Wedge Basics: Everything You Wanted to Know about Golf Wedges

Here's a fun fact for you: Between 35-50% of your shots will be hit with a wedge in any given round.

Did that wake you up?  It woke us up and we're in the golf industry!  If half your strokes happen with a wedge in hand, it makes sense that improving this area can make a huge difference in your game.  If you want to save strokes and have more gimme's on the green, getting the right wedges may just be the most important thing you can do.

If you're not a super-experienced golfer, shopping for wedges can seem a little overwhelming.  Lofts, grinds, gapping, bounce - the wedge specs and options are virtually endless.  That's why we put together this handy infographic to give you a high level overview.  If you want to understand the basics of what makes one wedge different from another and how you should go about choosing the right equipment, this is a good place to start:

I know there's a lot to digest within that one graphic so if you want just the essentials, here's the baseline info you need to know about golf wedges:

KEY WEDGE TERMINOLOGY:

Loft

• Definition: The angle of the club face from the ground
• Why it Matters: Different lofts will allow you to hit the ball higher or lower.  A higher loft means a higher shot that usually has more spin and will stop more quicky on the green (think a lob wedge or sand wedge). Lower lofted wedges generally work better for pitching the ball onto the green where you want the ball to roll more.

Bounce

• Definition: The angle between the leading edge of the club (the bottom of the club face) and the lowest point where the club reaches the ground (the start of the sole)
• Why it Matters: Bounce helps you play shots in different areas of the course more accurately and with more ease.  In softer conditions, a higher bounce will help you make better contact and in harder conditions like a low-cut fairway, low bounce will help you get under the ball and make better shots.

Grind

• Definition: The shape of the wedge sole - this is how the wedge interacts with the turf
• Why it Matters: Every golfer's swing is a bit different.  If you usually take big divots, you'll want a cambered or rounded sole grind to help balance out the attack angle and level things out at impact.  "Sweepers" or golfers who don't usually take divots will benefit from a flatter grind that will help get under the ball and pick it up off the turf.

Gapping

• Definition: The different wedges that you have in your bag (i.e. the different lofts between clubs).
• Why it Matters: Different lofts give you options on the golf course.  Lower lofted clubs will usually hit the ball farther than a higher loft, while higher lofted wedges give you the ability to make great shots out of different lie conditions and stop the ball where you want.  Gapping is having the right equipment assortment to cover all types of shots in your round.

And that's golf class for today folks!  If you want more info or want to make sure that you have the right wedges for your game, we always recommend getting custom fit.  Our master club fitters have helped thousands of golfers play better golf.  Learn more about Austad's Award Winning Custom Club Fitting >>