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what to look for when buying golf wedges

by Mrs. Lera Reinger PhD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  1. Wedge Type. The type of wedge is the first decision you have to make when buying a golf wedge. ...
  2. Spin. Spin is one of the most vital characteristics of golf wedges. Wedges must be able to stop the ball on the green without bouncing away from the hole.
  3. Feel and Feedback. Feel, and feedback of a golf wedge are also crucial as they alert the golfer in case of mishits. ...
  4. Bounce and Grind. These two terms often confuse several golfers as they are associated only with wedges. ...

Full Answer

What should I consider when buying wedges?

Nov 11, 2020 · For example, if your pitching wedge has a 48° loft then you should have a 52° gap wedge, a 56° sand wedge and a 60° lob wedge. Proper gapping depends on how many wedges you prefer to carry in your set and the loft of the highest-lofted club in your set. With modern iron lofts, anywhere from 3°-5° is appropriate.

What are the parts of a golf wedge?

Apr 02, 2022 · 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.

Should you buy wedges based on loft or loft?

Jul 28, 2021 · So, you should always go for a golf wedge with a better groove design and milling pattern for the best spin robustness. However, you should also keep in mind these grooves erode very quickly due to wear and tear, which significantly reduces spin numbers. That is why golfers prefer using brand-new wedges for tournaments. 3. Feel and Feedback

How do you diversify your wedges?

Jul 25, 2018 · What to Look for When Buying Golf Wedges The Loft of the Wedge . The loft of the golf club refers to the angle it makes between the clubface and the club shaft. It will determine both the trajectory and distance of your shots. In general, the more loft a club has, the more the golf ball will spin on contact. Image: Golf Distillery

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What should I look for when buying a golf wedge?

The key in choosing a set of wedges is to make sure that there are no big gaps in loft between the lowest lofted iron in your set and the first wedge and then also between edge wedge. Try to keep the lofts gaps to around 4 degrees between each club.

What wedges should an average golfer use?

Here are the 3 best wedges for the average golfer:Cleveland CBX (best wedge for full shots)Cleveland Smart Sole (best wedge around the green)Wilson Harmonized (best budget wedge)

Should I get a 56 or 58 degree wedge?

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.

How much bounce should a 56-degree wedge have?

12 degrees bounceSand wedge: 56 degrees loft, 12 degrees bounce (notated as 56:12 on the wedge)

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

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.

What does bounce mean on wedges?

Wedge bounce is the angle created between the leading edge and the lowest point of the sole or trailing edge. This is the area of the club that hits through the ground as it contacts the ball. The greater the wedge bounce degree, the higher the leading edge is off the surface at address.

What degree 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. Wherever possible, ensure that you are not leaving large loft gaps between clubs.Feb 7, 2022

Should you carry a 60 degree wedge?

You should use your 60 degree wedge when you are chipping near the green. The three additional factors you need to take into consideration when near the green are your ball lie, the landscape features between the ball and pin, and finally, the hole position on the green.

Is 12 degrees of 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 14 degrees of bounce too much?

Wedges 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. These wedges are very versatile for players who like to be creative around the greens.

Is high bounce 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 does bounce mean on a golf wedge?

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.

How to measure bounce angle?

The bounce angle is measured by taking the angle of the leading edge to the sole. The sole is what makes contact with the ground since the wedge has a bounce angle making the sole sit lower than the leading edge. This helps keep the leading edge (bottom of the wedge face) from digging.

What is the sole on a golf wedge?

The sole is the bottom of the golf wedge that makes contact with the ground when the wedge is sitting at address. It’s usually an inch or two wide. The sole is then “grinded” down using a machine to create different shapes which can impact how it sets on the ground.

What is groove on wedges?

Grooves are the lines you see cut into the face of the wedge’s club head. These groove lines used to be deeper cut in the old days but recently the USGA changed rules, stating that the deep grooves gave unfair advantage.

What is groove in golf?

Grooves are commonly laser etched into the club face and must conform with the spin regulations set by the USGA. They also help the clubface create friction with the golf ball which is how the spin and trajectory is generated around the greens to help you gain control with your short game.

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 color are club heads on wedges?

When wedge shopping you’re going to see different colored club heads on wedges like bronze, silver, blacked out, or even a blueish color. This would be known as the finish the wedge underwent.

1. Wedge Type

The type of wedge is the first decision you have to make when buying a golf wedge. There are four types of golf wedges, pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge.

2. Spin

Spin is one of the most vital characteristics of golf wedges. Wedges must be able to stop the ball on the green without bouncing away from the hole. Having high spin helps golfers stop the ball on the green with high precision. To maximize spin performance, companies add specialized grooves and milling on the clubface.

3. Feel and Feedback

Feel, and feedback of a golf wedge are also crucial as they alert the golfer in case of mishits. Wedges that provide a consistent feel and feedback throughout the clubface boost confidence and improve game quality. Better response and feel also offer more control to the golfer over his shots and playing ability.

4. Bounce and Grind

These two terms often confuse several golfers as they are associated only with wedges. Firstly, bounce is the angle between the ground and the leading edge of the club, causing it to “bounce” off the ground at impact instead of digging in. As a general rule of thumb, a lower angle is preferred on soft surfaces like bunker sand and vice versa.

What is the best sand wedge?

When choosing the proper sand wedge, you need to consider a variety of factors: 1 Loft 2 Bounce 3 Shaft 4 Grooves 5 Grind 6 Finish

What is loft in golf?

The loft of the golf club refers to the angle it makes between the clubface and the club shaft. It will determine both the trajectory and distance of your shots. In general, the more loft a club has, the more the golf ball will spin on contact.

How many degrees of loft is a gap wedge?

The Gap wedge (also known as the approach wedge) usually has 52 degrees of loft. Just like the pitching wedge, this club can be used on approach shots from the rough and fairway, or when chipping around the green.

Which wedge has the least loft?

Pitching wedges have the least amount of loft out of all the different types of wedges (48 degrees). This means they’ll have a lower, more penetrating flight compared to the high, soft flight of a lob wedge.

Where is the center of gravity on SM8?

Progressive Center of Gravity – as weird as this might sound, the center of gravity of the SM8 is actually located slightly in front of the clubface. If you’re anything like I was when I heard this, you’re probably wondering how the heck that’s even possible.

Do you need to use the same shaft for your wedges?

In general, it’s a good practice to use the same type of shafts for your wedges as you do with your irons. For example, if you play steel-shafted irons, your wedges should also have steel shafts.

What is the groove on a golf wedge?

All wedges have grooves etched into the face of the club. These grooves help to “grip” the ball when contact is made, causing it to roll up the club face.

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.

How much of your golf shots are played with a wedge?

Did you know that nearly 25% of your golf shots each round will be played using a wedge? Having strong chipping skills will be a vital part of any golfer’s game.

What is a lob wedge?

Lob wedges are the newest of the wedge designs. Phil Mickelson has helped make them famous thanks to his jaw dropping flop shots he has pulled off in PGA tournaments with his lob wedges. As its name suggests it has a high loft of around 60 to 64 degrees, allowing golfers to produce more height and spin on golf shots near the green.

What is loft in golf?

Loft. Loft is what gives your golf shot it’s height and trajectory. More loft results in a higher ball flight but also less distance as a result. Loft is measured by the angle that the face sits relative to a vertical line from the ground up to the sky.

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 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 is a high bounce wedge?

High Bounce Wedges. High bounce wedges have more than 10 degrees of bounce, meaning the leading edge sits higher when the sole is rested on the ground. High-bounce wedges are best suited to players who dig at impact, taking deep divots.

What is gap in golf?

The gap is the difference in loft between wedges. There are many options for you when building your wedge set, but optimally, you will want to carry four wedges, which will allow you to cover your yardage gaps, and also be able to play shots from various lies around the green.

How much bounce does a sand wedge have?

If you play in the North where the ground is often soft and lush, it might be smart to carry a sand wedge with 12 degrees of bounce, and a lob wedge with 8 degrees of bounce (keep the recommended depths the same still).

What is bounce in golf?

Definition/Purpose of bounce – the amount of bounce describes how fast and how much the wedge repels off the playing surface when it comes into contact with it. This can be advantageous in situations where the turf/sand is fluffy because it prevents the club from digging deep into the surface and slowing the club down.

What degree should a pitching wedge be?

The pitching wedge (46-48 degrees) should also have a low bounce and narrow to medium depth. Overall, I believe that the sand wedge and the lob wedge are the most important wedges to get the bounce right on, because they will be used most frequently around the greens.

Price

The first consideration is how much you’re prepared to pay. If you’re starting out, you may, of course, opt to use any wedges that came with your iron set at least to start with.

Bounce

This as important as loft, if not more so in some ways. Bounce refers to the angle created between the lowest part of the sole and the leading edge when the club is grounded neutrally.

Sole Grind

This has become the wedge buzzword of recent years, with companies bringing to market a selection of sole grinds often inspired by tour player preferences.

Finish

Beauty is largely in the eye of the beholder when it comes to how you want your wedges to look. But there are one or two practical considerations to factor in too.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness may not be such a pressing requirement with these short clubs, but some golfers will still prefer a little extra assistance.

What is the best wedge bounce for golf?

If you play on golf courses with firm sand in the bunkers, then you should choose a wedge with a lower bounce from 2 to 8. If your typical course has soft bunkers, then a higher wedge bounce of 12 or 16 will be preferable. Maybe you aren’t sure what type of sand you play on.

How many clubs can you put in a golf bag?

Remember that the USGA allows a maximum of 14 golf clubs in your bag. You should know exactly what you need in a wedge to avoid carrying unnecessary clubs. To make it even easier to choose a wedge, GlobalGolf offers Custom Wedges. This feature allows you to select the exact type, loft, lie, shaft, and grip you need.

Why are wedges important in golf?

Wedges are an important addition to your golf bag. They help you with short distance "lob" shots and getting your ball out of the rough. Most players obsess over finding the perfect driver. They want to maximize their distance off the tee. But they don't spend a lot of effort looking at wedges.

What degree is a lob wedge?

Lob wedges (58-degrees or higher) actually require more precision than do their lower-lofted counterparts, something especially true for golfers who tend to hit their fair share of fat or thin chip shots around the green. Tip 2: Choose the right bounce based on two factors, not just one.

What is a full face wedge?

The Cleveland CBX Full-Face is a highly versatile yet forgiving wedge, designed specifically for extreme open-face shots around the green. Cleveland’s CBX Full-Face expands the wedge lineup and delivers added forgiveness and versatility to your short game.

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