| A golfer's short game can make up for all kinds of | | | | ball out of the sand trap instead. |
| deficiencies in their long game. So even if you are not | | | | And other type of wedge that has become |
| the most accurate driver or long ball hitter, you can still | | | | increasingly popular in recent years is the lob wedge. |
| recover fairly nicely in many cases if you have a good | | | | This club head has around 60 degrees of loft, making it |
| short game around the greens. | | | | only useful for shots that are extremely close to the |
| The clubs that you'll be using when you get within 100 | | | | green, perhaps around 40 yards or less. They lend |
| yards or so of the green are called wedges, and there | | | | themselves very well to short high shots where you |
| are four general kinds of wedges that most golfers | | | | need to go over obstacles and stop quickly. |
| should be concerned with, depending on both their skill | | | | As you can see, there is a progression of club loft |
| level and the shot at hand. Let's take a look at each | | | | angles that can fit almost any shot situation that you |
| type of wedge and see how they are used. | | | | can encounter when you are in close around the |
| One of the most common wedges that can be found | | | | green. It may seem like a good idea to carry all four |
| in almost any golf bag is the pitching wedge. These | | | | wedges with you in your golf bag when you play, but |
| are great irons to use for approach shots of around a | | | | keep in mind that rules require that you can only have |
| hundred yards or so away from the flag. Usually they | | | | 14 golf clubs with you in your bag as you play. For |
| have a club loft of between 45 to 49 degrees. | | | | most golfers, that means that one or two of these |
| The next wedge to consider is the gap wedge which | | | | wedges may have to be sacrificed to make room for |
| is more suitable for shots that are 80 to 90 yards | | | | other clubs that are more commonly used. |
| away from the flag or your intended target. The loft | | | | In that case, the pitching wedge and sand wedge |
| on these short clubs is usually between 49 to 54 | | | | make good all-around choices for clubs that will be |
| degrees. | | | | needed in short yardage situations. However, if you |
| Another very common wedge that is found in almost | | | | repeatedly find yourself in certain situations that call for |
| every golf bag is the sand wedge. A sand wedge has | | | | a different club loft, choosing one of the other two |
| a loft of between 53 to 57 degrees, and so is most | | | | wedges mentioned above to take along with you may |
| effective from about 60 - 70 yards away from your | | | | work out well. |
| target. Of course, the sand wedge also doubles as the | | | | Beginners generally don't need to worry about having |
| weapon of choice for hitting out of a sand trap. The | | | | each type of wedge represented in their bag though, |
| clubhead is designed to prevent allowing the club to dig | | | | and usually just the pitching and sand wedge will do |
| into the sand as the shot is made, helping you blast the | | | | nicely. |