What Wedges Should a Beginner Carry?

If you are a new golfer and want to know what wedges should a beginner carry, this article is for you.

There are four types of wedges. Each is used for a different purpose, but first, you need to know what a wedge is. When beginning golfers think of the word “wedge,” they generally think of the sand wedge. That is not exactly true.

A sand wedge is a wedge, but it’s not all there is. Wedge clubs have more loft than irons and yet less than woods. Most players agree that in your golf bag, you should have four wedges: pitching wedge, gap or approach wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge.

Now let’s take a look at each one in detail.

What type of wedges should a beginner carry?

A wedge is a club with an angled face designed to quickly get the ball in the air from tight spots. You’ll use wedges when you’re close to the green. But have too much grass to go over before getting on the putting surface.

They’re also great for hitting shots around the green when you need precise control and spin.

If you’re starting and don’t have any experience with wedges, it’s best to start with a sand wedge and add a pitching wedge. A pitching wedge is the shortest of all your irons. And it has a loft between 44 and 48 degrees, while a sand wedge has slightly more loft (54-58 degrees). Make it easier to hit into (or out of) bunkers and other sandy areas.

Suppose you’ve played golf for a while but haven’t used or carried wedges. In that case, I’d suggest adding two more clubs: A gap wedge (50-54 degrees) will fill in the gap between your pitching wedge and sand wedge.

An approach/lob wedge (60-64 degrees) will get your ball higher than your sand wedge. And stop on a dime once it hits the green.

I’d recommend carrying two different bounce options if you choose this option.

Best Degree Wedges for Beginner Carry

When you are just starting out playing golf, it is best to carry a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. The pitching wedge is usually between 46 and 52 degrees, and the sand wedge is between 56 and 60 degrees.

Two main wedges are not included in your iron set: the gap wedge and the lob wedge. The gap wedge is usually around 50 to 54 degrees, while the lob wedge is normally around 60 to 64 degrees.

Lob Wedge

Your lob wedge is one of the most versatile and useful clubs in your bag. Depending on how you set up and swing through, you can use it to hit high flop shots, low bumps, and runs. Or delicate bump and checks around the green.

The loft of a lob wedge is generally between 60 and 64 degrees. For comparison’s sake, a 60-degree lob wedge has three more degrees of loft than a pitching wedge (57 degrees).

Since it’s such a specialized club, many beginners trying to reduce their costs by purchasing only the essential clubs overlook the lob wedge.

Pitching Wedge

The pitching wedge (PW) is most likely already included in your set of irons. It’s typically used with a full swing, and therefore it’s not as versatile as the other wedges.

Since it isn’t as difficult to hit well, some golfers opt for only this wedge rather than adding other wedges.

If you opt for more than one wedge, you’ll probably want to go with a Gap Wedge (GW). It will be similar in appearance and function to your PW but will often have a slightly lower loft angle.

The GW will provide more distance than your sand wedge while not being too long compared to your PW. It’s an excellent “middle option” that allows you an additional choice when playing around the green with longer distances or higher difficulty levels.

Gap Wedge

A gap wedge has a loft between 50 and 54 degrees. This club is designed for distances between 90 and 110 yards.

Hitting from this distance can be difficult if you don’t have the correct loft because it’s too far for most pitching wedges but beyond the ideal distance for a sand wedge.

If you do not have a gap wedge in your bag, you may frequently miss greens or putting from long distances.

The best gap wedges are usually stainless steel, making them more durable than some other options. When choosing a gap wedge, the most important feature is to make sure it fits your style of play and has the proper loft to fill in gaps between other clubs in your set.

This club will give you greater confidence on the course, especially when approaching the green with less than ideal conditions like windy weather or uneven lies.

Sand Wedge

A sand wedge is the most versatile and useful for beginners, but it’s also difficult to master. While a pitching wedge has a loft of 45 degrees, a sand wedge generally has a loft between 55 to 58 degrees.

It’s best to use one around 56 degrees (the average). If you buy a sand wedge, be aware that it is complete with its learning curve. The more you practice with it, the better your results with this club will become.

Best lob wedge for beginners

With a 56-58 degree lob wedge, you will be able to hit shots that stop quickly on the green when the pin is close, and you don’t want to leave yourself a long putt.

You can also use the lob wedge from sand traps, usually in an open stance with the ball slightly played forward of center (closer to your left foot than your right).

It’s a good option for beginners but will likely become less necessary as they progress through their golfing career.

When to use which wedge?

If you’re a new golfer, you’ll have to get used to a new set of rules. One of the most important is what wedges you should carry in your bag. Every other club has a purpose for hitting shots, but not all wedges are equal.

The lob wedge is probably the best club for shots that require high trajectories, such as long iron and straight-on wedge shots. Once the ball’s hit high enough, it’s more likely to go where you want it in this situation.

That is especially true if you’re playing a pitch shot that requires a loft-on approach. A good lob wedge will often provide loft on pitch shots, but only if it doesn’t work against the wind.

The pitching wedge is very useful for low trajectory shots because it helps swing the plane and reduces spin during impact when there isn’t much grass around to cause a spin.

Over the years, we can describe the gap wedge as “the perfect cover shot” in golf magazines because its sole purpose is to get out of trouble and land small targets within easy reach.

Therefore, you can increase its versatility by carrying at different lengths and playing at different heights from each other. However, it depends on which course conditions are prevalent at the time (most typically between 3-3 1/2 inches).

While some courses may require you to play this club higher than others, there will always be two clubs that allow you for this purpose. The longer version will help prevent missed greens due to clipping off branches and help control distances better than shorter versions.

In contrast, you can use shorter versions when you require less distance control due to obstacles in play. Or tighter fairways or roughs.

FAQs on what wedges should a beginner carry

Q1: What are the easiest wedges to hit?

The easiest wedges to hit are the lob wedge, gap, sand, and pitching wedge. While some golfers opt for a 60-degree loft lob wedge, most beginners don’t need one that high.

A 58-degree wedge is a good place to start. Depending on your skill level and where you play, you can decide on a 52-, 50-, or 48-degree gap wedge. The sand wedge comes in at 54 or 56 degrees, with the pitching wedges ranging from 46 to 48 degrees.

Q2: What 2 wedges should I carry?

A beginner should consider the pitching wedge and sand wedge when it comes to wedges.

A pitching wedge use to hit the ball higher and farther. On the other hand, a sand wedge will use when hitting out of the bunker. Or when you need to hit a shorter shot than what a pitching wedge would produce.

The main difference between these two clubs is their loft angle. Sand wedges have a greater loft than pitching wedges by default. So, try not to use them interchangeably.

Conclusion on What wedges should a beginner carry

Now that you know the options, you can head to your favourite golf store and pick out the best wedges for your game. The takeaway is to carry a lob, gap, pitching, and sand wedge (plus a putter).

By carrying these wedges in your bag with their appropriate distance gaps, you’ll be setting yourself up to hit all the different shots around the greens necessary for lower scores.