Luke is an avid weekend-warrior golfer from the East Coast who plays golf more than he cares to admit.
When you’re first getting started out with golf, reading about the sport takes up almost as much time as actually physically participating in it. There are so many different points of research, one of the main ones being golf clubs.
One that you might have heard about is the gap wedge, which is one of the most important tools in a golfer’s arsenal.
If you’re serious about your golfing journey, and want to improve, you’ll need a gap wedge in your bag.
Below, we talk about everything to do with gap wedges, including what they are, along with all of the benefits they can provide on the green. To find out more, simply keep reading below.
What Exactly Is A Gap Wedge?
So, for those of you who don’t know already, let’s discuss exactly what a gap wedge is. A gap wedge is one of the standard clubs that you’ll find in a golfer’s bag.
It’s great for hitting a whole host of different shots, but is mostly used for hitting pitch shots, chipping the golf ball around the green, and hitting balls that take a longer approach.
They’re super versatile, because they can be used for close shots as well as fairway. You can use it for fairway shots that are up to 100 yards.
If you don’t have the power to shoot the ball, you can use the gap wedge to do the work for you.
In golfing terms, it is known as a ‘G’ wedge, which means that it is positioned at around 50 degrees.
Should I Invest In A Gap Wedge?
Like we mentioned before, the gap wedge is one of the most important tools in a golfer’s arsenal, so the simple answer is yes, you should invest in a gap wedge.
The key reason why you should invest in a gap wedge is that it gives you a higher amount of versatility with your shots.
Using a gap wedge strategically on the green can help you to improve your game, as well as expanding your mastery over different clubs.
You can make far more shots using a gap wedge, and in the process, your score will remain much lower. For example, if the ball is in a tricky position in the fairway, the gap wedge can help you to successfully tackle these kinds of shots.
In addition to this, you’re not considered to be a true golfer until you’ve mastered the gap wedge. Operating this club is such an important part of a golfer’s repertoire, so you need to start practicing.
Different Types Of Wedge Clubs
As well as the gap wedge, there are also other kinds of wedged clubs that sometimes get confused with this one.
They’re all important for a golfer’s repertoire, and can help you successfully make a plethora of different shots.
To find out more about some of the other wedge clubs that exist, keep reading below.
Lob Wedge
Another kind of wedge club is something called the lob wedge, which is one of the newer clubs on the market. It has been designed specifically for making shots that are closer in approach.
As opposed to the gap wedge, which is designed for hitting shots that are approximately 100 yards, the lob wedge has been designed to hit shots that are around 60 to 70 yards.
The club is positioned at around 59 degrees, about 9 degrees more than the gap wedge.
The lob wedge isn’t typically found as a standard club in a golfer’s bag, but is rather an extra club that you can purchase.
This is because it’s a fairly new club in general, and is for people who are really interested in improving and playing golf on a regular basis.
Sand Wedge
As well as these two kinds of wedged clubs, there is also another which is called the sand wedge.
The sand wedge is probably the most recognizable out of all of these different types of clubs, because it is the most wedged out of them all.
It does just what is says on the tin, and it’s essential for getting you out of sticky situations, where your ball has become embedded in a bunker or sand trap.
Many golfers struggle to get to grips with this club, as it is a particularly difficult one to master purely because of its angle.
This doesn’t mean that you won’t get there eventually however, it just takes a little bit of extra time.
It’s used for shorter approaches, and hitting shots that are typically anywhere between 80 to 100 yards. The position of the club normally falls somewhere between 54 to 58 degrees.
It’s good to use on long portions of grass or sand, but won’t work well when it’s used on the green. This is because its bounce angle is incredibly high, and will result in your ball skyrocketing upwards.
Do I Need All Three?
Once you’ve gotten some practice in using your sand wedge, you might want to invest in a gap wedge, as well as a lob wedge if you don’t already have them in your bag.
They provide a lot more versatility for shots, and also help to get you out of tricky situations. Make sure that you always do your research before investing in your wedges, and get ones of a high quality.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, a gap wedge is a type of wedged club that golfers use to hit shots that need a longer approach.
As well as this gap wedges can also be used for hitting fairway and close shots. This makes them an incredibly versatile type of golfing club, essential for any good golfer’s repertoire.
