Oversize vs. Regular Wedges
By PinemeadowGolf.com
Staff Writers
It can be argued that wedges are the second most important clubs
in your bag. They are used so often in a round they can really
make a difference in the improvement of your game. Some players
will carry up to five wedges but it is more common for players
to only have one to three depending on what suits their game.
It is very common that an assortment of wedges will be used for
every type of shot depending on your lie and what is needed for
the situation.
With so many things to consider when purchasing the right wedge
for you it is important to make sure that you have chosen the
best wedge that is going to work for your game. Different wedge
types and lofts are coming more and more popular. When wedges
were originally made they were designed with traditional/regular
club heads but the technologies and the game has changed so much
you are finding more and more oversize wedges to go along with
the standard regular wedges that have always existed.
With this is mind it is important for you to decide what type
club head size you want on your wedge. Having an oversize versus
a traditional is not better and vice versa it just depends on
what you are looking for. Here are some things to take into consideration
when you are making your decision.
The advantages of an oversize wedge:
Depending on the golfer the added face height can be an
advantage. If you have problems getting under the ball on shots
out of the rough or in the deep sand the additional height will
improve ball striking because you don't have to worry about digging
to deep. That extra face height will be used to improve to make
sure you make contact.
Most oversize wedges also have a larger sole than usual. The
design concept of the wide sole is to lower the center of gravity
(LCG) making it easier to get the ball in the air. The LCG helps
reduce topping the ball. See our article about Game Improvement
Clubs for more information about the (LCG).
Of course when you have a larger club face you are going to have
a larger sweet spot. Like we mentioned the bigger the sweet
spot the more room for error on miss hits which can be an advantage
on any type of shot. This will give you assurance that you are
going to make good contact on every shot. Larger sweet spot results
in increased forgiveness.
The disadvantages of an oversize wedge and why some people prefer
to have a traditional/regular wedge:
Traditional size wedges give you more control. You do lose a
little forgiveness and size of the sweet spot but you have the
capability of shaping your shot. You should be at the point
in your game where you are confident in sacrificing some forgiveness
to gain control we would suggest using a traditional wedge. Another
disadvantage of an oversize wedge is that they can easily get
caught up in the grass and sand a little easier and it will
result in losing a little distance. Since you are using a bigger
club head it is really easy for the club head to grab to the grass
in your swing.
The Pinemeadow Staff Writers are made of what we like to call "golf
gurus" who specialize in a variety of subjects in golf. The team
is comprised of employees of PinemeadowGolf.com,
a website that builds and sells custom golf clubs to thousands of golfers
worldwide.
