How Far Should You Hit Your Wedges?

Studies show that about one in every seven American adults play golf at least once a year. With golf being such a cultural force, it's important for players to know how to get every inch of performance out of their game.

One of the most important parts of a round of golf is the mid-game. How can you find your way out of low-lying areas and onto the green? Knowing your pitch wedge degree is one of the best ways to do so.

If you're curious about adding wedge capabilities to your golf techniques, we're here to offer our guidance. Read on to learn more about getting the most wedge distance in your mid and short game.

What Type of Wedge?

To start, there are several types of wedges you should know about before you hit the green. Here are the three most common types of wedges you'll find in your golf bag.

Sand Wedge

The sand wedge is one of the stiffest clubs in the average arsenal. As the name suggests, it's ideal for getting out of the sand and onto the green.

If you've found yourself in a bunker, this club is your savior. However, some courses may have sand traps without being a deep-lying bunker. Some Links courses have sandy or rough terrain that a sand wedge will save you from.

The sand wedge has a club face with a tilt of 56 degrees. With this tilt, you can easily get under your sand and launch it out of the sand.

These wedges are meant more for height than distance. As such, you typically won't get as far as with others. The distance is relatively short, averaging about 65 to 80 yards.

The goal is to get out of the sand and not to get the maximum distance on the green. Use this club with a safety focus rather than distance.

Gap Wedge

The gap wedge is made to fill the tilt gap between the sand and pitching wedges. It's a critical way to marry the benefits of both clubs.

These clubs have a club face with a 52-degree wedge. As such, it's ideal for getting your club out of a hazard without sacrificing as much distance as a sand wedge will.

An average stroke with a gap wedge will go about 80 to 110 yards with a capable player. Practice until you can reliably hit this distance, but remember that a gap wedge is for leaving hazards. So long as your ball is up and out of the hazard, your stroke was successful.

Pitch Wedge Degree

Finally, the stiffest wedge of the three is the pitch wedge. At another four degrees stiffer, this club face comes in at 48 degrees.

Due to being the straightest wedge, this wedge is meant to bring a good amount of loft without sacrificing distance. Some players will use a pitching wedge as a mid-range club instead of trying to close short distances.

The pitching wedge also isn't as suitable for getting out of hazards or traps. It won't introduce as much loft as a sand or gap wedge, making it tougher to get under your ball.

The average range of a pitching wedge is about 90 to 120 yards. If the hole is farther than 120 yards and you don't need the distance, you may want to use an iron instead.

How Many Wedges to Bring?

With wedges having such specific purposes, how many should you bring?

It's best not to stuff your golf bag with every club imaginable. Instead, consider clubs that can hybridize for different purposes. Irons and wedges are often married together to make clubs that can complete both goals.

We recommend bringing the following wedges with you.

Core Two Wedges

It's inevitable that your ball will end up in a hazard at some point. Whether you're crashed down into a bunker or caught in the rough of the low ground, you'll need the loft of a sand wedge. We recommend bringing your sand wedge with you to every game.

Second is a personal choice between a gap or a pitching wedge. The pitching wedge is excellent, but in many cases where it'd be useful, skilled players can often manage with an iron instead.

Similarly, the gap wedge doesn't do anything that the sand or pitching wedge doesn't already do. As such, you should weigh your own preferences on which of the two you bring to your game.

Getting the Right Distance Out of Your Wedge

Is your average with these golf clubs not quite up to snuff? Here are the best ways to get the most distance out of your golf swing.

Power

Your first step is to make sure you're using the right amount of power.

Some players are hesitant to use specialized clubs like the wedge. Others may not want to fling sand everywhere, and so approach their bunkered ball with a tempered swing.

Don't be afraid to hit your ball with a bit of power. While hitting the ball as hard as you can won't always be the best choice, it's good to practice putting power behind your swing.

Swing

More important than power is the effectiveness of your golf swing. There are many golf techniques to use that improve your swing, but remember that your swing will change depending on your club.

With wedges, you'll need to stand closer to the ball. You also shouldn't expect a full body-turn or follow-through like with other clubs.

Loft Degree

Finally, the loft degree of your club will impact the distance.

For some clubs, they use a flat face to encourage distance. You can see this on your driver and some woods.

Others focus on the loft by tilting the head. The more tilted the head, the higher the ball will go. The higher the ball, the less distance, so choose carefully.

Perfecting Your Wedge Distance

Knowing your pitch wedge degree is a great way to fine-tune your mid and short-game. Bring the right wedges to round out your golf arsenal so you aren't caught off guard in the sand traps.

Interested in trying out your new wedges? Contact us at Blue Sky Golf Club to schedule your next round of 18.