question about high/low bounce wedges....
can someone give me a quick rundown on what high/low bounce in wedges mean? what do the 2 numbers after the degree loft (ex:52-07) mean and how does the higher and lower numbers affect the shot. also, what are the highest and lowest that those numbers go? thanks.
Re: high bounce vs. low bounce wedges
Simply put, bounce is a measure of how far below the leading edge the bottom of the sole falls. If you hold a wedge in front of you with the grip toward the ground and the toe toward you, you will notice that the trailing end of the sole is raised above the bottom of the clubface. This dimension of the clubhead is measured in degrees, this is where the two extra numbers come from. It is the degree measure of the club's bounce.
Bounce is designed in a clubhead to regulate how easily or deeply the club cuts into the ground. I belive that bounce is the most important specification of a wedge outside of swingwieght. So essentially, if you have a verry upright swing, cut very deep divots and often have trouble because you take too much sand in bunkers you need a lot of bounce on a wedge. However, if you tend to hit shallow divots and are very capable of controlling your clubs from the sand, you can do with lower bounce. It is important that you know your limitations because more bounce can make many shots easier but less bounce makes the club more flexible for hitting more varied shots around the greens. For example, to hit high pitches or flop shots you have to play the clubface open and doing this adds bounce to the club. Meaning that hitting those shots with higher bounce on a wedge is more difficult because the sole has to be forced into the ground so that the head slides under the ball, and given that bounce is designed to keep the club out of the ground those shots will become more difficult. Of course as I've said larger bounce makes other shots much easier. So understand what your shortgame limitations are and learn as much as you can about playing characteristics of different wedges and try them! that is most important try your buddies' wedges and see what works for you. hope this helps.
-Jeff
Definitely go with a high bouce for your sand shots
with either a 60 or 56. Go with low bounce for tight chip shots since you are less likely to hit it thin. I have 4 degree bounce on my 60 and 12 on my sand and love it. Hope this helps.