[dselectronics]

IMHO, there are two big differences between a regular iron fitting and a wedge fitting. As JB mentioned, bounce is a key issue. I also am curious about Pro's choice of wedges, but given the state of my bunker play last year under pressure, I am about the last person to question anyone.

The other aspect is that distance gapping is closely addressed. You should have a good quality launch monitor and use your ball for the fitting. I would take any David Leadpoison (aka Ledbetter) advice with a large grain of salt, but I agree he is probably correct here.

Finally, some food for thought. Have you considered some short game/wedge instruction prior to investing in new equipment? The reason I mention that is that I had a very subtle decline in my wedge play for a lot of last year, culminating with a virtual collapse. I had developed a swing problem that carrying five wedges would not have solved. You may want to run that by Andy before taking the plunge.

I'm not picking a fight here, but I don't see how a launch monitor can help anyone choose a wedge and a bounce for that wedge.

Launch monitors may be fine for full shot analytics, but wedges are not about distance, or ball speed, or clubhead speed or any of the other things that launch monitors are used to determine or define.

Wedges are about control and feel. And to me, the only way to determine whether a wedge suits someone's particular need is for that person to take several wedges out onto a course and play with them in real situations and then decide which one is best.

As far as bounce profiles are concerned, yes there are many to choose from but all of them are "stock" in some way or another and no matter how many "systems" are being offered, the only way to really "dial-in" a proper bounce profile to a particular person is to first choose the wedge that feels best with a profile that most closely matches your requirements and then go out and play with it. There is no formula or "player profile" that can tell you what works or doesn't work for your specific way of hitting a wedge unless you actually go out and hit that wedge. Afterward, when you've had some time to formulate a set of "likes" and "dislikes", you can either decide to try another wedge, or have the one you're using ground to your liking.

When I buy a wedge, I select a bounce that I think is pretty close to what I'm after and I always end up spending a fair amount of time in my garage grinding, shaping and polishing until I get the action I want. I've never played a wedge that I didn't first have to "adjust" a bit - and that takes time and it's more "trial and error" than system or formula.

Wedges are very personal clubs and are very much like wearing a great pair of shoes. You could have your foot measured in twenty different ways and have a pair of shoes made just to those specs, but you're not going to know if you'll like those shoes until you try them on and walk around in them for awhile and there will usually have to be some adjustments made in order for them to fit perfectly.


-JP