BOUNCE

[Mjr. D]

Just wondering, if you have a steep angle of attack and have a hard swing, are u better of with less bounce in your wedges? Thanks a lot.

[idrive]

I think it comes down more to the actual shot and the conditions.

Out of the bunker?? Is it nice with fluffy sand or hard as a rock and wet??

Around the Green in deep wet grass or 50 yards out on a hard fairway??

I carry at least 2 wedges, at least one lower bounce, one higher bounce. Depending on the course I may take a higher or lower bounce set. It doesn't seem like I often take full swings with wedges...

Soft conditions... higher bounce. Harder conditions... lower bounce. IMHO

Now it's time to experiment. Would like to hear your feedback.

[Mjr. D]

I think it comes down more to the actual shot and the conditions.

Out of the bunker?? Is it nice with fluffy sand or hard as a rock and wet??

Around the Green in deep wet grass or 50 yards out on a hard fairway??

I carry at least 2 wedges, at least one lower bounce, one higher bounce. Depending on the course I may take a higher or lower bounce set. It doesn't seem like I often take full swings with wedges...

Soft conditions... higher bounce. Harder conditions... lower bounce. IMHO

Now it's time to experiment. Would like to hear your feedback.

Hmmm, ok, thanks. Sand always varies. Right now the sand's hard and i can't even get the ball out the bunker on my first attempt. I seriously have to make contact with the ball first (not the sand) to get it out. It's not even sand, it's like slate. It's ridiculous.

With bounce, I just figured with a steep angle of attack, you get on the ball on a sharper angle and therefore i thought less bounce would benefit miss-hits a little better (not hitting the ground first, with a club with more "bounce" and skulling the ball as easily)........especially from 100yrds out etc, when you'll swinging a little harder. I find i skull the ball when i make a mistake with my wedges.......rarely if ever catch it thick. And i'd much rather catch it thick than skull it anyday.

I told a guy my tendencies when i ordered my Mizuno wedges but this was before i really knew what my tendencies were.

Here are my wedge stats. Let me know if this is a lot of bounce or not very much or avg etc. I actually just looked up bounce the other day so i'm not an expert on the subject and therefore not even sure how to read it yet.

I have a Mizuno MP-T series 51*/10

Another MP-T 51*/06

MP-T 53*/08

Mp-T 56*/10

Mp-T 58*/10

And a regular MP series (Raw Black Ox) 60*/06.

I hate all the MP-T series wedges and am looking to replace them. Just don't feel soft at all.........clicky feeling. I absolutely love the regular MP series 60* i have though. Strange indeed.

Thanks for the help.

[Mjr. D]

Hmmm, ok, thanks. Sand always varies. Right now the sand's hard and i can't even get the ball out the bunker on my first attempt. I seriously have to make contact with the ball first (not the sand) to get it out. It's not even sand, it's like slate. It's ridiculous.

With bounce, I just figured with a steep angle of attack, you get on the ball on a sharper angle and therefore i thought less bounce would benefit miss-hits a little better (not hitting the ground first, with a club with more "bounce" and skulling the ball as easily)........especially from 100yrds out etc, when you'll swinging a little harder. I find i skull the ball when i make a mistake with my wedges.......rarely if ever catch it thick. And i'd much rather catch it thick than skull it anyday.

I told a guy my tendencies when i ordered my Mizuno wedges but this was before i really knew what my tendencies were.

Here are my wedge stats. Let me know if this is a lot of bounce or not very much or avg etc. I actually just looked up bounce the other day so i'm not an expert on the subject and therefore not even sure how to read it yet.

I have a Mizuno MP-T series 51*/10

Another MP-T 51*/06

MP-T 53*/08

Mp-T 56*/10

Mp-T 58*/10

And a regular MP series (Raw Black Ox) 60*/06.

I hate all the MP-T series wedges and am looking to replace them. Just don't feel soft at all.........clicky feeling. I absolutely love the regular MP series 60* i have though. Strange indeed.

Thanks for the help.

What are the best wedges on the market in your opinion and why? I know in N. America it's Volkey, CG10's and whatever else.......what about the Japanese brands?

[Mjr. D]

What are the best wedges on the market in your opinion and why? I know in N. America it's Volkey, CG10's and whatever else.......what about the Japanese brands?

Last question. Round vs teardrop head? What are the benefits of each? Thanks man.

[Blader-X]

Round or teadrop is more of what looks better to the eye. In terms of the leading edge, some players like it straighter to play shots where they use just the edge like a putter come out of thicker grass near the green.

In regards to bounce the general rule of thumb is that the softer the conditions one plays the more one needs bounce, the firmer, less bounce. However, bounce was created mainly to deal with sand shots and the occasional thicker lie from the rough where you're playing it like a sand shot. Coming out of sand is just as much a matter of the swing as it is the bounce of the club. Many ways to play them but I've found hard, aggressive swings don't produce favorable sand shots. In fact, its my belief one needs to be ultra smooth coming from the sand. The only time a hard swing is called for is when the ball is buried on a unslope and all you're doing is burying the club into the ball to pop it out.

Bounce and one's preferences really are a matter of experimenting as Idrive has stated. I've actually changed my wedge setup just recently myself. I took the 52 and 58 out and put back in a 55, 60 because I felt I was losing a few shots by not getting as close as I had in the past. Of course I dropped my PW and have added a 50. Now I feel I have my yardage gaps covered and I have the versatility of my 60 back along with the 55 for most of the bunker shots. The 55 has 11 degrees of bounce just what I need for most my bunker shots but the 60 has only 6 which is very important when I play in the desert where I'm facing tight lies and fast greens and I need all the spin I can generate especially when the wind is blowing. At one course I play this is generally most of the year when I go.

Wedges are very much like a putter even more so in terms of how unique and individual they are to a player. We could write pages just on this topic, let alone different grinds, wedge makeups such as how many to carry, what kinds, etc.

I've used to always play Vokeys and they're still very good wedges. Tried Mizuno's (off the rack) which I didn't favor, went with G-Fields (very good feel but just something was missing. And now a defunct company) and have now come to Epon. I'm very, very happy once again with my wedges and for me, its the ultimate set up. At least as we all say, until we find something better.

Good luck.