When it comes to golf, a crucial part of improving your game is learning your way around a golf club, however this doesn’t just refer to the different ways you can hit a golf ball, but also what types of clubs are best for certain situations.
Wood and irons may be some of the most popular and well-known clubs, however wedges are also incredibly important and considering that they are extremely versatile with a few different variants to choose from, getting to grips with a wedge club is a good way to enhance your technique and strike the ball as accurately as you can.
Here is all you need to know about golf wedges including the different kinds you can pick up, when they should be used, and how they can improve your game.
How Is A Wedge Club Different From Irons And Woods?
Wedges may be considered as a subset of irons, however their appearance and purpose on the greens are quite a bit different.
Wedges are high-lofted clubs that are designed to hit a ball high which allows you to put some spin on the ball once it lands.
Wedges do have the same clubheads as irons, however they contain more severe angles and are the highest lofted type of golf club you can use.
This also makes them a lot different to woods which have much larger heads with longer shafts so that they can strike a ball fast and long.
Why Do People Use Wedges?
Knowing when to use a wedge all depends on the yardage of your shot since they are mostly used to cover shorter distances and approach shots.
The reason wedges are so good at approaches is because the ball tends to roll very little once they hit the green since their shots have a high trajectory.
This also makes wedges optimal for low chip shots, along with long sand and bunker shots.
This makes wedges the go-to choice when you have terrain in your way such as trees or bushes and need to accurately flip the ball over easily.
This also applies when you have a big bunker in between you and the flagstick where a high arching shot from a wedge will be your best choice.
Types Of Wedges
While the wedge is mostly used for chips and short approach shots, there are a few different versions to know about that all have their own purposes.
Here are the different kinds of wedges and what each is best at:
Lob Wedge
As the name suggests, the lob wedge is perfect for those tricky edge-of-the-rough shots across the green that you need to keep precise and accurate without there being too much roll on the ball.
Because it excels in lobbing the ball high, lob wedges are also useful for lifting the ball up and over any obstacles such as any sandy debris that you might want to avoid or small trees and bushes.
While it’s certainly not the most popular wedge club, these reasons do make it a welcome addition to any golf bag, giving you a tremendous amount of versatility in your shots.
Pitching Wedge
The pitching wedge is most commonly used for longer shots where you’re prioritizing distance over height and spin.
It has the lowest amount of loft out of all the wedges which also makes it perfect for bump and run chipping since you can hit the ball lower so that it rolls slightly once it hits the green.
It is therefore ideal for hitting shots on the fairway or rough for approach shots, however the ability to hit higher trajectory short pitch shots makes it incredibly versatile and is why it’s one of the more popular wedges many golfers will use.
Gap Wedges
If there’s a specific distance every golfer is going to come across more than a few times in their golfing career, it’s the 100-yard shot, and there’s no better club for scoring this hit than the gap wedge.
They are best to use when you don’t think you’ll have enough power to get the ball close enough to the hole when using a pitching wedge, or when you’re struggling for accuracy with other wedges.
They are therefore the perfect club for filing in the range between a sand wedge and pitching wedge, making it an extremely versatile club that is ideal for hitting the perfect 100-yard shot.
Sand Wedges
While the sand wedge is primarily used for escaping spots of sand, since it is heavier and has a larger bounce than the other wedges, you can still hit a few unique shots using it such as accurate and heavy chips.
It’s also the best club for getting out of greenside bunkers and since its average distance is 70 to 100 feet, this also makes it one of the best wedges to use for those shorter approach shots.
How To Store Wedges In A Golf Bag
Many golfers will place their wedges and putters in the bottom slots of the bag.
Along with short irons, wedges are more often than not placed at the bottom of the bag since the back is usually reserved for the bigger clubs including drivers and woods.
This helps to keep the weight of the golf bag evenly distributed so that it’s much easier to lift up and carry, while also making it easier to know exactly where each club is so that you can bring (see also: Bring Your Own Clubs To Topgolf? )ove)them out depending on the distance of your shot and how much force you want to hit it with.
Summary
Wedge clubs are known to be some of the most versatile clubs in golf which can allow you to hit straight and accurate shots while also giving you a tremendous amount of options to avoid any terrain or obstacles that might be in your trajectory.
It’s therefore always useful to have a few wedges stored in your golf bag, just so you have a few extra options when you arrive at the greens.
Hi, my name is Garratt Shmidt and I have been playing golf in my spare time for almost a decade.
Before I found a passion for golf, I didn’t see the appeal. I thought it was slow, repetitive, and quite frankly boring.
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