Modern Wedges, Bounce and Knowing what to choose ?

               

For many people it is difficult to know exactly what to look for in wedges regarding exactly which loft / bounce combination to have in their golf bags with many people still relying on the PW and SW that comes with the set with a huge gap in between the loft of these two clubs - modern PW has roughly 46 degrees SW 55 depending on the manufacturer. Most golf professionals will have 3 or 4 wedges in the bag depending on their own preference and the type of ground at the course they are playing and they will be inclined to change the loft / bounce combination regularly to accommodate this.The average player will most likely be playing the same golf course on a regular basis as a member so should not need to change wedge options like a tour pro but it is recommended to have 3 wedges with proper loft gaps and bounce to suit the course.As a rule if the ground conditions are normally hard less bounce is considered to be better with soft ground more bounce is better, however it also depend a little on your technique.

'Slider' : 

This style of player has a shallow angle of attack with minimal ground contact which means shallow divots and sand displacement and can slide the club head under the golf ball with an 'open' face.
This style of player is better to choose wedges with medium bounce although it is important to consider the normal ground condition when considering the bounce.

'Digger' :

This style of player has a moderate to steep angle of attack normally with a full divot being taken or more sand displacement and tends to play with a square club face relying on the loft of the club. This style of player is better to choose wedges with more bounce for better playability especially from sand. For firm ground medium bounce is suitable, while for soft conditions more bounce.
Consider a set option that would include a lower lofted medium bounce wedge with a higher lofted wedge with high bounce.

'Shotmaker' :

A skilled shot maker can normally vary their angle of attack and can produce different shots depending on the position at hand. It is better to choose wedges with medium to low bounce to be versatile in manufacturing shots of different type. Consider having at least one wedge with increased bounce to give maximum shot making opportunities. It is also worth mentioning that most manufacturers can also custom grind the soles of wedges to suit the player.

Determining Your set composition in Wedges :

When trying to determine how many wedges you should carry in your golf bag it is worth considering having a club you have confidence in, and are reliable with for bunker shots. Also full wedge shots will produce more spin which means it is worth having more than two wedges in your set, having three wedges is recommended. It is important to have a proper loft / yardage gap in between your wedges just as it is with the rest of your set and it is beneficial to hit fuller shots into greens giving proper trajectory and spin to stop the ball without either too much roll or too much backspin.

Most modern wedges will have the degree of loft as well as the degree of bounce stamped on the club head. When buying wedges it is better to consult a PGA golf professional for advice on what to buy but of course if your short game is generally not as good as you expect it to be it is recommended to have a short game lesson to improve your technique.

Graeme Leggat PGA Advanced Golf Professional

                                                                 Loft 56 Deg : Bounce 11 Deg

Loft 56 Deg : Bounce 14 Deg

                                              


                                     

             
Loft 58 Deg : Bounce 4 Deg

Golf Posture

                                        

In the picture above you can see three golfers of different age and ability with what would appear to be different golf posture(s). The golfer on the left hand side has his back in an arched position which can be termed as 'C-Posture'. The golfer on the right hand side has a curvature in his lower back which can be termed as 'S-Posture' or 'Sway Back'. The golfer in the centre as well as being younger is also likely to be the best golfer of the three as he has what would be termed as 'Neutral Posture' which technically is the best pictured here. Your 'golf posture' will help to determine the way in which you swing the golf club causing either good or bad angles depending on how good or bad your golf posture is , a bad golfer can be the cause of injury as well as an inefficient golf swing.


C-Posture: The golfer on the left hand side of the picture has his shoulders slumped forwards with a general roundness to his back area from the tailbone to the back of the neck. To rotate the shoulders correctly during the back swing it is essential to have good thoracic extension ( backward bending of the shoulders, not forward ). Golfers with a C-Posture as a rule tend to have poor spinal rotation / back swing rotation due to poor thoracic extension and find that it is difficult to maintain posture throughout their golf swing.

S-Posture: The golfer on the right hand side of the picture has too much curvature in his lower back which can be caused by a misconception by the golfer of sticking out the tailbone / backside area. It is possible to stick out the tailbone / backside out at address position without causing this curvature in the lower back if you can hinge properly from the hips with the pelvis tilted correctly and extending the shoulders backwards to keep the spine in a neutral position. Golfers with S-Posture tend to have weak core muscles i.e. weak glutes and abdominals in combination with a tight lower back which in many cases leads to back pain or injury. Golfers with S-Posture tend  to also suffer from a loss of posture or a reverse spine angle during the back swing which in turn will affect the sequence of the golf swing due to the lower body being out of position during the downswing.

Neutral Posture: The golfer in the centre of the picture has what would be termed as good golf posture. From his tailbone to the thoracic spine you can see no curvature what so ever. To achieve and also maintain this golf posture during a golf swing requires good thoracic extension with a good balance of core strength with sufficient flexibility from the hip flexors and hamstrings. If you can achieve this golf posture you are well on your way to making a good efficient golf swing before the club is on the way in the back swing.


It is possible dependant on the person to improve any physical weakness or limitation through exercise either at home or in a gym if that is necessary to improve the golfers game, as well as their physical state in general. For those golfers with a short term or long term injury who cannot improve their swing in a good technical way it is possible to work around any weakness or limitation to improve their golf games through tuition from a certified PGA TPI Golf Professional.

 Graeme Leggat  PGA  Advanced Golf Professional 

                                 

            
                         
                                                      TPI : The Titleist Performance Institute