‘This is the quickest and easiest way to get your handicap down’
Shane Lowry has some brand new Cleveland RTX-4 wedges in the bag to help him get even more control and spin.
The Irishman is is one of the best wedge players in the world and has a knack of getting up and down from anywhere.
We caught up with the three-time European Tour winner to get some of his short-game secrets and advice for the club golfer.
How many Cleveland RTX-4 wedges do you carry?
I carry four. I’ve got a 48 that’s 47, a 52 that’s 51, a 56 that’s 55 and I’ve got a 60.
What advice would you give a club golfer buying wedges?
You look at golfers going to get a new driver and they spend all this money getting fitted into the right shaft and the right loft, but every club in your bag matters – every shot matters – so go and get fitted for wedges, try and few out, and see which work best for you.
I would say a lot of club golfers would need a high bounce wedge, and a lot will using a wedge with too low a bounce on it, or too much loft – like a 60 as opposed to a 58. That’s it. Just go and get fitted for your wedges – they mean more to your game than your driver will.
How much time do you spend working on your short game?
More than any other part of my game. For us on tour, anything from 150 yards – so a pitching wedge – and in is where you want to be getting up and down. It’s where you make your score and if you get in trouble that’s where you’re trying to leave yourself a number to get up and down for par.
How can a club golfer improve their chipping?
Time is everything. Spend as much time as you can out there. Get one of your friends down there with you and have closest to the pin competition around the short-game area and see where that brings you. That’s how I learnt how to do it – just spending time on it. The first thing people do is go to the driving range and hit their driver – but the first thing they should be doing is going to the chipping green.
How have you found the new Cleveland RTX-4 wedges?
They’re lovely. When I first tried them I put them in the bag straight away after just one day of using them. If anything they were spinning a bit too much – so I had to change my ball because of that. I love the wedges, I think they’re great. The bounce especially on the 60-degree lob wedge I use is really nice.
How do you counter something like getting “too much spin”?
I’m not using the 48 yet because like I say it just spins too much. But I use a 52, 56 and 60. They spin a lot but I’m happy with that because on the courses I play, 90% of them are firm greens. That really helps me get closer to flags, especially front, tight pins.
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What sort of shot do you like to play when approaching the green?
I play with spin. I’ve always been that way. I like to see the ball landing up at the hole with a bit of spin on it, especially when chipping. And that’s why I love these wedges. I like a mid-bounce, I use a 9-degree bounce on my 60 so it’s middle of the road. I find that on the different kinds of grass I play on, especially in America on the Bermuda, you need a mid-to-high bounce wedge and that’s what I’ve come to love.
Cleveland RTX-4 wedges details
SRP: £129
Lofts: 46˚-60˚
Finishes: Tour Satin, Black Satin and Tour Raw
More information can be found on the Cleveland website.
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James Savage
Former equipment editor of NCG. Inconsistent ball-striker and tea-maker.
