Choosing the right wedge bounce can feel confusing, but it’s one of the most direct ways to improve your contact and consistency around the greens. Getting it right helps the club interact properly with the turf, giving you more forgiveness on chips, pitches, and bunker shots. This guide will simplify wedge bounce and walk you through, step-by-step, how to select the perfect bounce for your swing and the courses you play.
In the simplest terms, bounce is a design feature of a wedge's sole that prevents it from digging into the ground. Officially, it’s the angle between the ground and the sole of the wedge when the shaft is perfectly vertical. The higher the bounce angle, the more the leading edge is raised off the ground at address.
Think of it like the hull of a boat. A speedboat with a sharp, V-shaped hull is designed to cut through the water efficiently. This is like a low bounce wedge, built to nip cleanly through firm, tight turf without much resistance. Now, picture a flat-bottomed pontoon boat. Its wide, flat hull is designed to skim across the surface of the water, not dig into it. That’s a high bounce wedge, built to slide - or "bounce" - through soft turf and fluffy sand without getting stuck.
This "bouncing" action is what adds forgiveness. It gives you a built-in buffer against slightly heavy contact, allowing the club to glide through the turf instead of chunking it. The key is matching the amount of "bounce" to your unique swing and the typical ground conditions you face.
While the bounce angle (measured in degrees) is the primary number you'll see, you'll also hear about "sole grinds." A grind is the shaping of the heel, toe, and trailing edge of the sole. Manufacturers "grind" away parts of the sole to make the wedge more versatile. For example, a C-grind removes material from the heel and toe, allowing you to open the face for a flop shot without the leading edge coming too far off the ground.
For today, we’re focusing on the bounce angle, as it’s the foundation you need to understand first. Getting the right bounce number for your game is 90% of the battle.
Bounce is generally grouped into three categories. Understanding what each does is the first step in figuring out what you need.
The most important factor in choosing your bounce is your own swing. Are you a "Digger" who takes deep divots, or a "Sweeper" who picks the ball clean? Finding out is simple.
The next time you're at the driving range (on a grass hitting area) or in a short-game practice area, conduct a simple test. Take about 15-20 shots with a wedge, aimed at a specific target about 30-50 yards away. Don't think about it too much, just make your natural swing. After your shots, look at the turf you just hit from.
Where you play most of your golf is the next important piece of the puzzle. The same swing might need different bounce profiles depending on the environment.
Ask yourself: What is my home course typically like?
Your swing type is still the primary factor, but let your course conditions steer you one way or another. For example, a "Digger" playing on a rock-hard course could benefit from a versatile mid-bounce (around 10°) instead of a super high-bounce (14°+) wedge.
You shouldn’t have the same bounce on every wedge. A smart setup involves mixing and matching bounce angles to create a versatile short-game toolkit. A Pitching Wedge (PW) and Gap Wedge (GW) are often used for full shots where bounce is less of a factor, but your Sand Wedge (SW) and Lob Wedge (LW) are where bounce customization makes a huge difference. Here are a few examples.
This setup works for a huge range of players and conditions. There's a reason mid-bounce is the most popular - it just works.
Choosing the right wedge bounce simply comes down to understanding your swing and your typical playing environment. By identifying if you're a Digger or a Sweeper and factoring in whether your home turf is soft or firm, you can take the guesswork out of the process and find equipment that actually helps you hit better shots.
Understanding your equipment is one powerful way to feel more confident on the course, and having instant access to expertise is another. As coaches, we designed Caddie AI to act as your on-demand golf expert, always ready to lend advice. You can ask anything from fundamental questions about swing mechanics to complex course strategy in the middle of a round. For tough lies, you can even snap a photo of your ball, and our AI will suggest the best way to play the shot, removing doubt so you can swing with conviction.
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