There are some clubs that every player simply must have. Golfers can’t play without clubs like the 7-iron, driver, and putter. However, there are some clubs, like the approach wedge, that golfers don’t always pay attention to.
These days, more and more golfers carry four wedges in their bag, including the approach wedge. This is a good decision. Let’s talk about what an approach wedge is and, more importantly, why you should have one in your golf bag.
What Is An Approach Wedge?
An approach wedge, situated between the pitching wedge and sand wedge, boasts a loft ranging from approximately 48 to 54 degrees. This club serves to address a significant void in loft degrees for golfers. It can also be referred to as a gap wedge, as it fills the gap that exists between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge.
Some pitching wedges now have lofts as low as 41 to 43 degrees, which is a big change from the past. Sand wedges, on the other hand, still need a higher loft to get the ball out of traps. Because of this, the need for an approach wedge has grown a lot. The difference in loft between many players’ pitching wedges and sand wedges has grown to almost 10 or 12 degrees.
What Are Some Other Names For An Approach Wedge?
It is important to know that some manufacturers may call their approach wedge a gap wedge, a utility wedge, or even an attack wedge. The most important thing is to make sure that any wedges you bring have the right amount of loft. There should be a difference in loft of 4 to 6 degrees between your clubs so that you can hit the ball well at all distances without having to use the same club for different shots.
What Is The Loft Of An Approach Wedge?
The angle of an approach wedge is usually between 48 and 54 degrees. Approach clubs from different golf companies may have different lofts.
Ther are some pitching wedges that have a loft of as low as 41 degrees. To make up for the low loft, players may add approach wedge with a 48-degree loft and another gap wedge with a 54-degree loft. Something like the Callaway Mack Daddy wedges are ideal for this as they come in 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60.
It’s important to know that most golf sets only have one wedge space between the sand club and the pitching wedge. The Callaway Rogue ST Pro, for example, has a pitching wedge with a loft of 43 degrees and an approach wedge with a loft of 48 degrees. So, the approach wedge’s loft is based on the pitching wedge’s loft and the lofts of the other clubs in the set.
Finally, the most important thing to remember is to always look at the loft degrees of your clubs instead of just using their name or number.
Do You Need An Approach Wedge?
Approach wedges are very important in golf for many reasons. They’re great for longer bunker shots, giving you more control on approaches to the green, making pitching and chipping easier, and filling in the gaps between the pitching wedge and sand wedge for bigger wedge shots. When used properly, a pitching wedge can sometimes hit the ball about 110 yards. This leaves a big space until the next club in the bag, the sand wedge, which usually hits the ball about 80 yards. It’s clear that this difference is too big to ignore.
Adding an attack wedge to your set of clubs will help you cover all of the ground. In the past, someone might have said that a sand wedge and a pitching wedge together were enough. But the world of golf gear has changed over the years. These days, pitching wedges are more like irons, so most golfers need to bring an approach wedge along with them.
When Should You Use An Approach Wedge?
The approach wedge is very useful in a number of different golf situations. It works well for full-swing shots into the green, pitch shots, chip shots around the green, and even bunker play. One great thing about the attack wedge is that it has a slightly lower loft than your other clubs. The ability to control the direction of the ball better thanks to this feature, especially when compared to using a lob wedge.
Chip Shots
When you hit a pitch shot or a chip shot with an approach wedge loft, the ball stays in a slightly lower trajectory while still maintaining a lot of spin. The pitching wedge is a bit longer than this golf club, so it naturally covers a little less distance but gives you more control.
Longer Bunker Shots
Most of the time, gap wedges or approach wedges are used for longer bunker shots. The important thing is that you don’t have to use too much force to get the ball out of the bunker and close to the hole. By slightly opening the clubface and using the standard bunker shot method with your sand wedge, you will find it much easier to get the ball closer to the pin.
Approaches Using A Full Swing
For some players, the approach wedge matches their iron set, which makes the change easier when they hit a full-swing shot at the hole. On the other hand, the blade-style form of lob wedges and sand wedges is common. Given that the approach wedge usually lines up with your iron set, this makes it easier to adapt for full-swing shots. It’s important to remember that your approach wedge doesn’t have to match your other clubs exactly. As long as it has the right amount of loft and enough spin to help you get out of trouble.
Getting Out Of The Rough
When handling tricky lies in the rough is another time when the approach wedge really shines. When playing golf shots from bad lies, you need a club that has some built-in tolerance. Whether you have to chip or approach the green, the approach wedge is the best tool for getting the ball out of the tall grass so it lands gently on the green. This is very helpful when you have some green space in front of you.
Approach Wedge Vs Gap Wedge: What’s the Difference?
The approach wedge and the gap wedge are often regarded as the same thing by many manufacturers. Still, as the game has evolved, irons have gotten stronger lofts, which means golfers need to carry more wedges.
The approach wedge and the gap wedge usually have the same loft range, between 48 and 54 degrees. That being said, you need to carefully look at the loft of each of your irons to tell the difference between each wedge. It’s important to keep in mind that there is some variation in this situation, and the golf rules don’t say that a wedge has to have a certain loft degree.
Final Thoughts
The lob wedge has always been my favorite, but it took me a while to get on board with the idea of the approach wedge. At first, I wasn’t sure why this extra club was needed. But the constantly changing world of golf clubs, where lofts are getting lower and lower, has made it necessary to include an approach wedge. There is now a need for golfers to fill the gap between the pitching wedge and the sand club.
I suggest reading this complete guide if you want to learn more about the best types of approach wedges for newbies. Also, people with higher handicaps might want to check out the wedge options that are made to fit their needs through this link.
Best of luck on your next round!
You May Also Like
