When golfers first start playing the game, nothing is more satisfying than taking a full swing and watching their ball soar down the fairway. As golfers progress, they notice more experienced golfers who are able to hit the ball from the fairway and put it on the green with regularity. These practiced golfers often do this with a lofted club called a pitching wedge.
The Pitching Wedge
The pitching wedge is a golf club that has a loft of 45 to 49 degrees. It is used for longer approach shots of 90 to 110 yards for men and 70 to 90 yards for women. The pitching wedge will allow the golfer to send the ball high into the air so that it will come down with minimal ro and land softly on the green. If the golfer has aimed correctly and executed the shot properly, it will come down close to the pin. That will give the golfer a chance to make a birdie or par putt.
Types of Pitching Wedges
The game of golf has gone through a metamorphosis since the 1980s—one that has included several different pitching wedges that are available to the golfer. In addition to the standard pitching wedge, golfers may want to add a lob wedge and a gap wedge to their golf bag. A lob wedge has a 57 to 60 degree loft and is used for approach shots of 60 yards or less. It will send the ball high and land it softly. This club is best used by golfers with single-digit handicaps who can employ the backspin created by the wedge with aplomb. The gap wedge is for shots of 65 to 90 yards. As the name implies, the gap wedge is used for longer shots than the lob wedge but not quite the length of a standard wedge. It has a loft of 49 to 54 degrees.
Creativity
The best golfers can get very creative with their pitching wedge. While most times, you will hit the ball so it flies high and lands softly with the wedge, it can also be used to hit low, bouncing chip shots. Stand about 12 inches closer to the hole than normal so the angle of your wedge is more straight up and down than it would be if you hit a normal wedge. Take a short back swing and come forward without breaking your wrists. This will cause the ball to stay low and bounce toward the target. This is a good tactic to take when you have a slightly uphill shot without any hazard in the way.
Signficance
Golfers who are serious about improving and recording low scores spend much of their practice time learning to hit a pitching wedge. Hitting it accurately will give golfers a chance to improve their game and enjoy the game more. Learning how to hit with a pitching wedge will allow golfers to improve their score and compete better against their golfing partners.
Expert Insight
Hank Haney is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 teachers in the world. He has worked with dozens of touring pros, including Tiger Woods, on all aspects of their game. One of Haney's most important pieces of advice is to open up your club face slightly at impact and turn a bit to the left of the target when hitting the pitching wedge. This will help keep the ball on course and straight to the target.
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