What loft should my wedges be?
Rachel Ellis
Published Jan 16, 2026
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.
What loft of wedges should I carry?
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.
Does a 56 or 60 degree wedge go further?
As a general rule, average golfers will have an easier time hitting a 56-degree wedge compared to a 60-degree wedge. A 56-degree wedge will give just as much distance but it will also be a lot more consistent when you're chipping onto the green.
Is a 52 or 56 wedge better?
The 56- or 60-degree wedge will be a better choice than the 52 when you need something to fly high and land softly. Learning which loft is best for a shot takes a bit of time and what golfers call feel. The higher lofted wedges typically land more softly, and they will not roll as far.
What loft wedges should a high handicapper carry?
What Loft Wedges Should A High Handicapper Carry? High handicappers should carry at least a 56-degree wedge. In addition, it makes sense to have a 52-degree wedge and a 60-degree wedge to have a variety of shots.
32 related questions foundHow far should I hit a 60 degree wedge?
How Far Should You Hit A 60 Degree Wedge? On average, golfers hit their 60-degree wedge 74 yards, but the range can vary between 60 and 100 yards. Longer hitters who take a full swing will typically be close to the 100-yard range but most golfers only take a 1/2 or 3/4 swing with their 60 degrees.
Do I need a 54 degree wedge?
A 54-degree wedge is ideal for golfers who have a 58-degree lob wedge and another wedge close to 50 degrees. Pretty much all golfers have a pitching wedge and a wedge between 56 and 58 degrees. That leaves a pretty big gap in clubs and that's why you'll want to fill it as soon as possible.
What wedges does Phil Mickelson use?
He uses three PM Grind '19 “Raw” wedges. The PM stands for Phil Mickelson because he helped design the wedges with Roger Cleveland.
How far will a 52 degree wedge go?
How Far Should You Hit A 52 Degree Wedge? On average, golfers hit their 52-degree wedge 100 yards, but the range can vary between 85 and 110 yards. Golfers who take a normal swing with their wedge typically end up close to 110 while golfers who take half swings end up close to 85.
Is a 52 degree wedge good 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 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.
What is a 62 degree wedge used for?
Lob Wedge. Lob wedges are the most lofted wedge, with a measurement generally between 58 and 62 degrees. The lob wedge is meant for short approach shots and is best utilized when a player needs to stop the ball quickly on the green or approach a tough-to-reach pin placement.
How far should you hit a 7 iron?
A standard amateur golfer can hit a 7 iron from 128 yards to 158 yards. The lower range will be for women and senior golfers. To hit the ball over 150 yards in total distance with a 7 iron club, an amateur golfer will have to have a good swing and be physically fit.
What loft is a 9 iron?
9-Iron Loft | 37 to 43 Degrees
9-iron is the club where the loft difference between game-improvement irons and irons made for the best players starts to narrow again. The standard loft for 9-irons is 41 to 43 degrees, while game improvement 9-iron lofts often go as low as 37 degrees.
Do I need more than a 56 degree wedge?
Do You Really Need a 56 Degree Wedge in Your Bag? Absolutely, every golfer should have a 56-degree sand wedge in their golf bag. Though you can, in theory, chip out of bunkers with a pitching wedge, it is much more difficult because of the lesser amount of loft and bounce.
Should I carry 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 has more loft 56 or 60?
A 60-degree wedge has four more degrees of loft than a 56-degree wedge. This extra loft can make a big difference when it comes to getting the ball up in the air and then stopping it on the green. Sixty-degree wedges work well for greenside bunker shots, and they tend to spin quite a bit.
What club should I use for 175 yards?
5-iron = 80 to 175 yards. 6-iron = 70 to 165 yards. 7-iron = 65 to 155 yards.
What wedges does Tiger use?
He's still using his TaylorMade MG2 TW grind wedges (56 and 60 degrees) and the Scotty Cameron GSS Newport 2 prototype putter that he's used to win 14 of his 15 majors, as well. He'll also continue using the Bridgestone Tour B XS 2022 prototype golf ball that he debuted at the 2021 PNC Championship.
What wedges does Rory McIlroy use?
A look at McIlroy's wedges shows he has three different wedges for three different purposes. He has a standard-bounce TaylorMade MG3 46-degree wedge, a 56-degree MG2 wedge with the same grind that Tiger Woods uses, and a 58-degree wedge with low bounce and leading edge relief.
What wedges does Bryson DeChambeau use?
Interestingly, DeChambeau had some PXG and Cobra wedges in the bag for a while but now he has three Artisan prototypes with 47, 52 and 58 degrees of loft.
What does SS mean on Ping wedges?
When Ping launched its original Glide wedges, it at first only released its three most popular grinds: Wide Sole (WS), Standard Sole (SS) and Thin Sole (TS).
How far will a 56 degree wedge go?
If you're a beginner golfer, you can expect your 56° wedge to send the golf ball flying some 60 – 80 yards. Intermediate golfers can achieve a distance of 80 – 100/110 yards with their 56° wedge. Finally, professional golfers can cover the distance of 115 – 120 yards with their 56 wedge.
How do I know what wedges to buy?
The loft dictates how far the ball will travel and its likely trajectory. Wedges have the highest lofts of any club. It's recommended to have four degrees of difference between wedges. For example, if your pitching wedge has a 48° loft then you should have a 52° gap wedge, a 56° sand wedge and a 60° lob wedge.
Can I use a 58 degree wedge in the sand?
The 58 degree wedge acts as a sand wedge from the sand and I can open the face to get the same action as on a 60 degree lob wedge.