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Wedge Shafts...Again
After more than 400 articles here over the past few years, I'm sure I'll get redundant, but it's probably easier for me to write about a topic again than it is for you all to search the archives. Today, I'm addressing a question from Greg J., who asked:
"In my quest for a new wedge set, I was wondering what your thoughts were on choosing wedge shafts. Assuming a player has chosen proper lofts to complete his or her wedge set, uses a 3/4 "wedge swing" and flights wedges properly..... what shafts would you recommend? Do you play what is in your irons? Should you opt for these new "spinner" shafts. What are your thoughts?"
Well, Greg, as you might imagine, this is a pretty broad subject, but let me see if I can shed some light for you. At EIDOLON, we guide our customers that your wedges should be “blended to your irons, matched to each other and fitted to you.” A big piece of that formula is the shaft you choose. Unfortunately, wedges in the racks in the golf stores all offer pretty much the same old heavy and stiff steel shaft – one size for everyone. I disagree with that approach completely, but then we don’t build and sell wedges by the thousands to the major stores . . . . we build and sell them one at a time to the golfer who’s going to actually play them.

When it comes to the shaft in your wedges, you’re asking a lot. They have to give you full shot trajectory control so that your distances are consistent. For a stronger player that could mean a pretty stiff flex profile. But they also have to give you precise feel and control of those touch shots around the greens where clubhead speed is only a few miles per hour. And the strongest player and weakest player are the same in that environment. To solve this dilemma, I strongly advocate the following:
1. Select a shaft for your wedges that closely approximates the weight of your short iron shafts. If you play standard weight steel, then choose that. Light graphite in your irons? Demand the same in your wedges. This, of course, means you need to retrofit the wedges you have, or buy from a company that will accommodate your needs (good luck on that).

2. The wedge shaft should be softer overall than your iron flexes, to give you the feel you need, but you don’t want it too soft in the tip or you’ll get ballooning trajectories on full swings (a complaint on the Rifle Spinner). One way to achieve that is to select the same type of shaft as your irons, but in the softer flex, then cut back some of the tip section.

3. Test everything!! Trying new things is one of the fun aspects of playing golf, and wedges are no different. You can experiment with different shafts in your wedges at a pretty low cost. DO IT! I think you’ll have fun, and you’re likely to stumble on a formula that really improves your scoring.
So, Greg, there’s the start I recommend for your quest for better wedge play. I understand the new Dynamic Gold Spinner is built along my recommended profile, but I also understand it’s only available in Stiff Flex – what a shame.

As for me, I do play the same shafts in my irons as my wedges . . . mostly. My irons are built on the UST Mamiya ProForce V2 constant weight shaft, which they unfortunately discontinued. And my 9-iron through wedges are built on the EIDOLON GENIUS™ 9 graphite, which is the same weight as the V2, built for us by UST Mamiya to optimize scoring club performance. I think it’s a deadly combination.

And Greg, you have won a FREE V-SOLE wedge for sending in the question today. This gives you a chance to see for yourself what premium shafts can do to improve your short game.

You other readers should be loading me up with questions, too.
The Wedge Guy is sponsored by SCOR Golf, where Terry Koehler is President/CEO. He encourages you to submit your questions or topics to be considered for his columns on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each submission automatically enters you to win a SCOR4161 wedge to be given away monthly. Click the button below to submit your question or topic today.


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Terry Koehler is "The Wedge Guy" and President of SCOR Golf- The Short Game Company.

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