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what are the degrees of golf wedges

by Gerry Grimes Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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So, the table is as follows:

Club Degree of loft Average distance (male golfer high mid a ... Average distance (lady golfer high mid a ...
Pitching wedge 47-53 degrees 80-105-120 yards 50-60-80 yards
Gap wedge 50-54 degrees 70-95-110 yards 45-55-70 yards
Sand wedge 54-58 degrees 60-80-100 yards 40-50-60 yards
Lob wedge 58-62 degrees 50-70-90 yards 35-45-50 yards
Apr 19 2022

In general, pitching wedges are lofted about 47 to 53 degrees, gap wedges are lofted about 50 to 54 degrees, sand wedges are lofted 54 to 58 degrees and lob wedges are lofted 58 to 62 degrees. The lower the degree of loft, the farther the ball will fly, though a more lofted club will land more softly on the green.

Full Answer

What degree golf wedges should you use?

May 24, 2019 · Typically, sand wedges have lots from 52 to 56 degrees. As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional wedges. A typical lob wedge might have a loft of 60 degrees to 64 degrees.

How far should you hit a 60-degree wedge?

Take a look at the loft degrees of the four basic types of wedges: Pitching wedge – The common pitching wedge has the lowest loft, ranging from 46° to 48°. Gap wedge – The gap wedge, often referred to as the approach wedge, or the A wedge, has a loft of 51° to 53 degrees. Sand wedge – This wedge has ...

What degree wedges should I carry?

A 52 degree wedge distance is 100 yards for amateur golfers and around 125 yards for professional golfers using their gap wedge. 56 Degree Wedge Distance (Sand Wedge) A 56 degree wedge distance is 80 yards for everyday golfers and around 110 yards for pro golfers using their sand wedge. 60 Degree Wedge Distance (Lob Wedge)

Which degree wedge should I get?

Wedges have more loft than any other golf club, including your irons, drivers, putters, and wood. The loft on a pitching wedge is typically around 46 to …

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What is a 52-degree wedge called?

gap wedgeA 52-degree wedge is considered a gap wedge and is used to fill the gap between your pitching wedge and your sand wedge. Golfers who have a 52-degree wedge in their bag typically have a pitching wedge that's between 47-48 degrees.

What wedge degrees should I use?

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. These are general guidelines, make sure you're working with your fitter to get the gapping that works best for you.Feb 23, 2018

What degree wedges do pro golfers use?

Looking at the average configurations and lofts, around 60% of pro players use a pitching wedge with 46 degrees of loft, with 48 degrees being the second most common loft option. With gap wedges, the 52-degree loft is used by 42% of players, with 33% opting for the 50-degree model.Oct 9, 2021

What are the 4 wedges in golf?

There are four styles in the wedge family: the pitching wedge, the gap wedge, the sand wedge and the lob wedge. Each club has a specific loft that makes it more suitable for certain shots. The Pitching Wedge (46-48 degrees) is the least lofted of all the wedges.

What is the difference between a 56 and 60 wedge?

As a general rule, average golfers will have an easier time hitting a 56-degree wedge compared to a 60-degree wedge. A 56-degree wedge will give just as much distance but it will also be a lot more consistent when you're chipping onto the green.

Do you need a 56 and 60 wedge?

A 60-degree wedge has four more degrees of loft than a 56-degree wedge. This extra loft can make a big difference when it comes to getting the ball up in the air and then stopping it on the green. Sixty-degree wedges work well for greenside bunker shots, and they tend to spin quite a bit.

How many degrees is 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.Jul 24, 2021

Do I need a 54 degree wedge?

Should You Use A 54 Or 56 Degree Wedge? The majority of average golfers only need to have three wedges in their bag, and if that's the case, a 56-degree is the better choice. For golfers looking to carry four wedges, having a 54-degree will evenly space out the wedges.

How far will a 56 degree wedge go?

If you're a beginner golfer, you can expect your 56° wedge to send the golf ball flying some 60 – 80 yards. Intermediate golfers can achieve a distance of 80 – 100/110 yards with their 56° wedge. Finally, professional golfers can cover the distance of 115 – 120 yards with their 56 wedge.

What degree wedge is a pitching wedge?

44 to 48 degreesPitching wedges are generally in the range of 44 to 48 degrees loft and used for hitting the longest wedge shots into a green. Pitching wedges are also quite handy for short pitch and run shots around the green.Mar 2, 2018

What degree wedges does Tiger Woods use?

He's still using his TaylorMade MG2 TW grind wedges (56 and 60 degrees) and the Scotty Cameron GSS Newport 2 prototype putter that he's used to win 14 of his 15 majors, as well. He'll also continue using the Bridgestone Tour B XS 2022 prototype golf ball that he debuted at the 2021 PNC Championship.Apr 5, 2022

How many degrees is a pitching wedge?

between 45 and 48 degreesThe loft of the pitching wedge is typically between 45 and 48 degrees and it is mainly used for shots outside of 100 yards – the average club golfer hits a pitching wedge around 105 yards, while the Tour professional carries it around 125 yards.May 10, 2021

How many degrees do wedges increase?

Wedges usually increase in increments of four degrees, and each has a variation of a few degrees. At the beginning of this article, the table gives the details of the basic set of wedges and the distances you can expect from them at all skill levels. That, however, is not the whole story.

What is the difference between a golf club and a wedge?

On the other hand, in clubs designed to lift the ball into the air, the wedges have a high loft. Low numbers on your club mean low loft. Higher numbers on your club result in a higher loft.

What is a pitching wedge?

The pitching wedge is for your longest wedge shots and for pitch and chip shots near the green where you can roll the ball to the pin . Pitching wedges are the easiest of wedges for beginners to use, as they have the lowest loft. This means they are more forgiving than the higher lofted clubs.

What wedge to use for a golf ball?

Once you are out of the sand, you may use your lob wedge. This is the wedge with the highest loft in most sets. It is used when you need to stop the ball quickly on the green. It gives a lot of control and not much distance, so it is useful when you are near the pin.

What is the heaviest club in golf?

The sand wedge comes next. It is the heaviest club in your set, and its distinguishing feature is a rounded base so you can get under the sand and lift the ball. It also has a lot of bounce. Lastly, the lob wedge. Once you are out of the sand, you may use your lob wedge.

What is the closest golf club to the nine iron?

For the short game, there was only the golf club, which was called the niblick (its nearest equivalent in the modern set is the nine iron), So our golfing ancestors has relatively little help from the clubs when, for example, they got stuck in the sand or the rough.

When was the first sand wedge invented?

The oldest wedge is the pitching wedge, followed by the sand wedge, which made its first appearance back in 1931 . The sand wedge was invented by golf legend Gene Sarazan, who put more loft on his pitching wedge to get out of the sand more quickly and with a more accurate shot. For decades that was pretty much it.

How many degrees are sand wedges?

Typically, sand wedges have lots from 52 to 56 degrees. As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional wedges.

What is a wedge in golf?

Wedges are the highest-lofted clubs in a set of golf clubs, designed for short approach shots (for most golfers, 120 yards and in), strokes played out of sand, chip shots and pitch shots, and generally any shot for which the golfer wants the ball to ascend and descend sharply.

What is a gap wedge?

With pitching wedges typically lofted from 42 to 46 degrees, the gap wedge is so-called because it closes the "gap" in loft between the pitching wedge and sand wedge. A typical gap wedge might might be lofted from 48 to 54 degrees. The gap wedge also goes by the names A-wedge, attack wedge and approach wedge.

What is the loft of a lob wedge?

A typical lob wedge might have a loft of 60 degrees to 64 degrees. As its name implies, a lob wedge allows a player to "lob" the ball high into the air, from where it will drop steeply down onto the green, with little or no roll. With pitching wedges typically lofted from 42 to 46 degrees, the gap wedge is so-called because it closes ...

What is a 60 degree wedge?

Wedges feature the shortest shafts and highest lofts of any golf clubs. In fact, wedges are often identified by their loft rather than their name. A lob wedge might instead be called a "60-degree wedge," for example. Sand wedges were invented (generally credited to Gene Sarazen) to make shots out of sand bunkers easier.

What is the difference between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge?

Pitching wedge: The lowest-lofted of the wedges (the one that hits the ball the farthest), pitching wedges (abbreviated PW) are usually included in a set of irons. The PW is considered one of the basic clubs every golfer carries. Sand wedge: Designed specifically to make hitting shots out of bunkers easier. Abbreviated SW.

Why are gap wedges called wedges?

Today, the other two wedges that are common are: Gap wedge: So-named because it falls in-between the pitching wedge and sand wedge in loft. The gap wedge has more loft than a PW, less loft than a SW.

What is wedge golf?

In golf, wedges are clubs with a high loft that golfers can use to hit the ball high into the air and land the ball quickly. They are typically used when approaching the green on a golf course. This is because low loft clubs will cause the ball to travel further, but a higher lofted club will land softer.

What wedges do golfers use?

There are various wedges that golfers can use, including pitching wedges, sand wedges, gap wedges, and lob wedges. Making good decisions and lowering scores requires understanding the differences between wedges. Golfers who understand the differences between the clubs will be better able to make better decisions.

Why is knowing your wedges important?

This is because with a dialed-in wedge game you can hit your shots around the green closer to the pin.

What is pitching wedge loft?

A pitching wedge degree loft is between 46 and 50 degrees. Pitching wedges are primarily used when hitting a full swing into greens or when chipping.

What is the degree loft of a lob wedge?

The lob wedge is the most lofted degree wedge, and a lob wedge degree loft is between 60 and 64 degrees.

Why is wedge loft important?

It is important as it can allow you to have the correct gapping between clubs and, in turn, give you the ability to reduce strokes off your round.

What is the loft of a sand wedge?

A sand wedge won’t go as far as a pitching wedge as they are more lofted. The sand wedge degree loft is between 54 to 58 degrees.

What degree is a golf wedge?

Golf Wedge Degrees. Wedges have lofts that range from about 45 to 62 degrees to get the ball in the air higher. Wedges are clubs used for shorter approach shots, chipping, pitching and hitting from bunkers. Each wedge has a different loft, measured in degrees, which can vary depending on the manufacturer of a club.

What is a wedge in golf?

Overview. Wedges are clubs used for shorter approach shots, chipping, pitching and hitting from bunkers. Each wedge has a different loft, measured in degrees, which can vary depending on the manufacturer of a club. Understanding the degree of loft of each wedge can help golfers understand the club that is most appropriate for any situation on ...

What is the best wedge for a golfer?

Lob wedges are the most lofted wedge, with a measurement generally between 58 and 62 degrees. The lob wedge is meant for short approach shots and is best utilized when a player needs to stop the ball quickly on the green or approach a tough-to-reach pin placement.

What is the loft of a sand wedge?

Sand Wedge. The standard loft for a sand wedge can range from 54 to 58 degrees. The sand wedge is more lofted than a pitching or gap wedge, so shots will not fly quite as far. Sand wedges feature a rounded base so that it can more easily slide through the sand on bunker shots.

What does a rounded base mean on a golf club?

The more rounded base produces bounce, which also means the clubhead will bounce when used in the fairway. The clubhead on sand wedges makes getting the ball in the air more difficult and increases the likelihood of skulled shots.

Which has more loft, a sand wedge or a gap wedge?

A gap wedge has slightly more loft than a pitching wedge, but shots will travel farther than with a sand wedge or lob wedge. The club is a fairly new development made by club manufactures to bridge the distance different between the pitching and sand wedge.

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What does the A wedge mean in golf?

The “a” in A wedge most commonly stands for “approach”, and less commonly for “attack”, depending on the person you ask. The A wedge is there to fill in the empty space between the sand wedge ...

What are the different types of wedges?

There are four main types of wedges that have distinct characteristics, one of those characteristics being the loft degree. Take a look at the loft degrees of the four basic types of wedges: 1 Pitching wedge – The common pitching wedge has the lowest loft, ranging from 46° to 48°. 2 Gap wedge – The gap wedge, often referred to as the approach wedge, or the A wedge, has a loft of 51° to 53 degrees. 3 Sand wedge – This wedge has a loft of 54° to 58° and is used in sand areas, as the name suggests. 4 Lob wedge – Finally, the lob wedge has the highest loft of all wedges, traditionally ranging from 58° to 60°, but there are some manufacturers that offer lob wedges of 64°, and even higher.

What is the highest loft wedge?

Sand wedge – This wedge has a loft of 54° to 58° and is used in sand areas, as the name suggests. Lob wedge – Finally, the lob wedge has the highest loft of all wedges, traditionally ranging from 58° to 60°, but there are some manufacturers that offer lob wedges of 64°, and even higher.

How does loft affect golf ball trajectory?

Let’s first clarify how loft degree affects the trajectory of the golf ball once you hit it. The higher the loft degree, the higher the golf ball will fly once you hit it. That means that a wedge with a loft of 56° will send your ball flying higher than a wedge with a loft of 48°. There are four main types of wedges that have distinct ...

What is the lowest loft pitching wedge?

Take a look at the loft degrees of the four basic types of wedges: Pitching wedge – The common pitching wedge has the lowest loft, ranging from 46° to 48°. Gap wedge – The gap wedge, often referred to as the approach wedge, or the A wedge, has a loft of 51° to 53 degrees. Sand wedge – This wedge has a loft of 54° to 58° and is used in sand areas, ...

How far can a 56° wedge go?

Intermediate golfers can achieve a distance of 80 – 100/110 yards with their 56° wedge. Finally, professional golfers can cover the distance of 115 – 120 yards with their 56 wedge. A single golf wedge can achieve varying distances depending ...

How long is a sand wedge?

Finally, because of the usual 56° loft, a sand wedge can be very helpful when taking shorter approach shots that are about 80 – 100 yards long. There is one vital characteristic of a sand wedge, in addition to the high loft degree, that makes it suitable for these shots. The sand wedge has a high bounce angle, which makes it extremely effective in ...

How do wedge distances vary?

Wedge distances vary depending on factors such as wedge lofts from the different wedge clubs and surface terrain from where you will be hitting the golf ball from. They also vary depending on your experience and handicap. Being able to hit your wedges a sufficient distance is important, however what is even more important is working on your golf ...

What is a 56 degree wedge?

A 56-Degree Wedge (a Sand Wedge) is used when golfers find themselves in the bunker. With this wedge you will be able to get the ball in the air easily and still get a reasonable roll on your chip shots.

What is the difference between a lob wedge and a sand wedge?

Whereas a lob wedge will have the shortest carry distances and have a loft of 60-64 degrees. A gap wedge and sand wedge will fit in between these two ranges with a gap wedge being around 52-54 degrees and a sand wedge around 56-58 degrees. As we’re sure you can tell, these variations in loft can make a huge difference in the distance ...

How far should a sand wedge be?

Additionally, to give a better sense of other distances for professionals, a sand wedge would carry approximately 110-130 yards and lob wedges would be best used for full swings below 100 yards. Another thing to note is that professional golfers are meticulous in their preparation.

What is the loft of a pitching wedge?

For example a pitching wedge will have the longest carry distances and have a loft of 45-50 degrees. Whereas a lob wedge will have the shortest carry distances and have a loft of 60-64 degrees. A gap wedge and sand wedge will fit in between ...

What is wedge play?

Wedge play is an important component of a good golf game from beginners to mid handicappers to low handicappers, and they make up an important part of a golfer’s bag. In fact the wedge can make or break a score on a hole.

Why are wedges important?

Wedges are important for golfers because they are used as part of the short game which is important to practice from within 100 yards into the green. Wedges themselves are very flexible golf clubs and can be used for approach shots, bunker shots as well as chipping and pitch shots around the green.

How far does a pitching wedge go?

The basic pitching wedge has a loft of 46 to 48 degrees. It is designed for full shots when the 9-iron would create too long of a shot. The distance varies from one golfer to the next, but typically, amateurs hit the pitching wedge from 80 to 110 yards.

Who is the master of wedges?

By Steve Silverman. PGA Tour player Phil Mickelson is considered a master with the wedges. Golfers used to have one or two wedges in their golf bag -- the pitching wedge, which is included in most sets of irons, and the sand wedge.

What is the loft of a lob wedge?

The lob wedge is the most lofted club in a golfer's bag, typically with a loft of 58 to 60 degrees, although some club manufacturers are offering lob wedges with up to 64 degrees of loft. The lob wedge may also be identified as the L-wedge or UL-wedge, for the ultra lob or 64-degree wedge.

What is a pitching wedge?

Overview. Golfers used to have one or two wedges in their golf bag -- the pitching wedge, which is included in most sets of irons, and the sand wedge. In the last 20 years, club manufacturers have strengthened the irons by decreasing loft and, thereby, creating more distance with each club. In other words, a pitching wedge has a loft ...

What is a sand wedge?

Sand Wedge. The sand wedge, as the name implies, is designed for use in the sand areas, called bunkers, but like the pitching wedge, you can use it for full-swing shots off the tur f and for short shots around the greens . The sand wedge typically has a loft ranging from 54 to 58 degrees.

How does the gap wedge get its name?

The gap wedge, also known as the approach wedge, got its name because it fills the distance gap between the pitching wedge and sand wedge. The loft is similar to that of an older pitching wedge -- between 51 and 53 degrees.

What is an "A-Wedge" Golf Club?

The "A" or "AW" stamped on certain golf clubs stands for "Approach" or "Approach Wedge."

A-Wedge Loft

An A-Wedge or Approach Wedge has between 48 to 51 degrees of loft, with 50 to 51 degrees being the most common.

The Club of Many Names

Depending on the manufacturer, you may see A-Wedges labeled or described as:

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