How to Hit Wedges in Golf

Nothing can transform your scorecard faster than mastering how to hit wedges in golf. These clubs are your scoring tools, designed for precision and control from 100 yards and in. This guide will walk you through the essential fundamentals - from setup to distance control - giving you a clear, actionable plan to turn your wedge game into a strength you can rely on.

Understanding Your Scoring Clubs

Before we can hit them well, let’s quickly get to know the tools. Most golfers carry three or four wedges, and each one is designed for a specific job based on its loft (the angle of the clubface).

• Pitching Wedge (PW): Typically 44-48 degrees of loft. This is your go-to for longer pitch shots and full swings from the fairway. It flies lower and rolls out more than the other wedges.
• Gap Wedge (GW) or Approach Wedge (AW): Typically 49-53 degrees. Its job is to "bridge the gap" in distance between your PW and your Sand Wedge. It’s a versatile club for medium-length pitch shots.
• Sand Wedge (SW): Typically 54-58 degrees. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s an amazing club from grass, too. The high loft helps the ball get up quickly and stop fast. It also has a feature called "bounce" on its sole, which helps it glide through sand and thick grass without digging.
• Lob Wedge (LW): Typically 58-62 degrees. The highest lofted club in the bag, it's designed for delicate shots around the green that need to go very high and land very soft with minimal roll, like getting over a bunker to a tight pin.

Why Loft Matters

In simple terms: less loft = lower flight, more roll. More loft = higher flight, less roll. The goal isn't just to get the ball on the green, but to control how it gets there. Understanding what each wedge does is the first step toward choosing the right club for the shot in front of you.

The Foundation: Your Wedge Setup

A great wedge shot starts before you ever take the club back. The setup for wedges is slightly different from a full iron shot and is geared entirely toward precision and a downward strike.

1. Stance Width and Ball Position

Forget the wide, powerful stance you use for a driver. For wedges, you want to feel more compact and in control. Narrow your stance so your feet are roughly just inside your shoulders. For a standard pitch shot, place the ball in the dead center of your stance. This central position helps you strike the ball at the bottom of your swing arc, which is essential for pure contact.

2. Weight Distribution

This is a big one. At address, shift about 60% of your weight onto your lead foot (your left foot for a right-handed golfer). Imagine your zipper or shirt buttons are slightly in front of the golf ball. This gentle weight forward encourages a descending angle of attack, meaning you hit the ball first, then the turf. This is the secret to that crisp, "pro" sound and a divot that starts after the ball.

3. Hand Position and Grip

Position your hands slightly ahead of the ball, so the shaft of the club is leaning gently toward the target. This press helps keep your hands leading the clubhead through impact, preventing the dreaded "flip" or "scoop" with your wrists. It’s a powerful position that promotes solid contact.

Finally, choke down on the grip an inch or two. This shortens the club, giving you much more control and feel - two things that are vital for accuracy.

Combine these three elements - narrow stance, weight forward, hands ahead - and you have built a powerful, repeatable setup for hitting pure wedge shots.

Dialing It In: The Clock System for Automatic Distances

The single biggest struggle for most amateurs with wedges is distance control. One shot flies the green, the next comes up 20 yards short. The "Clock System" is a simple, effective way to take the guesswork out of your yardages from 100 yards and in.

The idea is to create three consistent swing lengths for each wedge, using your arms as the hands of a clock.

How to Practice the Clock System

Grab your Sand Wedge and head to the range or a practice green.

1. The 7:30 Swing: Without putting too much thought into it, make a backswing where your lead arm (left arm for righties) only goes back to about the 7:30 position on a clock face. It’s a very short, controlled motion. Focus on rotating your chest and keeping the same tempo as always. Hit 5-10 balls and see how far they carry on average. Let's say it's 30 yards. That's your 7:30 number for your SW.
2. The 9:00 Swing: Now, extend your backswing so your lead arm is parallel to the ground, pointing to 9:00. This is your classic half-swing. Again, hit 5-10 balls with a smooth tempo. Maybe these shots carry 55 yards. That's your 9:00 number.
3. The 10:30 Swing: Finally, take the club back to a three-quarter position, around 10:30 on the clock. This will feel close to a full swing but with more control. Let’s say this sends the ball 75 yards. That’s your 10:30 yardage.

Just like that, you have three reliable, "stock" yardages with your Sand Wedge (30, 55, and 75 yards). Now, repeat this exact same process with your Gap Wedge and Pitching Wedge. At the end of the session, you'll walk away with nine dependable distances dialed in. When you're on the course and have 70 yards to the pin, you won't have to guess, you’ll know that’s your 10:30 Sand Wedge or 9:00 Gap Wedge.

Coaching Tip: The key is rhythm! Don't try to swing harder or faster for the longer swings. Extend your backswing, but maintain the same smooth tempo through the ball for every single shot. The length of the swing, not the speed, dictates the distance.

Pitch vs. Chip: Clearing Up the Confusion

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they represent two different shots with two different goals.

Chipping: Get it on the Ground

A chip is a shot that has minimal air time and maximum roll time, like a putt from off the green.

• When to use it: When you're just off the green with plenty of green to work with and no obstacles in your way.
• How to hit it: The motion is much smaller and involves very little wrist hinge. Think of it as a firm putting stroke. Use a less lofted club like a Pitching Wedge or even a 9-iron. Your setup will be even more narrow, with the ball back in your stance and your weight heavily favoring your front foot (around 70-80%). The goal is to land the ball just onto the green and let it roll out to the hole like a putt.

Pitching: Get it in the Air

A pitch is a larger shot that has more air time and is designed to stop more quickly once it lands.

• When to use it: When you need to fly the ball over an obstacle (like a bunker or long rough) or when you need the ball to stop quickly on the green near the hole.
• How to hit it: This is a miniature version of your full swing, using the wedge setup and clock system described above. It involves more body rotation and wrist hinge than a chip. You’ll use your more lofted wedges (SW, LW) to generate height and spin.

A simple rule a former coach told me: Chip it whenever possible, but pitch it when you have to. If you can get the ball rolling on the ground, there's less that can go wrong.

Flight Control: From Low Spinners to High Floaters

Once you've got the standard shot down, you can learn to manipulate trajectory. This comes from small adjustments to your ball position and clubface.

• To Hit it Lower (Knockdown): Play the ball slightly farther back in your stance (an inch behind center). This de-lofts the club at impact, producing a lower, more piercing flight with more spin. This is a great shot into the wind.
• To Hit it Higher (Flop Shot): Play the ball an inch or two forward of center. At address, open the clubface so it points slightly to the sky before you take your grip. You will need to swing a little harder to compensate for the added loft, but the ball will launch much higher and land softer. Use this to get over bunkers or stop the ball on a dime.

Final Thoughts

Becoming an expert with your wedges doesn't happen overnight, but it also doesn't need to be complicated. By building a solid setup, using a simple system for distance, and practicing the difference between a chip and a pitch, you will build confidence and start turning bogeys into pars and pars into birdies.

As you work on these shots on the course, sometimes you'll face a complicated lie or feel stuck between two clubs, and getting an expert opinion can save you from a big number. That's why we created a tool to give you Tour-level advice in seconds. With Caddie AI, you can snap a photo of your lie and get an instant recommendation, ask about club selection into the wind, or get a simple strategy for a tricky par 4. Having a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket is designed to take the guesswork out of golf, so you can play with more confidence and enjoy the game more.