This one started with a question from a real MyGolfSpy reader.
It’s a 12 handicap with $250 to spend on wedges. Their current 52, 56 and 60 have a few years, but they did not carry at the same rate. The 56 is their workhorse. He uses it for most shots around the green, a good portion of his bunker play and many partial approaches.
So what’s the smartest way to spend $250?
I could buy the Kirkland GEN 3 set and get three fresh wedges for about $200. I could spend most of the budget on a premium 56 and a fitting. I could replace one wedge at a time or buy previous generation models and try to stretch the money further.
We ask the question at the MyGolfSpy Forum.
It wasn’t a poll or a quiz where everyone had to choose from the same four answers. It was an open discussion and it went away. The thread generated more than 200 responses with golfers questioning the wedge setup itself, suggesting different ways to spend the money and debating how much fit and customization really matter.
A few things stood out.
Three new Kirklands are hard to ignore
The value argument is quite simple.
The Kirkland GEN 3 Forged wedge won ours 2026 Test Wedge Most Wanted with an overall score of 9.1. You can get a 52, 56 and 60 for $199.99.
If all three of your current wedges are worn and those lofts work for your game, this is a lot of cool wedges for the money.
I recently compared the Kirkland GEN 3 data directly to the Vokey SM11 and was impressed by how close the performance was. Kirkland finished first overall in our test while Vokey finished third.
The hesitation with Kirkland is not really whether it can be accomplished. It is about whether 52, 56 and 60 with the only available design are the wedges that this golfer needs.
The same question keeps coming up in the Forum discussion.
Do you need to replace all three?
This may be the most useful part of the discussion. A Forum member dealing with a similar situation said, “When it comes to wedges, I don’t think you buy a set every time.”
His 56 also gets a lot more use than his other wedges, so his plan was to replace that club while continuing to play the others until his performance began to decline. In this situation, we know that the 56 had much more use than the 52 or 60.
Before I spend $250 to do everything in the new bag, I want to know why.
Another Forum member took the question even further. How to use each wedge? Do you hit them full, partial or with your face open? Is the gapping right? Is 52, 56 and 60 even the best setup for him?
If the 52 just comes out of the bag, just replace it because it’s the same age as the 56 doesn’t do much.
The previous generation option kept coming
This is probably my favorite answer to the $250 problem.
Many golfers suggest looking at new wedges from a previous product cycle instead of choosing between three Kirklands and one current premium wedge.
A Forum member put it this way:
“The best value if you want to replace the whole set would be to go with previous model versions.”
He found two previous generation wedges online within minutes and still had about $100 of the original budget. Others have carried out the same general strategy with previous generation models from major OEMs and direct-to-consumer brands.
This is where I think the $250 budget gets a lot more interesting.
If I can get a new premium wedge from the previous generation with the loft, bounce and grind I want for a lot less than the newest model, I’m interested.
“Previous generation” and “used” are not the same thing
A new wedge discounted from last year is one thing. A wedge that someone else has already played for two seasons is another.
One of the strongest responses on the Forum removed used wedges almost immediatelypointing out that although you can find great occasions, the condition of the face and the grooves makes the purchase used a different proposal with wedges than it is with many other clubs.
I completely agree. It is very difficult to convince me that a used wedge is worth it.
There are exceptions. Many golfers have reported success with clubs listed as “Like New” that have arrived essentially intact.
For me, however, the previous generation market is more interesting.
What would you do with the $250?
Start with the 56.
It is the wedge that this golfer has already told us that he relies on the most. He’d rather make sure the club has the loft, bounce and grind that works for his game than automatically replace three wedges at once.
My first stop would be the previous generation premium wedges.
If I can find last year’s Vokey, Cleveland, Mizuno or another new premium model at a discount, that’s probably where my money is. So I looked at the 60 degree wedge.
If he uses it enough and has a specific role in the bag, replace that too, if the budget allows.
I will not force the 52 in the purchase just because there is room for another cone.
This does not mean that I am against the Kirkland option. My Kirkland v. Vokey comparison has already shown why. If 52, 56 and 60 fit your gapping and the Kirkland setup works with your game, getting three cool wedges for $199.99 is a strong value.
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