How to Select a Golf Wedge
- Determine your skill level. Surprisingly, the less skill you have with a golf club, the fewer wedges you'll want to carry.
- Decide on the lofts you need. Loft is the angle of the club face compared to the shaft, and different wedges come in a variety of options.
- Choose your bounce. Bounce is a combination of factors on the bottom (sole) of the club that will help you make proper contact, including angle, width, the rocker ...
- Pick a club face material. Most golfers are familiar with chrome-plated clubs, but today's wedges come in a variety of material types.
- When you think of a custom club, you may see dollar signs, but having your clubs custom fit is no more expensive than buying a name brand off ...
What Golf Club wedge to use?
Which Types of Golf Clubs to Choose
- Woods. The driver falls into the category of woods and is an indispensable part of golf. ...
- Irons. When you are looking for more control, irons should be your absolute choice. ...
- Wedges. The pitching wedge is used near the greens and 130 yards around it. ...
- Hybrids. Hybrids have been developed to replace long irons. ...
- Putters. ...
How to pick up a golf ball with a wedge?
It’s a combination of:
- Good, new-ish grooves. Old, worn down grooves that have been hit a million times won’t spin the ball like newer, deeper grooves will.
- A good golf ball. Sorry, but your $10/dozen Noodle golf balls won’t spin much, even if you hit them perfectly. ...
- A solid strike. Most golfers try to help the golf ball in the air with a wedge. ...
- Good, fast greens. ...
How much for good set of golf clubs?
The complete set of golf clubs for average golfers goes from as low as $100 to as high as $1,200. While preparing this golf club’s value guide, we noticed a surprising trend in golf club prices. The average cost of a complete set of golf clubs is the same (in some cases, lesser) with the average price of the set of each component, such as iron.
What golf wedges to buy?
Top gear posts of 2021: 5 obvious signs it’s time to buy new golf clubs
- Too much spin. In order to optimize accuracy and distance, dialing in your spin rate is imperative. ...
- Not enough height. Golf club engineers are ridiculously smart, and every year they figure out new weighting schemes and designs to help higher-handicap golfers hit the ball higher and ...
- Your playing partners are passing you by. ...
- Poor divot pattern. ...
What wedges should the average golfer carry?
Pitching Wedge A pitching wedge is generally the only wedge included in a modern iron set. Golfweek explains that the average male golfer hits a full pitching wedge between 100 to 110-yards. Obviously, that distance depends on the wind, moisture, and how cleanly you strike your shot.
What size golf wedge do I need?
Determine the appropriate shaft length for your longest wedge. Golf iron shaft lengths will normally vary by a one-half inch between clubs getting shorter as the number of the iron is large. For example, if you are searching for a pitching wedge, the shaft should be one-half inch shorter than your 9 iron.
Is a 52 or 56-degree wedge better?
The 56- or 60-degree wedge will be a better choice than the 52 when you need something to fly high and land softly. Learning which loft is best for a shot takes a bit of time and what golfers call feel. The higher lofted wedges typically land more softly, and they will not roll as far.
Is a 56 or 58 wedge better?
For the average golfer, having a 56-degree wedge in your bag will be much more beneficial than having a 60-degree wedge. Sand wedges (54-56 degrees) are the most versatile wedge you can have while lob wedges (58+ degrees) should only be used by better golfers.
What 3 wedges should I carry?
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.
What angle wedge should I buy?
To make it easy, a good rule of thumb is to have about four-degrees of loft between your wedges. So, if your 48-degree pitching wedge flies on average 110 yards, and your 56-degree sand wedge goes about 80 yards, you probably need a 52-degree wedge that carries around 95 yards to fill an important hole in your setup.
Which wedge is best for chipping?
What degree wedge is best for chipping? For most golfers, a gap wedge or a sand wedge with loft of between 52° and 56° will produce the most consistent outcome when chipping. This is because you'll be able to play most short-game shots you're likely to come across out on the course.
What degree wedges should a high handicapper carry?
What Loft Wedges Should A High Handicapper Carry? High handicappers should carry at least a 56-degree wedge. In addition, it makes sense to have a 52-degree wedge and a 60-degree wedge to have a variety of shots. The thing that you have to pay attention to is the loft gapping in the set.
Can you use a 52 degree wedge in the sand?
Can You Use a 52 Degree Wedge in the Sand? Yes, a 52-degree wedge can be used to hit the ball out of a sand bunker. Sand bunker shots with a gap wedge rely heavily on the bounce. A low bounce helps with hitting the ball out of heavy sand bunkers while a high bounce helps with softer sand bunkers.
What is a 60 wedge used for?
A 60-degree wedge is considered a lob wedge and is mostly used to launch the ball high up in the air and land softly on the green. Examples could be hitting the ball over water or sand and quickly stopping it on the green. I used to have a 60 degree in my bag and it did come in handy in certain situations.
What does grind mean on a wedge?
Wedge grind is the manipulation or removal of material from the sole of the club, helping to improve contact with the turf. Grinds allow for more creativity and consistency around the green, letting you play with ball spin, flight, power, and other factors.
Can you use a 56 degree wedge as a sand wedge?
What Is A 56 Degree Wedge Used For? A 56-degree wedge is considered a sand wedge and is mainly used for hitting out of the sand and chipping around the green. A 56-degree wedge is one of the most used clubs and is the highest loft an average golfer should carry.
Step 1
Determine your skill level. Surprisingly, the less skill you have with a golf club, the fewer wedges you'll want to carry.
Step 3
Choose your bounce. Bounce is a combination of factors on the bottom (sole) of the club that will help you make proper contact, including angle, width, the rocker and the camber of the head. The bounce you want should be based on where you typically play.
Step 4
Pick a club face material. Most golfers are familiar with chrome-plated clubs, but today's wedges come in a variety of material types.
Step 5
Get fitted. When you think of a custom club, you may see dollar signs, but having your clubs custom fit is no more expensive than buying a name brand off the rack. Get clubs that fit your size and swing type, allowing you to hit better shots and helping to prevent injury.
What is a pitching wedge?
Pitching Wedges (PW) The pitching wedge is most common of the four wedge types and is a staple club every golfer should have in their bag. The loft is typically between 44-48 degrees and is used for full swing shots approximately 100-130 yards away from the green.
What angle should a low bounce wedge be?
Low Bounce Wedges. Wedges are consider low bounce usually if they have a bounce angle of 4 to 6 degrees. A quick test to determine if you should use a low bounce wedge is to look at your divots.
What is a mid bounce wedge?
Any wedge with 7 to 10 degrees of bounce is considered to be a mid-bounce wedge. It will be the most versatile option, suited to a wider range of conditions and swing types.
What is gap wedge?
Gap Wedges (GW) Gap wedges serve the purpose of filling the “gap” between a pitching wedge and sand wedge. The loft is typically between 50 to 53 degrees. It’s a great club to have in the bag for those tough 70 to 100 yard wedge shots, allowing you to make a full swing or three quarter swing to achieve such distances.
What is the loft of a sand wedge?
The loft on a sand wedge is typically 54 degrees, 56 degrees, and 58 degrees depending on which wedge loft option you prefer to have in your bag. This golf wedge is used most commonly for chipping around the greens as well as greenside bunker shots.
What is the angle between the contact point of the sole of the club and the ground?
Bounce is the angle created between the contact point the sole of the club makes with the ground and the leading edge of the wedge face. Bounce get’s its name because it’s the part of the golf club that hits the ground and then “bounces” through the surface under the ball, at impact.
What shaft type do you use for senior golfers?
For senior players, you may prefer graphite shaft wedges or if the wedges are part of a graphite set of clubs then this will be your shaft type by default. Shaft flex is important especially in wedges to give you maximum feel and control. Most steel shaft wedges still have some flex to give you feel.
What is the leading edge of a wedge?
The leading edge you hear referred to often in this guide is simply the bottom edge of the club face.
What is a pitching wedge?
The pitching wedge is one of the typical wedges that comes with an iron set by default. It’s an extension of the 9 iron with higher loft to fill that next distance gap. The pitching wedge is usually manufactured with a 44-48 degree loft.
What is a high bounce wedge?
High bounce wedges are built for golfers who take deeper divots or for golf courses with softer conditions where the club is more prone to digging into the ground. Medium bounce wedges are a good option if you play a variety of golf courses and want a club that can be more versatile to fit different course conditions.
What is the loft of a golf wedge?
The first major component of a golf wedge is loft. It’s the angle of the face of the wedge compared to an imaginary vertical straight line and measured in degrees. All clubs have loft with your driver being the lowest at 9-13 degrees loft and your lob wedge being the highest at 60-64 degrees loft.
What is the purpose of a wedge bounce?
Bounce. Bounce helps your wedge rebound off the ground so that it doesn’t dig into the turf when hitting chips, pitches, and bunker shots. The “bounce” of the wedge is the section on the clubhead that actually makes contact with the ground and it’s made up of different parts like the sole, leading edge, and sole angle.
What happens if you tilt your wedge shaft back at address?
If you tilt your wedge shaft back at address (hands move behind the ball at address) this raises the leading edge and is a commonly used on flop shops. It also can increase your chances of skulling the golf ball since the leading edge is raised up higher away from the ground at address.
What is a sand wedge?
Sand Wedges (SW) In the old days a sand wedge with the letter “S” on the end of the club head was more common. It has a loft range of 54-58 degrees and used commonly to escape sand bunkers, hence the name sand wedge.
How close to the green should you put a wedge shot?
The majority of all shots on a golf course occur within 150 yards of the green, making a vast arsenal of wedge shots helpful for getting the ball as close to the hole as possible before the putter comes out. The key to versatility around the green is versatility in your bag.
How to increase loft on a golf ball?
Place the ball slightly forward in your stance, while moving your lead foot away from the ball slightly, to open up the club face, increasing the degree of loft. This technique is useful when you need to play a shot at a flag where there is a bunker or rough in the way and you need to stop the ball quickly.
What does the groove on a golf club do?
The more grooves on the face of the club, the more back spin the ball will have as it leaves the club face. The grooves serve to catch on the ball as the club slices through it, spinning it backwards as it launches it off the face.
Can you play more than one wedge?
When more than one wedge will work in a given situation on the course, choose the wedge you are most comfortable playing for each individual shot on the range. For example, if you are more comfortable hitting a flop shot with your lob wedge (where the ball is hit high into the air with a lot of backspin), that is still an acceptable shot, ...
How many degrees are golf wedges?
Wedges have many different lofts (it could be as low as 44 or as high as 64 degrees, with several different lofts in between). Different lofts (and therefore different wedges) are used for different purposes.
What are the factors to consider when picking a wedge?
All of this means there are several factors to consider when you’re picking the right golf wedge: the total number of wedges you should carry and their lofts; the shaft (type and flex); and the bounce angle.
How many wedges do amateur golfers have?
As mentioned above, most amateurs have two – a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. But by choosing the right golf wedge to add to those two, you could improve your short game significantly. There’s a good chance you have a large gap between the lofts of your pitching wedge and sand wedge.
How many wedges do golfers carry?
Most amateur golfers carry two wedges in their bags – a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. In contrast, most pros carry three or four wedges, adding a gap and often a lob wedge. Four wedges represents almost a third of their clubs, indicating just how important the pros think the right wedges are.
How much loft is 10 degrees?
Because 10 degrees of loft is usually equal to about 30 yards of distance, you’ll have at least that much of a distance gap between your two wedges. That’s far too much, and you’ll probably be taking a lot of half-swings. Partial swings are one of golf’s hardest shots, and you want to avoid them whenever possible.
Can you use a lob wedge for beginners?
Hitting these high-lofted clubs well can be tricky, but they can be stroke-savers around the green . Lob wedges aren’t for the faint of heart or beginners, though. If you decide that choosing the right golf wedge means buying a lob, you’ll need plenty of practice to learn how to hit it effectively.
Do irons need graphite shafts?
Consistency in the clubs throughout your bag is important, so if your irons have graphite shafts you’ll probably want your wedges to have graphite shafts too . Likewise, if your other irons have regular-flex shafts, you’ll probably want that flex for your wedges.
