Golf equipment has come a long way in a very short period of time. For a long time, golfers would carry a sand wedge in their bag for shots from the bunker and a pitching wedge for shots that were 90 yards or less to the green. That is no longer the case. Some players will carry five or six wedges in their bag, and it's not unusual for the average golfer to carry four of them.

Step 1: Start off with a pitching wedge. This club is usually angled at 48 degrees. For an experienced golfer, the pitching wedge is the right club to use at about the 120-yard mark. It will allow the golfer to hit a high, soft shot to the green. Ideally, the 9 iron shot will land on the green at or near hole height and stop after a couple of short bounces, and possibly even spin back to the hole.

Step 2: For an 80-to -100 yard shot, choose your gap wedge. This club is angled at about 52 degrees, and it should provide the golfer with an even greater degree of accuracy than the pitching wedge. The golfer will hit his gap wedge with a high degree of spin that will cause the ball to check up (stop and roll backwards) when struck correctly.

Step 3: Take out your sand wedge when your ball is in the bunker. The sand wedge is angled at about 56 degrees. When struck correctly, the golfer will hit slightly behind the ball, and the explosion of the sand will lift the ball out of the bunker and get it to land softly on the green. This is a difficult shot for many amateurs, but with repetition and study a golfer can learn how to hit the ball out of the bunker with touch and accuracy.

Step 4: A 60-degree lob wedge is an excellent club for the accomplished shot maker when he has a shot from the rough that is close to the green or when he has to hit the ball high and have it come to a quick stop. Pro golfer Phil Mickelson is known as a master with the lob wedge and with repetition and practice, a golfer can learn to hit the lob wedge with precision.

How to choose a Wedge?

The wedge is one of the most important clubs in the bag. One of three "scoring" clubs in a set - the other two being the driver and the putter - the wedge is a highly versatile iron. It's used to play high shots to the green from different distances.

Basic Wedges

Manufacturers offer five basic wedges, and loft is the major difference between them: The pitching wedge has 45-48 degrees of loft. The gap wedge has 50-54 degrees of loft. The sand wedge, used primarily for getting out of bunkers, has 56 degrees of loft. And the loft wedge has 58-60 degrees of loft. The lob wedge has about 64 degrees of loft. Gene Sarazen invented the sand wedge over 70 years ago.

Bounce angle is another difference between wedges. Bounce is determined by the position of the trailing edge of the club head relative to the leading edge of the club head when the club is squarely positioned. Bounce helps the club move through either the sand or the grass and lifts the ball in the air. The pitching wedge has a bounce of angle of between 0-5 degrees. The gap wedge has a bounce angle between 5-12 degrees. The sand wedge has a bounce angle between 10-16 degrees, and the loft wedge has a bounce angle between 0-10 degrees.

Three-Wedge System

Wedges are used for a wide variety of shots close to the green. Most players carry three wedges: the pitching wedge, the sand wedge, and either the gap wedge or the loft wedge. Some players carry four or five wedges. The choice of which wedges to use depends on the lie, the distance from the green, the situation, and the skill of the player with each club.

Key features of a wedge, in addition to loft, are shaft length, lie angle, and bounce angle. Additional features include sole design, grooves, and materials of construction. Soft materials like carbon steel, nickel, and beryllium copper are common materials used for wedges in addition to softer grades of stainless steel. Groves come in three types-U, V, and square. Tests provide no indication if one type of groove has an advantage over another type.

Oversize VS Traditional Size Club Head

A key decision in choosing a wedge that's right for you is club head design. Modern technology enables manufacturers to offer wedges with either regular or oversize club heads. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of an oversize club head:

The added face height is an advantage for many golfers. Players who have problems getting under the ball on shots out of the rough or in the deep sand favor the added face height. The additional height improves ballstriking capabilities because it lessens the chance of digging too deep into the grass or the sand. A larger sweet spot produces a more forgiving club.

Most oversize wedges have a larger sole than usual. The wider sole lowers the club head's center of gravity (LCG), making it easier to get the ball in the air. The LCG also reduces topping.

The disadvantages of an oversize club head:

Wedges with traditional size club heads enable you to shape your shot. What you gain in club control, however, you lose in forgiveness, because the size of the sweet spot is smaller. Many experienced players favor the traditional size club head. Wedges with traditional size club heads are less likely to get caught up in the grass or sand, making them ideal for hitting out of a trap or the rough.

A Review of the Titleist Mens Vokey Spin Milled C-C Wedges

Design and Tech Benefits

The Tour-conforming Spin Milled C-C wedges are designed for high trajectory and medium spin. An enormous choice of loft, bounce and sole grind is available.

The Titleist Vokey Spin Milled C-C provides flight on full shots but there is a slight drop off in control.

Golf Monthly Verdict

All manufacturers have been affected by the new groove rule but Titleist have done a good job to reduce this affect. As ever, the Vokey design comes into its own on full shots: the Titleist Vokey Spin Milled C-C provides a fantastic flight.