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Do I need a gap or lob wedge?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 09, 2026

The rule of thumb is that a player should have four degrees of difference between wedges. For instance, a golfer with a pitching wedge lofted at 46 degrees should have a gap wedge of 50 degrees, a sand wedge at 54 degrees and a lob wedge of no less than 58 degrees.

Should I get a lob wedge or gap wedge?

So generally think about putting in a gap wedge that's 48 or 50 degrees, a sand wedge that's between 54 and 56 degrees, and a lob wedge that's between 58 and 60 degrees. These are general guidelines, make sure you're working with your fitter to get the gapping that works best for you.

Do high handicappers need a lob wedge?

The Lob Wedge

Lob, or high, shots can save high handicappers strokes. High handicappers who have difficulty playing from tight, or bare, lies and who have a propensity for taking large divots should consider carrying a lob wedge in their bags.

Why you dont need a lob wedge?

You don't need a lob wedge in your bag if you learn how to properly use your sand wedge to achieve the desired loft. Yet, many players feel uncomfortable opening their sand wedge to hit soft, high shots as this decreases versatility.

Are gap wedges necessary?

Gap wedges are an essential part of every golfer's bag. They give you more versatility with your shots and allow you to get out of difficult situations when needed, which makes them a must-have for any serious player.

29 related questions found

What degree wedge is best for chipping?

What degree wedge is best for chipping? For most golfers, a gap wedge or a sand wedge with loft of between 52° and 56° will produce the most consistent outcome when chipping. This is because you'll be able to play most short-game shots you're likely to come across out on the course.

What is a lob wedge used for?

A lob wedge, also known as a lofted wedge or an L-Wedge, is a wedge used in the sport of golf, known for being one of the shortest-hitting clubs and providing the most loft on a shot. Lob wedges are used to produce shots with a very high arc, and are most often used for shots over hazards and other obstructions.

Should a beginner use a lob wedge?

Generally, lob wedges carry 60-degrees of loft and are used to recover from difficult positions near the green. However, in my opinion, a beginner should shy away from a lob wedge, as it is a finesse club and requires skill and many, many hours of practice, to hit with confidence.

Should an average golfer carry a lob wedge?

For the average golfer, having both a 56-degree sand wedge and a 60-degree lob wedge is completely unnecessary. A 56 or 58-degree wedge should be a lot more versatile for most and is the highest wedge loft that should be in most bags.

Does average golfer need a 60 degree wedge?

The majority of average golfers find a 58-degree wedge to be more useful because it's easier to hit and is better at controlling distance. 60-degree wedges should only be used by lower handicap or scratch golfers.

What two wedges should I carry?

To make it easy, a good rule of thumb is to have about four-degrees of loft between your wedges. So, if your 48-degree pitching wedge flies on average 110 yards, and your 56-degree sand wedge goes about 80 yards, you probably need a 52-degree wedge that carries around 95 yards to fill an important hole in your setup.

Is more bounce more forgiving?

Higher bounce gives you some forgiveness even if you happen to miss your wedge shot a bit. Mid bounce wedges are going to be the most versatile type of wedge. High and low bounce wedges have specific applications that they will work best in.

Does a lob wedge have more loft than a sand wedge?

The main difference between a lob wedge and a sand wedge is the loft. A lob wedge is typically between 58 and 64 degrees of loft and a sand wedge is typically between 54 and 57 degrees of loft. In addition, they are very often used differently on the course.

What is the rule of 12 in golf chipping?

The Rule of 12 In Golf Chipping. The rule of 12 is a golf chipping technique that explains the exact relationship between the loft on a golf club and the amount of roll you will get on a chip shot. We use 12 yards as the total distance we want the ball to carry on the chip.

Is a sand wedge necessary?

Most golfers agree that a sand wedge is essential in your bag. As your experience and skills grow you can look at other wedges but to start with one should have at least a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. The Cleveland CBX 2 Sand Wedge is an example of a quality sand wedge that will work well for most golfers.

What is the most important wedge to have?

Overall, I believe that the sand wedge and the lob wedge are the most important wedges to get the bounce right on, because they will be used most frequently around the greens. Last thing about bounce– If you regularly play on tight turf, or regularly play on soft turf, match your wedge bounces to these conditions.

What is the easiest sand wedge to hit?

8 Best Sand Wedge for Beginners

  • Texan Classics Gun Metal Wedge.
  • Pinemeadow Wedge.
  • Wilson Harmonized Golf Wedge.
  • Cleveland Golf Men's RTX-3 VMG Wedge.
  • TaylorMade Milled Grind Wedge.
  • Callaway Mack Daddy 3 Chrome S-Grind Wedge.
  • C3i Wedge – Premium Sand Wedge, Lob Wedge for Men & Women.
  • FP4 Forward Press Wedge.

How many wedges should a beginner carry?

As well as a club that offers sufficient loft to get out of greenside bunkers and optimize your precision on chip shots. Therefore, the top two wedges that a beginner should carry in their bags are pitching and a sand wedge.

What wedge spins the most?

For the 30-yard pitch shot, the MD5 wedge led the way with an average spin of 5,966. The rest of the wedges were all very close with the Titleist SM8 wedge at a 5,574 rpm average next. Finally, for the full shot, the Mizuno T-20 wedge had the highest spin at an average of 10,908 rpm.

What club does Phil Mickelson chip with?

Callaway PM Grind '19 “Raw”

Mickelson, one of the best short game players of all time, carries three Callaway wedges at the moment. He uses three PM Grind '19 “Raw” wedges. The PM stands for Phil Mickelson because he helped design the wedges with Roger Cleveland.

Should you chip with a 60 degree wedge?

At What Point Do I Use the 60 Degree Wedge? You should use your 60 degree wedge when you are chipping near the green. The three additional factors you need to take into consideration when near the green are your ball lie, the landscape features between the ball and pin, and finally, the hole position on the green.

What is a gap wedge distance?

How Far Does The Average Person Hit A Gap Wedge? On average, recreational golfers hit their gap wedge 103 yards, but the range can be between 90 and 120 yards. For shorter shots that only require a 1/2 swing, the average distance will be much less.

Can you use a lob wedge in the bunker?

The majority of your bunker shots might be played using your sand wedge, but when you are required to hit a really high, soft landing bunker shot, you need to use your highest lofted wedge. Using the lob wedge for those high bunker shots will give you the best chance to pull off the shot.

Is 12 degrees of bounce too much?

Clubs with a bounce of more than 10 degrees are considered "high bounce" wedges, according to Publinks Golfer. Sand wedges and some specialty gap wedges usually have high bounce, making them a good choice for light sand, deep rough or a shaggy fairway.

What does S grind mean on a wedge?

The S Grind Vokey SM7 is the popular middle-of-the-road option in the current Titleist wedge lineup. The S Grind is geared towards golfers that will strike wedge shots with a square club face. It's built for those who aren't manipulating the face or angle of attack too much.