60.10S (I know they're not even gaps but that's what gave us the best numbers!).

From the fitting and experience on the course over the last year my confidence has gown on those 100 yard shots where I would be trying to nail a SW or hit a 3/4 PW, I know that I can go to my 51 and just hit it.

Stuart,

It's 4 wedges for me... 716 AP1 PW and GW both 1 strong and then SM7 in 52 and 56 (which we're gapped to the GW by Titleist) with the bounce and grinds being biggest difference to my previous wedges.

This leaves me space for good gapping at the top end where as less accomplished golfers often have issues. I have 2 f/w and 1 hybrid between driver and 5 iron.

Ant

I meant to add that the downside of adding a 4th wedge is that I lost my 2 iron out of the bag. Huge fan of my 2 iron and thought it would be a big loss but it benefitted my game more having an extra scoring club in the bag. If I want to get a 2iron back in I can always drop either the 3 or 4 iron and play around with lofts to close the gap at that end of the bag.

Changed mine last year. Had always been PW (48), 54 and 60. Changed now to 48, 52, 56 and 60. Find my gaping is a lot better and getting nice consistency with them. Had to drop hybrid at the top end, but had a 3i in there that was very similar anyway.

May I ask how often a 'full' wedge is used as an approach shot to a green? Maybe on par 5's, but on my course all the other holes are too long to be using a wedge for a second shot. Btw, I'm not a short hitter.
A club has to earn it's place in my bag. I'd prefer to have my 1 iron or a hybrid than carry a club which I may not need.
In my youth I played off 1, but age and surgeries have caught up with me. We only had pw and sw available to use, although I did bend one to 60°. So we were brought up with gripping a club down to hit it 10 yards less.
So I usually carry pw, 56 and a 62, with extra wedges in the car boot to suit different courses, sand or ground conditions.

I currently have 4 wedges in the bag (sm6) 47, 52,56,60.

Always liked carrying an aw in my last set so needed to fill the gap between pw and 56.

I try and keep to 4 degrees between wedges and if I need to take a little off I’ll just grip down a little lower.

Stuart,

Three for me 50,54,58. Its not just the distance that counts albeit I hit them 50° 120yards, 54° 100 yards, 58° 80 yards.
I think you need various Grind/Bounce options in the bag for different circumstances, it then gives you options for what type of conditions/lies you get around the course. More so in winter/wet conditions.

Regards

Gaary

Deciding on how many wedges to have in the bag can be a headache!!!, a number of factors need to be considered. Loft of PW is very important and will be a major factor, distance of course and layout is important too.
If you play a course with say 4 par 5's and 4 par 3's the chances are you will hit alot more longer irons and carry the 3 iron in the bag instead of a wedge.

On advice from my local pro last year I opted for the same shaft as my Ap2 Irons in my SM7 50. Best decision ever, I now feel more comfortable hitting it full on and have better control. With the 56 and 60 I went with standard wedge shafts, reason being I don't hit them full on and vary my shot making with them.
Happy pin hunting!!

As others have said, the tendency for stronge lofted pitching wedges (and other irons) has introduced a new gap in a lot for bags.
Personally I use AP2 irons and recently went from PW, 52, 58 to PW, 50, 54(+1), 60. I like, the added versatility and choice but it's all down to personal choice and taste. I still hit more knock down and feel style wedge shots than I do standard swing wedge shots. It all depends on how comfortable you are playing stock yardages vs manipulating the club to get more / less out of it.
On massive thing to consider though is the council and loft combo - bounce makes a lot of difference to how my wedges perform and what shots I can (or can't) take on.

Some really interesting replies, thanks guys, though I do wonder what level some are playing to and if they low level as I doubt many who are in double figure handicaps may well be kidding themselves on in regards of accuracy and distance.

I've also always wondered about the 60 wedge, I recall when I used to have one, probably cost me more shots than it ever saved me

Stuart,

great post and good to see what #TT members think.

Although still struggling around 18Hcp I know my gapping on the shorter clubs as they were gapped by Titleist off the turf.

I was pretty surprised when I told the fitter my GW carry distance, hit 3 shots all within 2 yards either side. That made his job on the SM7 fitting easier.

Knowing the full carry distances has meant I've practiced the 3/4 and 1/2 swings with full and gripping down (MMC +4 on the SM7's) so if it comes up short or goes too long it's pilot error.

I calibrate this on my warm up before a round rather than hitting drivers, and I'll get another gap test done for the new season as I'm working on swing changes over the winter. Something I believe we should all do regardless of ability/hcp.

As someone pointed out earlier, I don't have that many holes where I can hit them for the second shot either, and I rarely hit the either full out as I prefer to flight in lower and run at the flag where possible.

Ant

Just bought an amt red reg shaft to put into my 50 vokey to match set might get it cranked to 52 and drop my 4 rescue out at times gw on ap3 is 48 thoughts

Ap2 PW then SM7 50/54/58. Wasn’t sure about the 58 but was lucky to be picked for a fitting with TT at Woburn last year and after long conversations about how I use wedges my fitter, Tim, really wanted to give me another option at that end and we spent quite a bit of time finding something that gave me some versatility. I’ve now got options to deal with a variety of lies and situations.

Hi Stuart I have the ap1 4-gw and sm6 52 and 56. I hack around off 16 I did try the 60* but that didn’t last in the bag long as I either didn’t hit it hard enough or I thinned it through the green......I’m just not confident at all with wedges in hand.