Which Wedge Do I Use and When?

[Dooby]

Im hoping to get some advice or general tips on how to choose which wedge for different commonly faced situations.  I know my full-swing distances from the fairway but under the full swings and in different lies or out of the rough, I tend to not know which wedge to go with or what the smartest option is.

Anything ~60 yards and in I am unsure if it’s better to use my 52 or 56 or 60. I typically just default to my 60 but don’t have any real logic behind it other than I believe I have less of a chance of flying the green with it.

I know for situations where I need to get up and over something I typically should rely on my 60 since it has the highest loft.

For reference I have Vokey SM9s. Loft-Grind: 52-08F 56-12D 60-10S

[russtopherb]

It's really situation dependent, to be honest. The lie and green conditions will factor in too.

Best advice I can give is to go play a practice round in the afternoon or evening when you don't have anyone behind you and just work on figuring out your wedge distances based on lie, your swing length, etc. You can do this on a grass range too, but I prefer doing this on the course so you can get exact distances based on laser and GPS. 

[cnosil]

31 minutes ago, Dooby said:

Im hoping to get some advice or general tips on how to choose which wedge for different commonly faced situations.  I know my full-swing distances from the fairway but under the full swings and in different lies or out of the rough, I tend to not know which wedge to go with or what the smartest option is.

It all depends on the player.   Many advocate that the player creat a wedge matrix of partial swing distances.  Lots of sites that explain how to do this; I’ve linked one below.   You could also do it simply based on feel which is accomplished through repeated practice and seeing the results    Essentially no single answer on what club to use.   Some players will say use on wedge and others will say use all the clubs in your bag for short distances.   the single answer is simply practice different distances and lies to see what works for you   

https://www.bigteesgolfworld.com/wedge-distance-control/

[dlygrisse]

58 if I need height or spin. 52 if I want to hit it lower with less spin. PW if I want it to run out more or hit more of a chip. 
 

these are just general rules of thumb, the wind, lie, slope, course conditions all play into it.  I also practice 3! different trajectories with each wedge. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

First avoid awkward distances to start with and leave yourself more full swing from comfortable distances. 
 

Practice hitting different wedges from the same lie and see what works best

[Pcmart03]

I've learned a few shots with my wedges to just get me on the green. My instructor taught me all of them using my 56 so that's usually my choice, if I can't putt or hit a bump and run.

I spend half my time at the range practicing chip and pitch shots with different clubs so on the course I can pick the shot and then select the club based on the distance and roll out I want. 

[J.B.]

I would tend to agree with others that it may be largely situation dependent but basic rule of thumb for the three clubs you mention IMHO would be this:

52 - lower with less spin and trying to roll it into the hole

56 - fly it higher with more spin

60 - situations where I need to get it up and over something and land with less roll (e.g. getting directly over greenside bunker, especially if needing to land on green without as much run)

As mentioned by others, player feel, wind, lie, slope, course conditions all play into it. Ultimately it comes down to trying more and more shots to dial in what is most comfortable and repeatable for you.

[mattjamd]

I carry 52 & 58. I really only use my 58 for bunkers and trouble shots around the green so I try to practice having a couple of stock shots with my 52 (a 90% shot and a 50% shot).

after that I just work at being versatile with my 52.

I also try to leave myself ‘stick’ yardages into a green.

my bigger challenge is having a stock chip shot around the green. Trying to use my PW more to get the ball rolling quicker.

[Thin2win]

Currently i only carry a 52° wedge.  I might add another at some point,  only 11 clubs in my bag.

I know arcoss/SS show that the 60° wedge is statistically the worst club in an amatuers bag.  So,  if recommend maybe not hitting that unless you really really have to. 

My advice for chipping around the green is to find the club that fits the shot in your mind,  and not the other way around.  I.E. if when you walk up to your ball you envision a shot that flies high and checks hard you probobly will be better with a 56/58 around the green.  If you see a short bump and lots of run,  maybe a 8i it's your play. 

If when I'm practicing i keep leaving chips short,  i take a less lofted club instead of changing my swing and tempo. Or a more lofted club off i keep hitting long.  But i try not to change my swing of i don't have to.  Keeps my ball striking more consistent.

[MNMGA2023]

I think I am the outlier on this, but I do everything by feel.  I have a pitching wedge that came with my iron set and I hit the PW for everything 130 yards and in....if it is a 65 yard shot, I know how far of a backswing to take and how hard to hit it etc....it took a lot of time on the range and trial and error on the course, but it works for me and I'm too stubborn to change now!

[jkimbrell0]

I have 2 swings setups and 2 swing powers that I will used outside of stock full swing and that applies to all of my wedges. The swings setups are slightly opened up face to expose bounce with ball forward in stance and the second is a neutral face with ball slightly back. This give me a higher softer flight and a lower firmer flight. Then if I need ~30 yard carry I feel my arms go back to 45 degrees and if I need 60 yard carry I feel arms go back to 90 degrees. Those carry distances are based off my 54* and I can gain or lose 5-10 yards by changing to gap wedge or 58*

For me I still feel like this is only 1 swing and all I do is change loft/setup/power to get the right numbers and flight. 

[cnosil]

17 minutes ago, MNMGA2023 said:

I think I am the outlier on this, but I do everything by feel.  I have a pitching wedge that came with my iron set and I hit the PW for everything 130 yards and in....if it is a 65 yard shot, I know how far of a backswing to take and how hard to hit it etc....it took a lot of time on the range and trial and error on the course, but it works for me and I'm too stubborn to change now!

Why do you think you are an outlier?  You have dialed in a swings with your PW to go a specific distance.   Some are a little more mechanical and think clock or body part….same approach.   Feel is just obtained over repetitive practice; even a player that thinks a clock position may not actually be hitting that position, they just feel like they are.   

[DiscipleofPenick]

I use my 58* for everything inside 85 yards except for bunker shots. Bunkers I use my 54, because it has more bounce. I rarely ever go 100% on my wedges anymore. 

My max yardages are:

58* - 85

54* - 105

50* - 125

Also, I think someone else said this, but I agree - find out what your full shots are and try to play for those yardages off the tee or with a second shot on par 5, or even long par 4s. I love my 54, so I try to get that 90-100 yard shot every time.

[ParFore74x]

Longest wedge that I am currently gaming is a 54°. Full swing gets me about 105 yds and adjust swing inside of that. It’s definitely been some work to figure the yardages out but I have gotten fairly comfortable with it. I’ve considered adding a 58° but haven’t really been pushed to do so. 

[Dooby]

41 minutes ago, jkimbrell0 said:

I have 2 swings setups and 2 swing powers that I will used outside of stock full swing and that applies to all of my wedges. The swings setups are slightly opened up face to expose bounce with ball forward in stance and the second is a neutral face with ball slightly back. This give me a higher softer flight and a lower firmer flight. Then if I need ~30 yard carry I feel my arms go back to 45 degrees and if I need 60 yard carry I feel arms go back to 90 degrees. Those carry distances are based off my 54* and I can gain or lose 5-10 yards by changing to gap wedge or 58*

For me I still feel like this is only 1 swing and all I do is change loft/setup/power to get the right numbers and flight. 

I like this idea the most so far. It seems very straight forward and relatively easy/quick to establish. 

[MNMGA2023]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Why do you think you are an outlier?  You have dialed in a swings with your PW to go a specific distance.   Some are a little more mechanical and think clock or body part….same approach.   Feel is just obtained over repetitive practice; even a player that thinks a clock position may not actually be hitting that position, they just feel like they are.   

I think I'm an outlier because I only have my one stock PW (and a sand wedge that I use from the sand and when a flop is needed, which is rare)....I don't know have other wedges, I don't know what degree they are...it's ALL feel...I feel like everyone carries like 3-4 wedges....I carry two - but only really use one. 

[jkimbrell0]

46 minutes ago, Dooby said:

I like this idea the most so far. It seems very straight forward and relatively easy/quick to establish. 

It definitely took a good deal of practice to learn what changing each variable does and to get carry vs rollout nailed down, but the important thing for me is that it all feels like the same swing

[Dooby]

14 minutes ago, jkimbrell0 said:

It definitely took a good deal of practice to learn what changing each variable does and to get carry vs rollout nailed down, but the important thing for me is that it all feels like the same swing

Yeah the same swing part is the part that makes the most sense. Having 2 swings (not counting a full swing) but across 3 or 4 wedges makes a lot of sense on paper. 

[cnosil]

34 minutes ago, MNMGA2023 said:

I think I'm an outlier because I only have my one stock PW (and a sand wedge that I use from the sand and when a flop is needed, which is rare)....I don't know have other wedges, I don't know what degree they are...it's ALL feel...I feel like everyone carries like 3-4 wedges....I carry two - but only really use one. 

People carry wedges to hit the ball a specific distance.  When they get into the finesse game many just use one club like you are describing.   Yes, just like someone that uses the clock system it is all feel.   You utilized a system to build those feels and if you got a new wedge, you would make your swings and see how it reacted and make the necessary adjustments.  

[Brooky03]

I carry 50, 54, 58.  They're all the same sole grind (I think), so no worries about one being better for sand or one for tight lies or anything like that.  I use the 58 for anything 100yds and shorter, including chipping around the green.  Occasionally, I'll trying bumping something with the 50, or even my PW, to get it rolling a bit sooner but the results are mixed.  Just simpler to stick with the one I'm used to.

[Charles Lechair]

It's really something that you kind of just get a feel for imo. I very rarely take a full swing with a wedge (sometimes with 52), and kind of default to a 3/4ish swing with wedges in my hand. Keeps the flight a little lower and still stop on a dime.

So learn you distances, and then learn how lies affect it. For example, if a ball is kind of fluffed up in the rough, you may want to club down because its probably going to come out hot with no spin. 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

I use a Mizuno S5, 52 deg 9 bounce, GFF, up to 60 yards.  Further than that, I use the PW in my set of Ping I 500s.  I use a chipper (old Don Martin Up-n-In) 10 yards or less from the green.  I tried 2 60 degree, and even a 64 degree.  64 is strictly for skilled flops.  I found that my 52 degree is quite accurate even on short 1/2 or 1/3 wings, so I don't need a higher loft for shorter yardage.  Sorry, I am not a long hitter, I can't talk about using various gap clubs from 100 to 130 yards, I use my irons.

[drb1956]

I base all of my wedge shots off of the bump and run, which I use my 46* PW, and whether or not I can use that shot. If not, I can choose another wedge (50*, 54*, 58*), based on the distance needed, and chip it, fly it to the green, or if I have to shoot out of a greenside bunker. Practicing all of these different shots, and learning on the course is a good way to gain experience as to what will work well for a certain situation. Dave Pelz, the Short Game Guru, is a good place to start, on YouTube.

[AvgGolferinPA]

If you're old school, get the Dave Pelz Short Game book.  Then experiment with swing lengths and wedges to learn your distances.  Then start to build different shots with different cubs; high and soft landing, low shots that run out, etc.  The challenge becomes adapting to all the different situations on the course.  Like out of heavy thick rough, carry a short sided bunker, off a fairway lie short of the green, up a hill to the green, downhill green below your lie, greenside bunker with a high lip, greenside bunker with a low lip, etc etc etc.  Work your short game and this is the way to quickly improve scoring.  Enjoy the journey.  

[Stuka44]

On 6/19/2023 at 9:06 AM, Dooby said:

Anything ~60 yards and in I am unsure if it’s better to use my 52 or 56 or 60. I typically just default to my 60 but don’t have any real logic behind it other than I believe I have less of a chance of flying the green with it.

This is my HUGE GENERALIZATION on this for you, and I am no pro, and many on this forum disagree with me often, but here it is!  I have PW-43, AW- 48, 52, and 56. I feel that a 60 is too much loft for most players (myself included).  It would come in handy on those occasions where one has to go over a bunker to a flag not far from said bunker ( but how often does that actually occur in a round), and how often will trying to make the Phil Michelson flop, result in a higher score than just hitting 56 over, taking your two putt and on to the next hole.

The 60 you say you resort to requires a much bigger and harder(and I would say less controllable) swing, to generate distance,(even with no wrist break, putting stroke type shots) of less than 60 yards.  I am using 52 or AW depending on if I have to go over anything down to about 30 feet from the green where 56 takes over.  If it is a large green I may use AW from 35 yards to drive the ball to the back of the green, or the 52 if the pin is front and I need less roll.

I believe that it is better to make more similar length, and firmness swings, with clubs of differing lofts, to let the club do the work.  I believe there is far less margin for error on contact, and control, especially when using a 60 degree, which requires a MUCH longer, and harder swing to get the ball to travel 40 yards than is required with 52, or 48(AW).

Just my opinion.

[TeoZamir]

Wood wedges are often used for tasks such as splitting logs or securing objects in place. They are commonly used in construction, woodworking, and general household applications.

Metal wedges, such as steel or iron wedges, are known for their durability and strength. They are commonly used in heavy-duty applications roboto font free download like construction, demolition, and metalworking tasks.

Edited July 20, 2023 by TeoZamir

[SteveSr]

I recently purchased a set of Pingi430 irons. It includes a 41 degree wedge and and 45 degree approach wedge. I'm clueless as to what distance I should use them from. Could someone please help?

[Shifty]

No expert, but I always try use as little carry as possible to get on the green and roll out to the hole.

If its a 60 yard shot and 30 yards are green and its fairly flat I'd probably hit an 8' o'clock 54 degree, carrying 36 yards and rolling out to 60.

If its a 60 yard shot and only 10 yards are green and its fairly flat I would hit a 9 o'clock 58 carrying it 53 and rolling out to 60 

Key is to know all your wedge carry distances with an 8, 9, and 10 o'clock swings and how much rollout is expected from each loft.  Sucks, but is a huge part of my club selection.