The Pinemeadow Wedge may not have the heritage that the major wedge brands command, but that does not mean it should be put out to pasture, especially if you are going to judge it on the price tag of around $40.
There are five lofts from 52° to 68° and I tested the 64° UW, which is marked on the sole as a fourth wedge and good for shots of up to 30 yards. This distance guide is about right as I could get 35 yards at a push, but keeping a steady rhythm with a long steady swing is more important when you have this much loft in your hands.
(Image credit: MHopley)
Pinemeadow claim their wedge has one of the largest faces in the market and whilst it did not seem oversized at address, it is quite generous with a wide and high toe area. This puts more weight on the opposite side of the club from the hosel which will help the forgiveness.
(Image credit: MHopley)
The leading edge has a nice curve on it to enable it to get under the ball more easily and even though it seems biased towards the toe again, it does the job very well. The wedge sits very well at address with a rounded high toe look and a ‘dark tumble’ finish. The Pinemeadow logo on the face takes a little getting used to as it looks like a big scratch, but you soon forget about it.
(Image credit: MHopley)
If you need a club to get the ball vertical from short range then the Pinemeadow really delivers. Almost from any lie the combination of the leading edge and the 5° bounce on the wide sole would flop the ball up and land it softly.
(Image credit: MHopley)
It was particularly good from rough and bunkers, especially if there was very little sand, which can happen a lot on certain types of courses. The only proviso is that you need to play the club square and not open it up so that the sole can do its job.
Surprisingly for a club at this price it features a decent grip and an Apollo 125 gram shaft that make the Pinemeadow wedge a very compelling offering and one of the best wedges for beginners.
(Image credit: MHopley)
It would be fun to try the 68° UW+ wedge to see how vertical that went and I am sure it has the same playing characteristics. The more regular gap and sand wedge lofts will probably be good options if you want more forgiveness at longer distances. However as a ‘get out of jail club’ for those on a budget, the Pinemeadow UW wedge should bring you to pastures new.
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