The rules of golf state that each player must not carry more than 14 clubs in their bag at once. For this reason, obviously the idea of carrying a 52, 55, 56, 58, and a 60 degree wedge in your bag would be insane (unless maybe you’re playing an executive course and don’t need lower loft clubs). So how do you go about choosing the right degree wedge for your game? And how many wedges do you really need to carry?

Let’s examine the purpose of a wedge to help answer these questions:

First, to understand wedges you have to understand the concept of loft. A wedge is designed to lift a ball quickly from a short distance and each wedge is measured in degrees (angle of the clubface).

Ideally, you should choose wedge lofts that will allow you to carry distances from your most common approach yardages. If you find yourself often within a 100 yard range on approach then the proper wedge loft would be one that would allow you to carry that distance using a full swing. Extrapolate that same logic out if you find yourself with more approach shots in the 90, 80, or even 70 yard range.

Here’s a list of wedge degree lofts:

Pitching Wedge – 45 to 49°

– 45 to 49° Approach/Gap Wedge – 50 to 53°

– 50 to 53° Sand Wedge – 54 to 58°

– 54 to 58° Lob Wedge – 58 to 65°

Another key component to choosing the correct wedge is bounce. While commonly overlooked, bounce is the angle of the club’s sole to the ground. A wedge with high a bounce angle will usually yield better results when hitting out of loose bunker sand or high grass. Similarly, a lower bounce wedge is better employed on courses with tight lies and thin bunker sand. So, if there is a common course you play and the terrain seems almost the same each time out, you should take that into consideration when selecting what bounce is most appropriate in your wedges.

Here is a list of wedge bounce descriptions:

High Bounce – for tall grass, deep rough, and fluffy sand.

– for tall grass, deep rough, and fluffy sand. Standard bounce – for normal to soft conditions or those who leave shallow divots.

– for normal to soft conditions or those who leave shallow divots. Low bounce – for tight lies, fairway shots, and tight, compacted sand.

Don’t forget to also consider wedge grooves in your search to find the perfect wedges for your golf bag. The grooves of a wedge will assist in putting spin on the ball.

Most golf iron sets come with a pitching wedge and occasionally even a gap wedge. Adding a 55-58 degree loft wedge to your iron set is ideal for providing an another option for sand and short flop shots.

Unless your name is Phil Mickelson, we advise leaving the 65 degree wedge at home.

Use the information provided here to select the right degree wedge to fit your game. Holding the right wedge in your hands can instill confidence and help you reduce the number of strokes taken from 100 yards in.

Remember, everyone’s game is different, so it’s important to take your distances into account when shopping for wedges. Once you have an idea of how far you hit each of your current clubs you can start filling in the gaps in your game with the proper wedges.

Now get out there and start improving your short game with the proper wedge selection strategy!

(Cover Photo Credit)

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