How do you choose the right gap wedge to buy? You have to realize that practice on a range is different from playing a golf course. This will help you visualize the conditions under which your gap wedge will be useful. Do the same for your pitching wedge and then your sand wedge.įinally, hit your gap wedge with a half-swing, and make sure your arms do not pass parallel with the ground. You will see a difference in the height of your shots and the amount of backspin you can put on the ball. Hit 12 balls with your pitching wedge first and place them across from the insole of your front foot, then hit 12 more balls from the back of your trailing foot. After doing this test for your wedges, you will then have an insight on how far you can hit each club.ĭo this same drill, except alter where you position the golf ball. Then repeat the same thing with your gap and sand wedges. Assuming that you have a stride of about a yard, walk off the yardage to the zone. Begin with your pitching wedge and caught 12 balls. Take a comfortable swing so you can see how far you can hit your gap wedge in relation to your other two wedges.
#Callaway diablo pitching wedge loft full
Most players use the gap wedge because it gives more variety near the green for pitches that don’t require longer chips and a full swing. This only means that without a gap wedge, it has become much harder to score within the prime zone. The sand wedge, on the other hand, still carrying 58 to 60 degrees. Bubba Watson’s playoff boomerang with a 52-degree gap wedge that led to his Master’s win in 2012 comes to mind. For more information click here.įorty years down the road, OEM’s continued producing their irons with wider differences in loft angles, and with the gap wedge still excluded from the bundle.New technologies allow golfers to hit the iron with higher ball trajectories, and faster airborne speed. The number of players that are able to average inside 17 feet from that distance more than doubled between 2004 (13) and 2013 (34).
#Callaway diablo pitching wedge loft pro
It was then used by pro golfers so they can hit shots from distances of between 110 and 125 yards.ĭata from Shot Link shows that the average proximity from the hole on fairway shots from 50 to 125 yards was 19 feet, 6 inches in 2004, whereas in 2013, it was more than a foot closer at 18 feet, 5 inches. The club had to be purchased separately from the golf sets. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) responded to the demand with the gap wedge – featuring a loft that compromises between the two traditional prongs. As part of marketing ploys, golf manufacturers kept tweaking the designations of their irons because golf players wanted clubs that hit “longer.” That was when times started to change. But the 8-degree difference often left a 25-yard distance that players had to make half swings even inside the range of 150 yards. Initially, the golfing population only used the standard 48-degree pitching wedge and the 56-degree sand wedge. Gap wedges weren’t around before, why use it now? To be able to score, having specific clubs for those yardages is essential. That leaves plenty more shots inside 100 yards. You will be able to play pitch and chip shots on faster or firmer greens – letting you release and roll with better techniques.Įveryday players may not want to admit it, but most only hit an average of about two to four greens in a round as compared to around 12 greens for tour players. Trajectory and spin controlīesides the distance, the gap wedge can produce trajectory and spin solutions that you will need in able to score. The gap wedge generally ranges in the loft from 46 to 54 degrees and covers a length between 90 to 110 yards. With conventional hitters, you’ll find approximately 25 to 40 yards of distance between the two clubs. Vital yardage between your sand wedge loft and your pitching wedge loft.Īs its name suggests, the gap wedge fills the gap between a traditional sand wedge and a pitching wedge. There are two main reasons as to why the gap wedge can help improve your short game. You probably hear other people refer to the gap wedge as an attack wedge (AW) or utility wedge (UW). A gap wedge is a must for touring pros and can significantly benefit everyday players like you.