What Is a 50-Degree Golf Club?

A 50-degree golf club is one of the most versatile scoring tools you can put in your bag, slotting a specific role as a high-loft wedge. This article will break down exactly what a 50-degree club is, why it's often called a gap wedge, whether you need one, and a few simple ways to hit it effectively for different shots around the course. Think of this as your complete guide to mastering this essential club.

What Exactly is a 50-Degree Club?

In simple terms, the "50-degree" refers to the loft of the clubface. Loft is the angle of the clubface in relation to the vertical shaft. The higher the loft number, the higher and shorter the ball will travel, and the more backspin it will generate. A driver might have 9-12 degrees of loft, while a a sand wedge is typically 54-58 degrees.

The 50-degree club falls squarely into the "wedge" category, sitting between a traditional Pitching Wedge and a Sand Wedge. Because of this unique position, you'll often hear it called by a few different names:

• Approach Wedge: Many manufacturers call it this because its primary job is hitting "approach" shots into the green. When you see an "A" or "AW" stamped on a wedge, it's very likely a gap wedge.
• Gap Wedge: This is arguably its most common and descriptive name. It earns this title because it's designed to fill the yardage "gap" that often exists between a player's Pitching Wedge and Sand Wedge.

Years ago, club sets had more traditional lofts, and golfers could get by with just a Pitching Wedge and a Sand Wedge. But as manufacturers have made modern irons with stronger lofts (less loft) to produce more distance, the gap has grown. Today, a new Pitching Wedge might have anywhere from 43 to 46 degrees of loft, while a standard Sand Wedge sits around 56 degrees. That creates a massive 10-13 degree gulf - which can translate to a 25-30 yard difference in distance on the course.

The 50-degree wedge is the club purpose-built to fill that gap. It gives you a specific tool for those tricky in-between yardages, so you're not forced into an awkward half-swing or trying to overpower a lesser club.

Do You Actually Need a 50-Degree Wedge?

This is a question many golfers ask, and the answer almost always comes down to one thing: Do you have a large and awkward yardage gap in your short game?

Picture this scenario. You're standing in the middle of the fairway with a perfect look at the flag. The rangefinder says you have 105 yards to the pin. You know from experience a full swing with your Pitching Wedge flies the ball 120 yards, well over the green. But a full Sand Wedge only carries about 90 yards, leaving you in the bunker short of the green.

What’s your play? You have two less-than-ideal options:

1. The "Soft" Pitching Wedge: You can take a 75% or 80% swing with your Pitching Wedge. This is a tough shot to control. It requires a flawless sense of rhythm and tempo, which can be hard to repeat under pressure. More often than not, you either don't take enough off and airmail the green, or you "decelerate" and leave it short.
2. The "Hard" Sand Wedge: You can try to step on your Sand Wedge, swinging it way faster and harder than normal to squeeze a few extra yards out of it. This usually results in a loss of control, a pulled shot, or poor contact a an all-around inconsistent shot.

Here is where the 50-degree gap wedge becomes your best friend. It gives you a third option: a smooth, confident, full swing that is designed to go right around that 105-yard distance. Instead of manipulating your swing, you simply select the right tool for the job. This removes the guesswork and doubt, allowing you to make a committed, athletic swing - the kind that produces your best shots.

For any golfer who wants to tighten their scoring and shoot lower numbers, filling that yardage gap with a 50-degree wedge is one of the quickest ways to improve confidence inside 120 yards.

When to Use a 50-Degree Wedge

While its primary job is hitting full approach shots, the 50-degree wedge is a true utility player. Its moderate loft makes it useful for a number of situations.

From the Fairway for Full Shots

This is the job it was made for. That full-swing distance that's too short for your Pitching Wedge and too long for your Sand Wedge? That's the 50-degree's sweet spot. For many male amateur golfers, this yardage falls somewhere between 90 and 110 yards. Find out your personal yardage with this club and trust it. When you have that number, you'll feel an enormous sense of confidence standing over the ball.

Pitching and Chipping Around the Green

Its versatility shines in the short game. The 50-degree works wonders for those longer chips and short pitch shots from 20-40 yards out. It gives you a great blend of flight and roll.

• Compared to a Pitching Wedge (PW): A 50-degree will fly a little higher and land softer than a PW, giving it less roll-out. This is useful when you have less green to work with but don't want the extreme height of a sand or lob wedge.
• Compared to a Sand Wedge (SW): It will fly a little lower and run out more than a SW. It's a great choice when you want the safety of loft to carry onto the front of the green but also want the ball to release and run towards a back pin location.

From a Good Lie in a Fairway Bunker

If your ball is sitting cleanly on top of the sand in a fairway bunker and you're within that 100-yard range, the 50-degree can be a fantastic option. It provides enough loft to comfortably clear the lip of most fairway bunkers (unlike_ a 9-iron), but it will travel farther and with a more piercing trajectory than a sand wedge. It’s a smart, safe play that keeps you in scoring position.

A Simple Guide to Hitting Your 50-Degree Wedge

Let's not over-complicate this. Hitting this club well comes down to adopting the right setup and mindset for the shot you're trying to hit. Here’s a simple breakdown based on the same principles we use for all iron shots.

Technique for Full Swing Approach Shots

When you're facing a full shot, think "precision," not power. This is a scoring club, and accuracy is far more important than a few extra yards.

• The Setup: Take a stable stance with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Position the ball just forward of the center of your stance, right under your chest is a good checkpoint. Make sure your weight is balanced 50/50 between your feet. Stand tall but lean over from your hips, letting your arms hang down naturally.
• The Swing Thought: "Rotate and finish." Just like with my other iron swings. Once you are set, the goal is to rotate your torso away from the ball on the backswing and then unwind your body through the ball towards the target. No need to swing out of your shoes, a smooth, rhythmic 80% swing will produce the most consistent results.
• The Finish: Commit to finishing your swing. Rotate your body all the way through until your chest and hips are facing your target. You should finish with all your weight on your front fool and hold a balanced, athletic position.

Technique for Chips and Pitches

For shorter shots around the green, we want to quiet the body and simplify the motion. The goal is contact and distance control, letting the club's loft do the work.

• The Setup: Bring your feet closer together for a much narrower stance, this will prevent you from swaying. Play the ball in the center or a touch back from the center of your stance. Put a little more weight on your front foot (about 60%) and keep it there throughout the swing. This encourages a clean, downward strike on the ball.
• The Swing Thought: "Pendulum." Think of your arms and shoulders forming a small triangle that rocks back and forth. This is not about hips and body rotation. The body stays quiet and the arms and shoulders control the club. "Tick-tock" is a great mental key.
• The Action: Distance is controlled by the length of your backswing. For a short chip, only take the club back to your knee. For a longer pitch, take it back to your hip. Practice taking swings of different lengths and see how far the ball flies with each. This builds a great feel for distance control without needing a mechanical swing thought.

Final Thoughts

The 50-degree wedge is a specialized scoring tool designed to give you a reliable, full-swing option that bridges the distance between your pitching wedge and sand wedge. Its versatility also makes it a powerful asset for a wide range of chips and pitches, giving you more ways to get the ball close to the hole.

Figuring out those precise yardage gaps and knowing when to pull the 50-degree versus pitching a sand wedge can be hard to judge in the heat of a round. That's why we built Caddie AI. On the course, you can describe your shot, and our app can provide an instant club recommendation based on your distance and conditions. It takes the guesswork out of those critical scoring situations, so you swing with complete confidence and make smarter decisions.