Classic Wedges

[Steve Smith]

Hello guys.

At the risk of sounding like an old fart, I am not that keen on the modern Mizuno wedges, I just think they are a little bulky and over styled. But hey thats just me 😆😆, I suppose technology moves on.

I have 4 sets of classic Muzzy wedges on racks in my mancave.

MP-T4... I bought the 56 satin finish new when it came out and added the 52 and 56 a couple of years ago in great condition, for 30 sovs each, bargain😊

I had the MPR Chrome 52 from about 2008 which I bought new with a voucher I won in an Open doubles comp.

I found a 56 couple of years ago. with slight leading edge dings and damage for 5 quid..no kidding.. on ebay couple of years back.

The grip was a bit hard and the shaft sticker had worn off and the head had a lot of little rust spots on the back.

Tip....

I coated the grip with washing up liquid then I taped some black plastic from a bin bag to cover it, then I left it out in the sun in the back garden all day. The heat drew all of the dirt and gunk out of the grip. Then I washed and scrubbed the grip and it came up soft, tacky and like new 😉

I polished the shaft with Autosol then put a new TT DG sticker on it... you can get a set of 9 on eBay for about 8 quid.

I polished the head with some foil and soap and got rid of the rust spots... Aluminium (ALUMINUM to our friends across the pond! ... no offence 🤣🤣🥰🥰) foil really does work and shine up your chrome clubs, try it 👍

The dings on the leading edge I used wet and dry fine grit to just take the edge off.

I managed to find a 60 degree for 25 quid and it polished up great.

My mother was born during the war and we were very poor growing up. She came from the make do and mend generation and I inherited her frugality.

Young people now just buy something then throw it away after a couple of years and buy another one. Nobody fixes anything anymore!

I guess I am just getting old!

😅😅

Couple more sets to come 👍

Thanks guys.

Smitty

 

[Steve Smith]

This is impossible !!!!

Why does everything have to be so bloody difficult!! I need a 14 year old to help 🥴🥴🥴

 

[Steve Smith]

Ok try again

 

[Steve Smith]

Err...

 

[Steve Smith]

 

[Steve Smith]

The MPR's round shape are an aquired taste. A lot of people prefer the teardrop shape.
I like both... I tend to use the T4's if I am playing on hard or links courses, they have a little less bounce and camber and a little more workability...
The MPR's just feel right on a more parkland course with softer, lusher fairways.. the slightly deeper face gives me just that little more confidence if I catch it slightly high on the clubface.

The trailing edge grind on the MP-Rs and the sharper leading edge is great.
I can use my 52 almost as a lob wedge by opening the face! 😁😁

 

[Steve Smith]

MP-T Raw Haze, circa 2006.
I bought the 58 in 2007 when a better player advised me to get a 58 as a lob/sand wedge instead of a 60. My MP32 wedge was 47 and I had the MPR 52.

The Raw 'rusty' finish was popular about 15 to 20 years ago but not so much now. It was supposed to provide more spin, hmmm that has been proven to be bollocks.... but... the raw finish DOES give more traction in the wet and I slightly softer feel with less ball speed off the face (not my words). I am not good enough to notice any diference whatsoever 🤣🤣🤣

There was an odd combination of lofts... 47, 51, 53, 56, 58, 60. Bit weird.

They were offered in Chrome, Black Ni, and Raw.

I challenge anyone to find Raw 47 degree lol!

I now have 51, 53, and 58 in Raw.

Its an odd combo... but the 51 can bend to 50 reducing the bounce by 1 degree and the 53 bend to 54... giving 50, 54, and 58..

Again, they are a Marmite type of finish, but... the thing I like is that if they get dinged then you just grind the mark away as they are just raw forged steel and no damage to the finish.
Also, you can get your club fitter to mess around and do any grind you like without ruining your club.

Makes me think of old Gene Sarazen when he messed around in his workshop with lofts and grinds and bounce and camber in the 1920's and came up with the Sand Wedge, his secret weapon in the early days. Gene would put it in the bag clubhead down, so they couldn't see it.
Hogan, Jones... none of them could figure out how he was so great from the sand.

😉😉😊😊

 

[Steve Smith]

Sorry not Ben Hogan
.. Walter Hagen lol!

 

[DennisMiller]

I've had the MP-T4 wedges in the past and liked them. The fact is, as long as I get a lot of bounce, anything works pretty well for me.

 

[Steve Smith]

Bounce is a personal taste Den... it depends on the conditions.
The way I was taught sand play in the 70s as a kid ... was a very open stance and open face with an out to in attack. The technique served me very well...
Now in very recent years, the technique seems to have gone to a much more shallow plane with less bounce on the SW...
Oh hang on.... bounce....you are being rude, sorry did not get it 🤣

Hey Butthead.... bounce on a golf club! He he hnnnrrr hrrrnnnnrrr!

SHUT UP BEAVIS!!

😉😉😊😊🥰🥰😅😅

 

[Steve Smith]

I've had the MP-T4 wedges in the past and liked them. The fact is, as long as I get a lot of bounce, anything works pretty well for me.

Sorry Den... its my English saucy humour 😅
Its the seaside postcard/carry on films/naughty humour with double entendres that we sexually repressed British love so much, ha ha

The camp pompous gay character... Kenneth Williams.... the two middle aged blokes lusting after young birds...Sid James and Bernard Breslaw..... the young girls with cellulite in the 70s.... the big repressed and strict Matron who just wished to be loved and be loved sexually... Hattie Jaques....
Its everything about the British repressed mentality towards sex ha ha

It like seaside postcard humour, that we love xxx

 

[Steve Smith]

Sorry, I digress..

Back on topic.

My final set of the 4 for now... I posted a set of 3 T4's, a set of 3 MPR Chrome, and a set of 3 MPT Raw..

These last set are Tour Style Chrome, 54 and 58, they are lovely xx 😊😊

Same shape and perhaps the forerunner of the MPR series perhaps?

Released around 2000 maybe?

I do have a slight problem....

I can not for the earth of me find a 50 to complete the setup... I have searched high and low. They do exist but rarer than hens teeth.

There are 52's available on eBay and my mate said well ... why dont you just buy the 52 and bend it to 50..... he completely missed the point.... they are not to use, they are for my mancave wall collection.

If anyone has a Tour Style Chrome 50, I would pay good money...

Cheers my friends...

 

[DennisMiller]

Bounce is a personal taste Den... it depends on the conditions.
The way I was taught sand play in the 70s as a kid ... was a very open stance and open face with an out to in attack. The technique served me very well...
Now in very recent years, the technique seems to have gone to a much more shallow plane with less bounce on the SW...
Oh hang on.... bounce....you are being rude, sorry did not get it 🤣

Hey Butthead.... bounce on a golf club! He he hnnnrrr hrrrnnnnrrr!

SHUT UP BEAVIS!!

😉😉😊😊🥰🥰😅😅

ROFLMAO.... Here in Miami, the bunkers are mostly different wherever you play. At Killian Greens, there's mostly crushed gravel sand, not beach sand. It can be much more powdery when it's new, but it will compact after rains, if the guys on the tractors with the rakes behind them haven't gotten to those bunkers yet, you definitely need 2 different wedges.

A lot of people, myself included, carry at least one wedge with lots of bounce for the soft bunkers and usually something with less bounce for when the bunkers are harder. My current SW is 54/10. My gap wedge is 50/7. That gap wedge gets a lot of work when I play early and the guys with the rakes haven't caught up with me.

I also have a couple Cleveland wedges, one of which is a 54/13 and the other is a 50/10. I often with I could figure out how to cally all four wedges.

 

[Steve Smith]

ROFLMAO.... Here in Miami, the bunkers are mostly different wherever you play. At Killian Greens, there's mostly crushed gravel sand, not beach sand. It can be much more powdery when it's new, but it will compact after rains, if the guys on the tractors with the rakes behind them haven't gotten to those bunkers yet, you definitely need 2 different wedges.

A lot of people, myself included, carry at least one wedge with lots of bounce for the soft bunkers and usually something with less bounce for when the bunkers are harder. My current SW is 54/10. My gap wedge is 50/7. That gap wedge gets a lot of work when I play early and the guys with the rakes haven't caught up with me.

I also have a couple Cleveland wedges, one of which is a 54/13 and the other is a 50/10. I often with I could figure out how to cally all four wedges.

To be honest with you Den, I am quite the opposite... I really would be happy with the 47 degree MP32 PW and the T4 56 SW with 13 bounce. My opinion is just get better with a couple and keep it simple. I prefer to carry more hybrids and woods, as I have more longer shots into the par 4's these days, but that is just me.. I am not good enough to use a 60 with any consistency, so its a luxury club really... the 56 T4 has a lovely grind and I can open the face .

Cheers mate 😊😊

 

[Steve Smith]

ROFLMAO.... Here in Miami, the bunkers are mostly different wherever you play. At Killian Greens, there's mostly crushed gravel sand, not beach sand. It can be much more powdery when it's new, but it will compact after rains, if the guys on the tractors with the rakes behind them haven't gotten to those bunkers yet, you definitely need 2 different wedges.

A lot of people, myself included, carry at least one wedge with lots of bounce for the soft bunkers and usually something with less bounce for when the bunkers are harder. My current SW is 54/10. My gap wedge is 50/7. That gap wedge gets a lot of work when I play early and the guys with the rakes haven't caught up with me.

I also have a couple Cleveland wedges, one of which is a 54/13 and the other is a 50/10. I often with I could figure out how to cally all four wedges.

I am very jealous of you living in Florida Dennis.
Here in the NE of England it has rained for about a year, and our fairways are like a bog. Course closed again today. Never in my lifetime have we had so much rain in the UK over such a long period. Whitley Bay is a lovely course in summer, it is by the sea, but not really a true links.

 

[Steve Smith]

ROFLMAO.... Here in Miami, the bunkers are mostly different wherever you play. At Killian Greens, there's mostly crushed gravel sand, not beach sand. It can be much more powdery when it's new, but it will compact after rains, if the guys on the tractors with the rakes behind them haven't gotten to those bunkers yet, you definitely need 2 different wedges.

A lot of people, myself included, carry at least one wedge with lots of bounce for the soft bunkers and usually something with less bounce for when the bunkers are harder. My current SW is 54/10. My gap wedge is 50/7. That gap wedge gets a lot of work when I play early and the guys with the rakes haven't caught up with me.

I also have a couple Cleveland wedges, one of which is a 54/13 and the other is a 50/10. I often with I could figure out how to cally all four wedges.

https://g.co/kgs/fL3Z3bG

 

[DennisMiller]

Good Morning Steve... I definitely feel for all you guys who suffer through all that rain, but then, you guys also know how to play and equip yourself to play in less rain. In Miami, when we get even the slightest bit of rain, we also tend to get lightening, so I get off the course as quickly as I can most of the time. I know we all have to die sometime, but being BBQ'ed by nature isn't how I intend to go.

Getting back to the wedges, like you, I don't carry a lob wedge. I've never been able to make myself hit the ball hard enough to deal with a 58*, much less a 60*. All I do is get in trouble with it and I'd rather hit a sand wedge. I carried a 58* for a number of years, only to use out of bunkers if I had short sided myself. It just wasn't worth wasting space in my bag over the long run.

With reasoning similar to the lob wedge, I find a 54* SW seems to fit the amount of effort I feel is needed and a 56* often leaves me short. I'm sure that's just a matter of not practicing as much as I used to, but I've taken the easy way out and just keep a few 54* wedges around the house.

Now, the ground here is often sandy just below the surface. A more sweeping swing works best, but being 6'7" tall, my swing is much more vertical than most. I play best with clubs that have pretty deep soles and more bounce than normal. That's why my 2 sets are the old MX-1000 irons and the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo irons, all hybrids.

The latter set goes all the way through the SW, but that SW is only useful out of softer sand or fluffy lies in the grass. Compacted bunkers or hard, bare lies, it's going to bounce unless my contact is very precise. Otherwise, my ball takes off the blade like a Formula One race car.

Killian Greens, where I play most, has either bare hard ground or deep rough around every green. Hitting greens is paramount and missing greens makes wedge play, thus having the best possible combination of wedges suited to your game, a really important facet of how to succeed there. In my case, I'll almost always pick a pitch and run shot over something high, flying all the way to the pin. In other words, I tend to minimize my need for wedge play as much as possible.

 

[Steve Smith]

Good Morning Steve... I definitely feel for all you guys who suffer through all that rain, but then, you guys also know how to play and equip yourself to play in less rain. In Miami, when we get even the slightest bit of rain, we also tend to get lightening, so I get off the course as quickly as I can most of the time. I know we all have to die sometime, but being BBQ'ed by nature isn't how I intend to go.

Getting back to the wedges, like you, I don't carry a lob wedge. I've never been able to make myself hit the ball hard enough to deal with a 58*, much less a 60*. All I do is get in trouble with it and I'd rather hit a sand wedge. I carried a 58* for a number of years, only to use out of bunkers if I had short sided myself. It just wasn't worth wasting space in my bag over the long run.

With reasoning similar to the lob wedge, I find a 54* SW seems to fit the amount of effort I feel is needed and a 56* often leaves me short. I'm sure that's just a matter of not practicing as much as I used to, but I've taken the easy way out and just keep a few 54* wedges around the house.

Now, the ground here is often sandy just below the surface. A more sweeping swing works best, but being 6'7" tall, my swing is much more vertical than most. I play best with clubs that have pretty deep soles and more bounce than normal. That's why my 2 sets are the old MX-1000 irons and the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo irons, all hybrids.

The latter set goes all the way through the SW, but that SW is only useful out of softer sand or fluffy lies in the grass. Compacted bunkers or hard, bare lies, it's going to bounce unless my contact is very precise. Otherwise, my ball takes off the blade like a Formula One race car.

Killian Greens, where I play most, has either bare hard ground or deep rough around every green. Hitting greens is paramount and missing greens makes wedge play, thus having the best possible combination of wedges suited to your game, a really important facet of how to succeed there. In my case, I'll almost always pick a pitch and run shot over something high, flying all the way to the pin. In other words, I tend to minimize my need for wedge play as much as possible.

Good lord, 6 foot 7... that is overdoing it a bit 😅😅

I was 5 foot 9 aged 12 but never grew another inch, my mother warned me about playing with myself, but took no notice..
Tom Cruise and Jon Bon Jovi are shortarses as well and they have done ok 😊😊

Tony Jacklin and Tom Watson and Rory are the same height as me so not going to worry.

Anyway, hope you are well.. Killian sounds really interesting, a Florida links 👍👍

We have a couple of newish courses like that near me. Longhirst Hall is a monster 7400 yards off the back, raised greens and drop offs and loads of water.

Hoping that the course at Whitley is open 2mrw. Sunny and windy today which is what we need now.

Cheers Den.

PS - I have been messing around with some old stuff and dug out this thing.

 

[Steve Smith]

It was state of the art in 2000/01. Greg Norman had one and Vijay won the 2000 Masters with it.
Was 900 bucks on release, 500 quid in the uk...

Ridiculous... I bought it on line about 5 years ago in that perfect condition and the perfect headcover for 35 quid!
Its crazy man...

Gonna take it out 2mrw with my STX220

I can guarantee a couple of things...
...There will be NO difference in length between the 2 on perfect strikes.
.... the Stx will be WAY WAY more forgiving and the dispersion will be much much better.
You remember the... horrible toey duck hooks.. the skiers and the tops with the smaller heads?
Much less of those with the more modern tech.

Cheers mate 😉👍

 

[Steve Smith]

Good Morning Steve... I definitely feel for all you guys who suffer through all that rain, but then, you guys also know how to play and equip yourself to play in less rain. In Miami, when we get even the slightest bit of rain, we also tend to get lightening, so I get off the course as quickly as I can most of the time. I know we all have to die sometime, but being BBQ'ed by nature isn't how I intend to go.

Getting back to the wedges, like you, I don't carry a lob wedge. I've never been able to make myself hit the ball hard enough to deal with a 58*, much less a 60*. All I do is get in trouble with it and I'd rather hit a sand wedge. I carried a 58* for a number of years, only to use out of bunkers if I had short sided myself. It just wasn't worth wasting space in my bag over the long run.

With reasoning similar to the lob wedge, I find a 54* SW seems to fit the amount of effort I feel is needed and a 56* often leaves me short. I'm sure that's just a matter of not practicing as much as I used to, but I've taken the easy way out and just keep a few 54* wedges around the house.

Now, the ground here is often sandy just below the surface. A more sweeping swing works best, but being 6'7" tall, my swing is much more vertical than most. I play best with clubs that have pretty deep soles and more bounce than normal. That's why my 2 sets are the old MX-1000 irons and the Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo irons, all hybrids.

The latter set goes all the way through the SW, but that SW is only useful out of softer sand or fluffy lies in the grass. Compacted bunkers or hard, bare lies, it's going to bounce unless my contact is very precise. Otherwise, my ball takes off the blade like a Formula One race car.

Killian Greens, where I play most, has either bare hard ground or deep rough around every green. Hitting greens is paramount and missing greens makes wedge play, thus having the best possible combination of wedges suited to your game, a really important facet of how to succeed there. In my case, I'll almost always pick a pitch and run shot over something high, flying all the way to the pin. In other words, I tend to minimize my need for wedge play as much as possible.

Just do what Trevino said to do in an electrical storm (he should know, he got struck and nearly died in the mid 70's)..
Its a boring old chestnut I know...
Hold a 1 iron up, because even God cant hit a 1 iron.... groan..
On that basis, Nicklaus, Hogan, and Faldo are better than God... forgive me Father 😅😅

I have a TP9 1 iron with the full set 1 to SW.
TP9 were the European version of the MP7 in your land, I believe.

Faldo won the Open in 87 at Muirfield with TP9's.

I also have the MP14's 1 iron to SW.

Tiger used an MP14/MP29 combo set from around 93 to 97, and won the 97 Masters with the setup...

The two sets were very similar in design and cosmetics which made it a seamless combination.

The reason that Tiger mixed it up was because of the relative offset.. He did not want any offset.. (I hate it as well)

The 14's had more offset on the long irons which makes sense. But bizarrely the 29s were the other way around with no offset on the longer irons but more as the irons progress. Very counter intuative.

So basically, Tigers set up was ...
2,3,4 - MP29
5,6,7,8,9,W - MP14

I think with TT DG X100.

I am just so so sad... lol 😆

Dennis..

How much would you not wish to be stuck with me in a corner of a room at a party talking about all this?

😅😅😅😅😅😅