What’s more, companies like Titleist say you should change wedges every 75 rounds or so. Given I probably hit each wedge in my bag twice a round, that’s about £1 per strike before changeover. I think we’re being led up the garden path here. Your test proves it.
In Ralph Maltby's Exhaustive book "Golf Club Design, Fitting, Alteration and Repair", under "Golf Myths" we find the following: "At impact, the ball is struck by the face of the club which has a certain loft angle. Backspin is created by the difference in the angle the ball is launched (loft plane) to that of the force direction of the clubhead. The greater this difference (more loft) the greater the amount of backspin...It was once thought that backspin was created by the ball rolling up the face during impact, but high speed photography has disproved this under dry conditions. Since a golf ball is only in contact with the face of the club for 5/10,000ths of a second, it has little time to roll up the face." He went on to describe how he built a set of clubs with NO GROOVES, played them for 2 years and lowered his handicap from 6 to 5. The purpose of grooves are to keep moisture and grass from coming between the ball and the clubface, affecting spin and flight. They are most useful in altering shots out of rough and THAT is why they are on the clubs and regulated.
I agree on wedges selection...One reason to change wedges is if you are going to change brands and style of wedges, other wise wedges like mine are good for several years before you need to regrove or up date on shaft and type....
The total spin wasn't greatly different but you could definitely argue that the consistency in every metric was tighter. Your average 15 handicap won't notice but your low singles might
I needed a new wedge because I left my old Cleveland RTX on the PGA at Gleneagles and it was never handed in! To be fair, I loved the RTX but I had had it for a good few years and it was losing its grooves, so I 'traded up' to a Vokey. :-) I was amazed how different the two clubs were. The vokey has a really heavy head and I love it for the confidence it gives me getting through greenside rough. It doesn't seem to snag. And it absolutely zips with the new grooves. Sometimes its time to do it.
I change my wedges every two years, using titliest SM9 at present and generally stick with titliest. They blend into my irons perfectly. Most wedges these days are pretty good, it just comes down to preference. Practice strikes is the key to good wedge play.
I changed mine after 8 years and the grooves were quite worn. Did get new ones and just found they arrived 3 degrees flat and lofts off my as much as 0.8 deg so I wouldn't assume that the loft is correct on a new club ... local pro corrected for free so I'm happy
This is why I LOVE WATCHING your reviews .. Unless you are a low single figure/pro I could see why you might want to change clubs. You speak Total sense and as much as i watch other golf reviews you dont promote a product to sell a brand.
What a great short and informative video Lee , nice one , too many amateurs fall for the new wedge trap . Maybe check behind you for a while in case the manufacturers come calling !
I’ve got 3.5/4 year old sugar daddy PXG wedges. The best I’ve ever hit. They still stop a ball the same today as they did from new. Or as near as I’d ever know.
I typically change my wedges every 3 years along with my irons. Not usually because anything is worn out. More because like many golfers I’m an equipment magpie! 😂
For competition play the new one makes sense otherwise for most of us the existing one in the bag, no issues 🎉. Thanks Lee. FYI most of my wedges are second hand in any case allowing me to afford nice selection of lofts and bounce.
I don't think recreational players are good/consistent enough with strike to make much of a difference. Tour players strike it perfectly and they practice, practice, practice with them, so it's understandable that they change their wedges every six months due to wear 'n' tear.
My 1988 PW is just fine then 🤷♂️ Don’t laugh but I am sending back my chunky monkey G400 irons. I miss greens, I can’t fade or draw them and they are just ugly. My old blades from 1988 are back 💪⛳️😳
@@tomb9658 Yes I noticed that as well. The chunky clubs just strike me as blunt instruments, I don’t feel very precise with them and they just fly straight. The weighting on them demands really exaggerated angles to draw and fade the ball where as the blades are more subtle. Ironically, manufacturers go on and on about MOI. If you use a large iron with a long heel to toe length, the weighting does need to be spread out to increase MOI for non centred strikes. With compact blades, they have a huge inherent MOI because they are concentrated over a surface much smaller. They don’t tell you that do they? As precise as I have to be with compact blades, it’s more comfortable for me knowing it’s all down to me
My wedges are the oldest clubs in the bag. I have a 200 series 54° Vokey and a first-generation 60° spin milled Vokey. They're both still in surprisingly good shape, although I have sharpen the grooves.
Yessss! I still carry my Staff FG17 Tour Blade wedge. I can move it right or left as needed. It's been an old friend for many years. I am 68 now, so I'm not so concerned about distance, but the wedge needs to be there.
Grooves don't really help get spin off mats though, do they? If you repeated the test from a bit of wet rough and I bet there would be more of a deviation. Overall agree that wedges should last 2-3 seasons unless you play a lot - every year seems excessive.
don't really care what this person is saying. When are the box groove wedges coming back into stores now that they are legal again? Not buying any more clubs till I get an answer... ffs.
What’s more, companies like Titleist say you should change wedges every 75 rounds or so. Given I probably hit each wedge in my bag twice a round, that’s about £1 per strike before changeover. I think we’re being led up the garden path here. Your test proves it.
In Ralph Maltby's Exhaustive book "Golf Club Design, Fitting, Alteration and Repair", under "Golf Myths" we find the following: "At impact, the ball is struck by the face of the club which has a certain loft angle. Backspin is created by the difference in the angle the ball is launched (loft plane) to that of the force direction of the clubhead. The greater this difference (more loft) the greater the amount of backspin...It was once thought that backspin was created by the ball rolling up the face during impact, but high speed photography has disproved this under dry conditions. Since a golf ball is only in contact with the face of the club for 5/10,000ths of a second, it has little time to roll up the face." He went on to describe how he built a set of clubs with NO GROOVES, played them for 2 years and lowered his handicap from 6 to 5. The purpose of grooves are to keep moisture and grass from coming between the ball and the clubface, affecting spin and flight. They are most useful in altering shots out of rough and THAT is why they are on the clubs and regulated.
What about buying a groove tool and refreshing the grooves every season? I sharpen my lawnmower blade every year, why not my wedges?
It doesn’t appear to be necessary
Ams donnt steike it consistently well enough or play enough to even notice ....spot on lee i chamge mine when i wamt new ones thats it
I agree on wedges selection...One reason to change wedges is if you are going to change brands and style of wedges, other wise wedges like mine are good for several years before you need to regrove or up date on shaft and type....
The total spin wasn't greatly different but you could definitely argue that the consistency in every metric was tighter. Your average 15 handicap won't notice but your low singles might
I needed a new wedge because I left my old Cleveland RTX on the PGA at Gleneagles and it was never handed in! To be fair, I loved the RTX but I had had it for a good few years and it was losing its grooves, so I 'traded up' to a Vokey. :-) I was amazed how different the two clubs were. The vokey has a really heavy head and I love it for the confidence it gives me getting through greenside rough. It doesn't seem to snag. And it absolutely zips with the new grooves. Sometimes its time to do it.
I change my wedges every two years, using titliest SM9 at present and generally stick with titliest. They blend into my irons perfectly. Most wedges these days are pretty good, it just comes down to preference. Practice strikes is the key to good wedge play.
Could you do the same test but with a 4yr old wedge, I think that's a more realistic time frame for people to be looking for replacements.
I changed mine after 8 years and the grooves were quite worn. Did get new ones and just found they arrived 3 degrees flat and lofts off my as much as 0.8 deg so I wouldn't assume that the loft is correct on a new club ... local pro corrected for free so I'm happy
Probably need to change my 60 now based on the massive chunk i took out of it on a hidden rock the other day 😮💨
Love the comparison, really insightful
I carry one specialist wedge. If I’m not on the green with a putter you can find me in the bunker with it. 😂
This is why I LOVE WATCHING your reviews .. Unless you are a low single figure/pro I could see why you might want to change clubs. You speak Total sense and as much as i watch other golf reviews you dont promote a product to sell a brand.
What a great short and informative video Lee , nice one , too many amateurs fall for the new wedge trap . Maybe check behind you for a while in case the manufacturers come calling !
I’ve got 3.5/4 year old sugar daddy PXG wedges. The best I’ve ever hit. They still stop a ball the same today as they did from new. Or as near as I’d ever know.
I typically change my wedges every 3 years along with my irons. Not usually because anything is worn out. More because like many golfers I’m an equipment magpie! 😂
Good idea for a video Lee!
For competition play the new one makes sense otherwise for most of us the existing one in the bag, no issues 🎉. Thanks Lee. FYI most of my wedges are second hand in any case allowing me to afford nice selection of lofts and bounce.
I don't think recreational players are good/consistent enough with strike to make much of a difference. Tour players strike it perfectly and they practice, practice, practice with them, so it's understandable that they change their wedges every six months due to wear 'n' tear.
My 1988 PW is just fine then 🤷♂️
Don’t laugh but I am sending back my chunky monkey G400 irons. I miss greens, I can’t fade or draw them and they are just ugly. My old blades from 1988 are back 💪⛳️😳
I've seen guys change to chunky for forgiveness, when they were hitting compact blades well only to continually chunk the new SGI irons.
@@tomb9658 Yes I noticed that as well. The chunky clubs just strike me as blunt instruments, I don’t feel very precise with them and they just fly straight. The weighting on them demands really exaggerated angles to draw and fade the ball where as the blades are more subtle. Ironically, manufacturers go on and on about MOI. If you use a large iron with a long heel to toe length, the weighting does need to be spread out to increase MOI for non centred strikes. With compact blades, they have a huge inherent MOI because they are concentrated over a surface much smaller. They don’t tell you that do they? As precise as I have to be with compact blades, it’s more comfortable for me knowing it’s all down to me
My wedges are the oldest clubs in the bag. I have a 200 series 54° Vokey and a first-generation 60° spin milled Vokey. They're both still in surprisingly good shape, although I have sharpen the grooves.
Yessss! I still carry my Staff FG17 Tour Blade wedge. I can move it right or left as needed. It's been an old friend for many years. I am 68 now, so I'm not so concerned about distance, but the wedge needs to be there.
Grooves don't really help get spin off mats though, do they? If you repeated the test from a bit of wet rough and I bet there would be more of a deviation. Overall agree that wedges should last 2-3 seasons unless you play a lot - every year seems excessive.
don't really care what this person is saying.
When are the box groove wedges coming back into stores now that they are legal again?
Not buying any more clubs till I get an answer... ffs.