Wedges are known as "scoring clubs" in golf because skill with these clubs consistently can set up birdies and save pars after wayward approach shots. Because of a large loft difference between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, club manufacturers began to make "gap wedges" to fill a need for a club that allows a player to take a full swing for shots ranging from 80 to 120 yards.
About Club Lofts
Because a round of golf can involve shots of many different yardages, a set of golf clubs is designed to cover a range of distances. Each club has a specific loft angle, which is a measurement in degrees of how much the club face points up from the target. The "strongest" clubs are the drivers, which range from seven to 15 degrees loft. In the irons, the difference in loft steps up, between three and five degrees per club, from the 3-iron to the pitching wedge.
About the Gap
A pitching wedge normally has 45 degrees loft. The sand wedge normally has 55 degrees loft. This 10-degree difference is a larger gap than exists throughout the set, which is why manufacturers created a club with about 50 degrees loft and called it a "gap wedge."
Your Set May Vary
The gap wedge loft in a particular set of clubs depends on the preference of the player. Some players carry three wedges, with a pitching wedge, gap wedge and sand wedge. Other players carry a pitching wedge, gap wedge sand wedge and a lob wedge, which is usually 58 degrees or higher in loft. That means a gap wedge can vary between 49 and 56 degrees.
Swing Weight
Because golfers use gap wedges for more precise shots, some requiring additional finesse, a gap wedge should be two to three swing weights heavier than the other irons. According to master club-fitter Ralph Maltby, the heavier weight promotes a more solid feel through the shot.
Is a Gap Wedge Necessary?
Golf rules limit a set to 14 clubs. Some players prefer to add a hybrid club, which covers shots of about 200 yards, with a soft landing. Adding a hybrid means taking away another club, and the gap wedge is normally the top candidate. To adjust, the player will need to learn to hit a pitching wedge with less effort, about 75 percent, to achieve the same shot as a gap wedge.
Member Comments