How often should we be replacing our wedges?

SVonhof

Interesting study on the grooves and how many rounds before we should be replacing our wedges:
http://www.golfwrx.com/441170/groove-test-how-often-should-you-change-wedges/
They have a pretty good video in there explaining it as well.

The basic premise is:
125 round wedge had launch angle of 35 degs with rollout of 25 feet (6500 rpm)
75 rounds wedge had launch angle of 34 degs with rollout of 18 feet (7700 rpm)
New wedge had launch angle of 33 degs with rollout of 10 feet (8500 rpm)

Typhoon

I think that was the thing I saw on the golf channel...done by Bob Vokey... who designs and SELLS wedges. I have 10 year old wedges that have the same spin rate as the brand new PM grind wedges I got.

PA-PLAYA

I change 'em out every couple of years, at the earliest.

Quite frankly, the pitching/chipping isn't exactly wearing down the face of the grooves. If it is - I'm doing something seriously wrong from inside 60 yards! lol

Now, if I hit the ball as far as Typhoon does... where I had a SW approach on a lot of medium-length par4's - I'd probably consider it differently. But quite frankly - I might have 4 SW shots per round, at-best? In other words, my grips probably need to be changed much more often than the wedges need replacing on my 54º and 58º.

And even then, only because I work on my short game as much/more than my full swing at the range.

Why would I worry about the grooves on a club that I'm not using full-swing more than 4x/round?

sdandrea1

I replace my wedges when I replace my irons.......every 3 days or so.😎

Bigborgel

Steve- you need a hobby. I always tell my wife I'm replacing my clubs because I can't afford to replace her.

Typhoon

I change my wedge grips a few times a year. It's odd that my eye2 wedges stayed sharp. I grabbed used Callaway x forged wedges to use when I got the I e-1 irons and they are still sharp as well....strange.

Guess we'll see how the pm grind wedges make out over the next couple of years.

sdandrea1

Typhoon

I'm beginning to think that we cannot wear out an Eye 2 club of any loft.......

DC300

I have "worn" 2 wedges to the point of noticing a difference. The first being my old trusty gun metal Cleveland 588, I used it daily for probably not less than 100 shots for the better part of 3 seasons, yep it lost its bite. It was still fine, but not awesome. Then I got the SMT Durometers Holy hell did those things change my game. I had to change where I aimed because the damn ball stopped so fast. I could back a ball up with a low laser from 40 yards, at first. They wore really quickly, they were no where near as good by the end of the first season and that was playing Waaaaay less. They wore to about the right level of spin where the ball could hit, bounce forward and stop dead, it looked great. Alas I could never quite get the grind right on that sole so I gave up on them.

Now I play so infrequently, I wouldn't wear a wedge in 10 years. That will all change this season though! No, wait, I still own a home, have a full time job, trying to start a real estate business, a soon to be wife and step son, a dog, and no ability to say no to my crazy ass home renovation projects, maybe next year! So if I get a new wedge it's good for 11 years, bonus!

PA-PLAYA

I played Cleveland wedges for years... still have some from about 2004-2008 in my basement. After reading this thread, I went down and checked out the face wear and the grooves.

I clearly hit the ball a lot further back then, because they were pretty worn from full-swing shots. And apparently I hit the ball on the sweet spot a lot more often too.

I switched back to Titleist Vokey wedges about 3 years ago, primarily because of the sole-grind and bounce options. And the fact that I could get a better deal on them because our head pro back then was a Titleist shill and was always discounting wedges and balls to move inventory. I'm still playing the Vokeys today.

Although I do need to consider getting the toe-section re-grooved. 🙁