I'm very particular when it comes to golf gloves. I want the perfect fit and feeling but most of all, I want top level performance. When it comes to golf gloves, to me performance means grip. I want a golf glove which won't let me down in all conditions, and will make up for old or tired grips on my golf clubs.
I have tried nearly every glove on the market and I have found the best golf gloves for grip out there. From premium leather gloves to all synthetic gloves, I've got you covered.
This golf glove always comes out on top of every review I do. Why? Because it's the golf glove perfected. It fits perfectly, is made from a perfect blend of kangaroo leather and synthetic materials and it is amazingly durable.
The standout feature of this golf glove is the level of grip it provides. I have never had any issues with the golf club slipping on the golf course with these gloves. I'm usually playing golf in hot and humid conditions in Thailand and the Hirzl Trust Golf glove never lets me down, even when I'm swinging out of my shoes with my driver.
The black palm might not be for everyone, and the kangaroo leather does feel slightly different to cabretta leather, but once you've tried these gloves, you will never go back.
Bonus feature - You can machine wash these golf gloves. Yes you read that right. I have put these gloves through the ringer (literally) and they come out as good as new. I have used the same glove for over two years and it still grips like a vice.
You can leave this golf glove on between shots - 100% sweat-free palm
Last for a very very very long time - years
Kangaroo leather - As thin as, but more flexible and durable than Cabretta
Swiss quality product - premium golf glove
Cons
Black palm takes time to get used to
Expensive but won't need replacing for a long time
Grip Boost Second Skin Golf Glove
The best golf gloves you've never heard of
I first tried these gloves when an American friend of my mine bought me back 3 from the states. They are a premium leather glove with a Cabretta leather palm and thumb, paired with a super breathable back of the hand. This combination make this an extremely comfortable glove.
They genuinely feel like a second skin and you barely notice that you're wearing them on the golf course. These are a great option if you don't like to wear golf gloves because they make your hands hot and swollen.
Even though this glove feels like it's not even there, I do take gloves off for putting for enhanced feel. Anyone who plays in hot humid weather knows what a pain it is to take a glove off and I often end up using my teeth to pull them off. Not with these. The Grip Boost Second Skins come off very easily.
The soft cabretta leather in the right places gives you the high level of grip that you would expect, and the excellent fit enhances the premium golf glove feeling.
While FootJoy might make the number one glove on the PGA tour, I think the TaylorMade tour preferred glove is actually a slightly better leather glove. I'm splitting hairs if I'm completely honest, but when you're forking out the extra dollars for a premium golf glove, it's the little things that count.
As expected for a glove of this level, you get super soft cabretta leather, a very nice velcro enclosure, and well placed air holes for breathability. This premium glove is used by nearly all of the top TaylorMade Tour Pros (except Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy who use Nike gloves) and if you get the right size, it's pretty darn perfect.
When it comes to grip, its a good golf glove but it loses some marks because it's not the best in wet weather. I'm being harsh as it's not designed for those conditions but it's up against some big hitters in that department in this list. It's a pretty durable glove considering how thin the leather is, but mine did show signs of wear after a handful of rounds, specifically in the thumb area.
The Bionic Stablegrip golf glove is made of genuine leather and has an extra pad on the palm where leather golf gloves usually wear out.
This extra padding has been added to also help even out your grip so you don't have to squeeze as hard to keep the club in your hands. All the places your hands may be tempted to be off the club, whereby you squeeze harder, are filled up by additional fabric in the glove. Genius design.
I really like this glove because of the top quality fit. I often find gloves are too short int he palm for me and these fit like a second skin and less like a gardening glove. It's a truly unique design where the fingers have been prerotated. Most standard gloves go straight on and then twist when you grip the club, right? Not this one.
Lycra is built into the glove to really help keep moisture at bay on those very hot humid days. You're getting a leather gloves but broken up with lycra to keep you cool, calm and collected. You can just wash these gloves on a gentle cycle in the washing machine and use them for ages. Basically, it's the perfect combination of the premium feel of leather, with the flexibility of synthetic materials.
Pre rotated fingers for less twisting of the glove when gripping the club
Lycra built into the glove for cooling and moisture wicking
Padding system fills in the gaps of your grip so you don't need to squeeze the handle so hard
Cons
Expensive
Footjoy WeatherSof Golf Glove
The best golf glove for the money. Period.
I cannot write a best golf glove article without including the FootJoy Weathersof golf glove. I use these at some point every season and they are just so dependable. I get through more gloves than normal due to playing in the tropics and having an options as good as the WeatherSof to fall back onto is ideal.
They aren't rain gloves, but they work great in those conditions and give you excellent grip. They are at their best when used in hot weather in my experience as they are very effective at wicking moisture away from sweaty hands and do this better than other gloves I have tried.
They are always available at a great price and multi-buy deals are often out there. Do what I do and stock up while they're cheap, you won't be disappointed.
Stays comfortable without that crusty stiff feeling
Most used glove brand on the PGA tour
Cons
One color
Final Thoughts on Best Golf Glove For Grip
Yes, golf gloves are very samey on the whole. But when you get a bad glove, you will know about it. The club will slip, you will get blisters and you will curse yourself for not spending a bit of time and money researching the bet golf gloves. This article should take care of the research for you, so buy with confidence.
Have you ever wondered what those funny looking sticks are that tour pros have in their golf bags? No they're not for keeping annoying fans in check or reprimanding their caddy after a bad shot (I'm JOKING), they are actually alignment sticks for practice.
But surely you can use any stick for this purpose, right? Not exactly. There are loads of alignment sticks on the market and like everything in the game of golf, some are better than others.
Let's look at what the best golf alignment sticks look like and why you should consider buying some to put in your golf bag.
Tl;dr - My pick for the best golf alignment sticks are the SKLZ Golf Alignment sticks
I used to think that golf alignment sticks were a bit of a gimmick and an excuse to sell more products until I spent some time training with pro golfer Mo Lim. He uses alignments sticks for everything, from putting to swing plane work, and I then saw the benefit of an aid to help you get proper alignment.
The SKLZ Alignment Sticks were the best alignments sticks I could find and rank as the toughest in terms of durability.
Constructed from lightweight fiberglass, every stick features 9 rings across the middle of the rod to help you with setup and ball position. This is a great little feature which I really find useful as I have a tendency to let the ball creep back in my stance.
These alignment sticks are 48 inches long meaning they fit into nearly all golf bags and are highly versatile. You can use them for nearly every part of your golf game, golf swing path, putting stroke, and short game. A rubber safety cap on the end of each rod is a cool little feature to prevent damage to you or your golf bag.
Tour Sticks were some of the original alignment sticks and were adopted by tour pros across the world. They are a simple design and useful for many different types of training drills. The rods are 46 inches in length and are UV-coated to prevent their color from fading over time.
You can get these alignment sticks in nearly every color to match your personal preferences. They also come with a nice little carry case for easy transportation when they're not in your golf bag.
If Amazon reviews are anything to go by, the Billisa alignments sticks are ranked as some of the most reliable ones and at a really good price too. Used by some tour pros, these alignment sticks are simple and brightly colored. With many color options available, most golfers should be able to find a pair which match their preferences.
A few of my regular playing partners own these due to their competitive price. They get a real beating from constant use and they look like new despite being exposed to the bright sun in Thailand.
These can be used as swing alignment rods, for ball positioning and other alignment stick drills. They have a carry tube which keeps them protected and easy to transport to the driving range if you aren't allowed to take your golf bag with you.
Again only two sticks provided but these are cheaper
GoSports Golf Alignment Training Sticks 3 Pack
Collapsible option for space conscious players
What makes these alignment sticks such a good option is that they're foldable. If you use a pencil bag, or do a lot of travelling with your golf bag, then having alignment rods which don't stick out of the top are worth their weight in gold.
These are super bright which is actually a useful thing if you're using them on driving range mats.
You get three practice sticks when you buy these instead of the standard 2. This means you can do a multitude of different drills from putting to swing plane training.
When it comes to alignments sticks, there isn't a lot to differentiate the top option on the market, so it will usually come down to personal preference. Any of the options included in this list will do the job of helping you to improve your golf game, so pick the ones which look good to you and get practising.
If you're on a budget, a synthetic golf glove can be your friend. Cabretta leather golf gloves are usually on the more expensive side and aren't always the most durable. Golf gloves made from synthetic materials are not only cheaper gloves, but they often have more features and last a lot longer. They are also better in a range of weather conditions so you can be sure to have a good grip on the club rain or shine.
I've tried nearly every synthetic golf glove design there is so you don't have to and this is my list of the top 5 on the market today.
Once again this glove tops another best of list. It's the perfect combination of price, functionality and durability, and these are all big factors when choosing a synthetic golf glove. I put a few of these in the bag at the beginning of a season and they will last for pretty much the whole golfing year, even in the hot and humid conditions that I am usually playing golf in.
Because they're made by FootJoy you know that you're getting high levels of quality control and also trusted fit options. The synthetic materials used in these gloves feel really good and you could be fooled into thinking it's a leather golf glove. You get consistent grip of the golf club and I've never been let down by one of these gloves on the golf course.
Simply the best golf glove made from synthetic materials you can buy.
The first time I tried on the Callaway Weather Spann glove, I was blown away by what a comfortable glove it was! It fits like a glove! This glove allows for all-weather performance by incorporating durable synthetic leather combined with a 4-way stretch synthetic.
It is a really good glove in the rain and it grips like a vice. The material is so thin that it feels like a premium golf glove made from soft leather. This does make me concerned that the overall durability might not be the greatest. I find that thinner gloves gets holes in the heel of the hand and thumb area faster. That being said, I used this glove for 4 rounds and didn't notice any quality issues.
The flexible knuckles add to the excellent feeling this glove provides and perforations across the glove give great breathability. Worth a try.
These Wilson gloves are so cheap, I had to include them in this list. Most synthetic golf gloves are pretty similar and come in at the same price point, so what are the noticeable differences with a glove that is that much cheaper?
The first thing you notice about the Wilson Feel Plus, is that it's not made from perfectly white synthetic material. This doesn't bother me in the slightest as my gloves get pretty discoloured from regular use, but it might bother people who only want to wear golf gloves which are pristinely white.
Of course, the colour doesn't affect the performance of the glove one bit. It's a perfectly functional glove and performs as expected in all conditions and provides good grip on the golf club. My main issue with cheaper synthetic gloves is that they can feel a bit "scratchy" inside. The synthetic leather they use doesn't alway have the smoothest finish on the underside and when they're new, there can be a lot of excess material. After a few uses this tends to go away but it's something I notice. For such a low price it's not going to stop me using these gloves, but I have to be honest about what I find when wearing these gloves.
If grip is what you looking for in a golf glove design, then look no further than the Under Armour Medal Glove. It's like velcro to a golf club! I like to give my driver a rip (probably when I shouldn't) and this glove gave me the performance and confidence to take aim and let fly.
As mentioned before, I play in hot and humid conditions, and grip is really important for me. The best golf gloves I've tried are all really grippy (the Hirzl golf gloves are some of the best for this) and you don't have to break the bank with a premium golf glove made from cabretta leather to get high levels of grip.
Looking at this golf glove, there's nothing on the palm which would make you think that it would perform like it does. On closer inspection, the surface of the palm is textured and this is what makes the synthetic material so grippy. Overall they look great and I like the 3 grey fingers, they actually help me make sure I' gripping the club correctly.
Extremely breathable synthetic material in all conditions
The TaylorMade tour preferred glove is the best premium golf glove in my opinion, so how does their synthetic golf glove stack up against the competition?
The TaylorMade Stratus Tech Glove is constructed from premium synthetic material with leather palm and offers superior fit and durability in all weather conditions.
It features an engineered perforation which adds natural breathability whilst the stretch lycra panels provide an exceptional customised fit.
It's the breathability which made this glove stand out for me. It kept my hand cool and I didn't feel the need to take it off between shots which is something I only usually find with premium golf glove gloves.
You don't need to break the bank to game a golf glove that will perform under all conditions. I stopped using premium leather gloves a long time ago and it hasn't impacted my game one bit. Synthetic gloves are here to stay and they should be in your bag now!
Ah the mighty heavenwood. I have recently put one of these into my golf bags and I don't know why I didn't have one sooner. In my opinion the hevenwood is one of the best kept secret golf hacks in the game, so what exactly is a heavenwood golf club?
A Heavenwood is another word for a 7-wood but it actually specifically refers to a model of 7 wood created by Callaway Golf in 2004. In this article we're going to look at the brief history of the Heavenwood specs and look at some reasons why it's gathered cult status among the golfing world.
What Is A Heavenwood In Golf?
A Heavenwood is a hybrid golf club originally designed by Callaway in 2004.
Most golfers really struggle to hit their long irons and equipment manufacturers are always looking for ways to get more people enjoying the game and by extension buying more gear!
The heavenwood was designed to be easier to hit and more forgiving than a long iron or fairway wood and appeal to a wider range of golfers with a variety of skills levels.
Heavenwoods and rescue clubs in general are there to give you straighter ball flight, more distance, and better options from the tee, fairway and rough.
What Is The Difference Between A 7 Wood And A Heavenwood?
It's pretty confusing to work out what's going on with all the different names flying around so it makes sense to ask, is a heavenwood a 7-wood?
The key difference is a 7-wood made by most manufacturers other than Callaway with have a shaft that is standard length for the loft of the club. The shaft on a Callaway heavenwood specifically is a 4-wood shaft, so players will naturally hit the ball longer using a Callaway heavenwood.
Can you still buy a heavenwood?
Yes you can still buy a heavenwood today. There are many second hand options available online from a variety of retailers but it is worth noting that the modern "heavenwood" is no longer a hybrid but a proper fairway wood.
The term heavenwood has become synonymous with any seven wood golf club these days, and there has been a resurgence in popularity in these clubs since tour players like Dustin Johnson started to play them.
What loft is a Heavenwood?
The original heavenwoods came in a range of lofts from 17 to 23 degrees. This is pretty typical for hybrids or utility clubs as it covers the long irons in the golf bag. Here's a quick breakdown.
17 degree heavenwood - 2 or 3 iron
20 degree heavenood - 4 iron
23 degree heavenwood - 5 iron.
The specific irons that a heavenwood would replace will depend on the lofts of your set. Some modern golf irons have much stronger lofts than in previous generations so make sure you check your gapping before adding a heavenwood or other hybrid to your set.
What Kind Of golfer should use a heavenwood?
The classic Callaway heavenwood was a hybrid, and any golfer at any skill level can benefit from playing a hybrid on the golf course. Hybrids offer control and accuracy from a number of different lies and can be used as an effective tee club too.
The modern heaven wood, (essentially a Callaway seven wood) offers many of the same features as a hybrid but with some key differences. Some golfers prefer the bigger head of a fairway wood over a hybrid as it gives the more confidence over the ball. Golfers who have a shallow swing might also benefit from the longer shaft and bigger head of the modern heavenwood as it will encourage you to "sweep" the ball instead of hit primarily down on it which is what happens with a hybrid.
In reality, a seven wood is perfect for most players. I love mine and you'd have to offer me a really compelling alternative to get it out of my bag.
Is A Heavenwood Easy To Hit?
Based on my experiences and of players I know who have a heavenwood, it's one of the easiest clubs to hit. The higher loft, combined with the more forgiving head size gives you a bigger margin for error and you can swing with confidence.
Heavenwood vs hybrid?
The key difference between a heaven wood and a hybrid of the same loft is the shaft length. A heavenwood will have a longer shaft than the equivalent hybrid.
A 4 hybrid with 22 degrees of loft and a 40 inch shaft is the closest match to a heavenwood. It really depends on your personal preference and how long a shaft you feel comfortable using.
Heavenwood vs 3 wood
A standard 3 wood has 13 to 17 degrees of loft. A heaven wood will have a higher loft, around 21 degrees so will naturally launch the ball higher a shorter. The heavenwood has a 40 inch shaft, similar to a 4 wood, so won't feel too different to those guys who game a 3 wood. The main difference will be in ball flight, control and overall distance, however all of these might be cancelled out by the ability of the player to get a better more consistent strike with a heavenwood.
Final Thoughts On What is a Heavenwood
I'm going to keep this short and sweet. If you struggle with a reliable tee shot or lack consistency with approaches to long par 4s and 5s. Get a heavenwood. You'll be in 7 heaven in no time.
They say you drive for show and putt for dough, and I have to say that I agree with this golf cliche. Being a good putter is the best way to bring down your scores and most golfers are looking for any help they can get on the putting green.
The best golf balls for putting are going to have features which make lining up your putts correctly an easy task and provide you with consistent feel and roll off the face of the putter. I have tried nearly all golf ball brands over the years to find the perfect ball and I think I have a selection which you will find your new gamer from.
I'm not immune to getting yips on the putting green. I went for a good stretch of my golfing life to date absolutely petrified of any putt longer than 2 feet and I wish that I had access to balls like the Callaway Chrome Soft triple track. Steve from my channel started to use these golf balls last season and he is now putting like an absolute certifiable baus. He is just so confident over anything within 5 feet and it makes beating him in matchplay very, very tough.
Steve always used the Callaway Chrome Soft anyway, so switching to the triple track version was a no brainer and an easy step for him. He wasn't using a matching triple track Odyssey putter when he first started, but has now put one in the bag and it's a potent mix of gear for sure.
Triple Track uses Vernier Hyper Acuity to improve alignment compared to a regular side stamp alignment aid. The three lines make sure everything is square to your intended target and ensure that you're getting the putter face square at impact. I've always been a fan of how Chrome Soft balls feel off the face of every club, including the putter (super soft) and these balls are exactly what you would expect from a premium golf ball.
If you lack confidence on the putting green, these really are the best golf balls for putting that you can buy.
*Pro tip If you're on a budget, the Triple Track also features on Callaway's ERC golf ball, which is also excellent.
JMac from my channel has what I would describe as an unhealthy relationship with these TaylorMade Pix golf balls, he just can't get enough of them. The product of a long term collaboration with Rickie Fowler, TaylorMade took a bold step in changing golf ball technology by developing the TaylorMade TP5 Pix. First available in 2021, the Pix is a variation of TaylorMade’s premier TP5 golf ball, which has become a staple on the pro tours and a major challenger to the Pro V1.
The Pix only has visual changes to the TP5 design with 12 orange and black triangle-shaped graphics strategically printed on its urethane cover, which TaylorMade calls its ClearPath Alignment technology. The orange on the triangles allows golfers to visualise three clear lines going through the centre of the ball. This is similar to the Callaway Chrome Soft Triple Track reviewed above and it works as a useful way to help set the line of a putt when crouching behind the ball or to check your face angle when addressing the putt. As a bonus, the alignment tool can also be used off the tee to help visualise where to aim your tee shots.
I really like using this ball, especially on grainy bermuda grass greens. You get so much confidence seeing your line so clearly, and the graphics make the ball look bigger. As you would expect from a premium tour level ball, you're going to get all of the spin control, ball flight stability and durability to justify the higher price.
I used the Callaway Chrome Soft Truvis for 2 seasons and absolutely loved it. It's one of the best golf balls for putting but also makes chipping and other shots much easier. These balls look like soccer balls and give you the appearance that they are much larger than they are. I know that this sounds weird, but when you look at a Truvis, you don't feel like you can miss the sweet spot with whatever club you have in your hands.
I like the red and pink Truvis, but you can get all kinds of patterns now, from Shamrocks to the stars and stripes of the American flag, whatever takes your fancy. When it comes to putting, I like that the Truvis markings show you if you've hit the ball properly. If you wipe your putt, the ball will look like a mess of colour, whereas if you strike the middle of the putter with a square face, you will get solid lines rolling towards the hole. This is a great visual aid and practice tool.
There aren't many innovations in the world of golf equipment, and I feel like the Truvis was a genuine revelation at the time. If you can get over the inevitable banter from your playing partners, you might well become a putting demon.
Like the Pix, not everyone will like the look but you can't deny the performance
TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe golf balls
The most help you can legally get from a golf ball
If you are someone who leans on a line to get your putts going at the hole, this is for sure the golf ball for you. The TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe has the biggest line or "stripe" printed on any golf ball I have ever seen. It's pretty much a third of the ball and you just cannot miss it.
I'm a big fan of the Callaway Triple track and I think that this innovation (if you can call it that) is just as useful for golfers who struggle with their putting stroke. The key here is that's it useful both on and off the course, as an alignment and training aid. When you're playing, you use the stripe and lines to aim your putt, on the practice green or at home, you watch how the line moves after you've hit your putt to work out if you've hit the ball pure. If that line spins or wobbles significantly, you've put too much sidespin on the ball and it's never going to behave how you want it to. If it rolls end over end, you've hit a pure putt and you need to groove that feeling!
This is a premium TaylorMade golf ball designed to compliment their TP5 offering, and it's got a price tag to match. As you would expect, the quality and durability of this ball is second to none, and I found it to spin like crazy on my shorter clubs. Give it a go if you are just a straight up bad putter.
Visually impactful, you know when you've hit a good putt
Textbook TaylorMade golf ball performance
Cons
It's a massive yellow line at it does look a bit like a practice ball
Srixon QStar Tour Divide golf balls
Best golf ball for putting practice
Ok, these are not good looking golf balls. They look like those foam practice balls you buy to hit in your back yard, so please don't mix one up as you will smash either yours or your neighbors windows!
What you have to remember with these Srixon QStar Tour divide golf balls is that they aren't really meant for on course use. Sure, there is nothing stopping you from gaming them, as they perform just like the standard QStar Tour, but visually, they are designed to help you with lining up and hitting your putts square.
The color divide proved to be an effective alignment tool for me when I was putting. I got and instant idea of how well it was making contact with the ball and if I was starting it on the right line. The worse I hit it, the more I saw the ball's colors rotating off center. It's a really good tracking tool for my putting consistency, and when paired up with a steel ruler drill, you really get a feel for the quality of your stroke.
I am a fan of the QStar Tour golf ball anyway, so I know this ball will be a good option on the course, I just don't know if I would find it too distracting after a few holes. Either way, I have a sleeve in my bag at all times for pre-round practice and they seem to be helping me.
These balls do look super gimmicky. No doubt about it.
Best alignment golf ball
The best golf ball for alignment with your putter is any golf ball from Callaway with their Triple Track design. You can go super premium with the Chrome Soft range, or more affordable with the still excellent ERC Soft version.
Final Thoughts on the Best Golf Ball For Putting
I have tried to select a few balls here which balance out on course performance with off course practice benefits. The Triple track from Callaway is the most understand of these putting aids, but when paired with a Triple track Odyssey golf putter, is a potent weapon. The Stripe and Pix from TaylorMade and the Truvis from Callaway offer something more visually striking to trick your mind into lining up your putts more effectively, whereas the Divide from Srixon takes the concept to another level entirely. If you suck at putting, give one or more of them a go and let me know how you get on.
Many beginner golfers and high handicap golfers struggle to keep their putter face square through impact. I have seen loads of players who push and pull their putts and they often have one thing in common. They are using the wrong putter for their game.
The easiest putters to keep square are a face balanced putter or mallet putter. Blade putters look cool but they aren't the most forgiving putters on the market so think twice before gaming a blade style putter.
I have tried nearly every putter under the sun in an effort to slash my scores and here is a list of the easiest putters to keep square. Let's say goodbye to missed putts for good.
Guys who think they are bad putters usually suffer with poor feel or bad alignment. If you have issues with both of these things, then the Odyssey White Hot 2 Ball is made for you. These mallet putters have been helping golfers with their golf game for years and if you check the golf bags at your local course, you will be guaranteed to find a few in play.
The two ball alignment aid, coupled with the super soft White Hot face give you the best chance of making a consistent stroke. Mallet putters tend to suit golfers with a back and through putting stroke and the weight of the Two Ball is evenly distributed to help you keep the face square.
Pair this putter up with a thick Super Stroke grip and start getting some confidence on the greens.
Balanced putter head for straight back stroke path
White hot face gives a consistent roll
Cons
Some say it's "too forgiving" and lacks feel
Wilson Harmonized M5 Putter
Best value putter for stability
You don't need to buy a premium putter to get maximum forgiveness and stability. This Harmonized M5 putter from Wilson is a budget option and is a great putter for the money.
The Horizontal lines on the putter head visually support alignment for a more accurate setup and the midsize Harmonized putter grip features a vertical seam on the back side to improve feel throughout the stroke. A premium feature (for such a cheap putter) is the the micro injection polymer face insert which improves feel upon contact with the golf ball.
I really like the colors of this putter and I've recommended it to many guys who are working to a tight budget as it provides loads of premium features for a fraction of the price of some premium models.
Face insert for a smooth feeling of the putter face
Really nice putter grip for enhanced feel
Cons
Paint chips after a while
TaylorMade Spider Putter
Best looking stability putter on the market
I've really liked the TaylorMade spider putter since I borrowed one from Pro Mo who features on my YouTube channel. He really likes how stable this shape of putter is and how evenly the weight of the club head is distributed.
I bought one of these when I was in Malaysia after the country was on lock down. Getting back into the groove with my putting was tough, and my usual Cleveland Classics V blade putter was really difficult to use. I was struggling with sliced and pushed putts and the TaylorMade Spider felt reassuringly heavy in my hands and big behind the ball.
I prefer mallets for slower greens and if that's what you play on regularly, this is such a good putter. Couple that with the awesome looks and you've got a winning combination. Just make sure you get the correct shaft length for your style of play, otherwise the lie angle of the putter face will be wrong.
When I first saw this putter in action on the golf course, I thought it was a prank being played by one of my playing partners. He hadn't told us he had bought this putter, and on the first green he lined up his putt and just walked away. WOW! The putter just stood there and didn't budge.
I had to try it and guess what, it's actually a really great putter. The weight in the head and shaft makes the whole piece feel very, very stable through your stroke and it's very easy to commit to long putts on slow greens.
On faster greens it's a little less of a finesse tool but if you're lacking in confidence it has "that" feeling. It also makes lining up long putts a breeze as you just put the putter behind the ball, step back and check your alignment. Once you're happy, just step up to the ball and make a stroke. Simple!
Buying the right putter for you can help you to keep the face of the club square at impact, but we can always practice to make our short game sharper. Hare are some useful drills I've found to help keep that putter moving on the right line and the ball going towards the cup.
2 ball drill
For this drill you need to use two golf balls. Place the first down as you normally would for a putt in your stance and them and then put the second directly to the left (as a right handed player).
Now make a putt as you would on the course and watch how the second ball reacts. If you have a square club face at impact, the second ball should move towards the target in a straight line. If you have an open or shut clubface, the ball will spin off in a direction away from the hole.
If you aren't able to get the second ball rolling straight, make some adjustments to your stroke to see what works. The second ball doesn't lie!
The club nudge
This is a great drill for grooving a solid impact feeling with the putter. Much like using an impact bag with your longer clubs, this practice drill will show you if you a striking the center of the putter face consistently.
On the practice green, place you 7 iron on the surface so the bottom of the club is pointing towards the hole. Now, address the butt of the club's grip like it's a golf ball. You then make a putting stroke and "nudge" the club towards the target hole. If you aren't squaring the face up at impact, the club won't move straight, and will try to flip over. It's also a great drill for training yourself to follow through on putts, as if you quit on the stroke, the club won't go anywhere.
It's a strange one to people watching, but trust me, it works.
Blade putter vs. Mallet putter
The best putter for the beginner and low confidence golfer is going to most likely be a mallet putter. That being said blade putters are very popular so it's important to understand the main differences between these styles of putters.
Blade Putter
In a blade putter, the shaft connects either close to the heel or sometimes in the center of the head. Blade putters are typically used by golfers that prefer an arc or open and closed action to their putting stroke. Blade putters can feel heavier as they have their mass concentrated around the sweet spot of the putter face and this can make them less forgiving than a mallet.
Mallet Putter
A mallet putter is usually more confidence inspiring for beginner golfers than a blade style head. They are notable for their larger heads which come in different sizes and shapes from a thor's hammer to a spider. A large portion of the weight is away from the face of the club, giving it a different feel when used. Those that prefer the straight back, straight forward swing, like this style because the center of gravity is toward the rear of the club, making it easier to keep square.
These are often call high MoI (Moment of Inertia) putters and make it easier for you to make a consistent and confident stroke.
Belly putters vs Broom handle putters
Belly putters are usually 40-45 inches long and are anchored around the navel. If you’re struggling with too much wrist action, the anchor serves as a point of contact reducing wrist movement. Caution, as of January 1, 2016 anchoring putters to your body isn’t allowed, but the putter itself remains legal.
Broom handle putters range from 46-50 inches long and up. The advantage of the long putter is, it removes any wrist action. With the anchor hand, it holds the club to your chest while your opposite simply guides or barely touches the club. Some say the long putter is easy on the nerves, which makes it very appealing who tend to get into their own head.
When possible I try to include a couple of different vendors so you can get the best deal available!
Final Thoughts on the easiest putter to keep square
If you struggle with your putting stoke on any type of surface, the putters in this list will help you to have a more stable and consistent stroke. I would avoid the super blade style putters you see Tiger Woods using until you can keep the face of the putter square through impact. If you are still having issues, check out my article on the best golf balls for putting for some added help.
Hybrid golf clubs make the game of golf so much easier for the average golfer. They help you to get the golf ball in the air quickly and are very forgiving from tricky lies like deep rough and sand.
If you are thinking of putting a hybrid club into your golf bag you might be wondering which hybrid club replaces which iron. A hybrid may have the same loft as an iron, but do that mean it will go the same distance and give you the same ball speed and club head speed?
In this article we will see which hybrid clubs match up to which golf irons to help you make the best decisions and hit great shots on the golf course.
Long irons usually make golfers try harder to help the ball into the air. The hybrid was created to make a downward strike on the golf ball, like with an iron, but easier to make the ball fly high. Every mid to high handicapper will agree that a hybrid changed their game when they replaced their 4 or 5 iron with their hybrid equivalent.
Hybrids are easier to hit out of long grass
Irons get caught in the blades of grass in the rough. The hybrids thick, flat sole glides through the grass, and the rounded edges slide through the tangling grass. Golfers can prevent those nasty shots that stay in the long grass by using hybrids from the rough more often.
Long par 3s are reachable
It's terrifying for a lot of golfers to hit a long iron from a tee, or the fairway. Par 3 holes with lengths over 180 yards are the most difficult holes if you have no confidence in a long iron. Hitting the ball off a tee peg with a long iron can mean hitting the ball high in the club face and staying short of the green.
The hybrid is so much more forgiving and if you hit it higher in the face, it will still carry a decent distance, putting you on the front edge of the green instead of well short of the green like with an iron. In fact, it's encouraged to tee the ball higher with the hybrid compared to the equivalent iron.
Hybrids prevent big slices
Hybrids usually have a tendency to pull the ball shape right to left. That is a huge advantage for golfers, especially higher handicappers, who slice the golf ball. The hybrid is much easier to hit straighter than a long iron. Long irons usually move left to right for almost every golfer especially in the beginning of their journey.
How long irons can be better than hybrids
Irons are easier to manipulate ball flight
Hybrids usually launch the ball high and make the ball move right to left. Long irons are very easy to move left to right but more importantly, are easy to keep low or hit higher. You can manipulate the ball flight much easier with an iron than you can with a hybrid.
The wide sole and flat bottom of the hybrid makes the turf interaction more about keeping the ball straighter and higher than an iron. An iron can be manipulated easily. A word of warning: this only applies to lower handicap golfers and high handicappers should not be attempting to shape the ball with any long irons. There is no immediate benefit to learning that skill.
Irons give more spin
A 3, 4 or 5 iron will have much more spin on the ball than a hybrid. The hybrid will however hold the greens due to the steep angle of descent. When the ball falls out of the sky after a hybrid shot, the ball lands steeply on the green, and this helps to stop the ball.
Long irons can fly much lower, but because of the spin imparted from the deep grooves on the irons face, the ball will land on the green and stop quickly despite the lower ball flight. Side spin is also easier to impart on the long irons especially if you would like to hit a fade shot.
Which iron does a hybrid replace?
To put this list together, we've based the lofts of the irons against the lofts of the Srixon ZX7 golf irons. These are not super game improvement golf clubs with very strong lofts, but they're also not butter knife blades with very traditional loft values. We want to compare forgiving irons to hybrids.
Modern lofts for irons
Notice the loft in the 2nd column in the image below. These loft numbers are the modern lofts used on iron sets and will serve as the baseline for the list below.
Which hybrid is equivalent to which iron?
17 or 18 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 2 iron golf club.
19 or 20 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 3 iron golf club.
21 to 23 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 4 iron golf club.
24 to 26 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 5 iron golf club.
27 to 29 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 6 iron golf club.
30 or 31 degree hybrid would be equivalent to a 7 iron golf club.
Hybrid loft
Equivalent iron
14-16°
1-iron
17-18°
2-iron
19-20°
3-iron
21-23°
4-iron
24-26°
5-iron
27-29°
6-iron
30-31°
7-iron
Comparing Hybrid vs Iron Distance
Hybrid clubs have had the biggest impact in improving so many golfers iron games. They replace those hard to hit long irons and help you get the golf ball into the air, increase your average distance and boost confidence.
Does a hybrid golf club go the same distance as an iron? There are a few factors to consider such as loft, head shape, center of gravity and shaft length, all of which we'll explore in this article.
So how does a hybrid distance compare vs an iron?
Hybrid clubs vs Irons Equivalent Distance Chart
Club
Loft (Degrees)
Carry distance (Yards)
3 iron
19
209
3 hybrid
19
217
4 iron
21.5
200
4 hybrid
22
204
5 iron
24
192
5 hybrid
25
197
6 iron
27
179
6 hybrid
28
181
These numbers were gathered by Matt our editor. The data was collected using a golfer with a swing speed of 100 mph on the most accurate radar machine, the Trackman monitor. The settings were normalized. The number here is carry distance which excludes roll-out.
The irons he used were the PXG 0311 P irons and equivalent PXG 0317 X Gen4 hybrids. Despite having higher lofts, the hybrids always travel further than the iron with the same number printed on the bottom.
The decision to choose a hybrid vs. iron will be based on the information in the article. We covered every aspect of the differences and similarities between both types of clubs. Think about what would benefit your game the most and explore your options.
You might find you hit the long irons really well, or you might hit everything up to a 5 iron well. That leaves some space in the bag for a hybrid or fairway wood even. Don't take anything as gospel because a lot of people do not like hybrids. It's all about what fits you specifically. You are the main character.
The 5 wood and the 7 wood can be key clubs in your golf bag for both tee shots and approach shots. They are both much easier to hit than the traditional 15 degree 3-wood that a lot of golfers own.
It can be confusing to understand what the differences since the pros rarely play 5 and 7 woods but let's take a look at 5 wood vs 7 wood so you know what the benefits are of both and which fairway wood you could have in the bag.
You might even take both!
5 Wood vs 7 Wood in Detail
5 Wood vs 7 Wood Loft
A 5-wood has 18 degrees of loft while a 7-wood has 21 degrees of loft.
Both the 5 wood and the 7 wood are easier to hit and get airborne than any 3 wood. With a loft of 18 to 21 degrees, the 5 wood and 7 wood are much easier to hit off the turf than a 15 degree fairway wood.
A five wood is very easy to hit from both the tee and the ground but a 7 wood will be just slightly easier. The higher loft on the 7 wood means it flies higher and lands softer than a 5 wood. This higher loft will increase spin and can help to keep the ball on target more than in a 5 wood.
The 5 wood at 18 degrees, corresponds to a 2 iron loft. The 7 wood corresponds with a modern 3 iron or 4 iron. It is much easier to hit both the 5 wood and the 7 wood instead of a long iron like a 3 or 4 iron.
I think the 5 wood is a good choice for golfers that struggle off the tee especially on shorter par 4s. The 5 wood is also a good choice if you find yourself in the 180 to 200 yard range to the green a lot on your golf course. They are very accurate and land softly to hold greens.
If you have a lot of shots in the 170 to 190 yard range, the 7 wood can be a tool to help you hit those greens easier than with a long iron. You can see that both the 5 wood and 7 wood can help you to reach par 4's and also hit accurate tee shots on short par 4s.
5 Wood vs 7 Wood Shaft Length
The shorter a club, the easier it is to control and hit in the correct direction.
The main reason that the 7 wood is easier to hit in the direction you want over the 5 wood is that it is half to 1 inch shorter than the 5 wood.
5 Wood Distance vs 7 Wood
The loft is lower in the 5 wood and the shaft is also longer. That means the 5 wood is certain to go longer than the 7 wood with the same strike.
The difference in distance will usually be between 10 and 15 yards. If you swing a bit faster, you might find the gap widen to 20 yards between the 5 and 7 wood.
Top 3 Reasons to carry a 5 wood
Easier to hit off the tee
May have a yardage advantage
May be more versatile for punch shots and longer tee shots
Why You Choose a 7 Wood
Slower swingers should try a 7 wood first. The lower the loft of a club, the more difficult it is to get it airborne. That's just one of the realities of golf. A 7 wood will suit a slower swinger more than the 5 wood.
Top 3 Reasons to carry a 7 wood
Is shorter and has additional loft for more control and soft landing
May be better out of the rough due to gliding through the tall blades
May be more precise because of shorter shaft and higher loft
The 7 wood is easy to launch high and hit greens with. A long iron just cannot compare to the ease of a 7 wood. The 7 wood is a great way to replace long irons or hybrids if you do not like them.
This club will help you hit higher and longer shots than a long iron, especially if you are a slower swing speed player.
If you have trouble getting the ball in the air, the 7 wood is for you!
What is Best for Beginners?
Both the 5 wood and the 7 wood are perfect for beginners. I would advice a beginner skip the 3 wood altogether and start with a 7 wood. You can add a 5 wood later in your journey to increase distance.
What is the Best for Mid Handicappers?
Mid handicappers should also scrap the 3 wood, replacing it with a 5 wood and adding a 7 wood as well. Most mid handicappers cannot control a 3 or 4 iron nearly as well as a 7 wood.
Any mid handicapper who struggles with a hook when they hit a hybrid, should replace their 3 hybrid with a 7 wood immediately. The 5 wood will give them an excellent replacement for driver on some holes on the golf course. Both the 5 wood and the 7 wood should be in every mid handicappers bag.
Which is Easier to Hit?
Comparing the 5 wood and the 7 wood to a 3 wood, they are both much easier to hit than the 3 wood. But of course with a shorter shaft and higher loft, the 7 wood is easier to hit than the 5 wood.
Conclusion
For low handicappers, I would say pick one or the other whichever is best for your bag.
For mid handicappers, get both the 5 and 7 wood.
For high handicappers, start with the 7 wood, and add the 5 wood if you find you like the 7 wood. If you do not like the 7 wood, you can try a 5 wood or replace them with hybrids.
If you are a golfer that cannot hit hybrids or long irons well, you might make room for both clubs in your bag.
Golf rangefinders are a super useful tool for golfers of all levels. Quite simply, they remove the guesswork from calculating yardages on the golf course, giving you highly accurate distances to the flag or hazards in front of you.
But do you know how to use a golf rangefinder? Thankfully it's a lot easier to use a golf rangefinder than actually playing golf! In this article we're going to cover all of the biggest questions around how to use a golf rangefinder. We'll look at how to aim your rangefinder, right through to understanding the technology behind laser rangefinders and how the slope setting works.
How does a golf rangefinder work?
A Laser Rangefinder uses a laser beam aimed at the target to work out its distance. A laser is beamed to the target, like the pin, and reflects back to the rangefinder. The time that it took the laser to reflect back to the device is used to calculate the distance.
Some laser rangefinders feature an internal ‘inclinometer’ which can factor in the slope of your target area. Slope is determined by the distance from level the reflection is upon returning to the device. Another feature some have is a ‘PinSeeker’ ability which allows the device to focus on the pin and not background objects. To help golfers targeting with a rangefinder many are equipped with up to five times magnification lenses to give you a really crisp view of what you're aiming at.
The big advantage of having a rangefinder is its flexibility and ability to allow you to pin point any object on the course and work out how far away it is. No more downloading course maps to your watch and waiting to acquire a good GPS signal. You simply point and shoot, no hanging around.
Laser rangefinders in my experience tend to be slightly more accurate than a GPS rangefinder as you're not relying on a satellite in space to give you a distance. I find the best of both worlds is to use a laser rangefinder and a GPS watch to get all the information you need, like front, middle and back distances to the green and then very specific yardages to the flagstick.
How to use a golf rangefinder monocular
If you've ever seen a golf rangefinder before, you might have noticed that golfer's use it with just one eye. This is called a monocular rangefinder, and all rangefinders are configured in this way.
Using a rangefinder is a really simple operation, all you need to be able to do is keep you non viewing eye closed and then have steady enough hands to operate the controls on the rangefinder unit and keep it on target.
Where to aim a golf rangefinder
When using a rangefinder on the golf course, you're going to be trying to get a distance reading to the pin on the green, a hazard or another point on the course to set up a specific yardage.
All good quality optical rangefinders designed to be used for golf will be able to pick out a target object with ease. To get a good lock on your target, its best to aim the rangefinder at the biggest part of the object. So if you're aiming for a flagstick, aim at the flag and if you're trying to work out how far that water hazard is, aim at one of the red stakes marking where the hazard starts.
On many golf courses you will now see that flagsticks have special material attached to them with a reflective surface which makes it much easier for the laser rangefinder to acquire the target.
If you are having trouble getting and accurate reading, there are a few things too look out for.
Objects in the foreground - If there are branches, leaves or other parts of the golf hole even slightly obscuring the flag or other target, there's a chance your range finder might pick up the wrong thing. Usually it's pretty obvious as the reading you'll get will seem odd, so make sure to take a couple of measurements or cross check against a GPS app or distance markers to make sure you're in the right ball park.
Colour and size of the flag - I might be totally wrong here, but I swear that rangefinders struggle to pick up certain colors, blue being the worst in my experience. I'm sure there will be people reading this saying I'm crazy, but whenever I play a course with white or yellow flags I never seem to have an issue getting the exact distance I need. I also found that in flat calm conditions with no wind, it's very hard to get a good reading as the laser beam doesn't have a big enough target to aim at.
Check your battery - Most rangefinders use CR2 batteries. They have a pretty decent lifespan if you buy from a quality brand, but I have found that if my battery is low on juice, my rangefinder will struggle measuring distances and getting a solid lock on the target. If you have a more modern gps golf rangefinder, you will find that your battery will get drained really fast, so always carry a spare with you. Precision Pro offer free battery replacements for their products and I've personally used this service and it's pretty cool to get free batteries sent through when you need them.
How to hold a rangefinder steady
Not all of us have the steadiest of hands, and when you're faced with a clutch shot out the golf course, you might find it hard to get a lock onto the flagstick or target.
Most modern rangefinders will work even if you swaying about a bit, but I've found a few things help to keep your aim locked on.
Use one hand to hold the rangefinder and rest your elbow on your chest. This will prevent your arm from shaking.
If you're riding in a golf buggy, use the frame of the cart to steady yourself. If you can fold the windshield down, you can rest the rangefinder on-top of the bottom half, giving you a solid base.
If you have a willing playing partner, you can use their shoulder as a rest. Just ask them first!
Good quality rangefinders will have a target lock feature, essentially the rangefinder will buzz when it's acquired the target. Use this to make sure you're firing the laser at the right thing on the golf course.
What is slope mode on a rangefinder?
Slope mode on a golf rangefinder is a super cool feature and should improve your golf game. Slope basically means that the rangefinder will give you a distance which takes into account how much yardage the terrain in front of you will add or take away from the distance between you and the target.
For example, if the flag is on a slope above you, you will have to hit the ball further as the incline will stop the flight of the ball prematurely. So a shot which on paper is 165 yards could actually be 175 yards depending on the severity of the slope.
How to use slope on a rangefinder
Slope mode is by default switched off on a rangefinder and not all golf rangefinders have a slope mode. The reason slope mode has to be enabled is that it is not legal for tournament play. If you're playing golf casually then you can have slop engaged.
Depending on the model of your golf rangefinder, slope is usually switched on by pressing a button on the case of the unit. On my Precision Pro rangefinder, this is done by pressing the "Mode" button once. I know I have slope on as the display of the rangefinder shows "M2" or mode 2, which means the feature has been enabled.
To switch slope mode off, simply press the mode button again. It's that easy.
A handy feature of most rangefinders with slope is that it will show you two yardages, one with and one without slope. This is good as it trains your eye to understand how inclines and declines on the golf course will affect your yardages. Then when you have to switch slope off for a tournament, you will be better equipped to adjust your game to what is in front of you.
Amateur golfers should benefit from this feature as it will reduce the chances of poor club selection. Many golfers calculate the distance to the flag by looking at on course yardage markers or with a golf gps watch or app. This will only give you part of the story and an optical rangefinder with slope is well worth having.
Are slope rangefinders legal?
Yes slope rangefinders are legal - BUT you cannot use the slope feature for tournament play. Most golf courses won't check, but you could be asked to prove you have the slope function off if you play in an open at a golf course you're not a member at for example.
Hunting rangefinder vs golf rangefinders
Hunting rangefinders and golf rangefinders are not the same! They may look similar and even be made by the same manufacturers, but do not bee fooled.
Hunting rangefinders make use of “Distant Target Mode” that focuses on targets in the wilderness, not the foreground like a golf rangefinder.
Hunting rangefinders are more precise than golf rangefinders but you may have to compromise on speed since they tend to be a little slower. They also differ in terms of range. Most golf laser rangefinders cover up to 400 yards. Some may offer more coverage but that comes at a cost – less accuracy. Hunting rangefinders easily cover 1,000 yards but they can’t tell you exactly where the flag is.
Final thoughts on how to use a golf rangefinder
I firmly believe that all golfers should use a golf rangefinder. They feature extensively on my YouTube channel and are a key tool for golfers trying to break 100, 90 and 80. Why wouldn't you use all of the tools at your disposal to get the job done and lower your scores. Check out my reviews and buying guides to find the best rangefinder for your needs and budget.
Usually, golfers talk about how far they hit their tee shot, or their 7 iron but we rarely ask "how far should you hit your wedges?"
On my Youtube channel, I hammer home the importance of the game inside 125 yards where the shots are shaved. It's called the scoring zone, where you reduce your handicap.
You must know how far each of your wedges go. It's also important to have consistent distance control with the pitching wedge, gap wedge and sand wedge so you hit the ball closer to the hole.
So how far should you hit your wedges? Different wedges have different degree lofts. The distances for average male golfers are between these distance ranges:
Lob wedge (60 degrees) 50 to 80 yards
Sand wedge (56 degrees) 65 to 90 yards
Gap wedge (52 degrees) 80 to 110 yards
Pitching wedge (48 degrees) 90 to 120 yards
It does not matter if you fall into the average above or not. The important part is:
You must KNOW your carry distance with each wedge honestly and accurately!
We cannot use our ego distance for wedges. It's about precision, not power.
Controlling the distance of each wedge is the key once you know the distance that you hit them, 8 out of 10 times.
When you know how far you hit each wedge, you can plan to leave yourself your favorite distances to the hole on your approach.
The wedge game is the key to scoring in golf whether you're a low, mid or high handicapper. Keep in mind though, the wedges will not miraculously bring you more birdies.
The wedge game reduces the big numbers on your scorecard down to bogeys and double bogeys.
Wedge Distance Chart
CLUB
LOFT
DISTANCE
(Degrees)
(Yards)
Pitching wedge
45-48
90-120
Gap wedge
49-53
80-110
Sand wedge
54-58
65-95
Lob wedge
58-60
60-80
What degree is a gap/approach wedge?
The gap or approach wedge has a loft of 52 degrees.
We use approach wedge and gap wedge as interchangeable names for the same club. The gap wedge or approach wedge exists as a club to plug the distance gap between your pitching wedge at 45 degrees and your sand wedge at 56 degrees. Each iron is separated by 3 or 4 degrees of loft in your iron set but your pitching wedge and sand wedge live 11 degrees apart.
We use the gap wedge or approach wedge to fit in between the PW and SW. You can differentiate between the gap wedge and approach wedge by looking at the letter stamped on the bottom of the club. The gap wedge shows a 'G' while the approach wedge shows an 'A'.
What degree is a pitching wedge?
A pitching wedge has 45 degrees of loft.
Each manufacturer produces pitching wedges with different lofts based on whether the iron set is a players iron, a game improvement iron or a super game improvement iron. The super game improvement irons pitching wedges have a loft of 43 or 44 degrees while the game improvement pitching wedges use 44 or 45 degrees. Players iron sets contain pitching wedges with 46 or 47 degrees.
Clearly the loft of the pitching wedge decreases for less skilled golfers, and increases for more skilled golfers.
Iron brand
Pitching wedge degrees
Taylormade SIM2 Max
43.5°
Taylormade P790
45°
Taylormade P770
46°
Taylormade P7MB
47°
Cobra King Radspeed
42.5°
Cobra King Forged TEC
44°
Cobra King Tour
45°
Callaway Big Bertha B21
43°
Callaway Apex DCB
43°
Callaway Apex
43°
Callaway Apex Pro
45°
Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal
44°
Mizuno JPX921 Forged
45°
Mizuno JPX921 Tour
46°
Mizuno MP20
46°
Mizuno MP20HMB
46°
Pitching Wedge Distance - How far should you hit a pitching wedge?
The average distance male golfers with an average swing speed can hit the pitching wedge 100 yards.
Faster swinging golfers will hit the pitching wedge 120-140 yards.
Pitching wedges vary in loft from 42 to 47 degrees which can make a huge difference in carry distance. A 42 degree pitching wedge can fly 10 yards further than a 47 degree pitching wedge when hit by the same golfer.
What degree is a sand wedge?
A sand wedge has 56 degrees of loft.
Sand wedges in irons sets can vary from 54 to 56 degrees in loft but the traditional standard loft remains 56 degrees.
Most modern golf iron sets do not contain a sand wedge so you need to purchase a standalone sand wedge. That means you can exercise your own choice depending on your needs. If you do need a standalone sand wedge, any wedge with a loft of between 54 and 58 degrees will perform perfectly.
56 Degree Wedge Distance - How far should you hit a 56 degree?
Your full shot should with a 56 degree wedge should fly 75 yards or more.
Faster swinging golfers will hit the sand wedge 100-110 yards.
There is no reason to hit the sand wedge longer than 110 yards because at that stage, your ball spins far too much to control and the sand wedge performs as a finesse club, not a distance club.
What degree is a lob wedge?
A lob wedge has 60 degrees in loft.
60 Degree Wedge Distance - How far should a 60 degree wedge go?
60 degree lob wedge should fly more than 60 yards. For faster swing speeds, the 60 degree wedge can carry 90-100 yards.
When to Use a 60 Degree Wedge
60 degree lob wedges are versatile and make excellent clubs for getting out of bunkers, lobbing the ball high over obstacles and for partial wedge shots.
Which Wedges Should I Carry?
A modern pitching wedge has 45 degrees of loft while a sand wedge has a loft of 56 degrees.
You can play great golf with only these two wedges.
After some experience, you may notice a large distance gap between the sand wedge and pitching wedge that you can fill with a gap wedge.
I recommend that if you have 1 year of experience in golf, then you should have 3 wedges – a pitching wedge, a gap wedge and a sand wedge. You should shoot for intervals of 4-6 degrees of loft between each wedge.
If your pitching wedge is 48 degrees, you can use a gap wedge between 50 or 52 degrees of loft and a sand wedge with 56 or 58 degrees.
Why Should I Have Many Wedges?
You should play 3 or 4 wedges so that you can hit the ball a specific distance when you really need to - when it counts.
When you have confidence in the distance you hit the ball with a certain wedge, you feel committed and hit the ball closer to the cup for an easier par or bogey save.
Inside wedge range, confidence is most important to avoid the dreaded fat shot or thin shot.
Having the correct wedge for the task reduces your stress and lowers your score.
You are a natural born scrambler
The degrees of loft you choose for your wedges do not matter if you focus on hitting specific distances.
You might find you hit your preferred distances with a weird set of lofts. That's perfect for you! It must make sense for YOUR game.
If you know the distance you hit with each wedge, then you have power in your game to score well, by knowing with confidence, that you will hit good shots.
If you are an average hobby golfer trying to break 90 or breaking 100 is a goal, you must understand that we just will not hit many greens in regulation. That means you need to know your wedge distances to hit more greens in regulation +1 shot for more par and bogey saves.
How can I accuse you of not hitting greens? Here's the data from Shotscope:
100 breakers will hit 1-2 greens in regulation
90 breakers will hit 2-4 greens in regulation
80 breakers will hit 4-8 greens in regulation
par breakers will hit 8-12 greens in regulation
By default, we are scrambling with our wedges regardless of our handicap.
How to Measure How Far You Hit Your Wedges
There are three easy ways to learn your wedge distances:
Go to a Trackman bay at an outdoor driving range or indoors. You can hit balls and the Trackman will collect the information for you and give you a great spread of data and your average number.
Go to a field and hit your wedges. Try to see how much they are bouncing and where they land. You can leave a golf ball bag where you were hitting the balls and walk to where the balls were landing. You then shoot a rangefinder back to the bag from where you are standing. This is a very accurate way to know.
You can check this out on the course. When you play a social or casual round, hit 3-4 balls to the green with your selected wedge from a known distance. Shoot the distance to the pin. hit the appropriate wedge and then over the entire round, notice how far short or how far long you were in relation to the pin. This is also a very accurate way to gauge your wedge distance. To make this even more accurate, use a GPS watch to track the distance from where you hit it to where it landed.
The key is to remember DO NOT use the AVERAGE number.
Use the distance number that comes up most often.
If the most common number for your PW is 110 and 113 and 115, then you know your wedge distance range is 110 to 115 yards. If you have a few outliers like 126 and 98, you should ignore those.
You have to remember to stay brutally honest with yourself.
Do not lie to yourself. Use the club that works, not the club that impresses other people. That is the best piece of advice you'll read today, I guarantee.
How to Hit the Partial Shots under 75 yards
To hit the partial wedge shots inside 75 yards, you need all of your wedges and ONE swing.
You have the FULL swing, but now you need a PARTIAL swing.
You can decide on the length of your partial swing. I use a feeling and the feeling doesn't need to be accurate, but it must be repeatable:
25%
50%
75%
Pick one of the percentages and practice making this partial swing the same length each time.
Substitute in each wedge and hit the ball with the percentage you chose.
For example, with the same 50% feeling swing, your pitching wedge will fly 60 yards, your gap wedge will fly 50 yards and your sand wedge will fly 40 yards.
All using the same swing. This is a simple way to get great inside partial wedge range.
How to Hit the In-Between Wedge Shots
What shot do you hit if you have 95 yards to the hole, but your gap wedge flies 90 and your pitching wedge flies 100-105?
It doesn't matters how many wedges you carry in the bag, you always seem to have these in -etween shots.
This is the key to hitting the partial shot:
You'll need a GPS watch.
Look at your GPS watch.
The back of the green is 115 yards. The front of the green is 91 yards.
Look at ALL that space behind the hole!
Ignore the flag!
You can hit the shot between 92 yards and 114 yards and stay on the green.
In this instance you should hit the pitching wedge because your distance range is 100-105 which is well short of 115 yards at the back edge. That means at the most you will have a 30 foot putt but you will be on the green even with a poor strike.
If you hit a 90 yard gap wedge, it can also work if the front of the green is flat and there is no hazard or chance of spinning down a hill. I would err on the side of caution and ignore the flag and get the ball to the middle of the green with a pitching wedge.
Play your approach shots to a distance range with your wedges. Finding a specific distance can prove very difficult depending on your level of skill.
Choosing wedges for your set
50 vs 52 Degree Wedge - which gap wedge is best?
My golf game improved when I filled the gap between my pitching wedge and sand wedge but which GW wins the battle between 50 vs 52 degree wedge?
I believe that the 50 degree wedge is the best option for the average golfer who wants to play three wedges. A 50 degree wedge will plug the gap nicely between PW and SW.
However, a 52 degree wedge might suit your game better depending on your bag set up so let's check some options for your situation.
50 or 52 Degree Wedge? What should I use?
The specific gap wedge you choose depends on the distance you hit your pitching wedge and sand wedge. You can select a gap wedge loft depending on which distance you would like to hit the gap wedge.
You do not need to work on degrees of loft, but on the distance you want to hit.
It also depends on the types of short game shots you play and the yardage gap you have with full swings.
Here's the set up I play:
Pitching wedge: 46 degrees
Gap wedge: 50 degrees
Sand wedge: 54 degrees
Lob wedge: 58 degrees
I prefer having nice 4 degree gaps between by wedges - I choose the 4 degree gap because I play the same brand in all my wedges. If you play different brands, you cannot use only degrees of loft to plug the gap.
A 50 degree wedge is used for full approach shots into greens.
We use a 50 degree wedge for short chip and pitch shots around the greens.
The gap wedge provides a useful option for playing lower trajectory pitch shots and chip shots because of lower loft and less bounce than a sand wedge.
The 50 degree wedges tops where it lands on partial shots, where a sand wedge hit to the maximum requires a firm strike and that creates too much back spin which is uncontrollable.
50 degree wedges work for longer bunker shots as it travels further than sand wedges with more roll out.
You can also use a 50 degree gap wedge very effectively for wedge shots into the wind, where it has less spin than a 56 degree wedge and therefore won't balloon up into the sky.
What Is A 52 Degree Wedge Used For?
With only 2 more degrees of loft than the 50 degree wedge, 52 degree wedges fulfills a very similar role in a player's golf bag, but with a few minor differences.
More loft means less distance but more spin so a 52 degree wedge is useful for partial shots into the green and for a specific yardage on full shots. By creating less spin on the partial shots, you can account for some more consistent bounce and roll.
A 52 degree wedge is really useful for a bunker shot where the ball is plugged. You can't play these shots with a sand wedge without really manipulating the face of the golf club. You have to close the face so much that it points toward your shins. The 52 degree allows you to play a normal bunker shot and make solid contact. The ball should pop out with less spin and more roll.
50 Degree Wedge Distance
The average distance male golfers with average swing speed expect to hit their 50 degree wedge is 85 to 95 yards. Those who are big hitters, or are skilled enough to play full shots can hit the ball as far as 125 yards with their 50 degree gap wedge.
52 Degree Wedge Distance
How far does a 52 degree wedge go?
Average golfers hit their 52 degree wedge around 80 - 90 yards.
Of course this depends on the lie of the golf ball, swing speeds and other factors.
Most players will probably hit a 50 and 52 degree wedge the same distance.
Final Thoughts
You don't need to compare your distance to others.
The key is to KNOW your own distance with each wedge and with each swing so you can use your exact distances and shots to keep your score down with great wedge play.
Inside 125 yards is the vital part of golf and hitting the green 6 or 7 times out of 10 is a great achievement because even the pros only hit 70% of the greens from this distance.
