Know your pitching wedge loft. If it’s 45 degrees or less, add three more wedges that are spaced apart by no more than 4-5 degrees each. So generally think about putting in a gap wedge that's 48 or 50 degrees, a sand wedge that's between 54 and 56 degrees, and a lob wedge that's between 58 and 60 degrees.
Full Answer
What is the difference between a pitching wedge and a 9 iron?
The 9 iron has a stronger loft, typically 4 less degrees of loft than your standard pitching wedge. It is designed to be hit further and for most golfers they will hit their 9 iron between 120 yards and 150 yards. Phil Mickelson hits his standard 9 iron 155 yards.
What is the loft on a 9 iron?
For years the standard loft on a 9 iron was 44 degrees and on a pitching wedge 48 degrees. By making the lofts stronger and the shaft slightly longer, golfers are able to hit these clubs farther.
What is the loft of a pitching wedge?
Pitching wedges come stock in most iron sets with standard lofts of 43°-48°. More and more golf club manufacturers are decreasing the loft on standard pitching wedges. Years ago, 47°-48° was pretty standard, but now 43°-46° is much more common.
How important is a pitching wedge in golf?
The pitching wedge is one of golf’s great all-rounders. It feels like an iron in your hands but can also be used to get you out of some tricky spots from a distance. It’s one of the best clubs for around the greens too. In short, it’s one of the most important clubs in the bag yet we probably don’t give it the attention we should.
Does a 9 iron have more loft than a pitching wedge?
The 9 iron in your golf bag will have around 4 degrees less loft than your 9 pitching wedge. As one of the golf wedges, the pitching wedge is a scoring club and will be used a lot around the greens.
What is the loft on a 9 iron?
41 to 43 degrees9-Iron Loft | 37 to 43 Degrees 9-iron is the club where the loft difference between game-improvement irons and irons made for the best players starts to narrow again. The standard loft for 9-irons is 41 to 43 degrees, while game improvement 9-iron lofts often go as low as 37 degrees.
Can you use a 9 iron as a pitching wedge?
The wedge should be slightly easier to hit, and of course go a little less distance. The wedge and the 9-iron are both attacking clubs and should be used for going at easy to access flags. Your wedge will give you more spin and fly a little higher. Be bolder with the wedge.
What is a 9 iron good for?
What is a 9 Iron Used For? A 9 iron club is used for the same purpose as that of a short iron. It is ideal for hitting short and moderate distance shots with a full swing or a shot that needs high loft. The club is a good choice for approach shots from about 140 yards inside of the pin.
How do you use a 9 iron golf club?
1:525:20HOW TO HIT IRONS FOR BEGINNERS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAgainst the ball for solid. Contact but that does not mean that you're trying to chop down or bashMoreAgainst the ball for solid. Contact but that does not mean that you're trying to chop down or bash down at the ball as we said earlier the job of the golfer is to compress the ball.
How far should a 9 iron hit?
For men, the average 9 iron distance is between 130-140 yards. A more experienced golfer who makes better contact and is longer, will usually hit it 135 yards and further. A tour pro will hit it closer to 150-160 yards on average. For women, the average will be around 90-100 yards.
Should you chip with a 9 iron?
0:262:06The Golf Fix: 9 Iron Chip Shots | Golf Channel - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTold me that if you can get a ball up and down with a 9-iron. You can get it up and down with a sandMoreTold me that if you can get a ball up and down with a 9-iron. You can get it up and down with a sand wedge. Many times particularly like that you see a high school golfer.
How do you hit a 9 iron 150 yards?
3:535:53150-yard iron shot I Golf Tips I Golf Monthly - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf I hit 9-iron which is about 135. For me that's a big difference. Because I've got to really hitMoreIf I hit 9-iron which is about 135. For me that's a big difference. Because I've got to really hit it solid. To try and get it to the distance that I've got here 150 yards that flag is actually 149.
Which wedge has the lowest loft?
As we stated above, the pitching wedge has the lowest loft than all the other wedges available. Your club’s loft refers to the angle of your club’s face and where it sits distance-wise from the shaft.
When to use a pitching wedge?
When to Use Your Pitching Wedge. The pitching wedge is unique in that it is the most versatile wedge when it comes to golf clubs. The pitching wedge comes in handy for multiple occasions, such as getting out of a difficult situation that requires more distance or easy chip shots.
How far behind the ball should you strike a pitching wedge?
Be sure to strike at least an inch behind the ball to get the desired height and distance you’re looking for with your pitching wedge. To get fully comfortable with your pitching wedge, it’s ideal to practice regularly to get a feel for your club.
Why should every player be fitted to the clubs they purchase?
Every player should be properly fitted to the clubs they purchase to ensure they are the right match. Your clubs should be able to adequately fit your swing for you to be able to perform well.
What is a 9 iron?
For more experienced golfers, a 9 iron is a perfect tool for performing birdies and easy pars. As for beginners, your 9 iron will help you hit the ball as close to the flag as possible. When it comes down to it, your 9 iron will help you hit the ball as close to the green as possible no matter what your experience level is.
Is a pitching wedge a good golf club?
The more lofted your club is, the higher your ball will go, making the pitching wedge an ideal club when you’re looking to achieve more height. While this may surprise some, there is no official loft angle for any golf club. Depending on the manufacturer, the loft of your club can vary.
Is a pitching wedge easier to hit than a 9 iron?
Compared to the 9 iron, the pitching wedge is easier to hit, but it’s important to be mindful that the pitching wedge travels less of a distance. This is not an ideal club for achieving height or spin, so that’s another factor to consider.
What is a 9 Iron?
A 9-iron falls under the category of short irons, as it is the weakest lofted iron in your set before we progress to wedges. The average player hits the club from 120 yards or less out. 9-irons are used on approach on par 4’s and 5’s, and the odd par 3.
What Is The Average 9 Iron Loft?
In an August 2020 article, Elliot Heath from Golf Monthly explained that the average loft of a 9-iron sits between 41 and 43 degrees. Contrarily, it is commonplace to see golf brands releasing irons with strengthened lofts.
What Is The Fairway Wood Equivalent?
It is rare to find a golfer using a fairway wood in place of a short iron. However, senior golfers have been known to use a 42 degree 19-wood instead of a 9-iron. Considering the strengthened lofts of a modern-day 9-iron, you could also use a 28 degree 17-wood as a substitute fairway wood.
Performance
In my post on golf club distances, I explained that the average male golfer strikes a 9-iron 120 yards, while the average female gains 100 yards. 9-irons with a loft of 28 degrees or stronger will launch lower than a 9-iron and give you a few extra yards of roll.
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Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
How to choose lofts for pitching wedges?
To choose the right lofts for your wedges, you first need to know how far you hit all clubs in your bag, particularly your pitching wedge. It’s important that you know precisely how far you hit each club, not how far you think you do.
What is the loft of a pitching wedge?
Pitching Wedge (Loft: 43°-48°) Pitching wedges come stock in most iron sets with standard lofts of 43°-48°. More and more golf club manufacturers are decreasing the loft on standard pitching wedges. Years ago, 47°-48° was pretty standard, but now 43°-46° is much more common. This means that golfers are hitting pitching wedges much farther ...
What is the highest lofted club?
Lob wedges are the highest lofted club for most players, usually between 58°-60°. Some manufacturers are making higher lofted lob wedges (as much as 64°). I wouldn’t advise playing anything more than 60 unless you really know what you’re doing.
How to determine wedge loft?
In determining your ideal wedge lofts, what you’re trying to do is gap your distances evenly inside your pitching wedge. Once you know your distances, then you’ll be able to determine your wedge loft needs. There are a few ways to do this: Schedule an appointment with a club-fitter to perform a proper gap test.
How many different wedges are there?
There are four different golf wedges (Pitching Wedge, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, and Lob Wedge), each with different lofts and a unique purpose. Wedges come with different loft options, grind, and bounce, all of which are important; however, this article will focus specifically on wedge loft.
What is gap wedge?
Gap Wedge (Loft: 48°-52°) Gap wedges, well, fill the gap in between the sand wedge and pitching wedge. Some iron sets come with approach wedges (A-wedge), which is the same as a gap wedge. With the lofts of pitching wedges going down over the years, this has created an even larger distance spread from pitching wedge to the sand wedge.
How to get better at wedge golf?
If you want to play better golf, then you have to get good with your wedge game. It all starts with understanding what wedges you need in your bag and what wedge loft you should be playing with each one. Knowing the distance you hit each club, and understanding the gaps you need to fill, is a critical factor in determining your wedge loft needs. ...