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when to use wedges in golf

by Marielle Thiel Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Golf Wedges Loft, Bounce, Length, and Usage Summarized

Wedge Loft Bounce Length Use
Pitching Wedge 47° to 53° 2° to 5° 35.75” for pitch and chip shots
Gap Wedge 50°° to 53° 5° to 10° 35.25” for mid and chip shots
Sand Wedge 54° to 58° 10° to 14° 34.50” To escape the ball through the sand
Lob Wedge 60° to 62° 0° to 10° 33.50” To get a high flight and to rescue the b ...
May 3 2022

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.May 24, 2019

Full Answer

What wedge should you use and when?

May 24, 2019 · 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. On full shots from the fairway, a typical recreational male golfer might hit a sand wedge about 65-75 yards yards; women, 45-60. A lob wedge would be 40-50 yards for men, 25-40 for women.

How far should you hit a 60-degree wedge?

Pitching wedges are the most commonly used of the golf wedges. With a loft of between 44 and 50 degrees, they are the least lofted wedge and typically used …

When to use a 60 degree wedge?

Gap wedges with lofts between 46 degrees and 54 degrees are most common. With a firm swing, gap wedge shots travel between 90 yards and 110 yards. As …

What are the degrees of golf wedges?

When To Use A Pitching Wedge? The golfer will want to use a pitching wedge on the full swing yardages typically between 100 and 130 yards, in some situations where something less than a full swing is ideal and when chipping or pitching around the green.

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Where should a golf wedge be used?

Part of a video titled The Beginner's Guide to Golf Wedges - YouTube
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I'm going to use it when I want to hit the ball high and soft. Just out of a regular lie. But I'mMoreI'm going to use it when I want to hit the ball high and soft. Just out of a regular lie. But I'm also going to use it when when the ball is in that deep deep thick grass. When it's really varied.

Should beginner golfers use wedges?

It comes in three lofts - 52°, 56° and 60° - and three finishes, meaning beginner golfers have some flexibility with the route they want to go down. When just starting out there may not be a need to have a full set of three, but any one or two of these wedges will give newcomers to the game a great starting point.Feb 16, 2022

Should you carry a 60 degree wedge?

When To Use A 60 Degree Wedge. A 60-degree lob wedge is suited for better golfers and is perfect for launching the ball high in the air and having it land softly on the green. This wedge is ideal for hitting shorter chip shots but should not be the choice for full shots from the fairway.

How do you use golf wedges?

How to Use a Pitching Wedge
  1. Take the club back only as far as you need to in approaching the green. ...
  2. Follow through to mirror your backswing. ...
  3. Base your swing on the loft of the pitching wedge. ...
  4. Make sure you don't lead too much with your hands and drag the wedge behind them on the shot.

What 3 wedges should I carry?

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.
Feb 23, 2018

How do I pick the right 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 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.Aug 25, 2021

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.Feb 16, 2022

What is 52-degree wedge used for?

A 52-degree wedge is considered a gap wedge and is used to fill the gap between your pitching wedge and your sand wedge. Golfers who have a 52-degree wedge in their bag typically have a pitching wedge that's between 47-48 degrees.

What is 54 degree wedge used for?

bunkers
A 54-degree wedge is considered a sand wedge and is used around the green and out of bunkers. A 54-degree wedge is ideal for golfers who have a 58-degree lob wedge and another wedge close to 50 degrees. Pretty much all golfers have a pitching wedge and a wedge between 56 and 58 degrees.

What are wedges used for?

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool, and is a portable inclined plane, and one of the six simple machines. It can be used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place.

Do I need a sand wedge?

Most golfers agree that a sand wedge is essential in your bag. As your experience and skills grow you can look at other wedges but to start with one should have at least a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. The Cleveland CBX 2 Sand Wedge is an example of a quality sand wedge that will work well for most golfers.Jan 9, 2022

What is a Golf wedge used for?

Golf wedge used to hit chip, pitch, and bunker shots.

Is an approach wedge is the same as the gap wedge?

Yes, approach wedge and gap wedge are the same wedges.

Should my wedges be the same length?

No, each wedge has a different length according to your handicap.

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.

Is a wedge a golf club?

Wedges are also irons, but golfers think of wedges as a sub-set of irons, or as specialized irons. They are often thought of as their own category of golf clubs, in other words. From the 1930s forward, up until the latter part of the 20th century, it was common for even the best golfers to carry only two wedges:

What are the different types of wedges?

In the late 20th century, as more specialization entered golf, golf companies began making additional wedges. Today, the other two wedges that are common are: 1 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. 2 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 is a PW wedge?

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. In the late 20th century, as more specialization entered golf, golf companies began making additional wedges. Today, the other two wedges that are common are:

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.

How many degrees are sand wedges?

Typically, sand wedges have lots from 52 to 56 degrees. As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional wedges.

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 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.

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 angle of a golf club?

The angle which the sole of a golf club makes with the ground is termed as the bounce of a club. The curve of a club which you see touching the ground it the bounce. The more the bounce is, the easier to hit the ball.

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.

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.

How far can you hit a sand wedge?

These wedges have between about 54 and 58 degrees of loft, which helps golfers get the ball in the air quickly. The maximum distance golfers hit sand wedges is between about 80 and 90 yards.

What is the loft of a sand wedge?

Sand wedges, one of several types of wedges, usually have a loft of 54 to 58 degrees and are commonly used for getting the ball out of bunkers. When golfers buy a new set of golf clubs, it is likely that only one of the four types of wedges–the pitching wedge–will be included.

Who is Larry Anderson?

Larry Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2000. He has covered a wide variety of topics, from golf and baseball to hunting and fishing. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including "Fargo Forum" newspaper. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from Concordia College.

What type of wedges are used in golf clubs?

The Type of Golf Club Wedges and Their Uses. Included in just about every set of store-bought golf clubs is a pitching wedge. It's the most common type of wedge and one that almost all golfers have in their bag. But the three other types of wedges--gap, lob and sand--give the golfers who use them even more options in their short games.

What is a gap wedge?

Gap wedges were created to fill a gap in the loft of wedges. As a result, they have more loft than a pitching wedge and less loft than lob and sand wedges. Gap wedges with lofts between 46 degrees and 54 degrees are most common. With a firm swing, gap wedge shots travel between 90 yards and 110 yards. As a result, they are useful ...

What is the short game of golf?

The short game in golf is all about finesse and feel. Thus, it's important that the wedge you're using is comfortable and easy to use. Before purchasing a wedge, you should at least hold it in your hand and take a few practice swings. Even better, hit a few balls with it.

Which wedge has the least loft?

Pitching Wedge. Of all the wedge types, pitching wedges have the least amount of loft. Generally, such wedges have from 44 degrees to 50 degrees of loft. Golfers can get the club under the ball easily with a pitching wedge, but because of its loft, the ball also will travel some distance.

How far can you hit a sand wedge?

While these wedges, which have between 54 degrees and 58 degrees of loft, are good for hitting out of the sand, they can be used anywhere. The maximum distance for a sand wedge shot is about 90 yards.

Who is Larry Anderson?

Larry Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2000. He has covered a wide variety of topics, from golf and baseball to hunting and fishing. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including "Fargo Forum" newspaper. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from Concordia College.

What wedge to use for short sided golf?

If you have short sided yourself and have a delicate chip that must get up in the air and stop quickly, the sand wedge or lob wedge are better options.

How to control a less than full swing pitching wedge?

When you get over the shot, the best way to control the less than full swing pitching wedge is by shortening your backswing, not by taking speed off. Go ahead and make an aggressive approach to the ball and commit to the shot!

What clubs do golfers carry?

The majority of golfers will carry a driver, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and a putter. One of the most important clubs in the bag is the pitching wedge. Once golfers get inside of a certain distance is when the scoring opportunities present themselves. Even if you are just new to the game and are struggling to make par on occasion, ...

How many clubs do you need to carry in a golf bag?

Every golfer gets to carry 14 clubs in their bag. The majority of golfers will carry a driver, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and a putter. One of the most important clubs in the bag is the pitching wedge. Once golfers get inside of a certain distance is when the scoring opportunities present themselves.

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.

What is a pitching wedge?

Pitching wedges are used for general approaches from the fairway and for chipping. Because they don't have as much loft as the other wedges, they're more forgiving of mishits. Sand wedges, because of their heavier soles and greater bounce, are best for use from heavy rough and 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.

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 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.

Who is Mike Southern?

He is the author of the instructional golf book "Ruthless Putting" and edited a collection of swashbuckling novels. Southern was trained in electronics at Forsyth Technical Community College and is also an occasional woodworker.

What is gap wedge?

Gap Wedges Overview. The Gap Wedge is not some special weapon that will make you hit it closer than another club. A Pitching Wedge was originally invented for pitching and shorter shots towards the green, while a Sand Wedge was originally invented to get out of the sand.

What is the difference between a gap wedge and a sand wedge?

Gap Wedge Vs Sand Wedge. A Gap Wedge has more loft than a Sand Wedge, this means the Sand Wedge will go shorter than a Gap Wedge. A Sand Wedge will be used more out of the bunker and for chip shots, where the Gap Wedge will be used more for bump and run shots around the green and full shots.

What is a Callaway wedge?

The Callaway JAWS wedge is Callaway’s number one wedge, and as the name states these things have a serious bite to them. This beautiful looking wedge has an extremely good feel as it is made from 8620 Mild Carbon Steel. The JAWS wedge was designed by Roger Cleveland and has two finishes, Platinum Chrome and Tour Grey.

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