Okay, so I’ve been messing around with my wedges lately, trying to get a better feel for different shots. I kept hearing about the “grind” on a wedge, and honestly, I was a little confused. It sounded like some super technical golf term, but I figured it was time to figure it out.
First, I grabbed my wedges – a 52, 56, and 60 degree. I laid them down on my workbench and just stared at the soles. I noticed that they weren’t all flat. Some had curves, some had chunks taken out, it was all a bit weird.
I started by feeling the bottom of each wedge, running my fingers along the sole. This is where the “grind” is. It’s basically the shape of the bottom of the club.
What I figured Out:
- The grind affects how the club interacts with the turf.
- Different grinds are better for different types of shots and turf conditions.
Next, I tried some practice swings in my backyard. I have some pretty thick rough, and some areas where the grass is thin and hard. I focused on how the club felt going through the grass. My 56-degree has a pretty rounded sole, and it seemed to glide through the thicker grass pretty easily. My 60-degree, on the other hand, has a much sharper edge on the back of the sole, and it felt like it dug in more. I figured this would be good for those tight lies.
I also experimented with opening and closing the clubface. This changes how much of the sole contacts the ground. When I opened the face of my 60-degree, that sharp edge really came into play, and I could see how it would help get under the ball on a flop shot.
Honestly, the whole process was a bit of trial and error. I hit a bunch of shots, paid attention to how the club felt, and tried to connect that feeling to the shape of the sole. I’m no expert, and the differenct is subtle, but I definitely started to get a better understanding of how the grind can affect my shots.
I think the biggest take away is the different of sole of wedge. So choose a correct wedge is improtant, and a correct wedge can help to hit a good ball.
