The Trouble with the Gap Wedge
For this Reader Review, we asked our participants to tell us why their current gap wedge gives them fits. For some, it was chipping. For others, it was distance control or trajectory. No matter what the problem, Edison was confident that their Edison 2.0 wedge could solve it. Based on the results – 5/5 golfers keeping the Edison 2.0 in the bag – it seems like they were right.
Check out of staff review of the Edison 2.0 wedge HERE
Reader Review #1
Name: Donald Conner
Handicap: 22
Previous Gap Wedge: Cobra F9 Speedback
Edison 2.0 Gap Wedge Loft & Shaft: 52° (53° bent 1° weaker) KBS Tour 110 Regular
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on full shots? I still had some issue with distance control and full shots, but that could also be a matter of getting used to the heavier head. I absolutely liked the tighter dispersion on full shots versus my existing gap wedge. My line in was much more consistent. I think with more play the distance control itself will become far more consistent.
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on partial shots and chips? Again this took some getting used to, likely because of the weight of the head, but once I had the feel for it, I was definitely noticing more spin and control versus my existing wedge. After a few rounds, I could tell the exact distance it was going to go if I went to my waist or my shoulder or even putting stroke. It was very nice having that confidence of the distance control.
How did the Edison 2.0 feel? While I am definitely not a feel player, I could definitely tell a center strike versus something closer to the hosel or the toe. More importantly, the off-center sheets that were not “pure” or far more consistent and far less punishing than my existing gap wedge.
How did the Edison 2.0 address your primary problem with your current gap wedge? The primary problem with my current gap wedge was on full swings, my distance control, and being confident with the distance I was going to hit could vary by as much as 15 to 20 yards. While I still had some variance in the distance control. I’m sure part of that is my swing not the club. I would say that it was more like 10 yards of difference, however, as I mentioned previously the pulling left in the fading to the right was significantly less. Even if my distance was not accurate, the line was much more accurate making much easier putts.
Will the Edison 2.0 be your new gamer? This club will absolutely be staying in the bag if for no other reason than the straighter line on full shots. Again, I also liked knowing I was going to get a consistent distance, depending on the speed of the green, of course, with a quarter swing, a half swing and a three-quarter swing. I also noticed much more spin than I would normally get with my handicap level.
Reader Review #2
Name: Brandon Rowe
Handicap: 11.9
Previous Gap Wedge: Mizuno JPX 921 Forged w/ Nippon 120 S shaft (set matched and 50deg loft)
Edison 2.0 Gap Wedge Loft & Shaft: 50deg w/ KBS Tour 120 S shaft
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on full shots? Based on the objective data, there wasn’t a significant difference. I did observe that the ball flight was higher with the Edison wedge as well as it carried 3 yards further with a similar launch angle.
- Gamer: 101 carry, 112 total, height of 73ft and 35deg launch angle
- Edison: 105 carry, 116 total, height 80ft and 36deg launch angle
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on partial shots and chips? My partial shot is what I feel is a 3/4 length swing from my full swing at 90% speed. Based on the data, the Edison wedge came up a little short on carry distance. I felt that I was making the same swing as I did with my set gap wedge; not sure if this is maybe due to the different shaft or just my unfamiliarity with it. I wasn’t looking at the numbers throughout the test, I just kept trying to make the same 3/4 swing.
- Gamer: 91 carry, 103 total, height of 59ft and 33deg launch angle
- Edison: 85 carry, 96 total, height 57ft and 34deg launch angle
How did the Edison 2.0 feel? Edison wedge felt significantly better than my set matched gap wedge; it was much more obvious where on the face the ball made contact. Also, the sound was much crisper than my gamer wedge, especially when struck in the center.
How did the Edison 2.0 address your primary problem with your current gap wedge? In short, I believe so, but not based on the numbers. My primary concern was using my gap wedge for partial shots in the 85-90 yard range, which I found with my set wedge they would tend to sail and come up short. Initially, I used put the Edison gap wedge in play on course over two 9-hole rounds (work has really gotten in the way of golf lately), but only used it for four shots and not really seeing any performance improvement. Finally, this evening, I was able to do a head-to-head comparison at the range with both clubs. After warming up, I worked through 20 shots with each club, taking 10 full swings – which is about 90% for me with my gap wedge – and 10 3/4 length partial swings. Note, I tossed out and re-did any poorly struck shots. For me, this is where the Edison wedge really stood out! Not because I hit it farther or flighted it lower, but because I was able to get through each set of 10 shots with really good consistency. Whereas with my set matched gap wedge, I found myself having to “redo” 6 shots throughout the test because I hit it a little fat or chunky and it ended up short, I didn’t seem to have this inconsistent contact, low or high on the face, with the Edison wedge. It just went through the turf really nice and consistently. For me, that was the difference; towards the end of the test, I was just super confident I was going to make good contact with the ball.
Additional Notes: I won’t lie, initially I was a little disappointed Terry contacted me to ask if I would be ok with the KBS Tour 120 shaft, instead of the Nippon 115 wedge shaft that I have in my specialty wedges; however, after testing the Edison wedge, I’m second guessing my fitting for my irons (my irons are Nippon 120 shafts). I was fit at a big box retailer, so my only shaft options were the stock available ones they had on the cart, which didn’t include KBS. I really liked the feel of this shaft and it resulted in a better dispersion pattern than the Nippon 120 in my gamer without any real distance loss (maybe because they’re slightly heavier?)… I guess more testing is required. The trackman range doesn’t provide details on spin and club path, so I’d like to see those numbers as well as try it in a stronger lofted club like a 6 or 7 iron.
Also, take my objective data with a grain of salt – it’s a Trackman range, so they were range balls and the numbers are from the “convert” feature to a premium ball.
Will the Edison 2.0 be your new gamer? Yes.
Reader Review #3
Name: David Sell
Handicap: 16.4
Previous Gap Wedge: Stealth Set AW (49 deg, 1 deg flat, Ventus Red 6R shaft), Titleist Vokey SM8 50 deg F Grind, Stock SM8 Wedgeflex shaft
Edison 2.0 Gap Wedge Loft & Shaft: 49 degree, PGI 80R
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on full shots? Full swings at the range ( grass tee area with range balls of course, but not off of a mat) seemed very similar with all of the gap wedges as far as flight, distance, dispersion, turf interaction, etc. No discernible difference with the good or poor swings.
On course with a tour caliber ball ( OnCore Elixr), I did notice some differentiation from my previous clubs. I tried to use the Edison 2.0 almost exclusively during these rounds to provide a fair assessment. Several shots did seem to flight lower, and the spin, OMG. I typically hit the ball pretty high with adequate spin. I generally get very little roll out or spin back. Where it lands is close to the finish point. I noticed more spin back, including one into the wind that spun back about 10 feet. I don’t recall either the Stealth or SM8 coming anywhere close to this. Based on limited Shot Scope data, yardage was within one yard of the Vokey, and a several yards for the Stealth AW P-Averages. I suspect over a longer period of time, these would be extremely close in the end.
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on partial shots and chips? In my opinion, this is where this club really shines, the primary reason I applied for this test, and feel fortunate to have been selected for the reader review. Last year, my short game was the weakest part of my game. I’ve seen some improvement this year, partially due to the original Edison wedge, but still plenty of room for improvement. A shot I have never been able to execute consistently is the low chip and run. I’ve tried different clubs, but almost always seem to blow it way too far past my target and/ or the hole. Particularly with the Stealth irons (or any other iron set I’ve had), 7, 8, and yes, the AW. This was the main reason I purchased the SM8, but still never got anywhere near comfortable trying the shot. I did keep the SM8 in the bag, carrying two nearly identical clubs. That problem may just be solved.
The Edison 2.0 is a spin monster when struck well, and felt very natural immediately, even without any practice. On course this past weekend, I hit a 75 yard, ¾ swing that landed 5 feet left of the pin, bounced forward, and spun right back nearly on top of the ball mark. Short chips when well struck from a tight lie hit the green, bite real hard, pop up, appear to stop spinning so much I think I can read the logo, and then gently roll toward the hole. My first reaction was holy cow, it hit the green and “knuckleballed”. Just beautiful ! Noticed this many times at the practice area, and on the course multiple times. Out of the rough, still spins well, but more importantly, consistent results. At times I saw very close results from the SM8, but not quite as consistently. Forgiveness with turf interaction and dispersion seemed better with the 2.0 Edison. Seems like a significant jump in spin compared to the original Edison. Not one shot even close in any way with the set AW.
Forgiveness is a big piece of the puzzle for both model Edison wedges. I’ll be honest, there have been many times this season I have gotten much better results than I deserved with either Edison wedge, because I hit it so poorly.
How did the Edison 2.0 feel? The Feel is what I think this type of club should have. Very solid over a good area of the face, smooth, and never jumpy. Shaft is just what I wanted, closer to my iron set, but more stout. Control is tighter and feels so, on all swing types. More consistent than the SM8 or RTX-4 wedges I am familiar with.
How did the Edison 2.0 address your primary problem with your current gap wedge? I believe with a little more practice and familiarity, the Edison has a good chance of displacing the set AW for full shots. My only concern is that it may spin too much, creating a larger yardage gap in that range. The stouter shaft has helped shrink the pull left issue I have on occasion. In fact, the shaft keeps shots more on target on full and partial shots with both Edison’s, really like the PGI shaft.
As for partial and chip shots, I already feel extremely comfortable with these, literally right out of the box. Maybe I should have tried practicing a few before pulling it out during a round, but I couldn’t wait to try it, and hit some amazing shots right off the bat. The shot I most feared and rarely tried, is quickly becoming my go to short game option. I often leave chips and pitches short using the higher lofted wedges, and so far early results are much closer to the hole.
Additional Notes: The Koehler sole is just different. The dual bounce can be tricky. Takes some getting used to, and I’d be lying if I said I’m totally used to it. I’ve had more chunked chips than I’d care to admit with the 55 Edison, and some have been truly ugly attempts. However, when you hit it well, the results are spectacular. The soles are clearly different between the two Edison versions. For me, the 2.0 version is quite a bit easier/ smoother to hit out of a bunker. Initially, I really, really struggled with the original version’s sole. So much so that I considered not gaming it, as I’m accustomed to low bounce wedges. I still use my 64 RTX4 predominantly out of the bunker for this reason, but I have had some really nice results recently with the Edison’s also.
Will the Edison 2.0 be your new gamer? It is definitely staying in the bag, even if only for chipping. I suspect it will take over completely, but I’m going to work up to that as it has been just a few weeks. I have to say I’m a little obsessed with this club right now I like it so much.
Reader Review #4
Name: Stephen Matuzak
Handicap: 8.2
Previous Gap Wedge: Mizuno 921
Edison 2.0 Gap Wedge Loft & Shaft: 49 degree KBS Tour R 110
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on full shots? Great. Buttery soft forged feel, great spin control.
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on partial shots and chips? Great. This is where I gain strokes/ don’t loose strokes and I felt very confident over the ball.
How did the Edison 2.0 feel? Buttery
How did the Edison 2.0 address your primary problem with your current gap wedge? Turf interaction for all types of shots was great.
Additional Notes: Felt like the dreaded chili dip was all but eliminated. I am now curious if I should be playing a full set of these. I feel as though I could be very creative in every situation. Different club head finishes would be a plus!
Will the Edison 2.0 be your new gamer? Yes
Reader Review #5
Name: Andrew Moren
Handicap: 11.7
Previous Gap Wedge: Cleveland RTX 6 Zipcore 50*
Edison 2.0 Gap Wedge Loft & Shaft: 51* with the KBS 110 regular flex shaft (I went with the lighter flex based on the recommendation from Edison’s website)
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on full shots? From a distance standpoint, the 51* Edison was very similar to my 50* Cleveland. As referenced below, I tend to hit my wedges too high and I felt like I was able to keep the flight lower with the Edison wedge. I also had a number of shots where I made fairly poor contact that ended up with a decent result.
How did the Edison 2.0 perform on partial shots and chips? There were a few times (both at the range and on the course) where I was in the zone on partial shots. I do like the regular flex shaft on the wedge and hitting an on-center shot with the Edison wedge was addictive.
How did the Edison 2.0 feel? Overall it felt softer than my gamer. The Cleveland is a lot ‘clickier’ than the Edison, which from my perspective sounded like a duller ‘tock’ (this is a good thing). I really liked the feel of the wedge.
How did the Edison 2.0 address your primary problem with your current gap wedge? I’d say my biggest issue with wedges in general is I tend to launch them too high, and I did notice the ability to flight the ball lower with the Edison wedge.
Will the Edison 2.0 be your new gamer? I’m planning to keep this in the bag for some more extensive testing, but I am definitely impressed based on the first couple weeks of using it. At this point I have no reason to think that it won’t be my gamer going forward.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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4 Comments
Excellent! Thanks Matt!
As one of the selected reviewers (THANKS AGAIN!!! ), I occasionally come back to this article to see if there may be something new. I have to admit some disappointment that there is only one comment after all of this time. Perhaps it may go mostly unnoticed, but I wanted to add a little insight as I’ve played many more rounds with the club since this review, an update if you will.
THIS IS NOW MY FAVORITE CLUB AND REVEL ANY CHANCE I HAVE A CHANCE TO USE IT !!!!
I’ve removed the GW from the bag and now use this club full time, able to put a hybrid back into my bag as a result.
This club is so consistent with anything reasonably considered a decent strike, plus more forgiveness near to it than probably deserved. Bunker shots have become easier and consistently effective after having more experience using it. Took a little time, but this was the most frustrating area at first. Not sure exactly how to explain it, but do the exact opposite of trying too hard, and let the club help you. Perhaps, simply think, RELAX .
I should probably mention that I absolutely love the PGI graphite shaft. So much so, I’ve investigated what it might take to have all my irons switched to it.
Hopefully someone might stumble onto this additional commentary and find it helpful. Suffice to say, I would highly recommend the Edison Wedge to everyone !
#DoubleSecret
I agree with David! After having used this club for almost a year now, my affinity with the club has grown exponentially. My confidence over the ball is tremendous. I have actually removed a hybrid to add a fourth wedge. I now have 4 of the Edison 2.0s and they were worth every penny. Not only has my confidence grown, my handicap has diminished. Instead of pulls 15-20 yards left of greens, I am hitting them. If I do miss, it is definitely a poor swing, not the club. After dozens of rounds now, my original comments about distance control were correct, you get used to the head weight and the confidence of knowing how far it is going to go comes with that. Not joking, these wedges save me as many as six shots per round.
That’s great to hear!