Wedge Special: Five Top Wedge Tips from the Expert
The right wedge can make an enormous difference to your short game – but it's not just about which model you choose, it's about how you use it. Here, Dormy's expert Daniel Hansson shares five practical tips to help you gain better control, more spin and lower scores around the greens.
1. Challenge the 60-degree wedge
My observation is that wedges with a loft above 58° are considerably harder to master for most amateur golfers. Even on the PGA Tour, the 58-degree wedge has become the most common choice as a lob wedge. The reason is straightforward: the more loft you have, the harder it becomes to control both ball flight and distance – even for highly skilled players. Many golfers also find it difficult to make a sufficiently full and relaxed swing to achieve the right distance with such high loft. That said, there are certainly plenty of players who handle a 60-degree wedge very well and use it effectively – but do try whether switching to a 58-degree makes a difference for you. The Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, who perhaps had the finest short game ever seen, played with a 56° as his most lofted wedge. That's clear proof that you don't need 60° to be creative and skilful around the greens.
2. Try cavity back wedges
Are your irons blade models? Probably not. Have you considered, then, why you're still playing with blade wedges? Much of it comes down to tradition – the majority of wedges sold are blade models, where playability is adjusted through different sole grinds and bounce angles. However, more and more manufacturers are now offering so-called cavity back wedges, that is, more forgiving wedges with greater volume. If you feel you're missing the centre of the face too often or tend to hit it thin, cavity back wedges can give you greater margins and you won't be punished as harshly for less-than-perfect strikes. I'm convinced that cavity back wedges will become increasingly common going forward.
3. Use plenty of bounce in the bunker
"Bounce is your friend" – and it's true, especially in the bunker. With a higher bounce angle, the club skips more across the soft sand, reducing the risk of it digging in. A bounce of 10 degrees or more is considered high. A common misconception is to always use a lob wedge (58–60°) in the bunker. In many cases, however, a sand wedge (54–56°) is the better choice. You still get plenty of height, but the ball can also run out further, which suits many types of bunker shot very well.
4. Choose the Right Shaft
With a shorter shaft and more loft, swing speed is naturally lower with a wedge than with an iron – it's simply physics. If, for example, you play with a 120-gram stiff shaft in your irons and carry three wedges (gap, sand and lob), I'd recommend using the same shaft in your gap wedge as in your iron set, as it's often played with full swings. For the sand and lob wedge, however, you can drop down a flex. You simply don't swing as hard with these clubs, and a softer shaft allows the club to better match your actual swing speed. It also improves feel for the clubhead. This isn't always easy to keep track of on your own, so feel free to have a chat with one of our experts in store or via Customer Service.
5. Replace Your Lob Wedge More Often
Tour professionals receive new wedges on a regular basis through their sponsorship deals. For amateurs, it's a different story, and many simply don't replace their wedges often enough. How frequently you should replace them depends on how much you play and practise. Tests show that a wedge can lose around 1,000 rpm of spin after 50–75 rounds. In practice, that means less control and a more challenging short game. The average golfer plays around 20 rounds per year, which suggests that replacing your wedges roughly every three years is a reasonable approach. My recommendation, however, is to replace your lob wedge at least every other year – it's the club where you need maximum spin and control the most.
Daniel Hansson, Dormy World of Golf