Golf-FAQ.com

when do you use irons and wedges in golf

by Jaydon Quigley Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Loft angle of Iron

Iron club name Loft angle
2-iron 18 degree
3-iron 21 degree
4-iron 24 degree
5-iron 27 degree
Apr 19 2022

Full Answer

Which wedges should I use with my Irons?

In practice that means your lower lofted wedges – the pitching wedge and lob wedge – are the most likely to be used for ‘full swing’ shots chances and therefore having a cavity back wedge for those clubs together with your irons will make the most sense.

When to use a wedge for a golf shot?

If you do not purchase a sand wedge right off the bat, you'll want to use your pitching wedge for sand shots around the green. When to Use a Wedge for a Golf Shot As for the appropriate time to use other wedges, that will, of course, be determined primarily by the yardage of your shot.

Is your own wedge and iron set up right for You?

If you’re interested in finding out whether your own wedge and iron set up is right for you start however simply by analysing your current set, especially if you have always bought off-the-shelf and added various clubs over the years.

What is the difference between a wedge swing vs iron swing?

One key difference between the wedge swing vs iron swing will be the need to be able to hit less than full shots with your wedges. If you check out the distance chart above, you will see that I have identified how far I hit an 80% and 90% shot with each wedge in my bag.

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When should I use my golf wedges?

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.

When should an iron be used on the golf course?

Generally speaking, a 3-wood is used for a shot in the range of 210 yards, while a 3-iron is used for a shot in the range of 180 yards. A 5-wood is used for a shot of about 180 yards, while a 5-iron is used for a shot of about 160 yards.

Should I get wedges with irons?

The vast majority of amateur golfers should have wedges with the same lie angle as their irons to give consistent feel and results. Alongside matching iron and wedge shafts and club lengths, this produces better loft and distance gapping between your clubs which is critical for short game shots.

Should beginner golfers use wedges?

As a beginner, I advise starting off with two wedges, nothing fancy. All you need to do at this point is a club that bridges the distance gap between your short irons and wedges. As well as a club that offers sufficient loft to get out of greenside bunkers and optimize your precision on chip shots.

Should I use woods or irons?

Iron shots typically don't go as far as wood shots, but are easier to hit accurately. In fact, some players choose to exclusively hit irons, sacrificing distance for accuracy. The woods generally feature longer shafts and less-lofted clubfaces; therefore, they hit the ball farther but are harder to control than irons.

What golf clubs are used for what?

Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety of shots; hybrids that combine design elements of woods and irons are becoming increasingly popular; putters are used mainly on the green to roll the ball into the hole.

Is a pitching wedge and iron?

The pitching wedge is often the final and most lofted club in most modern iron sets. Pitching 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.

Should I carry 3 or 4 wedges?

Know your pitching wedge loft. If it's 45 degrees or less, add three more wedges that are spaced apart by no more than 4-5 degrees each. 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.

Is a pitching wedge an iron or a wedge?

A pitching wedge is a wedge used to hit a shot with higher and shorter trajectory than a 9-iron and a lower and longer trajectory than a gap wedge.

What club do you chip with?

For a basic chip, use a 52- to 56-degree wedge. Play the ball center, and get your weight forward so your left shoulder is over your left foot.

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 wedge is best for a beginner?

Best Golf Wedges For BeginnersMacGregor MACTEC X Wedge. Specifications. ... Callaway Sure Out 2 Wedge. Specifications. ... Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge. Specifications. ... Cobra King MIM Wedge. Specifications. ... Cleveland CBX Full Face Wedge. Specifications. ... Callaway Mack Daddy CB Wedge. Specifications. ... Decathlon Inesis Wedge 500. ... Benross REV Wedge.More items...•

Identification

Iron golf clubs will have the number from 2 to 9. On the other hand, a wedge may come with a large alphabet stumped on the clubface. That means you may notice a big PW or P on the face of the club when it is a pitching wedge. GW, SW, and LW or G, S, L would be the marking for the rest of the wedges.

Differences between wedges

The primary difference between all the wedges is the loft angle. We classify them according to their loft angle. A wedge from 45 degrees to 47 degrees of loft is a pitching wedge. Pitching wedge is one of the most common golf wedges you would notice in most people's golf bags.

Differences between longer and shorter irons

The main differences between the longer and shorter Irons are the shaft and loft. Shorter Irons will have a shorter shaft design with a moderate amount of loft. On the other hand, longer irons will have a decent shaft with a less amount of loft.

Which Iron and wedges should you carry inside of your golf bag?

The number of Irons and wedges are manifolds. That is why it becomes a little confusing for most beginner and amateur golfers to pick up the right Irons and wedges to put inside of their golf bag.

Why do golfers use wedges?

Because wedge shots have such a high trajectory, they tend to roll very little once they hit the green. More accomplished players can produce a great deal of backspin with a wedge, causing the ball to back up (or "bite") once it hits the green. Any wedge can also be used for chipping around the green.

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.

Why are golf clubs called irons?

The golf clubs called irons are so-called because their clubheads are made of metal. Of course, "woods" are now also made of metal, but that's a relatively recent development. Irons have featured metal clubheads (steel, these days) for centuries. The clubheads of irons are thin from front to back, and the clubfaces are grooved to impart spin on ...

Why are irons called irons?

The golf clubs called irons are so-called because their clubheads are made of metal.

What is the difference between a blade and a muscleback iron?

The difference is that a blade-style features a full back on the rear ...

How many clubs are in a set of irons?

A typical, off-the-shelf set of irons will include a 3-iron through pitching wedge (advertised as "3-PW"), 8 clubs total. The clubs are identified by a number (3, 4, 5, etc.) on the sole of each club, except for the pitching wedge which will have a "PW" or "P." Other irons may be available for purchase separately, including a 2-iron and additional wedges ( gap wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge). None of the additional clubs are necessary for beginners, and especially not the 2-iron. 1-irons used to be available, too, but are now virtually extinct.

How many yards is a 3-iron?

The yardage gap between irons is generally 10-15 yards. Your 3-iron, in other words, should produce shots that are 10-15 yards longer than your 4-iron. The specifics of this gap depend on the player, but the gap should be consistent from club to club.

What are the different types of irons?

Irons are generally categorized as long irons, mid-irons , and short irons. Long irons are the 2-, 3- ,and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6-, and 7-irons; short irons, the 8- and 9-irons and pitching wedge. (Two-irons are becoming obsolete and are exceedingly rare for recreational golfers. Because of this, some sources now count the 5-iron as one ...

Why is a shorter shaft better?

A shorter shaft makes a club easier to control in the swing (think of baseball where a batter will " choke up " on the bat—essentially, shorten the bat—when he's simply trying to make contact rather than swing for the fences). More loft helps get the ball airborne and adds a little more control to the shot.

How to get better at wedges and irons?

The wedge swing vs iron swing have similarities and difference, the key to improve your golf swing and get better with both the wedges and your irons are following: Control your low point. Develop a stock shot. Know your distances – Practice less than full swings with your wedges.

What is the most important part of a golf swing?

The most important part of any golf swing is the ability to control the low point of the swing. WIthout the ability to control the low point, everything else can be thrown out the window. Without low point control you will struggle to hit the ball solid, which leads to inconsistent distances and inconsistent ball flight.

How many times should you start your golf ball on your intended start line?

Those that can start the ball on their intended start line at least 7 times out of 10 will find consistency in their golf swing.

How far past your target is a 7 iron?

However, if one time you hit your 7 iron 150 yards and the next time 175 yards, you will probably be 25 yards past your target in some big trouble after the 175 yard 7 iron. Controlling your distance is vital with both your irons and your wedges. Knowing your distance you carry each club is vital with your irons.

Can you hit a drive down the middle of the fairway?

We all know that even the best hit drive down the middle of the fairway means nothing if you can’t get the ball on the green with your wedges or your irons. The reality becomes the closer you can hit the ball to the hole, the more putts you will make.

Is a strong or weak grip better?

Whether you use a strong grip or weak grip is often based on the golfer. There is not a grip that is better than the other. If you check out the golfers on the PGA Tour you’ll see a wide variety of grips. Find the one that works for you and use it for both your wedge swing and your iron swing.

What is a wedge in golf?

Wedges are the club that can provide you with the maximum flight and backspin keeping the ball within the green. A golf club set consist of the following wedges: Pitching wedge: The most common wedge. Gap wedge: The bridging wedge. Sand Wedge: The rescuer wedge.

How long should a golf wedge be?

Like the other Golf Clubs wedges also differ from each other based on the shaft length. Ideally, the length of a pitching wedge should be 0.25m shorter than the 9-Iron; the gap wedge should be a half-inch shorter than the pitching wedge; the sand wedge should be shorter by 0.75 inches than the gap wedge and the lob wedge should be 1-inch shorter than the sand wedge.

What is the angle between the clubhead and the shaft called?

The angle which the clubhead makes with the vertical plane of the shaft is known as the loft of a golf club. In other words, the angle between the clubhead and the shaft is called the loft. The broader loft allows you to gain more height in your shots but at the same time, this will give you the minimum distance.

What is a gap wedge?

Gap Wedge. A gap wedge act as a bridging wedge between the pitching wedge and sand wedge. The gap wedge’s loft ranges from 50 to 53 degrees and the bounce is between 5 to 10 degrees. The major use of a gap wedge is to hit mid-chip shots. You can reach a distance of up to 65m.

What is the bounce of a pitching wedge?

The Pitching wedge has a bounce between 2 to 5 degrees. The Gap wedge has a bounce between 5 to 10 degrees. The Sand wedge has a bounce of between 10 to 14 degrees. The Lob wedge has a bounce between 0 to 10 degrees.

How much bounce does a golf club wedge have?

Apart from this the bounce also helps you to get a higher flight of the ball. The bounce of golf club wedge varies between 2 to 14 degrees. The standard bounce of different wedges are as follows:

How far can you hit a shot with a wedge?

You can even hit a shot up to a distance of 125m using wedges. Wedges come with the highest loft and the shortest shaft. They also have the heaviest clubhead. A pro golfer always uses the appropriate wedge matching the purpose of his shot that allows him to roll up on the scoreboard.

Why do amateur golfers use wedges?

The vast majority of amateur golfers should have wedges with the same lie angle as their irons to give consistent feel and results. Alongside matching iron and wedge shafts and club lengths, this produces better loft and distance gapping between your clubs which is critical for short game shots.

Which wedge is used for full swing shots?

In practice that means your lower lofted wedges – the pitching wedge and lob wedge – are the most likely to be used for ‘full swing’ shots chances and therefore having a cavity back wedge for those clubs together with your irons will make the most sense.

Can you test 9 irons against wedges?

That is definitely true but this is a good rule of thumb and one which is it worthwhile all amateurs at least should use as a starting point to test their existing sets of irons and wedges against. So grab your 9-iron, lay it out flat on the table and check to see if it and your wedges are all the same length.

Can you use softer shafts on high lofted wedges?

Better players can however select softer flex shafts for high lofted wedges for more control. One key thing to remember also when it comes to matching shafts between your irons and wedges is to consider weight ahead of flex. Although you will likely hear far more discussions about shaft flex than weight it is the latter which is more important ...

Do cavity back wedges match irons?

If cavity back wedges which match your irons deliver the best results for your game then stick with them. If you feel though you want to experiment a bit more with your shot making around the greens to give yourself some more variety of shots then don’t let your choice of irons constrain your thinking.

Can you use the same clubs on wedges and irons?

Whether you stick with the same ‘types’ of clubs between your wedges and irons is by comparison a slightly more delicate balance. And the reason for that is because to hit any bladed club, and especially full-swing wedges, is not an easy thing to do.

What is a wedge in golf?

Golf Wedges Explained. Great wedge play is a major reason Tiger Woods has been so successful. Wedges are the short irons with the most loft. They aren't designed for distance shots; you use them to hit the ball extremely high and land it softly on the green. More than any other club in your bag, wedges are position clubs.

How many types of wedges are there?

There are four recognized types of wedges. Two of these, the pitching wedge and the sand wedge, have long histories and are carried by virtually every player, pro or amateur.

What is the loft of a pitching wedge?

(Of course, players can also have the lofts adjusted, just as with their standard clubs.) Pitching wedges are typically lofted between 45 and 49 degrees, and sand wedges between 54 and 58 degrees. Gap wedges, logically enough, fit in the gap between them – around 51 to 53 degrees. And while lob wedges can be more than 60 degrees, the typical lob wedge is 60 degrees while the typical X-wedge is 64 degrees.

What is a gap wedge?

Gap wedges are especially popular with big hitters who need an extra club to cut the distance difference between their pitching and sand wedges. And lob wedges are popular for shots where the ball must be thrown extremely high and stopped very fast, especially on hard greens or after a green has been short-sided.

What is the difference between a low bounce golf club and a high bounce golf club?

Low-bounce clubs are better for tight lies from the fairway and hardpan; high-bounce clubs work best from soft lies , thick rough and sand. In addition, sand wedges typically have much heavier soles than the other wedges, to better cut through the sand.

What is a bounce on a golf club?

When bought separately, any of the wedges is available with a choice of bounce. Bounce is the angle between the club's sole and the ground during normal setup.

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