Wedges Explained: Pitching, Gap, Sand and Lob

Four wedges, four jobs, and most juniors only need one or two. Here is what each does and which one to add first.

Wedges are the highest-lofted clubs in the bag and the ones used closest to the green, where most shots in a round are actually taken. Adult bags often carry three or four of them. A junior bag usually contains one, sometimes two, and choosing which is genuinely worth thinking about.

The four types

Wedges are distinguished by loft, and the names are conventions rather than standards - manufacturers vary, so always check the number stamped on the sole rather than trusting the name.

• Pitching wedge: the least lofted, typically somewhere in the mid to high 40s in degrees. It is normally part of an iron set rather than bought separately, and it is the workhorse for full shots into greens and long chips
• Gap wedge (also 'approach' or 'A' wedge): sits between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge, filling the distance gap that opened up as iron lofts got stronger over the years
• Sand wedge: usually mid-50s in degrees, with a sole designed to skid rather than dig. It is the standard club for bunkers and for most greenside chips
• Lob wedge: the highest loft, typically around 58 to 60 degrees, used for very short, very high shots over trouble. It is also the least forgiving club in the bag

What 'bounce' means

The other number stamped on a wedge is bounce: the angle by which the trailing edge of the sole sits below the leading edge. Higher bounce makes the club skid across sand and soft turf instead of digging in. Lower bounce lets the leading edge slip under the ball on firm ground and tight lies.

For a junior, higher bounce is generally the safer choice. Beginners tend to hit slightly behind the ball, and bounce is precisely what rescues that strike.

Which wedge should a junior add first?

If a junior set includes only a pitching wedge, the first addition should almost always be a sand wedge. It unlocks bunkers, which are otherwise a source of genuine misery, and it doubles as the standard chipping club.

A lob wedge is a poor early purchase. Its extreme loft leaves a very small margin for error, and the shots it is designed for - short, high, stopping quickly - are the hardest in golf. Most juniors are better served by learning to vary a sand wedge.

Before buying anything, check whether the set already covers the gap. Our comparison of half sets and full sets for juniors explains what a typical junior set contains.

Length and weight matter more than loft

An adult wedge is too long, too heavy and too flat in lie angle for most children, and cutting one down does not fix the weight or the lie. If a junior needs a second wedge, a junior-specific one - or a properly re-shafted adult head - is worth the extra effort.

Once the club is right, the technique is the other half. Start with chipping basics for junior golfers and progress to bunker play.

Current wedge options stocked for Australian buyers are listed in the wedges section of the equipment directory.