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Why 4 Wedges?

• DarSum 1,440 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:01 AM

  I'd like someone to convince me why I should carry 4 wedges. (I'm counting my PW as a wedge). I'll give my arguments for not and I'd like to hear your arguments to the opposite.

  I can hit my PW (G10) anywhere from 120 down to 80.

  My CG16 60 degree from 90 down to 50.

  My TM 64 degree from 53 to 3yrd. I use this club exclusively around the greens. I don't use pitch, chip or flop ever. Only full shot. This club probably took 3 to 4 shots a round off my game after I purchased it and got used to what I could do with it.

  Instead of the 4 wedge I use the R11 3 hybrid and also have the R11 3 metal. I use the Hybrid a LOT. This club will carry 236-240 with no backspin. And I can back it down to 210 or so and it sticks like velcro. So I use it in place of my 3 iron quite a bit. Not to mention the way it performs out of 40/50% rough.

  I use the R11 3 metal as a driver quite a bit on tight or short par 4s. Also on St. And with a tail wind where I want to stay short of fescue rough and almost every 2nd shot par 5. This club carries a LONG ways. It will easily go 255 with no wind. With backspin and no tailwind it will stick almost as good as the hybrid.

  Just from looking at other Legends equipment that are finishing at the top of RGs most if not all are using 4 wedges. I do "ok" in RGs. I can hold my own now that I'm getting used to the Legend tees.

  So, if you use 4 wedges, why? I'd like to hear some instances on the course why that extra wedge took a stroke or two off your round.

  Thanks

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:24 AM

  First I have to dispute your theory that the R11 hybrid will carry 236 to 240.  The 3 wood doesn't even carry that far.

  Regarding the wedges, if you are comfortable and can consistently hit all the half, partial shots then you are better than all of us mere mortals.  The full shot is the easiest one to hit with any club and cutting down the yardage between clubs is important from your 3 iron down to the lob wedge.

  I have a 115 yard wedge which comes with my set of irons.  I have a 95 yard wedge, an 80 yard wedge and a 60 yard wedge.  that pretty much makes it so that I can punch and hit other shots without guessing the yardage.  It also makes it so that on flops you have many options of distance rather than having to hit 3/4 or 1/2 shots.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:26 AM

  When you choke down on a club you are more susceptible to deviation, not to mention how arbitrary the backswing is when you estimate the strength. Why not ditch the 3w and just use your hybrid? The extra wedge gets you another 5 shots around the green and you need those more. JMO

• DarSum 1,440 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:39 AM

  TarheelsRule:

  First I have to dispute your theory that the R11 hybrid will carry 236 to 240.  The 3 wood doesn't even carry that far.

   

  Here's a shot off the tee with the Hybrid that goes 240 with a 4 mph headwind. I should have type GOES 236 to 240 not CARRIES. My fault. It will carry 220 with full backspin.

  replay.aspx?ID=0bccca28 c54d 4850 9202 9ed30131d3c3

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:41 AM

  Question for you, DS. The 3w doesn't do so good out of rough, how does the HB handle it? 30-40 and 40-50 to be specific.

• MrDonVito 472 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:45 AM

  "If it aint broke, don't fix it".

  If your good with 3 wedges, then keep on that. Alot of players, including myself like the extra wedge to narrow the distance between wedges. This allows us to hit 90%+ power almost all the time. I do see your point about the hybrid though, and I would love to carry one, but at this time I prefer my 3w and 4th wedge. What I REALLY wish, is that wgt would allow us to swap out an iron for another club. I would gladly toss my 3iron in the lake for a chance to carry the R11 hybrid.

• DarSum 1,440 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:47 AM

  YankeeJim:

  When you choke down on a club you are more susceptible to deviation, not to mention how arbitrary the backswing is when you estimate the strength. Why not ditch the 3w and just use your hybrid? The extra wedge gets you another 5 shots around the green and you need those more. JMO

   

  I don't estimate the strength of the shot. I know exactly (within a couple yards) how far each wedge goes with each movement of the club off of full strength. For example: I know my 64 degree will go 48 yrds with full backspin full strength. One club movement down it will go 44 yards. 5 movements down it will go 30 yrds. Of course that is assuming no wind, lie etc that you factor in for each shot.

  I'm wondering though if the Cleveland 52 degree 115 yrd wedge might give better results than the G10 PW that has the same distance value.

• zagraniczniak 1,984 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:51 AM

  It seems to me that you have to think about and decide on your club set (and ball, even) each time you start a round, based on the specific round you are playing - the course (front, back or 18) and wind. For example, is there a realistic chance that I will reach any par 5s in 2 with my 3 wood, or need the 3 wood for a tee shot? Vs. what are the chances I'll drive into the rough and need my hybrid to get out, or that my hybrid will be the perfect length for a long par 3 or long approach to a par 4 - on that specific round? Then I will opt for the hybrid.

  (A trivial example of this approach is that if you are playing a CTTH game, you will almost always swap out the driver for an extra wedge because you know it will not be needed.)

  As Jim says, the options provided by an extra wedge seem to make up for the gap in distance at the other end of the yardage. In other words, the ability to target specific distances matters more the closer you get to the hole.

  That said, my initial impression of the Cleveland wedges is that they offer better ability to hit partial shots than some of the other wedges do. Just a notion.

• MrDonVito 472 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:52 AM

  DarSum:

  Here's a shot off the tee with the Hybrid that goes 240 with a 4 mph headwind. I should have type GOES 236 to 240 not CARRIES. My fault. It will carry 220 with full backspin.

  According to that replay is can carry 228 yds. Man I want one of these SO bad.

  

• DarSum 1,440 Posts

  Thu, Apr 28 2011 11:53 AM

  YankeeJim:

  Question for you, DS. The 3w doesn't do so good out of rough, how does the HB handle it? 30-40 and 40-50 to be specific.

  Here, I put one in the rough that is 40/50% and hit a punch with the Hybrid out of it. If  you don't want to watch it. It goes 199 yrds. It's an amazing club out of the rough. I had the Ping Hybrid before this one and loved it but this one is twice the club as the Ping.

  replay.aspx?ID=f7b6046e 7410 4538 a424 9ed301368955