The lob wedge may also be identified as the L-wedge or UL-wedge, for the ultra lob or degree wedge. It is designed for high shots around the green, particularly if the golfer needs to hit over an obstacle and have the ball stop quickly. Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since By Steve Silverman. Resources Golfsmith: Buyer's guide -- wedges. Most Popular. What Is a Wedge in Golf? What are Golf Wedges?
What Is the Loft Angle of Irons? The infamous sand wedge is a wedge that is open-faced, mainly designed for shots on sand bunkers and traps, hence the name. A sand wedge is identified by its having the broadest sole of all wedges, which allows the greatest amount of bounce. This means that the club head tends to slide through sand and does not dig in. The club can also be used in tricky spots like thick, soggy ground or mud.
Even though it has a wide sole, which can lead to higher bounces than necessary in some situations, sand wedges can usually be used just like any other wedge. Therefore, sand wedges can be very versatile and advantageous for almost any shots towards the greens. Design of a Sand Wedge has features that make it unique such as it is a heavy club head, b angled sole that changes the bounce angle, c the loft angle and d the shaft size. The heavy club head moves the center of gravity low and forward, which allows for higher flight trajectory i.
Earlier designs of sand wedges used to have lighter heads. These wedges can weigh up to 40oz, which means 2. With this, players can drive the clubhead through the firmer lies that are found in many courses. Sand wedges can have different lengths of the shaft, both short and long.
They have one of the shortest shafts usually, which can be between 33 inches or 84 cm and 36 inches or 91 cm. In some sets, however, the sand wedge can have a longer shaft than the other wedges like the one for pitching.
Some other sand wedges, follow the systematic progression where they have shaft lengths that are shorter to allow for higher lofts. Again, there are many sand wedges longer than wedges that have a higher loft. These different variations in the length and lofts create differences in the performances of those wedges when played in the game. Sand wedges provide more flexibility in addressing the ball as it helps the player to figure out how to line the ball in the center perfectly; this is possible because it has a leading edge that is a little higher off the ground.
The sole is angled in such a way that the bounce angle is steeper. The reason sand wedges are ideal for bunker shots is that its sole high angle makes the club to bounce off any sort of surface, whether it be soft sand, thick grass or mud. It allows you to send it back to the greens. The bounce angle is designed literally for the sole purpose of bouncing off soft sands. Usually, sand wedges may have a loft angle that ranges from about 54 to around 58 degrees. They also have a bounce angle of about 10 to 16 degrees, depending on how a company customizes them.
Having a loft of about 55 to 56 degrees is traditionally ideal for most wedges. So, sand wedges also have the highest loft angle. This distinction now goes to the lob wedge, which can have a loft angle of 60 degrees or more. Even though the loft angle usually starts from 54 degrees and can be increased to a maximum of 60 degrees, choosing your loft angle will depend on many factors involved in the game itself.
But it is clear that the minimum loft angle for a sand wedge has to be 54 degrees and the maximum can be 60 degrees. Having something in between the two, maybe at around 50 degrees would be more appropriate.
Each manufacturer has their own lofts, and it is important to know what you are playing with so that you can make the right decision. You could possibly get away with having a gap wedge at 51 degrees, and then a sand wedge at 56 degrees. Usually, wedges can be bent a degree stronger or weaker to accommodate your preferences as well.
I carry four wedges because I want more options around the green. Adding a lob wedge is a great idea for many golfers because it allows you to get the ball in the air quickly without having to manipulate the clubface.
That means on most holes they are going to have a wedge in their hand inside of yards. In my opinion, if you carry more wedges in your bag it gives you a larger arsenal of distances and trajectories you can play. Perhaps it might make more sense to carry four wedges based on the kinds of shots you like to play. I believe that in order to choose the right mix of wedge loft you should clear up two things.
You should know the loft of your pitching wedge, and also figure out how far you actually hit different lofts on full swings. Your main goal is to avoid any major gaps between your wedge loft and make sure you can accommodate the different kinds of shots you are faced with on the course.
If you can get the optimal mix for your game you will have a better chance at success. I strongly recommend seeing a knowledgeable club fitter in your area to make sure you get everything right.
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