Head Design & Feel


Just like Iron sets, there is a huge selection of Wedges available and they all feel and look different. Wedge play is more about confidence and touch, so the brands and models that work for you in your Woods and Irons may not necessarily be what is best for short game clubs. Below are some tips for selecting your perfect ‘scoring clubs’. For more information and advice, find your local store and speak to one of our experts.
More on Head Design and Feel ▼
  • Head shape, and how it looks behind the ball at address will determine how confident you feel, but may have an impact on forgiveness. Consider whether you prefer a neat and tidy ‘surgical’ looking Wedge or if you will benefit from the added tolerance that a larger, possibly cavity back club will provide.
  • The majority of golfers wants more spin. Grooves are the key to generating this stopping power. Many different techniques are employed by manufacturers to create the most effective grooves whilst keeping them within the rules of golf. Ask us for advice on what the latest face technology can do for you.
  • Feel is a personal choice and every golfer will consider certain Wedges to have different characteristics. Head shape and design will affect the way the ball feels on the clubface and the material used for construction will also play a big part. Forged and Cast club heads generate different types of feel but as neither is ‘better’ for all golfers, make sure you try a selection so that you know what you prefer.

Distance Gapping & Loft Progression


When you bought your last set of Irons, you did so safe in the knowledge, that with a thorough fitting, the clubs would give you accuracy and consistency. This comes from the regular progression of loft and length throughout the set. Your Wedges should be arranged in a very similar way, to ensure you that you have distance and ball control for these key shots. While we recommend coming into store to get advice on this from our expert staff, some considerations and suggestions to consider can be found below:
More on Distance Gapping & Loft Progression ▼
  • With so many loft options available, where do we start when creating the perfect Wedge set up? Finding the lofts of your Irons will help determine the correct set up as your Wedge gap progressions will generally be based around this.
  • Depending on the loft of your shortest Iron (i.e. 9 Iron, PW), and how many other clubs you have in your bag (remembering the maximum of 14), you may choose to have a set up that consists of 2, 3, 4 or even more Wedges. Your setup will also be affected by many things and you should consider the distance gaps in between your Irons as well as the types of shots you like to play (i.e. Lob Shots, Bump and Runs).
  • Regardless of how many Wedges you choose to play, your Loft Gapping should be even to ensure that the difference in between each of your Wedges is also consistent. Normally you will be adding additional Wedges with very slightly larger loft gaps than you will have in your Mid/Short Irons. The table on the right, though not the only possible set up options, gives an idea of some Wedge combinations that would be considered correctly ‘gapped’.

  • Club length is very important in generating consistent distance control. Although exceptions will occur, as a rule of thumb, you will want to adjust the length of your new Wedges by the same amount as you did with your fitted Irons.
  • Remember that if you are adjusting the lengths of a matching set of Wedges, to adjust all by the same amount, just as we would if we were to adjust your Irons. Wedges in correctly gapped sets are designed to work alongside side each other so what you do to one, you should generally do to the rest.

Bounce Angles


Bounce angles are often shown alongside the Loft of the Wedge. Selecting Wedges with Bounce angles that suit your game will make a massive difference to how effectively you can use your new clubs. The bounce angles you should play are specific to your game and as such, there is no ‘best’ bounce option for all. It is a misconception the better golfers play with low bounce wedges or that high handicappers need high bounce options. Our in store teams will be able to provide you with all of the information that you need vlick the button on the right for some pointers that in conjunction with Loft selection, should help you choose the right set up.
More on Bounce Angles▼
  • The Bounce of a club determines how it interacts with the surface below the ball. How firm or soft the course is is something to think about. Lower bounce options can be easier to slide under the ball in hard conditions but will dig in more if it is soft. The opposite applies to higher bounce wedges which will want to ‘bounce’ off hard surfaces but will help prevent catching too much ground when it is soft.
  • Your swing shape is a big factor in choosing the best bounce options for your game. Golfers who attack the ball steeply will tend to benefit from higher bounce as it will prevent too much digging. Those with a shallow swing may prefer a ‘sliding’, lower bounce Wedge as it will prevent the club from popping up of the surface and help them get under the ball.
  • Wedges designed with bunker play in mind will normally feature more bounce. With sand being softer the turf, the additional bounce helps lift the club and consequently the ball out of the trap. Unless the sand is very hard, very low bounce Wedges can be a little trick to use out of bunkers.

Sole Design


The general Bounce angle is not the only feature that affects how a Wedge interacts with the ground. The shape or ‘grind’ of the sole will help determine the kind of impact with the ground on full shots and will also dramatically influence how well you can play ‘finesse’ and creative shots like chips and Flop Shots. As options will vary between manufacturers, it is important to come in and let us show you these, but for some further guidelines click the button on the right.
More on Sole Design ▼
  • Certain Sole shapes will help you lay the club face open, essentially adding loft to the club which can help you to play high flying, soft landing shots. Trying to do this with a ‘standard’ sole design will be harder as bounce tends to increase on these styles when you open the club face.
  • Other Sole shapes will deliberately add curvature or camber to increase the effective bounce of the wedge. This can further help with soft sand or turf conditions and bunker shots where you impact the sand before the ball can benefit from this type of sole due to the extra ‘lift’ that the club gets when hitting the surface.