Know your Wedge Distances
Know your Wedge distances is a short Golf blog explaining Why it is important to learn your wedge distances.
There is a “Short Game Guru” on this planet and he is called Dave Pelz.
This guy is literally a rocket scientist as he used to work for NASA.
He has studied the short game in extreme depth and has many books on the subject.
I don’t agree, personally, with everything that he says but I do agree with 90% of it.
When it comes to learning your wedge distances, then I agree entirely.
Over the last 30 years or so I have often taught this to many of my students, including some professionals.
Let me start by saying if you only carry a Pitching Wedge and a Sand Wedge then you are missing out.
Everybody should be carrying at least three wedges. Everyone should have a Pitching Wedge that came with their set.
I recommend that you should have another 2 wedges, at least, in your bag to help fill the distance gaps.
Just like your set of irons, there should be around a 4° difference between each club.
If not, then you should at least look at having even gaps between the Wedges.
A Pitching Wedge will have an average of 50° of loft. If you are unsure, then get your irons checked out.
I personally play, Pitching Wedge 50° and two other Wedges with 54°and 58°
Below is a list of my Wedge distances
Full Swing
Pitching Wedge – 115 yards
54° Wedge – 102 yards
58° Wedge – 84 yards
3/4 Swing
Pitching Wedge – 90 yards
54° Wedge – 77 yards
58° Wedge – 59 yards
1/2 Swing
Pitching Wedge – 65 yards
54° Wedge – 52 yards
58° Wedge – 34 yards
I can alter these shot distances to cover most yardages within 100 yards by altering my ball position, gripping shorter or even by opening my stance and clubface.
If you are unsure what a Full, 3/4 or a 1/2 swing is, then contact your local PGA Professional or fill out my Contact Form or even just leave a message and I will explain it for you.
I even stole Dave Pelz’s idea of writing the distances on labels and sticking them to my shafts. It is a great way of remembering which club to use for each distance.
For example, on my Wedges, I printed out labels with the following
PW – 115 / 90 / 65
54° – 102 / 77 / 52
58° – 84 / 59 / 34
Try it out for yourself and see what you can achieve.
How many distances can you play?
Do you know your wedge distances?
What are the lofts on your wedges?
Leave a comment below or fill out a Contact Form.
To read more of my Golf blog posts, click here.