One of the "secrets" in the golf bags of many successful golfers is the wedge. The golf wedge considered to be one of the three "scoring" clubs with the other two being the putter and the driver. The wedge is very versatile it can help you with many difficult shots. Follow along as we show you how to find the wedges that will help your own personal golf game.

Wedge Basics

There are five basic golf wedges to consider. The main factor between each of these five is the loft. The gap wedge has 50 to 54° of loft. The lob wedge has about 64° of loft, the pitching wedge has 45 to 48° of loft, the sand wedge has 56° of loft and the loft wedge 58 to 60°. Each of these clubs also has a bounce angle that is related to the loft. This "bounce" helps the club get the ball up into the air.

Fit Your Needs

What you need to do is to take a look at your own personal golf game and determine where you might need one of these clubs. The pitching wedge is usually used within 100 to 125 yards from the pin. As the name implies, it is used to pitch the ball onto the green. The lob wedge is used for shorter shots around the green we need to get the ball to stop quickly. When you want the ball to stop the diamond not roll further than where it lands you need the lob wedge. The sand wedge is typically used in the sand bunkers as the name implies. But the degree of loft it has can also provide a lot of spin and help you to stop the ball quickly when you're pitching from 90 yards into the pin, whether in a sand bunker or not. The gap wedge is used to fill the area between the sand wedge and the pitching wedge. Once you have a good feel for your own game and knowing where you end up after each shot on a golf course, you can determine which of these wedges would be best for you. If you find yourself constantly landing in sand bunkers because of errant shots obviously a sand wedge is important to your personal game. If you find yourself driving yourself fairly close to the green, you'll need a wedge that gives you a shorter distance but better stopping power so you don't overshoot the green with a long bounce and roll. You should also realize that, with a bit of practice, you can produce a great deal of backspin with the wedge, causing the ball to back up once it hits the green. It's obvious you've seen times when this is a necessary shot that the pros need to make and you will be able to do the same.

Besides their unique ability to get the ball in the air, golf wedges also feature the shortest shafts. These shorter shafts help you to control the club and ultimately the shot much better. Even a beginner can find themselves easily shaping their shots and controlling them with one of these golf wedges.

If you're a beginner, consider starting with a sand wedge. Practice with it so you can have confidence in getting out of the bunkers and you'll find your game much more enjoyable. Again, one should determine where you usually end up on your second and third shots, you can now determine which of the other wedges you can begin to fit into your game.