How to Choose Your Wedges // with Gareth Raflewski // Instructor Series

In this video we cover yardage gapping, loft, bounce, grind, blade, cavity, shot selection and more! We're excited to be joined again by world-renowned coach Gareth Raflewski who brings extremely valuable knowledge to the wedge selection process.
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Filmed at: Tour Experience Golf
Custom Golf Club Fitting Studio - Toronto, Canada

[@zacharymilos392]

These vids w Gareth are some of the best work that you guys have done... Would love to see him back again.

[@jaytucker4338]

I was just thinking this while re-watching this video. (I love a rewatch!) Ian was just asking who we want to see on Insta yesterday - more Raflewski please.

[@Mackaygolf]

Just what the Dr ordered! Pulling the trigger on a new wedge set Monday! Thanks Gents!

[@chrisfreitag2603]

Simply superb. What a treat to have Gareth share his insights and knowledge. The amount of knowledge coming from both Ian and Gareth pure gold. There’s a reason you are the best.

[@xxarea83xx]

My wedges were chosen after a lot of trial and error. After trying several styles and bounces, I’m now running CBX wedges and love them. Never thought I’d like a high bounce wedge but they’re amazing.

[@mikekerr5843]

Rewatched this in anticipation of my fitting. After Covid. Luved this discussion at the 11:00 min mark. Wedge fitting for avg players. Put me in for a great driver and a wedge fitting system! More Gareth please|

[@Hawkeye0721]

Wonderful video. After watching i switched from 60 to 56 degrees in my wedge around green. Solid improvement

[@pipebliss]

Gareth is awesome, he's so chill and knowledgeable. Would not be surprised if he's the #1 short game guru in the world in a few years.

[@lawrencebogar6136]

He is good but will always be looking up at Dave Pelz.

[@jeandupont8501]

@@lawrencebogar6136 I like Pelz but he sounds like a medecine show snake oil seller sometimes..

[@nigelday001]

Excellent.. people always question why I carry a 56’ and 58’ .. for years I’ve tried to get the perfect match and I believe I have .. the difference is bounce 14’ on 56 and 8 on the 58’ .. we have firm bunkers in Bali but the fairways are lush .. 😉🏌️‍♂️⛳️🍻

[@steinfonell4915]

I use my 51 degree for chipping. Love it. It is also my 98 meter club. Have a 54 for approach and the a 58 for bunker and sort of close range. Use a 48 degree PW which Hogan had on his Equalizer.

[@drew20238]

The RTX4's that you fit me into are amazing! Thank you.

[@ajsamis]

Just went through a MD5 wedge fitting. First wedge fitting in 25 years of playing. Fantastic experience and well worth it. Ended up in a much different bounce and grind set up for my 58 and it has changed my game.

[@jvelez1998]

I was just fitted for a trio for SM8s- 50, 55, 60. The spin is off of the charts. 10k plus spin on a number of my shots recorded via TrackMan which will equal massive stopping power. I also dropped the stock shaft and upgraded to Aerotek FC 115G. Just like the gents recommended, getting fit is a no brainer. It is a MUST. Buying off of the rack is like buying a car without taking a test drive. Why would you invest the $ in the tools if you have no idea if they will work for your game? These are you most important scoring clubs in the bag... choose wisely. Cheers

[@thatguymark8381]

Great series - mind blown. Takes me 40 minutes to watch a 20 minute video by replaying bits so much. My biggest fear when chipping is a 40 yard / partial swing / tight grass / soft and wet turf - end up with a footlong beaver tail and ball well short of green. Here in Alberta the ground is usually pretty hard and lots of times don't get much of a divot when chipping.

[@jguitar29]

Try raising your hands a little more putter level to get the heal up a bit and open your face a bit on wedges... you really shouldn’t be getting much of divot on chip shots pitch yes... Phil has a great video you can find on KZbin about an hour long...that video has shaved off at least 5 strokes for me this year ...and everytime you go to the range spend half your bucket on 100yd-5yd shots with every club from 7iron down to lob wedge....

[@TheMuffs2004]

I keep 2 grinds in the LW to match course conditions. I will probably start doing the same with the SW as well. I currently have a T Grind and M Grind for the LW. I’m thinking M and F in the SW

[@gerrylawrence660]

Garth's and Ian's expertise make Matt a Dirtydog!

[@NomadJoe0323]

Looking forward to seeing you guys on the golf channel one day.

[@hakanwesterdahl9324]

Great vid AGAIN , as a lefty myself its "easy" to get exactly What i want with Titleist wedges ! I have a GW from My Apex set and for the 2 wedges we/i went with a 56/14 F and a 60/08 M , the grind on both of them is perfect , i can open the blade on both IF necesary

[@chuckhill6299]

This series is the best one yet!!! Sooo much useful and great information.. Keep up the great work!!

[@ccmorgan53]

Absolutely loved this series

[@ryansones1626]

Always love the content boys... and your comparisons to golfing styles in the UK vs North America are much enjoyed, as is Gaerth. But ya bring anyone else over the pond and I might have to use those captions! Love you guys!

[@evelineoosterveld-rutgers8736]

Absolutely gold serie so good. What a eye opener.

[@tomvankamperdijk4392]

I guess what needs to be looked at as well is the lofts changing in iron sets, meaning the pitching wedge will be stronger lofted, a few years back basically all pitching wedges where 48 degrees, so the 52,56,60 was always a good option and blended well. My current PW is 45 degrees loft (JPX 921 Forged) so I have 50 low bounce 55 mid bounce 60 mid bounce.

[@jessiekruse7627]

These videos are invaluable

[@timothydaniels504]

I like to use a mid bounce 50, high bounce 56, a low bounce 60. If I’m honest with myself a 56 and 60 RTX with 11* of bounce will do the job almost all the time. Tight lies, fluffy lies or hard pan, those wedges can do it all. Great short game info from Garth.

[@bryanduchane2371]

You guys are the best

[@sgfiction4278]

Love this insight and information. Currently considering a wedge change for next season. Great video!

[@austinlauer1910]

Great guys 👍 definitely needing to add some versatility back into my own wedges.

[@mikelangan2707]

Thank you Gareth! Great series.

[@jguitar29]

I’ve actually put my camera on slow motion close up on the course and hit 6balls to see how my swing interacts with the ball//TURF to see what the bounce was really doing!!! Must be first !!! And imagination is next... I have 2 sets of wedges .. on bounces... 52high 56Mid 60mid ... 50mid 56xlow 64low ... wedge game is my strongest part... But Get out there and try every shot get creative...hit 4shot flights from same spot on practice rounds low,mid,high,flop... ball position face open/closed.. hands low/high/forward/leveled... wedge fitting is a must... actually every fitting is important... and lessons...

[@chrisrichardson5309]

These are truly awesome videos. Can’t wait to see what else you have coming

[@julia-6195]

Interesting because in the summer I play on firm fairways with tight lies, and I can have situations with pitching from hard pan if I miss a little too much around the green, but yet in a situation with soft sand and sometimes heavy rough on the same course on the same day. This led me to a 5 wedge setup. I don't use a 5W/7W. 21 hybrid instead. Set PW & GW with a 54/10 S grind; 58/8 C grind; Smart Sole S because I suck and it's good in heavy rough and soft sand.

[@mhay7628]

I thought Vokey SM7 S grind is 10 degrees of bounce?

[@fiscis]

Vokeys don’t state the actual bounce but a „plays like“ number (which is 10 on the S)

[@mr.volleyball13]

The rtx4 wedges you guys fit me into last year are great. Enjoyed the video.

[@johnw9173]

Using set PW 45°, GW 50°, SW 56°, LB 62° since last year. I like to have that 62° to play with when short-sided.

[@briankitsemble7097]

Another great video guys . So much helpful information in your video's.

[@jameskane4920]

Excellent video with lots of things to consider. The short game is the strongest part of my game so I play 44, 48, 52, 56 and 60 which gives me about 10 yards of gap between each club. Interested to know what shafts you recommend for wedges. If you're playing 70 gram graphite shafts in your irons aren't the stock steel shafts way too heavy?

[@uwrossl]

Still loving my SM7's I got fit for last year. First time I've ever been fit for wedges(or any clubs..did a full bag fit with True Spec) and it had a massive impact on my scoring as well as for the first time understanding the grind and bounce on them. I finally know what club to pull based on what kind of shot I want to play. Can't recommend getting fit for every club in your bag enough. Haven't tested the the SM8's and not likely they'll replace the 7's but I am looking forward to hitting them. Just love the way Vokey's perform and how they set up behind the ball.

[@irvinlee1800]

so do you have the same or similar shaft/weights with the your wedges to your irons? I play 90 gram shafts on irons and have stock 130 grams on wedges. irons I was fitted for...

[@davidwilson1952]

great vids gents, some really good content with Gareth. Ive played around with bounce this year and have 60/55 high and 56 low. I tend to play my pitch shots with a 56 on tight lies so this makes sense why I found it worked.

[@Caleyfan86]

Brilliant series lads. Was wondering about testing a 62 for the North American tracks, would set up change? What roll does bounce play in that extreme loft?

[@seancook2264]

Great and hugely informative video! 👍🏼 new wedges now at 50* 54* & 58* to work into the stronger HMB irons shifting from traditional lofts at 52;56;60....still bedding them in for the U.K. season. 😀

[@TP7ification]

Any plans to review the Cobra mim wedges? There's no solid reviews out there yet they seem to be a great product.

[@lkeith88]

If they're anything like the cobra PUR wedges from a few years back, they're money.

[@blakebarrilleaux8073]

I hear a lot of the same info from Gareth that I read from Dave Pelz. Did he work for or with Pelz? These wedge series vids with Gareth should be watched over and over by everyone, btw..

[@Ocho817]

Ian, what's your thoughts on the effect of cold wedge heads on spin? When I hit my rtx4 56 in my cold garage ~45 degrees F, spin drops to around 2-3000. When i hit it warm (kept wedge indoors and bring it out) I get my usual 7-8000rpm. This is on half swings but I think the drastic effect also applies to full swings. Only have cleveland rtx4 so cant say if other brands are effected this much or not. Spin is not nearly as effected on my mizuno irons. I always bring my golf balls back indoors so that is happening even hitting normal temperature balls.

[@MXJEFF94]

I thought the 54 in the Vokey for the S grind was 10 degree bounce, not 12...? Or am I mistaken?

[@dangodbey3207]

To me this video brings up the question of number of clubs allowed. I need a 5-wood between my 3-wood and 3-iron to fill that gap. If you read the history of the 14 club limit it was a very arbitrary number, Bobby Jones had around 25 clubs in his bag, what do you guys think about this subject ?

[@markthegolfaddict9051]

I'd easily carry 20 clubs. I'd have high lofted wedges and hybrids to those extras.

[@thurlestonetennis2447]

More than 14 clubs is not necessary. It is common for most people to play just as well, sometimes even better, in a 3 clubs and a putter competition.

[@markthegolfaddict9051]

@@thurlestonetennis2447 not necessary but would be nice.

[@dangodbey3207]

I learned with driver-fairway-putter-3-5-7-9 irons, I could play that way still …… minimally I would like an extra wedge and an opposite hand club, ideally 1-14 irons/wedges, putter, 5 woods/hybrids/crossover and 1 opposite hand club. The reasoning being that as I get older I am more likely to hit the ball better than farther. Courses that aren’t golf course architect designed tend to have trees/tree lines in less than ideal places requiring the long low sweeper which makes the 1&2 irons and the opposite hand club useful + most golf is played on these types of courses … the rough can be unkept due to budgetary constraints which makes a couple of extra woods nice to have as well. Just saying …

[@andynewton3050]

I carry 4 wedges: 49, 53, 57 & 60. That’s coming from a 45 degree PW. Gives me lots of options

[@marc6652]

You talk as if the bounce was irrelevant... It's often more efficient to have two 58° (1 low and 1 high bounce) than 57° and 60° with the same bounce.

[@analyticsrndigital5163]

@@marc6652 Not irrelevant - I have a higher bounce in the 53 and higher again in the 60 - the course I play at is often wet so I regularly find myself in need of a choice of options

[@craigmcentee6147]

Saw it in a comment below and something I'm interested in too - any plans to review Cobra MIM wedges? Bought a set recently to replace my Vokey SM6 and love them, spin like crazy and much easier to hit both on full shots and around the greens. But like the other viewer said there isn't a review anywhere to be found of them!

[@bubbachua]

Spot on I’m struggling with the distance GAP between my PW (45) and 52. Is it possible to bend stronger the loft on a ping glide 3.0?

[@what_the_fred337]

Quality content.

[@joewest826]

I just got a set of PXG 0211 irons with set wedges. My PW is 42 degrees, GW=48, SW=54 and LW=60. The LW and SW have 11 bounce and the GW and PW are 12 bounce. I don't understand why they made the bounce angle so close to the same on all four of these clubs. Basically it's the same club with different lofts. I don't understand this wedge set makeup. Did I get screwed and now need to go get fit for 3 new wedges after paying big money for the set wedges.

[@ramellis65]

Hey guys love u videos can u do some more reviews on the new balls? The Taylormade tour response the new Tpx5 the new chrome. And maybe with like a mid handicapper, he swings so dam fast and straight

[@andrewpelley6369]

Love the channel and content first of all, but I'm just curious why wouldn't you just have the same exact wedge @ 54* and use the low bounce, and high bounce options for comparisons? Myself, the look of a 50* is vastly different than a 58*. IE: the sole of the 58* is much larger than a 50*. Would the CG and sole width contribute to any difference in launch angle and spin rates? Sorry if I missed it later in the video...I'm paused at 8.32 :-)

[@clubchampionmedia]

so we could get a more extreme separation in bounce for the purposes of the video and illustrating the performance

[@kevinmurphy3666]

Great stuff men!!! Got a shed full of wedges love them all,, hardest decision to make in bag!!!! Not a plug give Ben Hogan a shot milled forged great price ! Ty again always learning from you guys awesome!!!!

[@RangaPirate]

Great content and loving this series however; isn't the purpose of difference bounce not only meant for angle of attack but meant for different playing surface? Therefore, wont you see the the better results on the bounce meant for this artificial playing surface in the sim? I would love to see this exact experiment/display played on the turf meant for that bounce, and then vary it. So, show us low bounce on tight cut grass, and high bounce on fluffy cut, then show us the results when you use a high bounce on tight cut (show how the club can bounce resulting in a thinned flyer that nearly takes your oppo's head off) and then a low bounce in fluffy grass like kyke and how the face of the club can dig in resulting in a 'duff'.

[@shawn6454]

In a previous video didn't Ian say he likes to see the SW and Lob launch at 26* to 28* ?

[@ericmaher2316]

Recently bought the t200’s and it came with a 48. To narrow things down would it be best to go with 52 56 and 60? I’m playing in Perth oz so everything is tight and dry

[@claytonjoseph9408]

Very informative guys! Is Matt releasing the club or just holding it off and turning through?

[@clubchampionmedia]

trying to release these a bit for sure

[@dciccoritti]

The 60 X-Low is not low bounce. It's high bounce with a very narrow sole. So is the T Sole in the Glide wedges.Too much emphasis on 'effective bounce' and grind vs where the bounce is located on the sole. Me personally I look the match the position of the bounce on the sole with the type of arc I plan to be putting on the swing. Wide vs Narrow. Enjoying the wedge videos 👍

[@fergusreeverealestate.7409]

and how does a V-sole (like on a ben hogan equalizer) fit into the scheme of bounce and grinds? I have got on well with their v-sole- but i dont know why. I just like it.

[@bradjones2280]

We play parkland style courses but they are typically very soft in summer but rock hard in winter. I can’t afford to have 2 sets of wedges so I have a high bounce SW and a low bounce LW. Make sense?

[@markthegolfaddict9051]

I have been playing 45, 50, 54, 60 for the last few years. This year I'm trying 45, 50, 56. I found I don't use my 60 much. Added a driving iron in its place.

[@willfieldiii7150]

How come you don't use it much? I only ask as I find I use it quite as lot since I got it. 🤔

[@markthegolfaddict9051]

@@willfieldiii7150 well I always like to flight thr ball and get it as low to the ground as on the ground as soon as possible.

[@kevinw583]

Would you get away from the set pitching wedge and go to the specialty pitching wedge?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Not for the majority of players

[@craigmcentee6147]

I tried this and it was a disaster 🙈 unrelated... anyone in the market for a mint condition 46 degree vokey? 😂

[@robertsilman6480]

Another great video guys. Would you say that a player that tends to be more of a sweeper would likely benefit from low/medium bounce wedges versus high bounce?

[@clubchampionmedia]

Hard to say, so many other factors including conditions, shaft lean, etc that would need to be looked at. Best to try some different bounce options at your local course and see which one gives you the most consistent results

[@hollywood_golf]

Would you guys recommend a mid bounce wedge for varying turf conditions?

[@markdurney5016]

Hey Chaps, love your in depth chat and analysis. I've just moved from PSI tour forged to srixon z585 but haven't had the chance to hit them in anger yet due to lockdown. But as the pw is strong lofted 44 degrees, i've a gapping issue. Was thinking to get the 585 50 degree A wedge which is part of the set, but hearing Gareth's comment about getting straight to a speciality wedge i'd be interested in your thoughts?

[@clubchampionmedia]

if you think you'll chip/pitch/hit partial shots with the gap wedge, go with a specialty option as they're more versatile in selecting a grind and bounce

[@ccmorgan53]

Would love to revisit the series but can’t find it

[@M40753]

Appreciate the vid guys ! very informative! I'm always playing on a wet course - Hardly ever come dry -- what would you recommend on the wedges SM8 - high bounce? or less bounce? -- Mahalos - Bubba!!

[@clubchampionmedia]

Mid to high bounce, maybe one wedge in the set high bounce and the others can be lower depending on the shots you play

[@M40753]

@@clubchampionmedia okay... so I have a 48, 54, 60 ? -- seems like i'm off on the wedges combo? I need help !! Mahalos - Bubba Mahalos for the reply

[@jeremytjensvold9936]

I'm 50, 54, 60 all mid bounce Zipcore 4..

[@chachifeere]

can you guys review mevo and other portable launch monitors to the real thing

[@banditbaker1675]

Great series with Gareth, really interesting information. Perhaps a crazy question, but would there be any benefit for a senior who plays with graphite shafts in his Irons to have graphite shafts in their wedges? I find that I have a big gap between my full Pitching wedge (graphite shaft) and my 48deg wedge with a steel shaft

[@clubchampionmedia]

certainly worth a try, graphite options specifically for wedges are starting to become more diverse

[@banditbaker1675]

@@clubchampionmedia 👍

[@keiththompson2172]

Good vid. Your wedge man is good . I have a 60degree vokey(10bounce) can this be bent to 56 degrees alright?

[@clubchampionmedia]

that would then become a 56º - 6º bounce wedge, probably too low bounce at that loft

[@keiththompson2172]

TXG Tour Experience Golf thanks for your answer

[@justinlewis1609]

I knew grinds were important on wedges but I literally just bought a set of SM 6 wedges in 50.54,58 and I love the 50 and 54 but the 58 has a K grind and I don't understand why that's even a thing. Its a square contact only kind of grind, if I open up the face to hit a flop or a touchy chip the leading edge is a quarter inch off the ground. Think I have to chip with the 54 and only hit full shots with the 58

[@BuffaloBarber24]

Do you find that you need all those wedges? Or could you carry one less?

[@justinlewis1609]

@@BuffaloBarber24 i could carry one less for sure i would go likr 52-58 or 52-60. standard PW is 49 so that would be good gapping for me i think

[@hbyrdut]

I play on the coast of South Carolina, so soft conditions, which would lead me to believe I need high bounce but I'm a picker of the ball which would lead me to believe I need low bounce. So medium bounce?

[@clubchampionmedia]

depends on what shots the club is being used for - sounds like medium bounce in a wedge you make full swings with, and perhaps another wedge in the set that is high bounce for when you need it

[@hbyrdut]

@@clubchampionmedia Thanks.

[@trespootos17]

What is the effect of having a heavier shaft on your wedges? 😅

[@RecklessRusty]

Precise distance control, prepare to chunk it a few times though 😂

[@parnopsiripornpak5632]

I have trouble of not wanting to scratch my beautiful wedges, I will take drop. XD

[@vstabill36]

Hopefully the new RTX is better than the original. They had horrible hot spots. A wedge shouldn't vary by 15 yards from bare mishits. 900 was the best wedge ever.

[@dalemcdermott9840]

Wow his accent is all over the shop, I'm not sure if hes Irish, Scottish or American

[@clubchampionmedia]

He’s from Ireland, lived in Canada for quite some time now

[@timothydaniels504]

Sorry, Gareth, I knew I messed that up!

[@wesi782]

you people read mymind. Gaming with 56 SM7 M grind. Great with tight line arond the green. but always give me a problem with a sand shot

[@BuffaloBarber24]

What’s your wedge set up now?

[@wesi782]

@@BuffaloBarber24 Mizuno T22 52' S grind and 58' D grind

[@Calzonii09]

I love your videos and they are so informative but I find myself skipping thru a lot they’re just a little boring/longwinded in points sometimes in the middle, would be great to see a bit more banter between you and maybe just a few more key points rather and a shorter (maybe 10 mins) video. Just seems to be a bit of chaff in there. But keep up the good work.

[@marc6652]

Honestly, hitting a wedge on a practice carpet doesn't inform anybody about the bounce or the loft he needs in a bunker or in tough rough.

[@clubchampionmedia]

when did we say that we were working on bunker/rough in this video?

[@marc6652]

@@clubchampionmedia "How to choose your wedges". What are they made for if not for bunker and short distance around the green (possibly rough) ? A try on a real golf course would have been more pertinent in my opinion. But I'm just an average golfer, not a pro.

[@clubchampionmedia]

There was two feet of now on the ground when we filmed this, as we mentioned a few times we are going to go see Gareth at his outdoor facility later this year.