Wedge gapping/ Irons

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

John W — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 00:13:51 GMT

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

ZRickman — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 01:02:43 GMT

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

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 02:23:52 GMT

[quote user="Lou G"]Update is 60-04T stock and 58-12D bent to 56. Reserves are 58-14K and 58-08M bent to 56 for unknown courses

[/quote]

I fare better with a 58 bent to 56.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 01:03:17 GMT

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

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:35:11 GMT

[quote user="Edward K"]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.

[/quote]

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Edward K — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 20:37:18 GMT

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 01:20:45 GMT

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

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Fred G — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 06:18:37 GMT

I have the same situation! intersting read

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 21:04:32 GMT

[quote user="Barry M"]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.

[/quote]

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 20:52:52 GMT

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

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 20:49:43 GMT

[quote user="Tom"]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

[/quote]

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 20:36:44 GMT

[quote user="Don O"]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.

[/quote]

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Don O — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:37:57 GMT

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Tom — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 10:47:19 GMT

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

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Lou G — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 21:31:37 GMT

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Barry M — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 17:20:46 GMT

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Kieran H — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 10:22:50 GMT

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

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

EddietheKarp — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 16:06:33 GMT

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.

RE: Wedge gapping/ Irons

Brian D — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 14:44:49 GMT

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.