Although hitting the ball a long distance off a golf tee may place you in a better position for your second shot, most of the strokes you will count come from shots you take closer to the hole. Wedges are shorter-distance clubs that come in various types and can help you achieve a better golf score if you can handle them proficiently.
Wedge Terminology
Wedges are specialized iron clubs that generally hit the ball the shortest distance of any clubs in the bag, with the exception of the putter. All wedges have high loft angles, which is the angle the club face makes with the ground. A high loft angle transfers the energy of the swing into a high arc rather than a long straight line, allowing the ball to fly a short distance and land softly. Although specialty wedges can be created with almost any loft angle, there are four types of wedges that are commonly used by most golfers.
Pitching Wedge
The standard pitching wedge has the longest range of all golf wedges, typically about 110 yards. As range increases as loft angle decreases, the pitching wedge also has the smallest loft angle among wedges, typically 45 to 50 degrees.
Gap Wedge
A gap wedge has a slightly larger loft angle than a pitching wedge, usually 50 to 55 degrees. A typical gap wedge has a range of approximately 100 yards and is designed to fill in the "gap" in yardage between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. While a 100 yard shot can be created by swinging a 110-yard pitching wedge with slightly less force, many golfers prefer to take a full swing with a wedge rather than estimating how much effort to take off a swing. A gap wedge isn't usually the first club an amateur golfer will own, but it is often a useful club to have in a bag.
Sand Wedge
As its name would imply, a sand wedge is generally used to hit a ball out of a sand bunker and land it softly on a putting green. The sand wedge is specially designed with a larger sole to help a golfer make solid contact with a ball in a bunker rather than bury the club in the sand. However, sand wedges can also be used for approach shots from the fairway rather than exclusively in the sand. Sand wedges usually have a loft angle of approximately 56 degrees and a range of about 90 yards.
Lob Wedge
The lob wedge has the shortest range of the traditional wedges, typically about 60 yards. The loft angle on the lob wedge is 60 degrees or more. Living up to its name, the high angle of the lob wedge softly tosses or "lobs" the golf ball high in the air, creating a shot that can fly over nearby obstructions such as sand bunkers and land softly in the target area.
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