Wedge gapping/ Irons

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By Lee R

  • 1 Like
  • 19 Replies
  1. Lee R

    Lee R

    Just purchased a combo set (150’s & 200’s) 200’s PW is 44°. Which is a bit of a gap between my 50° gap wedge. Wondered what set-up others have gone for?

  2. Brian D

    Brian D
    Corunna, MI

    If I recall correctly Vokey recommends 4 degrees of loft for gapping purposes. You may want to consider updating to a Vokey set starting with a 48 degree wedge. I have also seen 5 degree gaps where folks have had wedge lofts bent to make that happen. Your 50 could possibly be bent to 49 then you can look at a 54 and figuring out if you want a 58 or a 60 to be bent to 59. In such a scenario you would have to consider the impmact on bounce, etc. Working with a fitter to see which setup works best for you is always recommended.
  3. EddietheKarp

    EddietheKarp
    Pennsylvania

    Hi Lee! Brian is correct, the rule of thumb is 4 degrees of loft progression, but it’s not necessarily a law of the land. My PW is 46, which by the book would land me in either the 50-54-58 or 50-55-60 gapping, but I’ve found that a 50 GW, 56 SW, and 60 LW work just fine for me.
    Best bet would be to pony up some cash for a gapping session and find out what combination works best for you and on the distances you typically encounter on the course. Just make sure it’s with someone who is providing you with the important information ( ie, you’re paying them) otherwise you’re the product, not the fitting.
  4. Kieran H

    Kieran H

    You say you have a combo set, generally the more forgiving clubs, T200, are in the 3-5 or 6 iron range and the T150 would very 6 or 7 iron to PW. What combo did you get fit for? I personally have Vokey at 46, 52 (bent to 51), 56, 60 but ultimately it is about what your game needs. I don't hit alot of full shots with wedges so for me it's all about grind and bounce, I can manipulate loft myself in the way I play
  5. Barry M

    Barry M
    Reno, NV

    Without going to a wedge fitting, I would wait a few rounds and see how it all fits together. It depends a lot on what you are looking for, your abilities, and what irons your playing. Latest technology has game improvement irons hitting the ball higher and longer, so they lowered the loft. Pitching wedges used to be 48 degree, but now they are running 43 or 44 degree, so the 4 degree rule isn't a sure thing. I still play the 718 AP1 pitching wedge and have Vokey 48, 52, & 56 degree wedges. In hindsight I think it would better fit my game with the 50, 54, & 58 wedges. But then again, my golf buddies tell me there is no way in heck any of them would want my game.
  6. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Barry M said:

    Without going to a wedge fitting, I would wait a few rounds and see how it all fits together. It depends a lot on what you are looking for, your abilities, and what irons your playing. Latest technology has game improvement irons hitting the ball higher and longer, so they lowered the loft. Pitching wedges used to be 48 degree, but now they are running 43 or 44 degree, so the 4 degree rule isn't a sure thing. I still play the 718 AP1 pitching wedge and have Vokey 48, 52, & 56 degree wedges. In hindsight I think it would better fit my game with the 50, 54, & 58 wedges. But then again, my golf buddies tell me there is no way in heck any of them would want my game.

    I like 50-54-58. Or 48-54-58. I keep a 64 and that is mainly because of San Diego golf courses. Things like narrow greens. Pin placements within 10 feet of the front fringe. Deep bunkers with hard sand. Torrey South, Balboa Park and Tecolote Canyon have hard greens. Riverwalk and Oaks North have greens that stick like glue. There are some courses that have a mix of soft and hard sand. That’s why now I have M and T for 54 and 58 plus a 56-12D. The “Phil 64” works in just about everything. I’m more of “shot-maker” vice a “slider” or “digger”; I can hit K or D off hard pan and can hit T grind on a soft lie.
  7. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    My set P is 48. Gapping, for all intents and purposes, is 48-54-58-64. I have 56-08M bent to 54. 58-04T grind. Also have a 56-12D in the bag currently. In reserve, I have a 60-14K bent to 58 and a Wedgeworks 64W. There is no rule that says a 48-52-56-60 wedge setup is compulsory (assuming F grind for 48-52, M grind for 56 and S/L grind for 60).

    When I want to play with a carry bag, my wedge setup is 48-56-64. The D grind works nicely off a variety of lies. I played 2 weeks ago with a forged 58/12 bent to 56 and the Phil wedge and shot a 38 for 9.

    I can also toss out the D and T grind and play the K grind. For 2 years I played 54-10S at 52* and 60–14K bent to 58.
  8. Tom

    Tom
    Rochester NY

    Why not go 48,52,56,60… depending on your set make up you may be able to get rid of a club at the other end of the bag
  9. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Tom said:

    Why not go 48,52,56,60… depending on your set make up you may be able to get rid of a club at the other end of the bag

    Too traditional. 52 is no added value nor is 60. 48-54-58-64 has worked for ages. 60 isn’t for the faint of heart. I played Torrey with 50-58-64. The 58 gives a tad bit more roll vs a 60. I took the 60-14K back since the 56–12D actually hit better in a wet bunker with a high lip. I got a 50-12F and bent it to 48; for me it plays better than a stock 48–10F. I don’t hit a 15 or 17 fairway very well but can plaster a 19.
  10. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    I meant 64 isn’t for the faint of heart. I use it in deep greenside bunkers. It saved par on Torrey South 13 from the back bunker with about 15 feet between the pin and back fringe
  11. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    Pros carry 2-5 wedges, based on their experience. The 4 degree rule is only a starting point. Besides getting out of bunkers, they need to fill distance gaps and allow enough creativity around greens.
    If you have distances you can’t easily cover by choking down on the P and can’t cover with the 50 degree wedge, then you may need a 48 wedge or the set gap iron. That depends on how you use a gap club. No one right solution.
    I would suggest not adjusting the loft on a wedge by more than 1 degree. That changes the bounce that may effect what you expert from that wedge.
  12. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Don O said:

    Pros carry 2-5 wedges, based on their experience. The 4 degree rule is only a starting point. Besides getting out of bunkers, they need to fill distance gaps and allow enough creativity around greens.
    If you have distances you can’t easily cover by choking down on the P and can’t cover with the 50 degree wedge, then you may need a 48 wedge or the set gap iron. That depends on how you use a gap club. No one right solution.
    I would suggest not adjusting the loft on a wedge by more than 1 degree. That changes the bounce that may effect what you expert from that wedge.

    50-12F plays better 2* strong vs a 48–10F for me. I have the 56-12D and 58-04T stock. I’ve played K grind at 2* strong because 14* bounce is too much. Also, for some odd reason M grind works better 2* strong for me. Never bend weak. 2* is absolute max. I just got hooked on D grind; better for open faced shots vs K plus it does better off firm lies.
  13. Fred G

    Fred G

    I have the same situation! intersting read
  14. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Can’t let go of the 60-14K. Lofts are 48-56-60-64. Almost “traditional”
  15. Edward K

    Edward K
    Wesley Chapel, FL

    Military
    For those that diligently work on the wedges, a 6-degree gap isn't a major problem, if you can properly hit 1/2 and 3/4 spacing shots with your wedges, you'll be fine. Takes a little effort, but you don't have to re-equip your whole setup to close a small gap.
  16. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Edward K said:

    For those that diligently work on the wedges, a 6-degree gap isn't a major problem, if you can properly hit 1/2 and 3/4 spacing shots with your wedges, you'll be fine. Takes a little effort, but you don't have to re-equip your whole setup to close a small gap.

    I just reverted to my pre-pandemic setup with a couple tweaks. I use a 46-10 bent to 44 in place of the 9 iron and 50-08F in place of the PW. 56-12D remains the sand wedge. I have a 60-04T bent to 59. My “Phil 64” is back in. I use the 46-10 mostly for full swing.
  17. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Update is 60-04T stock and 58-12D bent to 56. Reserves are 58-14K and 58-08M bent to 56 for unknown courses
  18. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Lou G said:

    Update is 60-04T stock and 58-12D bent to 56. Reserves are 58-14K and 58-08M bent to 56 for unknown courses

    I fare better with a 58 bent to 56.
  19. ZRickman

    ZRickman

    I have recently just had a fitting at the Woburn performance centre and my gapping was done as follows

    PW 43 degrees
    Gap 48 degrees
    Sand 54 degrees
    Lob 60 degrees

    I’m currently debating whether to have the 48 degree as a t series gap as I was fitted for or change to a 48 vokey
  20. John W

    John W
    Lansing, MI

    I had the same issue as the OP. Had a 50 degree gap wedge because my older irons (718 TMB) had a more lofted PW but when I went to t200s, that was a bit much, so bought a 48 Vokey. Stuck with the 54 and 60 Vokeys I already had. 4-6 degree gaps are typically the recommendation and I'm pretty good at hitting less than full wedges so having the high end of that gap and being able to have more clubs at the other end of my bag works well for me.

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