A Discussion of The 5 Types of Wedges

Any wedge you use or buy needs to fit into your set properly.

The wedge category basically consists of 5 types which are the pitching wedges, gap wedges, sand wedges, 60º lob wedges and the very high loft lob wedges. The discussion below will be centered around some wedge facts, descriptions and also my opinions on which wedges to carry and the specifications you should be aware of to help select the best playing wedges for you.

Pitching Wedges are usually included in the set of irons and this should be the pitching wedge that you play if you like your irons. This wedge is usually designed as a logical extension of the #9 iron in shape and incremental performance. The two variables that usually differ from the irons in the set are 1º to 4º more bounce angle added to the sole and a 2 to 3 swingweight increase. Club lengths vary, but the pitching wedge should be ½” shorter than the #9 iron. A number of manufacturers make it ¼” shorter than the #9 iron.

The golf industry backed themselves into a corner by reducing the lofts of irons over the years and has as such created a new category of wedges called gap wedges. The gap wedge exists because pitching wedge lofts today are usually around 46º or 47º and sometimes even stronger. Sand wedges usually average around 55º or 56º so a gap of about 9º or 10º or more exists between them. Usually the lofts in a set of irons are 3º or 4º between each iron. To sell more clubs and satisfy the needs of some golfers the manufacturers invented the gap wedge which is around 50º to 52º in loft.

Gap wedges in my opinion are mostly not necessary unless your set makeup starts with a #5 iron. The reason for this is that the U.S.G.A. only allows 14 clubs during play. There are a number of other choices for additional clubs that could possibly benefit the golfer much more such as a hybrid club, 60º wedge, #7 and/or #9 fairway metal and so on. If you start with a #5 iron in your set then there can be room for the gap wedge if you desire. If you do not play with a gap wedge, the distance difference between your pitching wedge and sand wedge can be compensated for by learning to hit ¾ pitching wedge shots which are not difficult to master. Gap wedges should be ½” shorter than the pitching wedge and also be 2 to 3 swingweights heavier than your irons. Again, note that a number of manufacturers make the gap wedge only ¼” shorter than the pitching wedge.

Sand wedges should have no less than 55º loft. Lofts lower than this defeat the purpose of what sand wedges are designed to do. I always prefer a sand wedge to have at least 56º. The maximum loft should be 58º on a specific purpose sand wedge. I would not recommend carrying just a 60º sand wedge unless you are very good. There is simply too much loft on a 60º sand wedge to be the only sand wedge you carry. However, there is nothing wrong with having both a 56º and a 60º sand wedge to cover more situations. I would however recommend that the 56º sand wedge have 10º to 14º bounce if it is a normal width sole design and that the 60º wedge have 6º to 8º bounce in a normal width sole design. Note that most 60º wedges designed today are not specifically designed as, nor are they called sand wedges, but a few have bounce angles as high as 14º which would classify them as sand wedges and that is why they are mentioned here in the sand wedge discussion. Always be sure to check the bounce angle on conventional normal sole width design 60º wedges to be certain you are getting the specific type of Lob wedge you want. In other words do you want a multi-purpose 60º lob wedge or a 60º lob wedge for the sand?

Sand wedges need to be a little heavier than the pitching wedge to work the best for most players. They should be 4 to 6 swingweights heavier than the swingweight of your irons and should be ½” shorter in length than the pitching wedge (the same length as a gap wedge if you carry one). Some manufacturers make the pitching wedge and the sand wedge the same length. Also, again, some manufacturers use ¼” difference in length between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge.

60º wedges can be miracle clubs for some players and cause way too many problems for others. The 60º wedge requires a higher skill level and a good amount of practice time to master properly. These wedges differ dramatically in design specifications so it is important to pick one with specifications for your intended use. The main differences are in the sole design. Bounce angles can go as high as 14º (really a 60º sand wedge), but more realistically are in the 6º to 8º range. The lower bounce angles will still work well from sand but do require more skill than a normal sand wedge. The 60º wedge is a good chipping and pitching wedge for specialty shots including the flop shot and will usually have a normal sole width so the club face can be rolled open to increase the loft and the Effective Bounce. 60º wedges can be the same length as the sand wedge or ½” or ¼” shorter. I prefer ½” shorter because distance is not what the golfer should be looking for. Control and finesse are more important. The swingweight should be similar to the sand wedge which is 4 to 6 swingweights heavier than the irons in the set.

There are very wide sole 60º wedges available for eliminating the fat shot such as the GolfWorks 60º Lob Slider wedge and there are also a number of sole widths between this and the conventional width sole that are also very easy to play. Some specifications are different from normal width sole wedges in that the bounce angle is reduced to around 4º for very wide soles to around 6º to 8º for the wide sole categories. The reason for this is simply the sole width. The “effective bounce” however on wider sole width wedges is about 20% to 40% greater than a normal sole width wedge. With this type wedge the face of the club needs to remain relatively square with the target vs. rolling it open so the leading edge does not raise up too high which can cause problems. The very wide sole wedge design will definitely not be used to hit the flop shot. Most golfers do not posses the skill level for such a difficult shot anyway. The very wide sole and wide sole wedges are a great tradeoff in both sand wedges and 60º wedges to make wedge play extremely easy and almost automatic for those golfers that need or want it. Keep in mind that sole widths on wedges can range anywhere from a normal or conventional width of ¾” to wider sole wedges with 1 ¼” or 1 5/8” width soles up to very wide sole widths of 2”. So, there are a number of options available to the golfer regardless of skill level or for golfers that prefer a wider sole wedge to help eliminate the fat shot and be more consistent with their wedge play.

In my opinion, the high loft lob wedges should not be used by most golfers. These wedges have 64º to 65º loft and are very difficult to master for all but the very accomplished player. There is nothing a high loft lob wedge can do that a 60º wedge can not do. Why carry a wedge that is harder to play if it does nothing else for you? If you doubt me and you carry a high loft lob wedge, keep track of all the times it has pulled off the shot and all the times it has let you down. My guess is that it hurts more than it helps for most golfers.

Wedges can make or break a golfer’s game. This is an area where a little study in understanding wedges can really pay off. Go out and try different wedges and see what works best for you. Keep track of which wedge you hit the best and which one lets you down the most. Don’t be afraid to try the new wider sole sand and lob wedges because they can be eye openers as to how easy a wedge can play helping the golfer get more consistent results.

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