I’m generally a fan of buying used golf equipment. I’ve put together some great sets of clubs at a fair price this way over the years. But there’s one category where I draw a hard line.
I don’t buy used wedges.
That’s the rule.
I’ve found there’s no reliable way to know how much performance is left in a wedge before it starts costing you shots.
Why wedges are different
If you buy a used driver that doesn’t fit your game, you’ll figure it out quickly. Launch, spin and dispersion issues become obvious after a few range sessions or a couple of rounds.
With wedges, the issue is more about groove wear.
Wedge grooves fade gradually with increased use. When wedge grooves are worn, launch increases, spin decreases and shots that used to check release. One of the biggest problems players have is that distance control becomes less predictable.
That is what makes used wedges risky.
Groove wear is hard to see, easy to miss
The biggest problem with buying used wedges is that meaningful groove wear does not show up in photos.
Testing from Titleist along with independent MyGolfSpy data shows that wedge performance begins to fall off around 75 rounds. If you practice your short game often or spend a lot of time in bunkers, that may happen even sooner.
In controlled testing, wedges with simulated 75 rounds of wear lost nearly half their spin on 50-yard shots. Consistency suffered just as much. Standard deviation increased sharply for spin and carry distance which means outcomes were unpredictable.
When you’re looking at used wedges to purchase, it’s nearly impossible to tell how much they have been used.
Why “lightly used” means very little with wedges
When you look at wedge listings, you’ll probably see descriptions like “only played one season” or “great condition.”
Those phrases do not tell you how many bunker shots the wedge has seen. They do not tell you how much short-game practice it has endured or how rounded the grooves are.
Unless a seller can accurately account for usage, you are guessing. Unlike a driver or iron, there is no quick fitting tweak that restores wedge grooves once they are worn.
The cost math rarely works
A used premium wedge at $90 to $110 may sound reasonable until you factor in:
- The likelihood of replacing the grip
- The risk of worn grooves
- The lack of meaningful resale value
At that point, you are often close to the price of a brand-new wedge on sale or a more affordable new wedge with fresh grooves.
If you’re trying to replace wedges that are worn, consider purchasing something on sale, getting last year’s model or settling for a slightly less expensive wedge. Some mint-condition used wedges with a solid return window can be a good choice.
Final thoughts
I am not against used equipment overall but wedges are different.
They live and die by groove condition and that’s one of the hardest things to verify in the used market. Reliable scoring clubs will help you become a better player. This is just one of those areas where investing a little more money is smart.
Royce
5 months ago
Hmm, My ping glide 2 wedges are about 8 years old and I constantly put 9,500 to 10,500 rpm on my 50 degree gap wedge. I got old enough that I don’t use the 60 any more, so I don’t know the spin on it.
And I think the 75 round thing is complete sellout marketing by MGS.
75 rounds, lets say by a miracle you hit that wedge on half the holes. That 75×9 = 695 shots. Most of those would be half or quarter shots.
That would be the equivalent amount of practice wedge shots I take in three weeks of practice in the spring. So they are saying I need 3 new 50 degree wedges a year! My ping is 8 years old and still draws back !
And I am a fairly average golfer.