Do I really need a sand wedge?

Nope

The lob wedge is not an easy club to use, especially from 40-50 yards to the pin. But then once you are able to master the skill to use it, it is a wonderful club to use for the following shots:- a) Hitting over a bunker to an elevated green when you need to get the ball to stop fast. b) When you want to avoid a small tree or obstruction around the green by a high flop shot. c) If you want to get a good backspin when you are within 30 yards off the pin. A lob wedge is not good if you're hitting from from any thick rough as opposed to a sand wedge which is much heavier in swing weight. I wouldn't recommend a lob wedge to any beginner or to the high handicappers. I would always use a sand wedge from the sand around the greens. But there are times a lob wedge can be used from the sand if the sand is not too heavy, especially when you want to have a lofty shot so that the ball will stop quickly upon landing on the green.

Using your other post, the Taylor Made PW will probably be a 45 degree wedge. The most common sand wedge loft is 56. That is over 10 degrees more loft for higher yet shorter shots.

If there is only one wedge in your budget, consider a 52 or 53 degree wedge with bounce of at least 8. If there are two wedges in your budget consider a 50 degree gap wedge and a 56 degree sand wedge with bounce of 12 or more.

The short game is probably the most important part of the game because you will be on or near the green 18 times a round.

If you play on courses that do not have many sand traps, you do not need a sand wedge.

Now most sand wedges have a higher loft than a pitching wedge, however there is a club known as the loft wedge which has even a higher loft than the sand wedge. Sand wedges are often heavier than other wedges.

If you are comfortable getting out of the sand with the pitching wedge, then you don't really need the sand wedge. Also the sand wedge is not easy to with from the fairway.

A couple of people have already given you the answer you need, but here's my two cents: Get a full set, including a 3 and 5 wood, possibly a 7 or 9 wood and the requisite irons and a decent putter. Spend the majority of your time on the short course learning how to approach from inside 100 yards and reading your greens before you putt and getting used to your speed/swing/follow-through with each of the clubs; then take a lesson from a PGA pro. You'll be better at telling yourself which clubs you truly need than we ever could, because everybody's game is different. I've been playing for 2.5 years and I still can't break 90, so I'm speaking from experience! Good luck!

YES... the most important part of golf is the short game. I saw your first post about getting Taylormade vs Adams.

The sand wedge is not just for sand traps. It is an excellent tool for when your around the greens in the grass or still in the fairway. It's loft and "bounce"(the wide sole at the bottom) make it perfect to hit on awkward lies. It will allow you to really go after the ball with out worring that you will blast it into the next county.

It should be your only additional investment tward your new set. Any more investment should be on balls(you are gonna loose a lot of them) and lessons.

Hit 'em Straight!

If you're a beginner, and only playing for fun, then I would have to say no, you don't need it. The difference is the degree of pitch in the face of the club. I have a lob wedge, a pitching wedge, and a sandwedge in my bag. Truthfully, I could get out of a bunker with any of them. The difference is going to be in the control of the shot that you place on the green, the amount of release the ball has when it lands, and the amount of spin you create.

I'd say that you should consider it eventually when you want to get serious, but you don't need it now.

If you are not playing that often you can just keep using a pitching wedge. You don't need to spend the money when the loft on the clubs is similar.

I know what you mean. I don't really know how to use my sand wedge very well. If pitching wedge does the job, keep it up. Of course, you don't use sand wedge in fairway bunkers.

Can't wait until spring.

Yes, a sandwedge isn't just for sand. It's just like anyother club.

You can hit it different distances than a pitching, gap, or lob wedge.

Just lay up instead of going for the pin. break 80 a few times before you try to play like the guys on tv. you shouldnt need more than a 3wood, a 3-7or4-8 or5-9 iron combo and a putter.

try www.gigagolf.com