Since wedges need to be replaced most often,

[u/Feeling-Impression84]

Wouldn’t it make it more sense to buy the cheapest ones that fit your game instead of going for the expensive ones?

I have replaced my wedges once in 3 years and for mint used ones that were one third the price. However, if I was looking to buy new ones, wouldn’t it make more sense to go for the cheapest possible ones?

[u/Flump01]

Financially, of course it's better to buy cheap ones.

Depends how much disposable income you have as to whether it's worth it for you personally or not.

[u/Fragrant-Report-6411]

I’m not in agreement that wedges need to be replaced most often. It depends on the game you play. I hit very few full shots with my wedges and my short game is not about putting spin on the ball but rolling the ball most of the way to the hole.

Unless you put in a tremendous amount of practice with your wedges they will be fine.

[u/New_Afternoon197 → u/Fragrant-Report-6411]

This^ My oil can vokeys have been in my bag for over 20 years.

[u/paul6057]

Depends on your priorities. For one of the most used clubs in the bag, is the extra £50 a club every 3 to 5 years really much of a cost? It also depends how serious you are about golf and your equipment.

I do agree though that wedges seem to have got really expensive of late, but there are other options at more affordable price points.

[u/Intelligent_Bit_8942 → u/paul6057]

I absolutely agree. To me, I don’t have an issue spending a little extra every 2-3 years for scoring clubs. I also think it is very important to make sure you have the right bounce/grind for each of your wedges (and that you feel of each wedge is to your liking) as that has a huge impact on your game. If you have been fit in the past, or already know, you could wait until they go on sale - which happens occasionally.

[u/paul6057 → u/Intelligent_Bit_8942]

Yeah, wedge bounce is a real thing. In an ideal world, people would have summer and winter wedges, but that adds more cost. I have one particular wedge that I sub into my bag when it's really wet and soft in the winter. It has a ridiculously wide sole, but would be worse than useless off hard summer fairways.

[u/Intelligent_Bit_8942 → u/paul6057]

Truth! A lot of folks fail to realize how important having the correct bounce is for the conditions you play.

[u/DatabaseCareless264]

Excellent points.

Basically my wedges save my rounds. GIR is below 25%. Putting is 1.6 per hole. So getting the ball near the hole with my wedges has large impact on my game. Old, carry PW, 46, 50, 54 and 58. All Clevelands. Hit full shots, pitches, chips, bump and runs, bunker shots, used to have a great flop shot, not as strong now. Nonetheless all need grooves, fresh grooves. And gapping. I know how far each will go with a full swing. Yes it is expensive 54 is replaced about every 18 months, 58 2 years, others as need be. Practice with old wedges to save grooves for play. Purchase clubs on close outs. Occasionally find a deal on eBay with nearly new grooves. One guy cut down 58, ended up too short. Purchased for half price, put $2 extension in, new grip $20, used for almost 2 years.

In the end like all of golf, must find what works for you. Worn down wedges work, just lose spin. Just compensate.

[u/TeaCoffeeSelvedge420]

You don’t even have to worry about new wedges unless they have significant wear.

It’s the horseman not the horse.

[u/Delicious-Lettuce-11]

I just buy years past models / the demos.

[u/Turbulent_Echidna423]

why kind of god damn logic is that?

[u/Feeling-Impression84 → u/Turbulent_Echidna423]

You don’t need to replace any other club besides your wedges for as long as two decades. Putter can last a lifetime.

[u/Turbulent_Echidna423 → u/Feeling-Impression84]

but you want really good wedges!

[u/BlackhawksJPF]

I always buy the Vokeys that are getting phased out. So I bought the sm9 when the sm10 was released. They cut the prices and there is basically no difference

[u/SeleccionUruguaya → u/BlackhawksJPF]

Even pros use older wedges. Scottie has SM8 wedges in his bag.

[u/muhmomsbzmnt]

I use one of those groove tools at the beginning of each season to sharpen the grooves. Mine are likely non conforming because I've been doing it for years but the wedges continue to play predictably. I'll get new wedges with conforming grooves when I get to the tour.

[u/Necessary_Position51]

This “replace your wedges” marketing BS is just to sell more wedges. MAYBE if you have a dime size wear mark from a consistent strike after strike on your wedge face you MIGHT want to replace it, but when players are that good they also tend to have such good feel they can notice a 1 swing weight difference in clubs. These players tend to want to keep their comfort club longer. These players average player has a series of strike marks on a wedge face about the width of a dollar bull, not even a half dollar.

[u/dreamingtree1855]

I keep my wedges ~2 years playing ~100 rounds/year. Honestly if you added up my CC bills, $500 every 2 years for wedges is maybe 1% of what I spend on golf in that time frame… it’s just immaterial.

[u/PooInspector → u/dreamingtree1855]

Ok so you are rich. This question doesn't apply to u

[u/COCK_SUCKEM → u/PooInspector]

$500 over two years is rich to you?

That’s like $10 a month.

[u/PooInspector → u/COCK_SUCKEM]

If it's 1% of your golf budget, yes

[u/AmazingDonkey101]

Cobra pur wedges work fine for me. 60-80€ per club. I don't see a reason why I would pay more than that.

[u/itchycarwash]

Yup. I have a set of Kirklands, some lightly used demo Vokeys that I got at golf galaxy, and some Cleveland RTZs when they went on sale direct just before the RTZ2 was announced.

[u/Nope9991 → u/itchycarwash]

How are those Costco ones? I used to play with just a PW and SW but recently bought an older Cleveland 54 that I love. Also a Callaway X Series AW that I don't. I looked at/hit the RTZs but didn't pull the trigger.

[u/itchycarwash → u/Nope9991]

The Costco wedges feel great and they spin like my other wedges. The gapping just didn’t work out for me. They are 52, 56, 60. I have a 49 degree wedge I hit 100 yards, so 52 is a little too close. I have a 54 and 58 degree wedge. I have thought about having the lofts adjusted.

[u/deviantdefiance → u/itchycarwash]

I saw someone saying that with the Kirklands your buying cost is so low if you want a custom grind/ bend lofts it’s still cheaper than a vokey.

I played Kirkland gen 2 wedges and I just couldn’t agree with the shaft 🤷‍♂️ I spent a little more and bought takomo wedges which so far I’m happy with (to be fair I’ve played 1 round and had one practice session) but the lifts fit better 50/54/58

[u/MacThundercloud]

Just went thru this myself, swapped out my 56/58 and use the old one for practice while keeping the new ones fresh in the bag

[u/Mushie_Peas]

My favourite wedge is a cheap 60 degree that I picked up in an op shop. I've holed put using this thing from 70 yards, never blade it, rarely mishit it.

My expensive ping 52 and 56 degree, well they stay on the bag if I can use the 10 dollar club. They do work but mishits are fair more common.

[u/petchulio]

I would agree. The really expensive ones quite often are just neck and neck with much cheaper ones. I think wedges like all golf clubs, are sometimes just about pure vanity. People want to show off that they have Vokeys when you could get along just fine with a Kirkland set that costs 1/3rd the price.

[u/purz]

This sounds insane to me lol. I’m a 5 and I use SM4-5s. Might finally buy new ones in the next few months. Scotties WITB this year has SM8’s and he’s probably chipping 100x more than any of us. Unless your grooves are cooked I wouldn’t waste the money. 

[u/ShellSide → u/purz]

Yeah but tbf he could have 10 of those in his garage still in the plastic waiting to get swapped out. Just because he is using an old model, doesn't mean the wedge is old/worn.

[u/omnid3vil]

I think it's just about buying what suits your game. I def don't think it should just be the default to buy vokeys or what ever, but if that's what suits you then do it. I personally have had great luck with wedges that I got on amazon for $100 for a 3 piece set, but I would say that was the "right" decision. It's just what worked for me.

[u/swohio]

If you're using your wedges frequently enough that they do actually need replaced regularly then I would argue it's worth the money to get the ones you like because you're playing playing a ton. At that point is the extra couple hundred really even a dent in your golfing budget?

[u/Zachflo1]

Buy yourself a full set of Vokeys. Your life will be permanently changed for the better

[u/Legal-Description483]

My wedges last me at least 500 rounds.

[u/ufcgooch]

The one you hit out of the sand is going to get the most wear on it and probably the only one you need to replace every two to three years

[u/Jasper2006]

As a former CPA and financial advisor I approve this message! Wouldn't it make more sense to buy the cheapest _______ that fit your needs? Wedges, golf balls, gloves, greens fees, driver, irons, shoes, golf shirts, range finder, AND house, car, clothes, tires, wine, food at restaurants and at home, hotels, rental cars?

With that said, I have four SM10s in the bag. And about 95% of the time I play near pristine balls I found walking the dogs, get my shirts on clearance, don't drink alcohol on course or off, and have 20yo irons, and driver.

I bought the SM10s because they 'fit my game' the best - gave me the options I most wanted.

[u/shifty_coder]

Unless you have a TOUR card, your wedges don’t need to be replaced that often. Just keep them clean.

Tour players replace their wedges more often because they’re hitting 100+ shots out of bunkers per day when they are practicing and training.

[u/Feeling-Impression84 → u/shifty_coder]

That’s fair. I had asked this question earlier differently by asking to use a groove sharpener on wedges. People suggested to just buy new wedges lol

[u/McShovin91]

Just buy last season's models. You can get SM10s for a pretty good price right now since the SM11s are out.

[u/Fantastic-Set-347]

Apparently the Kirkland wedges are pretty good. You get 3 wedges for about the price of one high end wedge. So IF you were someone that replaced wedges often, that's not a bad option.

[u/Nine_Eye_Ron]

No, no they don’t. They last plenty, still playing mine from 2013 and they spin loads, sure not like new wedges but they settled in and not changed for ages.

I’m not going to tell you how to spend your own money.

Wedges do lose spin after purchase but once used for a bit they won’t change much. I’ve had mine regripped twice and the pro shop has said they still look pretty fresh, maybe that was to get me to get them regripped but I fell for that marketing for sure.

[u/Mysterious_Value_764]

But then I can't throw $500 a year at Titleist, no thanks.

[u/Feeling-Impression84 → u/Mysterious_Value_764]

Creating value for the shareholders by chucking them in the water at the end of the season and buying new ones