How many wedges should you carry in your golf bag?

It’s important for any golfer to get the best possible wedge set-up for their game. We’re going to tell you how to know what wedges should be going into your golf bag.

Firstly, you should know we’re not going to talk about what brand of wedges you should be using in your bag. In 2024, there are loads of manufacturers that all cater for different styles of players, depending on what shots you like to hit and what courses you tend to play.

Instead, we’ll look into how many wedges you should be carrying in your bag, and what lofts those wedges should be.

Besides your putter and driver, there’s a good chance that one of your wedges is your most used club in the golf bag. If you have several in your bag, then it can be a big advantage, especially if you want to hit a variety of low and high flighted shots.

Generally, golfers will have a pitching wedge, along with either two, three, or four more wedges. Read on to see how many wedges you should have in your golf bag.

What factors should influence my wedge set-up?

Your Game

It seems obvious, but the place to start when looking into a wedge set-up is what your game is like.

If you’re the type of player who only chips with one wedge, then you might be able to get away with having less in the bag. Of course, that leaves room in your set of 14 for another longer club.

However, if you’re someone who likes to mix and match with their wedges around the greens, then it can definitely be useful to have a wider choice of lofts in your bag.

Generally, if you’re adding another wedge to your bag, then a fairway wood or hybrid will be one of the clubs that is getting removed.

If you’re a player who doesn’t tend to use a fairway wood, then you’ll absolutely benefit from taking that out and putting another wedge in.

Have a think about how often you really use that 3-wood or 5-wood and consider whether adding another wedge in its place would be beneficial.

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The courses you play

The type of golf courses you play on can really make a different to what wedges you should be using.

While the bounce and grind on the sole of your wedges is important, particularly if you’re playing a links course with firm turf, the length of your course can also determine what lofts you should be using.

If you’re a long hitter who plays a short course, there is a good chance you’re going to have a lot of shots around the greens to contend with. Getting another wedge in the bag could be really useful here.

However, if you’re playing a golf course with a lot of long approach shots, then it’s worth considering taking out a wedge and replacing it with a hybrid or long iron that you can use for these approaches.

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What wedge lofts should I be using?

Once you’ve worked out whether you need two, three or four wedges in the bag, it’s time to think about what lofts you want.

A good place to start with this is your wedge that is least lofted and closest to your pitching wedge. These are generally called gap wedges because, simply, they fill a gap in your clubs.

If possible, it’s great to have a consistent gap in yardage between your clubs. If your gap between your 9-iron and pitching wedge is 12 yards, you probably want the gap between your pitching wedge to your gap wedge to be 12 yards.

For most golfers, that’s going to mean using something like a 50° or a 52° wedge. If you’re going from a pitching wedge to a 54°, then you’re likely to be leaving a large yardage gap in your clubs, especially with some sets that have stronger lofts.

What should the highest lofted wedge in your bag be?

There’s a good chance that if you find your ball in thick rough, you’re going to reach for your most lofted wedge in the bag. This means it’s important to get a loft that suits you.

For most golfers, this will range from a 56°, potentially to something as high lofted as a 62°. Honestly, anything more lofted than this is probably going to be too much, and not going to greatly benefit you.

This is where the number of wedges you use comes into play. If you’re only using two wedges, then you might not want a huge gap between your gap wedge and your most lofted wedge.

However, if you have four wedges, then you could feasibly be using a 62° as your most lofted.

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How many wedges should I have in my bag?

As you’ll have gathered, this isn’t an easy question to answer, but for most golfers, the answer is going to be three wedges.

This is going to allow you to have a wedge with a fairly low loft that sits below your pitching wedge, as well as a high lofted wedge for shots from thick rough and short shots around the green.

That means that you’ll want to have a wedge that fills the gap between your least lofted and most lofted wedge.

As an example, I carry a 50°, 54° and 58° wedge. For me, that keeps a consistent gap between my yardages, as well as providing enough loft to escape from bunkers and heavy rough.

Of course, there are exceptional circumstances, so testing out different wedges in a gapping session with a professional is a great way to find the wedge loft set-up that works for you.

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Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor