Question: It looks like a lot of tour pros use the same wedge for most of their shots around the green. Is that a good idea for us mortals?
Answer: As always, it depends on skill level, but generally speaking grabbing a single club for all short-game shots is a bad idea. A good short game requires imagination. It also demands the proper tool for the task at hand and while the bounce and grind on your 58-degree wedge might be well-suited for greenside bunker shots and high pitches, it might not be the best choice in other situations. Here are some options to consider.
If you have a pitch shot from the fairway and are perhaps a little short-sided, your highest-lofted wedge makes sense. Move that shot to the rough with the ball sitting up high on the grass, however, and the ball is likely to slide up the face and come up short. In this instance grab your next wedge down (likely a 54- or 56-degree) and make the same swing to get the desired result.
Another common mistake is to use the highest-lofted wedge for all bunker shots. Not so fast. If the shot is longer than normal, your 58- or 60-degree really isn’t designed for that. So instead of taking a mighty swing and risking skulling it OB, move down to a 54- or even a 50-degree wedge and use your normal sand-game swing, letting the reduced loft produce the extra distance as opposed to clubhead speed. Need proof? Look no further than Bryson DeChambeau using a 55-degree wedge for the long bunker shot that sewed up his U.S. Open win at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024.
There also are instances where wedges aren’t the best call, especially for everyday players. If you’re 10 yards or less on the fairway in front of the green with nothing in front of you, using a high-lofted wedge requires a lot of precision and carries a fair amount of risk. Instead grab your 7-iron or even your putter and scoot the ball along the ground. It’s often the best chance to get the ball close and it greatly mitigates the risk of a disastrous result.
Finally, if the ball is just off green in the rough with a half-decent lie, go with a hybrid or high-lofted fairway wood and just put a putting stroke on it. The loft will pop the ball up and over the grass standing between the ball and the green and the mass will keep the club from sticking or digging—a risk with an iron or wedge.
When it comes to the short game, let your imagination run wild. Visualize the shot you want to hit—and the best club to achieve it.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com