Golf Equipment -
Wedges
Wedges are, of
course, irons. But wedges are often talked about separately, placed in
their own category, because they are specialized irons.
When talking about the category of wedges, most golfers mean the gap
wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. Although a pitching wedge has "wedge"
in its name, it is usually grouped with the other irons. This is because
a typical, off-the-shelf set of irons for sale will include a 3-iron
through a pitching wedge.
The gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge are often sold separately, or as
a 3-club subset.
Because the focus with wedges is on accuracy - trying to hit a short
shot as close as possible to the flagstick - wedges are often referred
to as the "scoring clubs."
As a beginner, you will not need to concern yourself too much with
wedges other than the pitching wedge.
Gap and lob wedges are common in the bags of better players, and sand
wedges are fairly common for all players. But beginners should not feel
obligated to pick up a sand wedge right off the bat. These are
specialized clubs for specialized uses, remember, and you'll want to
learn how to use the more basic clubs first.
Wedges feature the shortest shafts and highest lofts of any golf clubs.
In fact, wedges are often identified by their loft rather than their
name. A lob wedge might instead be called a "60-degree wedge," for
example.
Sand wedges were invented (by Gene Sarazen) to make shots out of sand
traps easier (although many amateurs find sand shots to be very diffult,
a sand shot is among the easiest shots in golf for accomplished
players). The typical sand wedge might have a loft around 56 degrees.
As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might
be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been
lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional
wedges.
A typical lob wedge might have a loft of 60 degrees (some pros also
carry "X-wedges" with lofts even greater). As its name implies, a lob
wedge allows a player to "lob" the ball high into the air, from where it
will drop steeply down onto the green, with little or no roll.
With pitching wedges typically lofted from 45 to 48 degrees, the gap
wedge is so-called because it closes the "gap" in loft between the
pitching wedge and sand wedge. A typical gap wedge might might be lofted
from 50-54 degrees.
All irons, including wedges, feature a design property known as
"bounce." Bounce is a concept that even golfers who have been playing
for decades may not understand, or may misunderstand. So no beginner
should worry too much if he hears other golfers talking about "bounce"
and doesn't have a clue what it means. You're not required to at this
point. But if you'd like to know what "bounce" is, check the definition
in our Glossary.
If you do not purchase a sand wedge right off the bat, you'll want to
use your pitching wedge for sand shots around the green.
As for the appropriate time to use other wedges, that will, of course,
be determined primarily by the yardage of your shot. On full shots from
the fairway, a typical recreational male golfer might hit a sand wedge
75-90 yards; women, 45-60. A lob wedge would be 40-60 yards for men,
25-40 for women. A gap wedge would fall in between your pitching wedge
and sand wedge yardages.
And these clubs will, when properly struck, produce a very high, arching
shot. So if you need to get over a tree, for example, a wedge comes in
handy. Or if you're off the green with a big bunker right between you
and the flagstick, a high, arching shot with a wedge is a good choice.
Because wedge shots have such a high trajectory, they tend to roll very
little once they hit the green. More accomplished players can produce a
great deal of backspin with a wedge, causing the ball to back up once it
hits the green.
Any wedge can also be used for chipping around the green.
As a beginner, consider the gap wedge and lob wedge specialty clubs to
turn to later in your golf career. A sand wedge is optional for
beginners, but will likely be one of the first "add-ons" you purchase if
you become addicted to golf.
From:
http://golf.about.com/cs/beginnersguide/a/wedgebeginners.htm
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