What Wedges Should I Carry? The Answer Will Make You A Better Golfer
We all know that the rules of golf clearly state that we are not allowed to have more than fourteen golf clubs in our bag. And what these golf clubs are depended entirely on you.
That means you can own any combination of irons, woods, putters, and wedges so long as the total number of golf clubs doesn’t exceed the limit of fourteen. The kind of golf clubs that you carry with you depends on your current golfing skills and ability.
And since we’re on that subject, let me tell you that wedges play a very important role in achieving success on the golf course. They have the ability to make you a better golfer. But you already know that, right? What you probably don’t know is the answer to this question, what wedges should I carry?
It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the answer. Because that’s exactly what I’m going to help you with. So let’s get started right away.
What wedges should I carry?
Credit: golf-monthly.co.uk
Many beginner and amateur golfers already have a pitching wedge (PW) in their bag, am I right? Now what you need to know is that a pitching wedge is not exactly a wedge. So what you need in your bag is a sand wedge (SW). Either that or a 52 to 60 degrees wedge. (What you should about tour golfers)
I remember when I first started playing golf; it was very difficult for me to identify the different kinds of wedges. And that’s because many golf equipment manufacturing companies tagged wedges based on their loft angle and not the wedge type. So you should ensure that you pick a 52 to 60-degree sand wedge.
When I say that you need to pick a sand wedge, I’m not underestimating the importance of the other wedges. As a beginner, using a sand wedge can go a long way. But once you develop an interest in the game and want to get better at it, then is the right time for you to consider buying wedges apart from the sand wedge.
But until then, you’re better off with a PW and SW. They provide maximum assistance in the short game. So it’s always a better idea to stick with these two wedges in the initial stages of golf.
Better Equipment, Better Game: Pitching and Sand Wedges
So what are the other types of wedges?
Should I carry apart from the sand wedge and pitching wedge? Well, there are 2 more types of wedges that many beginners and professionals use in the game of golf.
1. Gap Wedge or Approach Wedge (GW or AW)
The loft angle of a gap wedge is anywhere in between 50 to 52 degrees. As the name suggests, the gap wedge was created to fill in the gap. The angle difference between the 56 degrees of the SW and the 46 degrees of the PW gives rise to a gap. And this gap is filled by a GW or AW.
Now we all know that the loft angle between each of the golf clubs in your bag should not exceed the 4-degree limit. So based on this rule, 10 degrees creates a pretty big gap. And that is why you use a GW or AW. They have the ability to make the golf ball travel as far as 80 to 100 yards. Pretty impressive, isn’t it? (Benefits of gap wedge)
2. Lob Wedge (LW)
What wedges should I carry apart from the SW, PW, and GW? It’s the lob wedge. Lob wedges have a loft angle of 60 to 64 degrees. Golfers use an LW for high but short distance hits. It has the ability to make the golf ball land softly or stick the golf ball to the green as soon as it lands.
The kind of high but short distance that a golf ball travels due to an LW is known as a flop shot. In fact, a flop shot is most effectively executed only with the help of an LW. The distance that you get with this golf club is 45 to 65 yards.
Golf Lob Flop Shot Short Game Lesson
What you should know about wedges?
After you know the answer to that question, you should know all about the configuration of wedges too. There are three very important characteristics when it comes to wedges. They are the loft, lie angle, and bounce.
Loft
I want to keep this simple, so you can understand it better. The loft of a wedge decides how far the golf ball travels. To start with, you should use a pitching wedge that has a loft of 45 to 47 degrees. It is the shortest iron in your golf set. While a lob wedge falls at the other end of the spectrum.
A lob wedge of 58 degrees provides maximum versatility and control. And once you learn how to use it to your advantage, it will soon become your choice of weapon on the golf course. So in order to achieve maximum control over distance and swing movement, you should take the loft of wedges into consideration.
Credit: golf-terms.com
Lie Angle
Your swing movement and build are something that is enhanced with the type of lie angle that you select. For a flatter short game swing, you need a flatter lie angle for the wedges. It should be at least 2 degrees flatter than the standard lie angle.
Bounce
The job of bounce is to prevent the golf club from digging into the turf. It allows the club to glide through the sand or turf. And this helps in achieving better shots. The angle of bounce is the angle located between the lowest sole point and the leading edge. Most of the lofted wedges have a bounce of at least 3 to 16 degrees.
Wedge 101: Get Educated
When it comes to bounce, you should also that many wedges are marked with effective bounce. This shows how well the wedge performs. And the effective bounce is decided by the golf club’s sole width, camber, sole grind, and bounce angle.
Credit: golfloopy.com
Final Words
So what wedges should I carry in my golf bag? For any beginner or even high handicap golfer, I would recommend carrying 3 different types of wedges. And they would be a pitching wedge, sand wedge, and gap wedge. Once you learn how to make the most of these wedges, there is nothing stopping you from becoming a better golfer.
Your goal should be to own a set of golf clubs that allow you to play a complete variety of short and full shots. And these are the kind of hits that you need to make on the golf course.
I hope you liked the article and found it helpful. And if you’re wondering what wedges do pros carry, then let me tell you that they are more or less the same as what beginners carry. So simply just concentrate on getting better at the game. And the rest will all fall into place.
What do you think about this? And what types of wedges do you currently play with?
Please feel free to leave all your comments below. And do let us know if there’s anything else that you would like to add for your fellow golfers to read.
Happy fairways!
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- What degree is a pitching wedge? All you need to know about wedge lofts
Sources:
1. http://www.golfloopy.com/what-wedges/
2. http://planet-golf.com/what-wedges-should-i-carry/
