What is a lob wedge in golf?
May 24, 2019 · Lob wedge: Usually the highest-lofted club a golfer will carry. The lob wedge creates a very steep angle of ascent and descent, for shots that must get up very quickly (perhaps, for example, to get over a tree) and for shots that you want to hit the green with a minimum of roll.
What are the different types of golf wedges&lofts?
Jun 11, 2020 · A wedge is a part of the golf club with special uses in various situations. Its differing designs makes it come in different shapes and sizes. Wedges can be termed as irons though, some golfers and golf enthusiast regard it as a subset of irons in golf clubs.
What is an wedge?
May 07, 2009 · Lob wedges have a loft of between 59 and 65 degrees and are designed to lift a golf ball quickly, then land it with lots of spin. The individual first taking up golf can become very confused by the...
How does loft affect a pitching wedge in golf?
In the sport of golf, a wedge is a subset of the iron family of golf clubs designed for special use situations. As a class, wedges have the highest lofts, the shortest shafts, and the heaviest clubheads of the irons. These features generally aid the player in making accurate short-distance "lob" shots, to get the ball onto the green or out of a hazard or other tricky spot. In addition, …

What degree is an L-wedge?
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 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 degree wedge is best for chipping?
between 52° and 56°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.Feb 16, 2022
How do you hit an L-wedge?
1:136:30How to Hit the Lob Wedge High and Low! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUp open that face okay. Now when you open the face the club the club face is aiming way right.MoreUp open that face okay. Now when you open the face the club the club face is aiming way right.
What 3 wedges should I carry?
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. 3.Feb 23, 2018
What degree wedges does Tiger Woods use?
The 15-time Major winner is very particular about his wedges as most of his game is based around feel. As such he usually sticks with a model that works for him and right now he uses two TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 models which have 56 and 60 degrees of loft.
What wedge spins the most?
Highest Spinning Wedges: Best of the restBettinardi HLX 3.0: 9,422rpm.Sub 70 Forged JB: 9,414rpm.Ping Glide 4.0: 9,349rpm.PXG 0311 Milled: 9,331rpm.Cobra King MIM: 9,304rpm.Cleveland RTX ZipCore: 9,289rpm.Ping Glide Forged: 9,242rpm.Cleveland CBX ZipCore: 9,081rpm.More items...•Mar 1, 2022
What is the rule of 12 in golf chipping?
The Rule of 12 In Golf Chipping. The rule of 12 is a golf chipping technique that explains the exact relationship between the loft on a golf club and the amount of roll you will get on a chip shot. We use 12 yards as the total distance we want the ball to carry on the chip.Nov 12, 2021
What club do most pro golfers chip with?
If you want to be a better player, copy what better players do. When tour pros need to hit a greenside shot that stops quickly, they almost always grab a club with a lot of loft. They make the ball stop by hitting it high more than trying to spin it.May 17, 2016
Do pros use 60 degree wedges?
For professional golfers, a 60-degree lob wedge around the green could be classified as a surgical scalpel. Many pros—most notably Phil Mickelson—have built their reputations on the ability to hit miraculous recovery shots with these higher-lofted clubs.Jul 17, 2020
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.
How far should you hit a 60 degree wedge?
You will want to hit your 60 degree wedge between 75 and 90 yards to score well. If you are hitting it over 100 yards you are swinging too hard.Mar 15, 2016
What was the golfer required to do before the invention of the lob wedge?
Before the invention of the lob wedge, or to create a shot similar to the lob wedge, the golfer was required to perform the shot with a sand wedge or pitching wedge and to modify the shot by cutting across the ball making a glancing blow, a much riskier shot.
Why use a lob wedge?
By utilizing a lob wedge for these short shots, the ball is carried much higher in the air than with a standard iron causing significantly less roll on the landing surface. This is most often important for short shots into difficult pin placements. Before the invention of the lob wedge, or to create a shot similar to the lob wedge, ...
When did golfers use lob wedges?
Before 1931, golfers used a single wedge, known as a "jigger", similar to the modern day pitching wedge. After 1931, additional wedges entered the golf bag starting with the sand wedge. The lob wedge was first envisioned by Dave Pelz, a former physicist for NASA, who recognized the need for higher loft wedges (at the time 60 degrees) ...
Who invented the lob wedge?
The mainstream lob wedge was invented by Karsten Solheim, the founder of the PING line of golf products, possibly after experimenting by gluing a potato chip to a straw. Solheim was also responsible for naming the club the "L Wedge" or the "Lob Wedge", as it is currently known today.
What is bounce in wedge design?
Alternatively, Bounce is the class name for the physical properties of a wedge sole design: rocker, leading edge, sole width, camber of a wedge and the bounce angle. The concept of bounce can be a whole lot to take in at first so if you are a beginner there is no need to worry much about understanding it.
What is the best loft for a lob wedge?
Lob Wedges have the highest loft of all the wedges type and falls between 60 and 65 degrees. It is most suitable for areas around the green and sand bunkers that call for precise shots.
What is the average loft of a gap wedge?
The average loft of the gap wedge is usually between about 48 and 54 degrees. In other words, its loft falls in-between the pitching wedge and sand wedge. A player would normally use a gap wedge fuller shots and to cover distances between 90 to 110 yards during play. Since gap wedges don’t come in a standard club set, ...
What is a gap wedge?
The Gap Wedge, also known as A-wedge, Approach wedge, Attack wedge or Utility wedge comes after the pitching wedge with a loft much higher than the former. Although it could pass as a perfect substitute for the pitching wedge, it is best used for making shots that might be too short for a pitching wedge but too long for a sand wedge.
What are the different types of wedges?
Due to their special uses and configuration, wedges are divided into four types namely, Pitching Wedge, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge and Lob Wedge. As a result, wedges have different weight, degrees of loft and shaft length.
Why do golfers use sand wedges?
Before the advent of lob wedges, sand wedges have been used for making chip shots and strategic bunker shots because it was the highest lofted wedge available at that time . Golfers sometimes use it in the stead of lob wedges if none is available.
What is a pitching wedge?
Pitching Wedge (PW) The Pitching Wedge is the most common wedge type and is usually included in standard club set. Of all the wedge types, it has the lowest degree of loft. Usually, the loft of the wedge type is between 44 and 48 degrees. In relation to low trajectory, the pitching wedge hits the ball the farthest when a chip shot swing is made ...
What is the difference between a gap wedge and a sand wedge?
This means that it has a loft somewhere between 50 and 54 degrees, putting it in the middle of the pitching and sand wedges in terms of loft.
How many degrees of loft does a golf club have?
Virtually every set of golf clubs come with a pitching wedge, which is a club with between 44 and 49 degrees of loft to the clubface. The pitching wedge is designed to be able to get under a golf ball on contact, and these clubs are used to hit shots from distances of between 110 and 125 yards. While a professional golfer may hit his pitching wedge ...
What is the loft of a lob wedge?
Lob wedges have a loft of between 59 and 65 degrees and are designed to lift a golf ball quickly, then land it with lots of spin. The individual first taking up golf can become very confused by the different kinds of wedges and what these golf clubs are used for.
How does a sand wedge work?
The height a sand wedge can make a golf ball go when it is properly played translates into the ball usually stopping quickly after it descends onto the green. Some sets of golf clubs come with a sand wedge, while others do not.
What does degree of loft mean in golf?
The degree of loft on a golf club influences the trajectory of the ball when the club strikes it correctly—the higher the degree of loft, the more quickly the golf ball goes into the air.
How many degrees of difference between wedges?
The rule of thumb is that a player should have four degrees of difference between wedges. For instance, a golfer with a pitching wedge lofted at 46 degrees should have a gap wedge of 50 degrees, a sand wedge at 54 degrees and a lob wedge of no less than 58 degrees.
How many different types of wedges are there?
The individual first taking up golf can become very confused by the different kinds of wedges and what these golf clubs are used for. This is because there are four different types of wedges, each with a different degree of loft, which is the key characteristic that separates one wedge from another.
What is an ultra lob wedge?
An ultra lob wedge is a specialization of the lob wedge with an extremely high loft, as high as 70°. Synonyms are generally marketing terms and include the "flop wedge" and "final wedge". When included in a club set, it generally has the highest loft of the set. It is used for specialized, extremely high-angle shots such as from the "lip" of a bunker. This wedge is generally made by specialty companies, and some argue that their purpose is redundant, as a regular lob wedge can be "opened" for extra loft in situations calling for such a high launch angle. However, these shots are very tricky to make as they require substantial changes to a player's normal swing mechanics.
What is the bounce of a wedge?
The wedge typically has low to moderate bounce (0–4°) for fairway and other firm lies, but because of its high loft even 2–3° of bounce will counterbalance the downward force of the wedge's striking face, making a club with this configuration useful in sand as well.
How many wedges are needed for a 52-8?
A 52-8 wedge, for example, would have 52 degrees of loft and 8 degrees of bounce, generally placing it in the "gap wedge" class. Most players carry three or four wedges on the course, and sometimes more, usually sacrificing one or two of their long irons and/or higher-lofted fairway woods to meet the 14-club limit.
How much weight does a sand wedge weigh?
The modern sand wedge still uses the ideas of high mass, high loft, and bounce angle, but the modern sand wedge clubhead has much higher mass than earlier designs, up to 40oz (2.5 lb, 1.13 kg), to drive the clubhead through the firmer sand found in many courses.
What is a gap wedge?
Gap wedge. A gap wedge is the next higher-lofted wedge after the pitching wedge, and is usually used in a similar manner. It is a newer wedge and so is one of the least standardized as to its purpose and thus its design, but lofts for gap wedges are centered on 52° and have a moderate amount of bounce.
What is a wedge in golf?
In the sport of golf, a wedge is a subset of the iron family of golf clubs designed for special use situations. As a class, wedges have the highest lofts, the shortest shafts, and the heaviest clubheads of the irons. These features generally aid the player in making accurate short-distance "lob" shots, to get the ball onto the green or out ...
How far can a gap wedge carry?
With the nominal loft of 52°, a gap wedge can be used for almost any shot in which the player would normally use their pitching wedge, but needs lesser distance; a full swing with a gap wedge will carry about 90–110 yards depending on the many inherent variables.
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. ...
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 ...
How many wedges should I carry in my golf bag?
I recommend that every golfer consider carrying all four wedges (pitching, sand, gap, and lob). At a minimum, you should carry three (pitching, sand, and lob). If you have a large distance gap to fill in between your pitching wedge and sand wedge, you need to add a gap wedge to your bag.
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:
