Pretty much all iron sets come with a pitching wedge, and there’s good reason for it, it’s one of the most versatile clubs in the bag. Whether you’re a beginner or a scratch golfer, you should have a PW in your bag. This post will cover everything you need to know about them.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A pitching wedge is a club that comes with between 42-46 degrees of loft and will fit between a 9 iron and gap wedge. It comes standard with most iron sets and is one of the most important wedges to carry because of its versatility.
I’ve done a lot of research and testing to find out everything I can about the PW. Things like when you should use it, how far it should go, and how to actually hit it. Let’s dive in.
In This Guide
- The Pitching Wedge, Explained
- What Is A Pitching Wedge Used For?
- How Far People Hit Their Pitching Wedge
- What Shaft To Use In Your Pitching Wedge
The Pitching Wedge, Explained
Since most iron sets already come with a PW you’ll probably already have one. If you don’t, I might recommend getting one because they’re so useful.
A PW is one of the most used clubs in the bag and is the first or second wedge people should get. If you’re wondering, the sand wedge is the other one.
With a PW and SW, you can hit 90% of the shots out there (bunker, fairway, high chips, bump and run). This is all I’d recommend for beginners and high handicaps. Get the other wedges once you get better.
Not sure about how many wedges to carry? Read our guide HERE.
Pitching Wedge Loft
On average, a pitching wedge will have 43.5 degrees of loft but the numbers can range between 42 and 46 degrees. These numbers have been decreasing over the years and will depend on the skill level the clubs are designed for.
A lot of articles out there say that most PW has between 44 and 46 degrees of loft. That was the case a few years ago, but the numbers have been decreasing over the past couple of years. I looked at every iron that was put out this year and this was the number I calculated.
Game improvement clubs tend to have lower amounts of loft to squeeze out any sort of additional distance. Tour-level clubs tend to have a higher amount of loft. It’s not always the case, but most of them have 43-44 degrees of loft. You can also bend the loft to fully customize the club.
Pitching Wedge Bounce
Most pitching wedges have between 7 and 11 degrees of bounce. This makes them considered to be mid to high on the bounce scale.
The higher amounts of bounce make it harder to dig the club into the ground. As Bob Vokey says, “Bounce is your friend.”
It really depends on what type of courses you’ll be playing and what your swing is like (steep vs shallow). For more info, read our guide on wedge bounce.
What Is A Pitching Wedge Used For?
A pitching wedge is used to hit bump-and-run shots around the green and for full shots from the fairway. With more loft compared to a 9 iron, it will travel higher and shorter. With less loft compared to a gap wedge, it will travel lower and longer.
My PW is probably my favorite club in the bag. The first reason is that I hit it so well. The other reason is that it’s incredibly versatile and can be used in a bunch of different places.
Here are the two main uses for a pitching wedge:
- To hit 110-140 yard shots
- For bump and run shots around the green
Everyone hits different distances so there isn’t a set rule for when to use your PW. We’ll get into this more in the next section but most people will pull out the PW when they’re 110-140 yards out.
A question I see a lot is “Can you chip with a pitching wedge?” In my experience, a pitching wedge can be used to hit lower chips onto the green, also called a bump and run. These shots work when there is no obstacle in front of you or you have a lot of green to work with.
Everyone has seen the high flopping shot on tv, but not everyone can (or should) hit that shot. Hitting little bump-and-run chips that land on the green and roll to the hole is a much safer play for average golfers.
A PW is one of your options for this. You can see the other options HERE.
Another question I see a lot is “Can you use a pitching wedge in the sand?” Hitting a pitching wedge out of the sand will only work when you’re in a fairway bunker away from the green. When you’re close to the green, a pitching wedge won’t work well because of the lower loft and bounce.
How Far Should A Pitching Wedge Go?
Most golfers will hit their pitching wedge between 100 and 140 yards. After asking 10+ different golfers from different age and skill groups, the average person hits their pitching wedge 116 yards.
The distance you hit your PW will depend on a wide range of factors. Male or female plays a role and so does age (usually). Skill level also tends to impact distance, but it wasn’t always the case.
I’ve golfed with a few single-handicap golfers who barely hit their PW over 100 yards. I also know people who shoot over 100 that hit their PW 150+ yards. It’s not always the case, but in more cases than not, better golfer = more distance.
See how far people hit their pitching wedge HERE.
Pitching Wedge Shaft (Flex & Weight)
The average golfer should use the same shaft in their pitching wedge that they do in their irons. This will allow you to have a consistent feel across your clubs and should help you improve your game.
For a lot of golfers, it’s not going to make sense to have irons with light steel or graphite shafts and wedges with heavy shafts. They’ll just feel way too different.
Pretty much all iron sets come with a PW and they’ll have the same shafts off the rack. This is what beginners and high handicappers should stick with.
That said, as you start getting better you might want to consider getting your clubs fitted to your swing. I might recommend looking into this when you can consistently shoot in the 80s (and want to improve).
When you buy an individual wedge, a lot of them will come with a “wedge” flex. This is pretty much just a stiff flex. This could be the way to go for some golfers, but it might not give you the best performance if you use senior or regular flex iron shafts.
Wedge shafts will also come in different weights. It can get a bit complicated and you’ll never fully know until you go in to get fitted. Individual wedges off the rack will normally be heavier than iron shafts. The article above talks about this more in-depth.
I recently switched from regular to stiff flex irons, which my PW had as well. Since I use my PW to hit full shots, I wanted the flex and weight to be the same as my other irons.
Matching my club shafts to my swing has made a big difference and has made the PW my favorite club. It might not work for everyone, but for me, it made a difference. You’ll never know until you try.
Learn more about what shaft to use in your PW HERE.
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