what is bounce of a golf club

Definition of Golf Club Bounce

• Purpose. All irons have some bounce. ...
• Bad Bounce. Bounce can be a problem on some shots. ...
• Effective Bounce. You can change the effective bounce of the club in various ways. ...
• Choosing Bounce. Although your regular set of clubs comes with a predetermined amount of bounce, you'll want to specify the bounce you want for your wedges.

Full Answer

How does bounce affect golf clubs?

When to Favor Higher or Lower Bounce Angles

• ... the fluffier the sand;
• the deeper the sand;
• the lighter the sand;
• the longer the grass in the rough;
• the softer the fairways;
• the steeper you swing the wedge down into the ball (the steeper your angle of attack).

What does the "bounce" of a golf club mean?

• The range of a mid-range bounce of a golf club varies from six to ten degrees.
• All the level golf players can play with this bounce wedge golf club.
• Golfers can play different kinds of shots with this golf club.
• Professional players can play their shots calmly with this mid-range bounce golf club.

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What does degree of bounce mean for a golf club?

Degrees of Bounce on Golf Wedges. Golfers generally know that the loft of a club helps get the ball in the air. But bounce, which according to "The Sand Trap," is the angle of the sole against the ground at address, is just as important to a good golf shot as loft. The higher the degree of bounce to a club, the better it runs over the ground rather than cutting into it.

What Bounce is right for your golf wedges?

What Wedges Should you have in your Golf Bag?

• PW (pitching wedge 48 degrees)
• GW (gap wedge 52 degrees) – This one should have low bounce, and medium to high depth.
• SW (sand wedge 56 degrees)
• LW (lob wedge – 60 degrees) – Lastly, you should have a lob wedge with low bounce and low depth. Use SW for fluffy rough and fluffy sand.

How much bounce should my irons have?

If a lob wedge is not often used from the sand, it should have a bounce of about 6 to 8 degrees. Some larger soled clubs that are designed to be especially forgiving of potential fat shots from the fairways -- so-called Ultra Game Improvement clubs -- have a radius on the sole that does almost the same thing as bounce.

What bounce is best for wedges?

10 to 14-degreesWedges with a mid bounce angle (10 to 14-degrees) are the best all-around wedges for playability in all types of conditions and all golfers.

What is bounce rate golf?

The bounce percentage gives the angle between the leading-edge of the club head and the lower part of the club head. The bottom of the club is also called trailing-edge. The bounce was developed in the thirties of the last century, initially for the sand-wedge.

How do I choose the right bounce?

A quick way to decide the proper bounce is to look at the courses you play most frequently. Where you're playing, whether it's soft fairway conditions or it's firm fairway conditions, can dictate how much bounce you have on your wedges. General rule of thumb: Softer conditions = more bounce.

Is 12 degree bounce too much?

Clubs with a bounce of more than 10 degrees are considered "high bounce" wedges, according to Publinks Golfer. Sand wedges and some specialty gap wedges usually have high bounce, making them a good choice for light sand, deep rough or a shaggy fairway.

Is higher bounce better for wedges?

The best bounce for your sand wedge depends on your swing type and course conditions. If you have a steep angle of attack resulting in deep divots, a higher bounce is recommended. If you are a sweeper resulting in shallow or no divot, low bounce is recommended.

What bounce should my 56 degree wedge have?

The best bounce for a 56 degree wedge for most golfer is about 12 degrees. This is a versatile number right in between the low end of 8 degrees and the high end of 14 degrees. You can play most courses with a 12 degree bounce sand wedge and enjoy your golf.

Is 14 bounce too much?

A wedge with lower bounce can get its leading edge caught up in the grass and cause a lack of consistency. Using a sand wedge with a bounce of 12-14 will be best for golfers who play out of a lot of thick rough.

What bounce should my 56 degree wedge have?

The best bounce for a 56 degree wedge for most golfer is about 12 degrees. This is a versatile number right in between the low end of 8 degrees and the high end of 14 degrees. You can play most courses with a 12 degree bounce sand wedge and enjoy your golf.

What is average bounce on a wedge?

around 10 degreesStandard wedge bounce is around 10 degrees, and that is probably the most common wedge bounce or about average.

What is the best bounce for a 52 degree wedge?

A low bounce of 8-10° is the best for a 52-degree wedge. Heavy sand bunkers and a firm golf course demand low bounce while high bounce works best when there is soft sand in the bunker and the golf course isn't as firm.

Are high bounce wedges more forgiving?

A high bounce wedge is the best choice for amateur golfers as it generates quite a bit of spin and gives the player better control over 100-yard shots. They tend to be the most forgiving overall, allowing you to improve at a much quicker pace.

What is golf club bounce?

Definition of Golf Club Bounce. Sand wedges have bounce angles of 8 to 16 degrees. The whole idea of bounce often confuses golfers. At its simplest, bounce is merely the angle between the ground and the sole of a club at proper address. Having said that, bounce is more than just an attribute of a club. Bounce can make a big difference in ...

What does it mean when a golf club has a high bounce?

Higher bounce means the leading edge of the clubface is higher than the trailing edge.

What is the difference between a low bounce wedge and a high bounce wedge?

Although your regular set of clubs comes with a predetermined amount of bounce, you'll want to specify the bounce you want for your wedges. Low-bounce wedges are best for shots off tight lies and in bunkers with very little or very firm sand, and for players with very steep swings. High-bounce wedges are best for shots from the rough, soft lies, bunkers with a lot of sand or very soft sand, and for players with flatter swings.

How to use a high bounce wedge?

You can sometimes use a high-bounce wedge off of a tight lie by moving the ball back in your stance, delofting the club and eliminating the bounce almost entirely. Altering the effective loft of a club in this way requires some skill, but it can allow you to make otherwise improbable shots.

Why does my golf ball not fly far enough?

In these cases, the ball may not fly far enough or might barely move because the club digs goes under it.

Do irons have bounce?

All irons have some bounce. Its purpose is to limit how much the front edge of a club digs into the ground when you contact the ball. Most irons have only a small amount of bounce. Fairway lies are generally pretty good and you want the club to take a small divot after you hit the ball, so lower bounce allows the front edge to dig slightly into ...

What is bounce angle in golf clubs?

The higher the bounce angle, the more the leading edge of the sole is off the ground at address. And different levels of bounce angle (higher or lower) in a wedge lead to slightly different playing characteristics. Bounce and bounce angle are elements present in all iron golf clubs, not just wedges. But the terms are commonly used almost ...

What is a bounce angle?

Bounce and bounce angle are elements present in all iron golf clubs, not just wedges. But the terms are commonly used almost exclusively in reference to wedges.

What does higher bounce mean on a wedge?

The more bounce a wedge has—the higher its bounce angle—the better it will resist digging. Another way of saying it: Higher bounce equals smaller, shallower divots . You can also think of bounce as a feature that reduces the drag on a wedge moving through sand, or through longer grass or thicker grass.

What is the average bounce angle?

Bounce angle can range anywhere from zero degrees to 14 degrees or higher. You can think of bounce angles of four degrees or less as low bounce; 5-10 degrees as medium bounce; and anything above 10 degrees as high bounce.

Does swing type affect bounce?

Yes, swing type does have an impact on how much bounce will work best for you. "Golf course conditions and the way the golfer swings the wedges down into the ball have a bearing on how much bounce is good or bad for any golfer," says club designer and clubfitting researcher Tom Wishon, founder of Tom Wishon Golf Technology .

Do you need more bounce when swinging wedges?

These are the general guidelines: Golfers who swing their wedges steeply into impact (a steep angle of attack) need more bounce; Golfers who sweep into the ball (shallow angle of attack) require less bounce.

Clubs With Bounce

Every iron or wedge has a measured degree of bounce. Manufacturers vary the bounce depending upon the target market for a particular set of irons. An example in a set is the Titleist AP2 irons: 3-iron has 0 degrees of bounce, 4-iron 1°, 5-iron 3°, 6-iron 4°, 7-iron 4°, 8-iron 5°, 9-iron 6°, pitching wedge 7°.

Other Wedges

When referring to bounce, generally we are speaking about wedges; pitching, gap, sand or lob. The sand wedge will have the greatest amount of bounce with 10 to 14 degrees, lob wedges have less than 10 degrees and gap wedges may have anywhere from six to 10 degrees of bounce.

Why Bounce?

The reason that clubs have bounce is to allow for the head to exit the turf or sand easily. A club with limited bounce is referred to as a “digger.” Diggers will create a larger divot and are used when playing in firm conditions. A club that has more bounce will be used in soft conditions, such as the sand.

Fit Your Game

When deciding upon wedges to purchase, think about your game. If you take large, deep divots, a club with more bounce will help you. If you have trouble with tight lies, you may benefit from clubs with less bounce. Most manufacturers will identify the bounce of their wedge somewhere on the club head.

What is the bounce angle of golf clubs?

This is the bounce angle. All clubs contain bounce, but it is more pronounced, and significant to your game, in the wedges. Bounce allows for the club head to glide through the turf more easily. Every iron or wedge has a measured degree of bounce. Manufacturers vary the bounce depending upon the target market for a particular club.

What does it mean to bounce your wedges?

Understanding bounce can help you determine which of your wedges gives you the highest chance of success with different shot types and turf conditions.

What is the angle of a golf club's sole from the leading edge to the trailing edge?

Bounce is the angle of a club’s sole from the leading edge to the trailing edge. If you hold a wedge upside down with the head up and the shaft perfectly vertical, you’ll notice that the leading edge sits lower than the trailing edge. This is the bounce angle. All clubs contain bounce, but it is more pronounced, and significant to your game, ...

Can you tell how much bounce a wedge has?

Many recreational golfers can identify the loft of their wedges, but most couldn’t tell you how much bounce they each have, and only the rare few could truly explain the purpose of bounce and how it impacts different shots. Even though it’s often overlooked, understanding bounce and how it impacts your short game can be just as important as knowing ...

What is the bounce of a wedge?

Bounce can be a difficult concept for golfers, and knowing what bounce to choose for your wedges makes things even more complicated. Your wedge is going to have bounce, whether you like it or not. It will either be a high, low, or medium bounce. Understanding what this is and how it will affect your golf game is extremely important.

What happens if you have everything in a high bounce?

If you have everything in a high bounce, you will struggle with a hard turf lie. If you have everything in a low bounce wedge, the bunker shots may get quite tricky. Many players like to put a high bounce on their lob wedge, standard to high on their sand wedge, and then a lower bounce on their gap wedge.

What happens if you bounce your wedges wrong?

If you have the wrong bounce in your wedges, you will feel restricted in some of your shot-making skills. If you feel like you can’t hit bunker shots out of soft bunkers or you can’t hit shots from the tight turf, chances are you have the wrong bounce in your wedge to suit your game.

How many degrees of bounce do you get with a standard wedge?

These standard bounce wedges are going to range between seven and ten degrees of bounce. Since these are standard or mid bounce wedges, they are designed to be used on the majority of turn in normal conditions. You can do a lot with a standard bounce wedge.

Do lob wedges have a high bounce?

As always, there are exceptions to this rule, and some players just don’t enjoy bounce and want everything to be low.

Can you use a low bounce wedge in a bunker?

Using a low bounce wedge out of a bunker or very thick rough does make things a bit more complicated. Typically the low bounce wedges will be preferred by the lower handicap player that can feel the difference in bounce and play it accordingly .

Do high handicappers have enough bounce?

High handicappers should make sure that they have enough bounce in their wedges. Bounce tends to give you a good amount of forgiveness. Since a low bounce wedge requires you to hit the ball almost directly on the center of the clubface with very little turf interaction, there is a high possibility of an error.

Golf 101: What is bounce?

Although I could pen a 2,000-word essay on the subject of “what is bounce,” that’s not the goal here. Instead, let’s paint a simple picture.

What is bounce?

When I explain it to new players, I use Bob Vokey’s “rudder” analogy. For soft sand, you need a bigger rudder (more bounce/wider sole) to move the sound out of the way. On firmer sand, you need a smaller rudder (less bounce/narrow sole) to keep the leading edge under the ball.

What is a low bounce golf club?

Low Bounce (4-6°) Low bounce clubs are usually between 4° and 6° and typically work best on courses with a tougher turf and harder and coarser sand in the bunkers. These are harder clubs to hit, but they ultimately can reward you if you strike them well. They are perfect for lob and flop shots around the green.

Why is wedge bounce important?

Ensuring that you have the proper wedge bounce and grind option allows you to control your shots better to get better contact and spin on shots.

Why do wedges bounce higher when you close the face?

The more you open up the club face, the higher the wedge bounce will be because the leading edge will be higher off the ground. When you close the face, you will lessen the bounce. Golfers will play with the angles of their club face to spin the ball or get a higher loft on it. Loft, grind and bounce work hand in hand to best suit your short game.

How to get better at golf?

Using your wedges for your approach shots to their fullest capabilities is how you’re going to get better at golf. One way to get the most out of your wedges is to understand how the wedge bounce in your clubs affects your game. Making sure you have the correct bounce on your wedges is just as important as the loft angle.

What is a mid bounce wedge?

Mid Bounce (7-10°) Mid or medium bounce wedges range between 7° and 10° in the degree. The average golfer who plays different courses throughout the year will likely rely more on these types of wedges because they won’t know the layout of a course, what the turf feels like, or how the sand is in the bunkers.

Why do you need to pop a ball up out of a bunker?

For anyone who may chunk a ball on occasion or likes to dig into popping their ball up out of a greenside bunker, this delivers because it prevents the leading edge from dragging for a while when you’re hitting out of the sand. You’ll typically want a higher bounce in your sand wedge.

Is grind better for swing?

It’s smart to get grinds that work better for your swing, as certain grinds are better for bounce, and others are better for sweeping types of shots that will lift the ball higher. The existence of grind in your clubs also gives you a better look at your shots when you’re staring downward while lining up your approach.

How much bounce does a pitching wedge have?

A pitching wedge will normally have between 2 and 5 degrees of bounce; a gap wedge between 5 and 10; a sand wedge between 10 and 16; and finally a low wedge between 0 and 10.

Which has more bounce, a sand wedge or a lob wedge?

A lob wedge will usually have very little bounce whereas a sand wedge will usually have the most. However, some prefer their sand wedge to have more bounce than others, for use in bunkers with very fluffy sand for example.

What is the angle formed by the line of the sole of the club in relation to the line of the ground?

Bounce . The bounce is the angle formed by the line of the sole of the club in relation to the line of the ground. When a club has no bounce the sole lies completely flat against the ground.