How to Choose the Right Wedges

February 15, 2020

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How to Choose the Right Wedges

The drive may be the most spectacular shot in terms of velocity and distance on the golf course. However, most shots during a round of golf will take place from within 150 yards of the green. That’s where a good selection of wedges becomes useful.

Know the different types of wedges

We have all seen the creative shots from players including Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods from around the green. Knowing how to choose the right wedges is not going to transform you into a world-beater around the greens. However, it will give you the best chance of playing well from within 150 yards of the hole.

The main thing to consider when choosing the right wedges is the type of wedges available. There are four main types of wedges and they are pitching wedges, gap wedges, sand wedges and loft wedges.

The main difference between these wedges is the loft and that’s what you need to consider when making a purchase.

Pitching Wedge

Pitching wedges are the most common wedge and almost every player will have one in their bag. These clubs usually have a loft of somewhere between 44 and 48 degrees. This makes them the lowest in terms of loft of the four wedges and suitable for full shots to the green.

Sand Wedge

The sand wedge usually has a loft of somewhere between 54 and 58 degrees, which is ten degrees more than the pitching wedge. These were originally designed to help players escape from bunkers close to the green. This is still true today and the heavier, wide sole of the club makes it ideal when trying to escape from a bunker but keep the ball on the green.

This used to be the club with the most loft in the bag but that changed with the introduction of the loft wedge. This club comes with a high loft, sometimes as much as 64 degrees. This allows players to get more height and spin on the ball and is useful when playing shots close to the green. You may need to get up and over a bunker or rough and stop the ball on the green but all within a short distance.

Gap Wedge

The gap wedge is, as the name suggests, used to fill the gap between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge. They can be used to straddle the two clubs and allow you to play a full shot rather than try and take something off the pitching wedge.

It is best to have a selection of these clubs in your bag. This will give you plenty of versatility around the green. It allows you to play a range of shots depending on the distance you need to cover and what lies between your ball on the green.

Grooves

The more grooves you have on the face of a wedge, the more spin will be imparted on the ball. This will impact the amount of back spin on the ball and the stopping distance or back spin the ball has when landing on the green.

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