Video Transcript
WE ASKED PXG NATIONAL STAFF MEMBER, ALEX RIGGS TO TALK US THROUGH WEDGE BOUNCE AND GAPPING TO HELP YOU SAVE MORE SHOTS AROUND THE GREEN.
What’s going on everybody? Alex Riggs here coming to you from Sunny Dubai. If you haven’t had your wedges custom fit or correctly gapped for yardages, this video is for you. Okay. In this custom wedge fitting, we’re going to be identifying the lofts that you need in your wedges to give you appropriate gapping. Now what we’re talking about there is, from the pitching wedge, to the gap wedge, to the sand wedge, to the lob wedge. We should have consistent yardage gapping. We’re looking for generally 10 to 12 yards in between each wedge. Now, by identifying what those yardages need to be, we can find the lofts that match up with that.
We also want to find out what is the best bounce for your delivery style. Now bounce is the angle formed between the leading and trail edge of the wedge. Bounce is essentially a buffer. It’s a skid plate. It allows us a little bit more space from the ground to that leading edge. It really suits different delivery styles. Those that would be more in line with more of a sweeper, a picker, more of a shallow delivery of that golf club, these players typically prefer more low bounce options.
Those players that might come in steeper, generally prefer higher bounce options. I really like seeing more of a mid to higher bounce in that 50 and 55, my sand wedge, and then a really low bounce in my 60.
I like that 60 being able to have that leading edge sit low to the turf. That really allows me superior playability with those shots around the greens. I then have a bit more bounce with the sand wedge and gap wedge as I hit a lot more fuller shots with.
In your fitting, your fitter will help you figure out what you need for lofts to best manage your distance gaps. They’ll also find bounce options that really work with how you play your wedges.
In my wedge makeup, I’m playing a 50 with 10 degrees of bounce, a 56 bent to 55, also with 10 degrees of bounce, and a 60 with seven degrees of bounce.
So, logic behind this strategy.…What I like is that I’ve got two options, sort of in my gap wedge and my sand wedge, where I have a bit more bounce to work with. These are clubs that I’m hitting primarily full shots, full divots with.
With that 60-degree wedge, this is a golf club that I like to be a little bit more versatile. It allows me greater playability when I’m chipping from really, really tight lies around the greens – or, as we often have here in Dubai, very firm sand conditions. I have a lower bounce that allows me to be able to get that leading edge underneath the golf ball on these nippy, picky shots around the greens just a little bit easier.
If I lay it open, I’m not having that leading edge raise up too much. So, it still allows me to clip the golf ball when I’m working off those really tight lies.
So, for you guys, it’s important just to understand “how do you play your wedges?”
Are you looking for just wedges that are the most forgiving, in which case you’re probably going to be looking for higher bounce options, or are you looking like myself for maybe a little bit more of that playability with some of those finesse shots around the green?
In that case, try a lower bounce option in that 60. Now, as you can see, I’ve got my PXG Sugar Daddy Wedges here. I’ve been playing Sugar Daddies for a few years, and these bad boys are incredible, unbelievable feel, and they look so good. That 100% milling really does catch the eye.
For you guys at home, you need to get fitted for your wedges. You need to know what your numbers are. You shouldn’t be guessing. We should know which irons give you which yardage. We should know which wedge gives you which yardage. This is easy now. We have so many ways of capturing this information. So, schedule your fitting, figure out your numbers, test bounces, find out what bounce works best for your style of play, and really own every golf club that you want in your bag and start saving shots around the greens.
Are you ready to save greenside shots? Schedule your wedge fitting with a PXG Fitting Specialist near you, or call 844.PLAY.PXG to speak with a fitter over the phone.
Follow Bob on Instagram!
