Buying Guides – Out Of Bounds Golf

I've been looking into getting a new wedge or two and have been trying out a number of different combinations. Most recreational golfers only need 1 or 2 wedges in their bag, so if you had to pick, would it be better to play a 58 or 60 degree? As a general rule, average golfers have an easier time hitting a 58-degree wedge compared to a 60 degree. A 58-degree wedge will give most golfers more forgiveness and will also provide more consistent distance control. That being said, a 58-degree wedge might not be the best choice either. It all depends on what wedges you currently have. I think it's a good idea to evenly space out your wedges, but we'll get more into that next. Best Wedges For Beginners & High HandicappersBest Wedges For Mid Handicappers Should You Use A 58 Or 60 Degree Wedge? The majority of average golfers find a 58-degree wedge to be more useful because it's easier to hit and is better at controlling distance. 60-degree wedges should only be used by lower handicap or scratch golfers. I've used both wedges before and it was almost impossible to tell the difference in lofts. I really didn't hit the 60 degrees any farther but I felt like I was more consistent on full shots with the 58 degrees. For me, a 60 degree was only useful for short chip shots. A 58 degree will work for that too, plus it'll be more consistent on full shots from the fairway. That's why I took my 60 degrees out of my bag. The average golfer shouldn't use anything greater than a 58 degree.Butch Harmon In saying that, a 58 degree might not be the right option either. I think it's more important to evenly space out your wedge lofts. Here's what I mean by that. The average golfer probably only needs 2-3 wedges: Pitching wedge (must-have).Sand wedge (must-have).Gap wedge (optional). A lob wedge is the highest lofted wedge you can get (60+ degrees) and isn't really necessary for most. Let's say you wanted to have 3 wedges and your pitching wedge is 44 degrees. Here's your ideal wedge setup: 44-degree pitching wedge.50-degree gap wedge.56-degree sand wedge. The reason this setup works is that each club is 6 degrees apart. That's enough of a difference to really notice a distance improvement. If your pitching wedge is 46 degrees then your wedge setup should be something like: 46-degree pitching wedge.52-degree gap wedge.58-degree sand wedge. So, to see what's right for you, figure out what degree your pitching wedge is and then evenly space out your wedges. What Is A 58 Degree Wedge Used For? A 58-degree wedge is considered a sand wedge and is mostly used for hitting out of the sand. This wedge normally has a higher bounce, which also makes it ideal for golfers who take too big of a divot. For most golfers, a 58-degree wedge is the highest lofted club they should use. You'll want to make sure the bounce of the club is at least 10 degrees. The higher bounce will stop the club from digging too much into the sand or dirt. That's why it's called a "sand wedge" and could also be the best choice for someone who takes too much of a divot (we all know someone who does). If you're in the market for some new wedges, a sand wedge is probably the first step, since it's one of the most used golf clubs in the bag. A sand wedge is either 56 or 58 degrees, but it'll depend on the loft of your other clubs. What Is A 60 Degree Wedge Used For? A 60-degree wedge is considered a lob wedge and is mostly used to launch the ball high up in the air and land softly on the green. Examples could be hitting the ball over water or sand and quickly stopping it on the green. I used to have a 60 degree in my bag and it did come in handy in certain situations. It was good for hitting little half swing chip shots or to get the ball over a bunker, but I had a tougher time hitting full shots with it. That's why I took it out of my bag and decided to use a sand wedge as my highest lofted club. Should low handicaps use a 60-degree wedge? Yeah, probably. Should the average hacker have one in their bag? I really don't think so. Lob wedges are anything above 60 degrees. Phil Mickelson has a 64-degree wedge in his bag for hitting those huge flop shots. Most people just stick to 60 degrees because they're so much easier to hit consistently. How Far Should You Hit A 58 Degree Wedge? On average, golfers hit their 58-degree wedge 80 yards, but the range can vary between 50 and 105 yards. The higher number is for golfers who take a full swing with their wedge, but most golfers only take a 1/2 or 3/4 swing with their wedges. To find the most accurate number possible, I asked 6 different golfers how far they typically hit their 58-degree wedge. These are the responses I got: Golfer58 Degree Distance175 yards250 yards380 yards4105 yards575 yards6100 yardsAverage Distance80 yards The range is pretty wide but the main reason is that some golfers only take a half swing with their shorter wedges. These clubs are for control and scoring, not getting max distance. You'll have way better control with a shorter swing and should almost never take a full swing with this club. Just for reference though, your typical shot should go about 80 yards with this club. How Far Should You Hit A 60 Degree Wedge? On average, golfers hit their 60-degree wedge 74 yards, but the range can vary between 60 and 100 yards. Longer hitters who take a full swing will typically be close to the 100-yard range but most golfers only take a 1/2 or 3/4 swing with their 60 degrees. Just like with the 58 degree, I went out and asked 10 different golfers how far they normally hit their 60 degree wedge. Here are the answers I got: Golfer60 Degree Distance165 yards275 yards395 yards460 yards575 yards660 yards7100 yards870 yards965 yards1075 yardsAverage Distance74 yards The range is tighter than the 58 degrees but is still pretty wide. Part of the reason is that better players normally play a 60-degree wedge. Average players should stick to a 58 degree. If you were to take a full swing with your 60 degrees, your distance should be somewhere around 100 yards. Most golfers swing at 1/2 or 3/4 speed though and that's why the average number is 74 yards.