How does a golfer pick the right wedge for their game and one that fits their set? Where does custom fitting connect in the process? Where does bounce, loft and gapping fit into the equation when it comes to acquiring a new wedge? Many players recognize the importance of fitting when it comes to irons and drivers, but might overlook the benefits of going through the process when it comes to wedges. Given all that we ask wedges to do for our games—approach shots from 100 yards through to hitting a high-lofted pitch from greenside—making sure your wedges are right for your game is key.

Our Golf Town Master Fitters explain what are some of the most important factors to consider when shopping for wedges.

Where to Start

There are a lot of factors that warrant consideration when purchasing a new wedge, says Patrick Kahnert, an expert fitter with Golf Town. “When a customer is looking for new wedges, I always like to start with the type of irons they play,” he explains. “If they are playing with clubs that are in the game improvement category, I always like to lean them towards the wedges that come with the set.”

Should your wedges match the rest of your set? Not always. Higher handicap golfers often play one brand, but we know many tour pros game one brand of irons and a different make when it comes to wedges.

“In most cases matching brands are most common,” says Franco Sirianni, a PGA of Canada professional located in St. Hubert, Que. “Most tour-style wedges will benefit the player with more experience and the matching same set wedges are more forgiving and will benefit the higher handicapper.”

Consider What’s Important to Your Game

What are you looking for out of your wedges? Is distance a concern, or are you simply concerned about feel and accuracy? How are you using your wedge?

These are all questions you should be asking yourself—or that a fitter will ask you – before purchasing a new wedge.

“Golfers should start with deciding what is the most important feature they are looking for in a wedge,” says Steve van Putten, a fitter at Golf Town in Toronto. “Are they looking for maximum distance, forgiveness, ability to control their yardages and spin? As an example, M4 wedges that match an M4 iron set will travel further with more forgiveness while a TaylorMade Milled Grind wedge will allow you to better control the flight and spin of the ball. All of these are factors that should be considered when selecting a wedge.”

Gapping and Lofts

Understanding which wedges you need, the amount of bounce, and where they fit into your set are factors a Golf Town Fitter can help you with.

Gapping is important—you want to be sure your new wedges are right for your set, and don’t leave yardage gaps that aren’t covered by one of your scoring irons. Don’t be too connected to the terminology of wedges—increasingly, sand wedges are used from the fairway and for chipping, while lob wedges are used in the sand and to hit highly-lofted recovery shots around the green. “Most players only need three wedges—pitching wedge, gap wedge and sand wedge,” says Kahnert. “You can add a lob wedge depending on the short distances the player is looking to hit. We recommend using the pitching wedge that comes with your set of irons. High handicap players should order the gap wedge and sand wedge to match if available. But if you need to add wedges to your irons, we try to keep 4-5 degrees of separation. The key when fitting a customer for wedges in the simulator is helping determine the exact lofts they need to hit their desired distances. Using lie boards, we can also determine the best bounce or grind for the player.”

Where does bounce and grind fit in?

Bounce is the angle from the leading edge of the club face to the trailing edge of the club’s sole. When you rest the wedge on a flat surface, you can see higher bounce makes the leading edge sit farther off the ground. Lower bounce will make the leading edge sit closer. The amount of bounce needed depends on the type of shots you’re intending to hit with your wedge, as well as the type of swing you have. “Bounce and grind really come down to the player’s swing style, and they should also consider the course conditions they play in,” says Kahnert. “Someone with a steep attack angle will typically want high bounce, whereas a shallow attack angle would indicate a lower bounce. Courses with soft conditions are best with more bounce, where firm conditions require less bounce.  Skilled players can manipulate the club face or their swing to add or remove bounce, depending on the grind.”

Grind, in basic terms, refers to the shape of the wedge’s sole and relates to bounce. For example, a PING 56-degree ES grind will offer you the same loft as the PING 56-degree WS grind, but their bounce, sole width, and sole shape will be different. This affects how they sit on the ground, how they appear to the player’s eyes, how they play in certain conditions, and how easy they are to manipulate. You can also see this in irons – think game improvement irons versus tour caliber irons, they both offer different sole widths and shapes.

Your Golf Town Fitter will ask you some basic questions — Are the courses you play typically soft or firm – especially the bunkers? Do you take a divot when you hit a wedge, or do you pick the ball? Do you manipulate the club to add or remove loft and bounce? Do you find yourself talking a lot of half swings with your current wedges? Are there any yardage gaps? Those are key considerations to assure you have the right wedge set.