Wedge Gapping Problems

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By Garrison M

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  • 11 Replies
  1. Garrison M

    Garrison M
    Hiddenite, NC

    I am having a problem with a major gap between my stock AP2 716 PW and my 52 degree Vokey wedge. I hit my pitching wedge a few yards over 130 and my 52 degree only goes about 113 if I kill it. This is a huge gap and the largest in my bag. The most frustrating part is that I have the 115-120 yard shot a lot while playing and it is very difficult to let up on a pitching wedge that much and still be as accurate. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do or if I should buy another wedge maybe at 50 degrees or something?

    Thanks, 

    Garrison M

  2. Ryan

    Ryan
    west hollywood, CA

    I have the same problem and hit both those clubs the same distance. Would love advice as well.

    For me I either hit a softer PW. Or I hit a 3/4 9 iron punch shot because that will usually roll around 115 ish. 

  3. Garrison M

    Garrison M
    Hiddenite, NC

    I'm thinking about just getting a 50 degree and see if that is the right distance and if it isn't, then I'll get it bent to the distance I need it to go. Thanks for the reply Ryan, and good luck

  4. pat r

    pat r
    markham, ON

    I made the switch this year to 50, 54, 60, and works well for me. I hit my pw just shy of 130 and my 50 is my 115 club.

  5. Chris B

    Chris B
    Monroe, LA

    i use a stock PW a CL 51, vokey 56 and a vokey 60

    my next wedge will replace my stock PW.

    my vokey wedges were the only thing dialed in for me today......saved me from having a huge number. 

  6. Doug E

    Doug E
    Urbana, MD

    Exact same problem since I changed from AP2-712 to AP2-716. I was just about to start a new thread on the subject when I saw this one.

    I have been playing the old SM2 version of Vokey wedges, from 2009, the ones with the more aggressive grooves which are still legal for amateurs for a few more years. I'd been continually buying new ones of the same design to replace my wedges every year up until last year when I found the supply of SM2s is now so limited that the cost is going up on the old design. You just can't find new SM2s anymore.

    My old AP2-712s had a PW loft of 47*. So, I played 52-08, 56-11, 60-07 in my Vokeys. I do most of my chipping with the 52 and 60, depending on the circumstance. I use the higher bounce 56 in soft, fluffy or wet sand, while I use the lower bounce 60 in harder or thinner bunkers. Works pretty well.

    I just upgraded to new AP2-716s in October right after the launch. The new PW loft is 46*. Between the stronger loft and newer design I seem to hit the new PW 5-10 yards longer than my old 712 PW, same problem as the OP.  I am not complaining, but now that is leaving a pretty big gap on full swings between my old SM2 52-08 and my new AP2-716 PW. Not sure yet what to do to address this issue without screwing up a very solid part of my game, which is the confidence I have with a 52* wedge around the greens. At my age (60), I need my short game to be at it's best. 260 yard drives don't happen anymore. I hate to mess with anything that might affect the one part of my game I can rely on, but I need new wedges.

    I have decided to wait until the new SM6 wedges come out to replace my present ones. In the meantime, I am coming up with all sorts of scenarios for what the new set will look like. I am considering going 50-12 F, 56-14 F, 60-07 S.  The gap between the 50 and 56 seems like a lot, but I think I could learn to hold back a touch or just choke down on the 50 when the distance is shorter than ideal for the 50, and the 56 won't reach. Other than that, I suppose I will just have to learn to chip and chipitch to shorter landing spots with the 50. Still nervous about giving up the 52 though. I only use the 56 for full swings and soft bunkers, so the small amount of added bounce shouldn't make much of a difference and will actually be better in soft sand. The 60 would be the same spec I'm used to.

    One thing I'm wondering is whether I should consider going with the same shafts as my irons. I had been playing the standard wedgeflex shaft in my old Vokeys which I think is an S200 stiff. However, I play XP90 reg flex in my new irons. That seems kind of soft for wedges. It's actually kinda soft for my short irons, but I need reg for my mid-longer irons, so I went reg all the way through for consistency.  I'm wondering if going for reg in my wedges might give me a touch more distance with them which could help with the gap on full swings between PW and 52/50, but I'm concerned my control on short stuff around the greens won't be as accurate. Any thoughts?

    I will likely get fit for the new wedges once they are available and hopefully be able to try them with an XP90 shaft. I might consider an XP90 stiff, but don't know if that might not be defeating the purpose.

    I'm sorry to hijack the OP's question, but mine is somewhat similar (albeit long-winded, with additional questions), so I thought this might be a good place to pose it.

  7. Logan E

    Logan E
    Stevensville, MI

    I too hit my PW between 130-135 yards. I got fit for 50*,54*,and a 58*. I hit my 50* 120 yards and my 54* about 110 yards. I then use my 58* for chipping. I would recommend getting fit.

  8. golfinnut

    golfinnut
    Leesburg, VA

    Your PW - 46* .... Next wedge - 52* Seems to be too much of a gap in between there ... should be 4* difference, not 6*.
    So I would go 46, 50, 54, 60 ... or don't even carry a 60* (replace with a hybrid). Depending on the bounce that you prefer, you can also have them bent one way or another. Myself, I don't carry a 60*, but have a 50* and a 56* (bent to 54*) and rarely run into a gap/distance problems.
    Hope this helps :)
  9. MLB12

    MLB12
    Fredonia, NY

    chris b said:

    Your PW - 46* .... Next wedge - 52* Seems to be too much of a gap in between there ... should be 4* difference, not 6*.
    So I would go 46, 50, 54, 60 ... or don't even carry a 60* (replace with a hybrid). Depending on the bounce that you prefer, you can also have them bent one way or another. Myself, I don't carry a 60*, but have a 50* and a 56* (bent to 54*) and rarely run into a gap/distance problems.
    Hope this helps :)

    Chris B,

    This is the exact setup i'm going to. I have 714 AP2's 3-pw + (W). I'm coming from 712's i don't like the bounce of the (W) that came with the set so that will be dropped, will go with 50°,56°. I've never been a big fan of the lob wedge so that's how 2016 season will start.
  10. S. C.

    S. C.
    Tampa, FL

    I noted gapping would be a problem when I saw AP1-716 PW ws 1* stronger than the 714s, so I ordered the 714s with 48* and 52* AP1-714 wedges to complete the set. However, I later upgraded my 52*, 56* and 60* wedges to Vokey SM5. I just love the feel, spin and playability of the SM5s. However, now I have too many wedges, so I removed the 48*. I hit my AP1-714 PW about 120, and my SM5 52* barely 100 yds. So I have a 20 yd gap between 100-120 yds. Like the OP, I am at 100-120 a lot. If I put in a 48*, I need to remove my 5i, 4H, 3H, or 4W. I hit those longer clubs the best, and have trouble with short irons and especially with half-wedges. Any suggestions?
  11. S. C.

    S. C.
    Tampa, FL

    Doug, I wouldn't mess with shaft stiffness to alter distance. That should be controlled first by club loft. Softer shafts can lead to misses left or right, in addition to our current problem of distance control.

    Further, we need to learn one of golf's harder shots, the controlled wedge, using the clockface or other methods. It's just much easier to have a selection of full shot wedges. I recently discovered more distance by delofting my wedge at address and swinging much slower to keep trajectory down. The SM5s are so heavy at D-3 or D-5, they go full distance with a slow swing.
  12. Chris M

    Chris M
    78260, TX

    I am also trying to figure out my gapping. I have 714 AP2's so PW at 46*. I currently have ap2 w1 at 50* and 54/58. I have struggled with distance control for 54/58. I really miss having a 56/60. I am ordering sm6 and trying to decide if I should go 54(bent to 55)/60 or go 56/60 and bend my 50 1* weak. Basically where should the 5* gap fall?

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