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Lofts, Bounces and Grinds - Wedge selection made easy.

Lofts, Bounces and Grinds - Wedge selection made easy.

The loft of a wedge is simply the angle created between the face of the wedge and an imaginary vertical line. Most players carry three or four wedges including the PW (which normally comes as part of the set) to offer variation and selection to their short games. The key in choosing a set of wedges is to make sure that there are no big gaps in loft between the lowest lofted iron in your set and the first wedge and then also between edge wedge. Try to keep the lofts gaps to around 4 degrees between each club spreading to 5-6 degrees in the wedges.

The ‘bounce’ of a wedge is the area of the club that hits the turf, hence ‘bounces’ the club through the surface under the ball at impact. Bounce is the group name for the elements involved in sole design: the bounce angle, sole width, leading edge, rocker and camber of a wedge. Wedges with a bounce angle of 4 to 6 degrees are considered low-bounce. Wedges with minimal bounce will be better suited to players who sweep the ball, taking a shallower divot, firmer turf conditions (i.e. links courses) and heavy, coarse sand in bunkers or bunkers with little sand. Any wedge with 7 to 10 degrees of bounce is considered to be a mid-bounce wedge. It will be the most versatile option, suited to a wider range of conditions and swing types. High bounce wedges have more than 10 degrees of bounce, meaning the leading edge sits higher when the sole is rested on the ground. High-bounce wedges are best suited to players who dig at impact, taking deep divots, softer conditions (i.e. parkland courses) and bunkers with deep fine sand.

In basic terms, the sole ‘grind’ refers to the additional shaping of the sole of the wedge usually around the heel or the toe. More wedge manufacturers are now offering offer a range of sole grinds in addition to the standard wedge sole. They literally grind the soles with a machine to suit specific turf conditions or shots. As a rule the more a player prefers to open the face for a wedge shot the more of the sole needs to be grind off so as to not let the leading edge sit to high from the ground.

Once a wedge has been made, it is given a finish to offer a distinct look and colour. This is purely down to personal preference and taste as different finishes will have almost identical levels of feel. However it is important to know how each finish will wear over time. Finishes such as Chrome or Nickel will maintain their colour and appearance longer. Unplated or raw finishes are designed to wear or rust more over time, which can improve friction and lead to improved spin. Darker finishes look great initially but over time the paint will wear off on the sole and face to give some nice wear marks if you like that sort of thing.