Post by Richie3Jack on Nov 22, 2013 14:45:10 GMT -5
A few months ago I decided to go to a 52* Sand Wedge. I ended up purchasing a Ping Tour-S Rustique:
My main idea was that I wanted to find something that would prevent such a distance gap between my PW and SW without carrying an extra wedge because I want to make sure that my Danger Zone play is properly gapped. That takes precedent over Shots from 136 (PW distance) and 105 yards (56* loft SW distance). So I was really looking for something I could hit about 120-125 yards on a full swing. Then be able to open the blade a little on short shots around the green.
My feeling was that it is much easier and plausible to open the blade up a little, provided you have the right type of grind rather than trying to hit a club that you hit a certain distance 1-club longer.
I notice there are quite a few Tour players that feel the same way. Lots of 54* lofted SW paired with either 58* or 60* LW. In fact, there are some that use a 53* loft as their Sand Wedge and Ernie Els and Sang Moon Bae, two very good short game players, use a 52* as their Sand Wedge.
Interestingly enough, I actually hit the 52* Ping Tour-S Rustique very nicely around the green. But, the yardage gapping is not quite there as I only hit this one about 110 yards, tops.
For me, I'm looking for more or less a SW type head with a 52* loft. The issues I see are the following:
1. 52* heads are usually not shaped and grinded for short game shots.
2. 52* heads that are shaped and grinded for short game shots usually have too low of a bounce
3. 52* heads not shaped for short game shots tend to be too light in the head (285-290 grams)
4. 52* heads shaped for short game shots tend to be too heavy in the head (300-302 grams).
5. 52* heads shaped for Short Game shots have a lower CoG on the head, perhaps making it difficult to hit it as far as a typical 52* lofted head.
So I have been on the lookout for ways to get a 52* head that is around 295 grams of head weight, so I can make it 3/8" shorter in shaft length than my Pitching Wedge.
But, I will need it to have roughly 14-16* bounce. I will also need some heel-toe relief in order to make the club easier to fan the face open.
After searching around, I decided to look at what Scratch Golf can provide me and they told me they could provide this at $298. I will likely purchase one come December. As far as shafts and counterweights, I will figure out what to do with that.
The next step is figuring out what type of finish I want on the wedge.
3JACK
My main idea was that I wanted to find something that would prevent such a distance gap between my PW and SW without carrying an extra wedge because I want to make sure that my Danger Zone play is properly gapped. That takes precedent over Shots from 136 (PW distance) and 105 yards (56* loft SW distance). So I was really looking for something I could hit about 120-125 yards on a full swing. Then be able to open the blade a little on short shots around the green.
My feeling was that it is much easier and plausible to open the blade up a little, provided you have the right type of grind rather than trying to hit a club that you hit a certain distance 1-club longer.
I notice there are quite a few Tour players that feel the same way. Lots of 54* lofted SW paired with either 58* or 60* LW. In fact, there are some that use a 53* loft as their Sand Wedge and Ernie Els and Sang Moon Bae, two very good short game players, use a 52* as their Sand Wedge.
Interestingly enough, I actually hit the 52* Ping Tour-S Rustique very nicely around the green. But, the yardage gapping is not quite there as I only hit this one about 110 yards, tops.
For me, I'm looking for more or less a SW type head with a 52* loft. The issues I see are the following:
1. 52* heads are usually not shaped and grinded for short game shots.
2. 52* heads that are shaped and grinded for short game shots usually have too low of a bounce
3. 52* heads not shaped for short game shots tend to be too light in the head (285-290 grams)
4. 52* heads shaped for short game shots tend to be too heavy in the head (300-302 grams).
5. 52* heads shaped for Short Game shots have a lower CoG on the head, perhaps making it difficult to hit it as far as a typical 52* lofted head.
So I have been on the lookout for ways to get a 52* head that is around 295 grams of head weight, so I can make it 3/8" shorter in shaft length than my Pitching Wedge.
But, I will need it to have roughly 14-16* bounce. I will also need some heel-toe relief in order to make the club easier to fan the face open.
After searching around, I decided to look at what Scratch Golf can provide me and they told me they could provide this at $298. I will likely purchase one come December. As far as shafts and counterweights, I will figure out what to do with that.
The next step is figuring out what type of finish I want on the wedge.
3JACK