This is a great question and why is it important? Well your wedges are considered your scoring clubs, we use them to play many different shots, full, pitch, bunker, flop and chip shots. Controlling ball flight and spin is key with all short game shots.
So how do I know when it’s time to change my wedges?
Well the grooves are what grip the ball and impart the spin. Naturally grooves are subject to wear and tear over time and usage. If when you run your finger down the face of the wedge it has become smooth and the depth of the grooves from one to the next has become shallow, you probably need to change your wedges. Titleist Vokey recommend checking your groove wear after 60-70 rounds, for a lot of golfers this is 2 years depending on how much golf is played. As the grooves wear, we loose spin on the ball and sacrifice short game control.
Ok I need new wedges, what do I do now?
Well there’s a lot that goes into wedge design and therefore being fitted correctly by your local PGA pro is very important. Through the use of launch monitors such as Trackman correct gapping needs to be thought out with the correct loft differences between your wedges, then assessing the correct bounce and grind options. Factors to consider when choosing the correct bounce and grind are ground and bunker conditions of your home club, soft, medium or firm. The softer the ground/bunker conditions the more bounce you will typically need, alternatively if the ground and bunker conditions are firm then less bounce would be a better option. Other factors include club delivery steep vs shallow as well as skill and confidence level with short game shots. Ultimately choosing the correct bounce is essential for ensuring better and more consistent strikes, which increases spin control, enhancing forgiveness even with mistakes and versatility with a variety of short game shots.
Looking to buy new wedges, seek expert advice from your PGA Pro, who has expertise in club fitting, with a large selection of wedges, bounces and grinds to try.
For more information visit your local pro or clink the link below:
