Choosing the Right Wedge in Golf

The short game is something that needs to be practiced constantly, with as many weights as possible and ideally with a trained instructor by your side. In addition to constant training and practice though, a high quality wedge can go a long way toward ensuring you are more successful. The skill and precision of the experts you see on television is a result of years of practice and an intense skill for the sport - but it is also the result of a great wedge and intimate knowledge of how to use that wedge.

So, why does it matter so much that you have a solid wedge to help you through that rough course you've only ever managed to shoot an 87 on? For starters, more than 70% of all golf shots are taken while 100 to 150 yards from the hole. Driving the ball off the tee only consistently helps you in 14 or 15 strokes per game, while the rest is short or putting.

If you only have one wedge for your short game right now, you should immediately consider purchasing more. It will take time and careful knowledge of how each club face directly interacts with the course, but when you have those clubs and practice with them consistently, you will be much more successful with your short game. For example, do you know right now which club to use when only 18 Best Compact Binoculars out, off the green? In this case a good lofted club or sand wedge with a backward angled face will be more successful. The wrong angle for shot could result in an overshot of the green altogether.

A wedge works through the combination of the loft and the grooves on the club's face. Together they create a certain degree of spin that will directly affect the height and distance the ball travels. The loft measures the angle at which you hit the ball from the ground while the grooves directly affect how quickly the ball starts spinning immediately. The trajectory, roll of the ball when it lands, and the angle of the ball when it lands are all decided by these two factors. For this very reason, wedges are provided in angles between 47 and 64 degrees, giving you plenty of choices for various playing surfaces and conditions.

How do you know how many wedges you need in your bag though? It depends on what your handicap is and how often you golf. If you currently have a handicap of ten or fewer, you should have four different wedges to give you plenty of options on the course. If your handicap currently sits between eleven and twenty-five, you should have three wedges and if your handicap is twenty-six or larger, you do not need anything more than a pitching and sand wedge.

Next time you hit the links and find yourself in a situation that you might have simply used a pitching or sand wedge for in the past, consider what effect a differently angled club might have. If you are sitting 35 feet out on an uphill incline facing the green, would you rather use a pitching wedge or a 55 degree faced club? Practice, use, and plenty of time spent researching these clubs will help you make that decision.

Kevin Keene is a contributing writer at Body Sport Paintball, writing reviews of eclipse paintball gun. He also is a freelance writer contributing articles on pitching wedge, sand wedge and smart parts paint ball markers.

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