Everyone has that friend playing with 10-year old wedges with a clubface as smooth as glass. But if you want to get the most out of your game, you need to consider changing your wedges more frequently.
You may have as many as four wedges in your bag, and the chances are strong that you use them more frequently than any club other than your putter. You use them from the fairway, around the greens, from the bunker, and chipping from the collar.
But what if their once rough surfaces, and grooves were worn to nothing? What if, like grips, you need to replace your wedges to get the most out of them?
One thing is clear—as your grooves on wedges wear, you’ll get less stopping power. The wedge shot that used to roll out by 10 feet now rolls another eight or nine feet. In fact, Titleist, which makes Vokey wedges found just that in testing—shots with wedges that have been used regularly don’t have the same stopping power. If you practice and play a considerable amount, you’ll need to think about your wedges going forward.
But a lot of this depends on what type of golfer you are.
The occasional player (1 to 5 rounds a year)
Are you a golfer who only tips it up a couple of times a year? If that’s the case, you’ll find your wedges last a lot longer than you might expect. Truthfully, if you’re the type who only plays in the company tournament and a couple of times a year with friends, you are more likely to replace your grips before you get a set of new wedges.
The casual player (10 to 20 rounds a year)
You like to play golf but you’re not a range rat. You’re not going to spend hours trying to perfect that high spinning flop over the bunker or dial in that knock-down wedge to the corner of a green. If this is you, you’re going to find your wedges last a few years before they wear out. After a couple of seasons, you should find a launch monitor and see what your wedges are doing and how much they spin on full shots.
The regular golfer (50 rounds per year)
You like to practice and you’re playing a lot. You change your grips at least once a season—sometimes more—and you’re traveling to play even during the cooler months. If this is you, you likely want to get the most out of your wedges, and that means you’re likely going to want to change your wedges each season—two at most. And yes, you’re not a tour pro who can swap out wedges at every PGA Tour tournament, but if you want to get the stopping power you need, you’ll want to ensure your wedges are spinning at their optimal rate.