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The Different Types of Golf Wedges

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Golf wedges are absolutely vital components in the set of golf clubs that make up your golf bag. They are the clubs that will make the difference to your scorecard as they are used for your approach to the green. If you can master the wedges, you can create birdie opportunities and save pars which will inevitably improve your handicap over time.

Wedges are a class of golf irons that often have a loft of more than 44 degrees. This means they give a very high, short trajectory. Hitting a golf ball correctly with a wedge will generate a significant amount of backspin, which helps to stop the ball from rolling when it hits the green.

'Bounce' is important when understanding how the varieties of golf wedges make contact with a golf ball. Bounce indicates how much the sole of the golf club lifts the leading edge. This is known as the 'bounce angle'.

Determining what level of bounce angle you need on your wedges will depend on the type of golf courses you are playing. Soft turf and deep sand are conditions that suit wedges with more bounce. This will prevent the club from digging into the surface and ensure you make good contact with the ball as the wedge 'bounces' off the surface. Conversely, firmer and thinner lies suit wedges with lower bounce as they help the leading edge cut into the ground to make solid contact.

There are four different types of golf wedges; pitching wedges, sand wedges, gap wedges and lob wedges.

Pitching Wedges

The pitching wedge is one of the most commonly used wedges. Modern pitching wedges have a loft between 45 and 50 degrees and are extremely versatile golf clubs which can help you create a wide range of shots.

This versatility is exemplified by the range of distance that a ball can be hit with the pitching wedge:

• Using a full swing up to 130 yards.
• Using a chipping motion controlled to a distance of 25 to 50 yards
• Using a putting motion delicately controlled to 10 - 25 yards around the green.

Sand Wedges

As the name implies, the sand wedge is predominantly used to help you get your ball out of a sand bunker. However, the traits of the club mean that it can be used for a number of other shots around or approaching the green.

Using a full swing, a sand wedge could be hit up to 100 yards but getting you out of a difficult sand trap is where it really comes into play. With a loft range of 54 to 58 degrees, the sand wedge has a higher bounce angle so that the club can glide through the sand rather than dig into it. These features combined with a shorter trajectory, mean that a high swinging action generates the required energy to the blast the ball out of the sand, whilst still maintaining the control to keep the ball from rolling off the green.

Gap Wedges

You will rarely find a gap wedge in the golf bag of a beginner. That's because they are specialised clubs for specialised shots. The gap wedge gets its name because it has a shorter and higher trajectory than a pitching wedge but a longer and lower trajectory than a sand wedge, therefore being the 'gap' between the two clubs.

When you are choosing a gap wedge, the logic is simple. Choose one that is an even gap between your pitching wedge and sand wedge.

Gap wedges often differ in loft and bounce angle but are generally between 50 and 54 degrees of loft and 5 to 12 degrees in bounce. Used with a full swing, they can bit hit as much as 100 yards or slightly more, but a low handicapper may use them for a wide variety of close approach shots to the green.

Lob Wedges

As their name suggests, lob wedges are important clubs when it comes to generating 'air' over an obstacle such as a bunker or water hazard whilst ensuring a soft landing too. The loft on a lob wedge is in excess of 58 degrees and is the most lofted club out of all of those available. They also have minimal bounce angle because in most situations that you need to use one, there will generally be little room under the golf ball and miss-hitting this club will cause you to hit it thin.

If you need some advice or guidance how to hit wedges correctly, why don't you check out the Sandwedged golf tips and tricks videos?

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