Pitching and sand wedges are two of the four common types of golf wedges, the others being gap and lob wedges. Although all wedges are typically used within 120 yards of the green, the pitching and sand wedges are distinct clubs that would rarely be used in the same situation, as they differ both in structure and in function.
Loft Angle
The loft angle is the angle that a club face makes with respect to vertical when lining up for a shot. The greater the loft angle, the higher and shorter the golf shot tends to be. Loft angles range from 9 or 10 degrees for most drivers up to 60 degrees or more for lob wedges, which are typically the shortest clubs in the bag. A standard sand wedge generally has a loft angle of about 56 degrees, and a pitching wedge will range from 45 to 48 degrees of loft.
Distance
Because a sand wedge has a higher loft, all else being equal, a sand wedge will send the ball a shorter distance than a pitching wedge. Although every golfer is different, the typical average golfer will hit a sand wedge shot approximately 70 yards using a full swing, while a pitching wedge from the same golfer can be expected to travel about 105 yards.
Bounce
Bounce refers to the tendency of a golf club to skip or "bounce" off the playing surface rather than digging into it. Depending on the shot taken, this can be beneficial or a hindrance. Bounce angle is defined as the angle between the bottom edge of the club face and the ground when the club is resting on the ground. Sand wedges typically have the largest bounce angle of all clubs, ranging from 10 to 15 degrees or more. Pitching wedges usually have low bounce angles of between 0 and 5 degrees.
Sand Shots
The reason a sand wedge is an appropriate club to hit a ball out of a sand bunker is not the name but rather the construction of the club. As a sand wedge has a high bounce angle, the club is less likely to dig into the sand but rather tends to bounce off the deep sand and make better contact with the ball. A pitching wedge is more likely to get caught in the sand and not hit the ball cleanly.
Fairway Shots
In the fairway, a high bounce angle is a negative for a club, as the leading edge of the club face is more likely to contact the ball than the club face itself. The result of this would be a line drive rather than a lofted shot. The pitching wedge, with its small bounce angle, will not bounce off the fairway grass but will rather impact the ball cleanly and then take a divot of grass if swung correctly.
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