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what degrees are golf approach wedges

by Dr. Stewart Huel IV Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Wedge Loft And Distance Guide

Club Loft Distance Best for…
Lob Wedge 58 – 60 degrees 45 – 90 yards Chipping around the green, getting out o ...
Sand Wedge 54 – 56 degrees 50 – 100 yards Recovery from long grass and sand traps ...
Approach/Gap Wedge 50 – 52 degrees 60 – 11 yards Approaching the green, accurately landin ...
Pitching Wedge 46 – 49 degrees 70 – 120 yards Approach play to the green from longer d ...
Apr 27 2022

Gap wedge
Gap wedge
In golf, a gap wedge, also known as an approach wedge, is a wedge used to hit a shot with higher and shorter trajectory than a pitching wedge and lower and longer trajectory than a sand wedge. The name derives from the club's design to fill the "gap" between sand and pitching wedges.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Gap_wedge
– The gap wedge, often referred to as the approach wedge, or the A wedge, has a loft of 51° to 53 degrees.

Full Answer

What degree golf wedges should you use?

  • While selecting wedges, players should ensure the presence of yard gaps ranging from 10 yards to 15 yards between the clubs they use.
  • The optimal loft gap between the wedges should not be over 6 degrees if you want to use precision-centric clubs.
  • An average weekend player hits around six or seven greens in around. ...

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How far should you hit a 60-degree wedge?

Depending on the golfer's clubhead speed and ball position in their golf stance, the average distance of a golf ball struck with a 60-degree wedge is about 50-75 yards . Professional golfers can hit their 60-degree wedge around 100 yards while beginning golfers hit their 60-degree an average of about 30 yards .

What degree wedges should I carry?

Should I carry a 58 or 60 degree wedge? The majority of the average golfers find a 58 degree wedge to be more beneficial because it’s easier to hit and is better at controlling distance. 60 degree wedges should only be used by lower handicap scratch golfers. 58 degree wedge distance. A 58 degree wedge is considered a lob wedge and is used ...

Which degree wedge should I get?

You’ll need a 50 degree wedge in the following situations:

  • You do a lot of chipping or pitching near the greens.
  • You have a yardage gap of approximately 25 yards or more with the present golf clubs in your bag.
  • You hit even and better strokes with your gap wedge than a club.
  • You play full-swing approach shots.

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What are the angles of golf wedges?

Pitching wedges typically have a loft of 43° to 47°.Gap wedges are usually lofted at 47° to 52°.Sand wedges generally feature lofts of 54° to 56°.Lob wedges have the highest lofts at 58° to 62°.

What degree wedges should I have in my golf bag?

An ideal progression is for the pitching wedge to be 45 degrees, followed by a 50-degree gap wedge and complemented by 54- and 58-degree sand and lob wedges.

Is 58 or 60 wedge better?

As a general rule, average golfers have an easier time hitting a 58-degree wedge compared to a 60 degree. A 58-degree wedge will give most golfers more forgiveness and will also provide more consistent distance control.

What is a 58-degree wedge called?

lob wedgeThe final wedge is known as a lob wedge and will be the most lofted club in your bag. Coming in from between 58 and 62-degrees, as the name suggests they are used for very short approach shots where you need to send the ball up high in the air so that it drops and stops quickly on the green.

Is an approach wedge the same as a gap wedge?

Some manufacturers choose to call them gap wedges while others call them approach wedges. Essentially, they are the same thing. It might be easier for many golfers to simply call the wedge by the loft degree instead of the name given to it.

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.

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 is a 64 degree wedge used for?

A 64 degree wedge is best used for very short distance shots, or shots where a lot of height is needed. Generally, if you are about 5 yards away from the green, or are on the far side of the green, this club will benefit you greatly. Any distance beyond 40 yards and this club will come up short for green shots.

Can I use a 60 degree wedge in the sand?

Can you use a 60-degree wedge as a sand wedge? A 60-degree wedge can work well out of the sand but it's important to have at least 10 degrees of loft. A wedge with more loft can help you get the ball out of deep bunkers or fly a shorter distance.

Is a sand wedge the same as a 56?

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.

Which wedge to use around the green?

For the average golfer, chipping with a pitching or gap wedge will produce the most consistent shots around the green. Using a gap wedge will be the best place to start for standard chips, but a pitching wedge could work better if the ball is sitting up in the rough.

How far should I hit a 60-degree wedge?

On average, a professional golfer will hit a 60-degree wedge about 100 yards. A mid-handicap golfer will probably hit their 60-degree wedge about 50-60 yards. A higher handicap golfer will probably hit their 60-degree wedge about 30-40 yards.

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 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 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 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 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 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.

What Degrees Are Golf Wedges?

Wedges range between 48 and 64 degrees. More specifically, the pitching wedge is 48 degrees, the gap wedge is 52 degrees, the sand wedge is 56 degrees, and the lob wedge is 60 or 64 degrees. This leaves the golfer plenty of options to ensure they have the right lofted wedges in their bag.

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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 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 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 Many Degrees Is An Approach Wedge?

The approach wedge generally has a loft of 50-54 degrees, you can customize the loft of the club you buy to provide you with more height on your shots or more backspin from 60-100 yards out from the green.

What Is A 52-degree Wedge Called?

A 52- degree wedge is an approach wedge, it provides golfers with the distance and spin to place shots onto the green from 100-110 yards out. It is lighter than a pitching wedge (44-48 degree loft), providing more accuracy and spin on each shot

What Degree Is A TaylorMade Approach Wedge?

TaylorMade approach wedges usually come in either 50 or 52-degree lofts. You can also purchase customized 54-degree TaylorMade wedges, but it’s best to try to strike an equal balance with all your clubs, so you have an even spread of distance between each of your clubs.

Is An Approach Wedge The Same As A Gap Wedge?

As a whole a approach wedge is the same as a gap wedge, the name differences arrise from marketing some manufactures choose to call them gap wedges whilst others call them approach wedges. Approach/gap wedges provide the difference in loft and distance between a pitching wedge (45-48 degrees) and a sand wedge (54-58 degrees)

How Far Do Wedges Go?

Different wedges go up to different distances, depending on the loft and the player’s abilities.

Golf Wedge Distance Chart

The golf wedge distance for each wedge is not a single figure. It fluctuates across genders and various skill levels.

48 Degree Wedge Distance

Although a 48-degree wedge is ideal for covering long distances, it can hit both long and short distances.

50 Degree Wedge Distance

A 50-degree wedge is also known as a gap wedge. It is a relatively new entry to the wedge series and It essentially bridges the gap between pitching and a sand wedge, which is how it got the name gap wedge.

52 Degree Wedge Distance

52-degree wedges, like the Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedg e, are ideal for hitting the golf ball higher in the air at a relatively shorter distance.

54 Degree Wedge Distance

The average 54-degree wedge distance falls between 80 to 110 yards. The golfer’s capabilities and gender influence the distance.

56 Degree Wedge Distance

56 degrees wedges, such as the Wilson Staff Model Golf Wedge, are quite handy. They cover a vast distance and are suited for short-game play.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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