If it has been a few years since you have purchased a wedge or your golf game has changed for the better or worse, you may find yourself in the market for a new golf wedge this year.
There is some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that there have never been more high performing golf wedge options on the market than there are today.
The bad news is the same as the good news!
At A Glance: Our Top 9 Picks For Wedges On The Market In 2022
- Best Wedge 2022: Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge
- Runner Up 1: Cleveland RTX Zip Core Wedge
- Runner Up 2: Callaway Mack Daddy 4 Tactical Wedge
- Best Wedge for High Handicappers: Wilson Harmonized Wedge
- Best Wedge for Forgiveness: Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge
- Best Wedge for Seniors: Cleveland Smart Sole 3 Wedge S
- Best Wedge for Low Handicappers: Cobra MIM Wedge
- Best Cheap Wedge: Pinemeadow PGX Wedge
- Best Wedge for Women: Cleveland Golf Ladies CBX Sand Wedge
Choosing a golf wedge is not an easy task. Each option sounds more high performing than the last. With tour zip grooves, and wedge bounce and sole grind options, your head may start spinning a few minutes after starting your search. You are in the right place.
IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
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Best Wedge 2022 | Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge
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Runner Up 1 | Cleveland RTX Zip Core Wedge
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Runner Up 2 | Callaway Mack Daddy 4 Tactical Wedge
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Best Wedge for High Handicappers | Wilson Harmonized Wedge
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Best Wedge for Forgiveness | Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge
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Best Wedge for Seniors | Cleveland Smart Sole 3 Wedge S
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Best Wedge for Low Handicappers | Cobra MIM Wedge
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Best Cheap Wedge | Pinemeadow PGX Wedge
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Best Wedge for Women | Cleveland Golf Ladies CBX Sand Wedge
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We have broken down for you the wedges available, and we have chosen some standouts in particular categories like wedges for women, seniors, high handicappers, and low handicappers.
Take a look at our list and our buyer’s guide to giving yourself the best start you possibly can on your wedge buying project.
Why Are Wedges Important To Your Game?
A golf wedge can be what makes or breaks a par out on the golf course. With the right golf wedge in your hand, you can have the confidence you need to get up and down from any location.
Golf wedges come in a variety of degrees that will help players that need to control their shots and get the ball close. If you have confidence in our wedge, you can become a better iron player, and your putting will get better.
Best Golf Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM8
PROS
- Some of the best grooves on the market
- Available in a ton of loft, bounce and sole grind options
- Clean and classic blade-style look
- Available in three different finishes
CONS
- Built for the lower handicap player
It may come as no surprise that the Vokey wedges sit at the top of the best golf wedges list. Vokey takes wedge design to another level, and they deserve some recognition for it. The feel and spin that these wedges produce will outperform many other options out there. However, not all players should have a Vokey in their golf bag.
The SM8 is not the newest release from Vokey, but it is undoubtedly the best value. These wedges have the incredible spin milled grooves and are capable of not only stopping a ball but backing it up when needed.
The Vokey SM8 wedges not only have options for different finishes but there are also a ton of loft, bounce, and sole grind choices as well. This is as close as you are going to get to having a wedge custom fit to work for your golf game.
If you play out of soft or hard bunker, short or tall grass, like to flop it or like to bump it, Vokey will have an option that will work for your game.
The SM8 wedges have dropped considerably in price since they were first released, and because of that, they are also an incredible value. As many seasoned golfers and professionals will tell you, a Vokey wedge will last year for many years.
The grooves are high performing and will hold up for many years. Although the Vokey comes in three different finishes, we recommend choosing one and sticking with it throughout your sedge set. However, we do recommend varying your grind options.
Runner Up 1: Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge
PROS
- Available in many different loft options
- Tour zip grooves
- Best wedge for mid to low handicap player
- Wide sole, clean leading edge
CONS
- Not as great for full swing shots
If the Titleist Vokey wedges are not the best fit for your golf game, it may be worth looking into the RTX Wedge. The Cleveland RTX is an excellent alternative, and it is a very similar blade style golf wedge.
The RTX wedge is not going to have as many sole grind options as the Titleist wedges will, but there are still some bounce choices. The RTX is available in high bounce, low bounce, standard bounce, and xlow bounce. We love the low bounce options for the lower lofted wedges.
Speaking of lower lofted wedges, the RTX is available all the way down to a 46-degree wedge. If you don’t particularly like your current pitching wedge, this could be a great alternative to consider.
The RTX has the Cleveland Tour Zip grooves, and this is one of the more versatile wedges available. If you are mid to low handicap golfer, this is a great wedge choice for you.
Just like the Titleist, you can get the RTX with a few different finish options. The black PVD is our favorite. The new black finish is much more durable than in years past, and it will hold up for quite some time.
The RTX comes standard with a steel wedge flex shaft, but you can usually get the Cleveland wedges with a graphite shaft without having to order them custom. Since the Cleveland RTX is a brand new release, the pricing will be a little bit higher, but this is a set of golf wedges that you will keep in your golf bag for quite some time.
Runner Up 2: Callaway Mack Daddy 4 Tactical Wedge
PROS
- Unique look
- Best golf club for anti-glare
- Very high spin level
- Available in a few sole grinds
- Carbon steel
CONS
- Not the newest technology
The Callaway Mack Daddy 4 Tactical wedges are a bit less of a traditional golf wedge, and we thought they earned a spot on this list. This wedge will likely appeal more to the mid to low handicap player.
The Callaway Mack Daddy 4 Tactical has a very distinct look to it. The wedge was designed with a raw PVD finish. In addition to the club head being completely black, the grip and the shaft on this wedge are also black.
It is undoubtedly a very unique looking golf club. Although it looks quite cool, most of the coloring is more for looks than it is for the actual performance of the club around the green.
Anytime you see a wedge referred to as being a raw wedge, it means that it will eventually rust. When your wedge rusts, this is not a problem, and it will still perform well. What golf manufacturers are finding is that some of the best wedge feel in the game comes from this raw and untreated club face.
Mack Daddy has their signature groove in groove technology on this series of golf wedges. Yes, that is just what you think it is, there are grooves inside of grooves. If you want some spin, this wedge will provide it for sure. Although this wedge is now a few years old, it is a great alternative to the Titleist Vokey when it comes to both look and feel.
Wilson Harmonized
Best Golf Wedge for High Handicappers
PROS
- Very low price
- Good for beginner or a high handicapper that needs wedges in their bag
- No need to choose wedge or grinds
CONS
- Not many loft angle choices
If you are a high handicapper just looking for some forgiving and easy to hit shots around the green, the Wilson Harmonized Golf Wedges could be a good choice.
You won’t need to choose between the low bounce and high bounce, in fact, you won’t even need to choose the sole grinds you want. With the Wilson Harmonize, you just need to select the loft you want.
This wedge is offered in a sand, lob, and gap wedge. You will not get too many choices here, but sometimes for the high handicapper, that can be a good thing.
What you will get is a forgiving large club face wedge with a low center of gravity and easy to hit loft angle. If you ever struggle with getting the ball up in the air, this is a great option to consider. Another great thing about the Wilson Harmonized is that this is one of the best wedge options for the money.
Beginner golfers and high handicappers will want to save their money for a high-end wedge when they can feel the difference in their short game. If you can hit shot after shot and not know if you have a Titleist, a Callaway, or a Wilson in your hand, it probably isn’t worth breaking the bank on a new set of wedges.
We love that the Wilson Harmonized golf wedges are going to be versatile with a wide sole. You can manipulate this club face to hit a variety of wedge shots from the sand and the short or long grass. The problem with a wedge-like this is going to be the feel and spin.
The Wilson harmonized will spin, but it won’t spin like a Cleveland or a Titleist with tour grooves in it. The Harmonized wedges are going to feel a little harsh at impact as well.
They won’t have that same soft feel that a high-end golf-wedge will have. These are certainly worth checking out as some of the best golf wedges in the game do not need to be expensive.
Read our Wilson Harmonized Wedge review.
Cleveland CBX 2
Best Golf Wedge for Forgiveness
PROS
- Very low center of gravity
- Easier to get spin and higher lofts
- Extremely forgiving
- Good for bunker shots and short shots
- Carbon Steel
CONS
- Won’t appeal to low handicapped players
We are back with another Cleveland wedge choice for our most forgiving wedge. The CBX 2 is a cavity back wedge with a very low and deep center of gravity. This is one of the best golf wedges for a golfer looking for a combination of feel and forgiveness.
You can swing the CBX 2 as a full swing or for shots around the green and still get great spin and distance control. These Cleveland wedges feature a wide sole v-shaped sole that makes them a perfect wedge for shots both out of the bunker and for shots around the green.
Golfers who struggle to stop the ball on the green or tend to hit the ball thing on a wedge shot will love these clubs. Another great benefit of the CBX 2 (just like the Cleveland RTX) is the ability to order this wedge in a ton of different loft angles.
This is a progressive set of wedges, so the higher lofts like the lob wedge will be a bit thicker and more capable of hitting flop and sand shots.
The lower lofted wedges are going to be better for full swing shots. You can quickly put together a perfect set of these clubs to work for the mid to high handicappers.
Cleveland Smart Sole 3 Wedge S
Best Golf Wedge for Seniors
PROS
- Easy to launch
- Available in a few loft angle
- Great for forgiveness
CONS
- Not a traditional shape
- Won’t appeal to lower handicappers
Senior golfers tend to lose some speed in their golf swing with age. This is an entirely normal part of the golf aging process. In your wedge game, you may notice a lack of distance and lack of spin as well when it comes to the wedges.
When you lose this clubhead speed, it can also become easier to hit those chunk shots or thin shots. Cleveland came up with this Smart Sole wedge to give golfers the confidence they need to get the ball back up in the air again. The S model is going to be the equivalent of a sand wedge, but there are other options on the market.
The center of gravity on the smart sole wedge is very low and will help sort of slide under and through the ball. This wedge has 58 degrees of loft, and since a standard cleveland lob wedge 60 degree of loft.
As far as the grooves are concerned on this wedge, you will not get the same tour zip spin that you may on an RTX wedge. What you do get with this three-tiered sole is very easy to hit a club that can make the game more enjoyable again for senior golfers.
Cobra MIM Wedges
Best Golf Wedge for Low Handicappers
PROS
- Brand new technology
- Tour level grooves
- Great turf interaction
- Clean blade-style look
- Available from 50 to 60 degrees
CONS
- Newer technology so more expensive
Truly the Titleist wedges are the most popular and probably some of the best golf wedges for the low handicap player. However, Cobra came out with a new option this year that is certainly worth considering if you are looking for an incredible feel.
The Cobra MIM wedges are a brand new advancement in technology, and although this wedge will cost you a bit more than some of our other choices, you will be happy with the results that it provides.
The MIM wedge stands for Metal Injection Molded stainless steel construction. This is the first time a company has used this in its wedge technology, and it is performing very well. The grind on this wedge is a versatile tour grind that has a relatively low bounce.
The MIM Wedge has a precision CNC milled face and grooves. Cobra has incorporated this technology into many of its clubs this year, and it provides some great interaction with the golf ball.
Pinemeadow PGX
Best Cheap Golf Wedge
PROS
- Very low price
- Decent spin
- Good out of a variety of lies
- Forgiving clubs for higher handicap golfers
CONS
- Not a high performer as far as spin
- Not heavy enough for better players
The Pinemeadow PGX is a great simple wedge if you don’t want to spend a lot of money. This is not going to have the highest rate spin technology or incredible tour-level grooves, but the PGX wedges are actually quite good for the price they cost.
The Pinemeadow wedge has a very low center of gravity that makes this club quite forgiving. There is no bounce and grind options so you will have to manipulate the loft angle on this club to get the results that you are looking for.
The stock shaft in the PGX is a bit light and not very stiff. If you are a faster swinging player, this may not be the best wedge on the market for your game.
Cleveland Golf Ladies CBX Wedge
Best Golf Wedge for Women
PROS
- Easy to get the ball in the air
- Good spin for female golfers
- Cavity back club design gets the ball in the air
- Wide and forgiving sole
CONS
- Not as forgiving as some cavity back wedges
When it comes to women golfers, there are not usually many options to choose from. Luckily Cleveland often puts out an option or two that end up being the best golf wedges for women. The RTX 3 is a simple cavity back option with great spin and some very high performing grooves.
Many female golfers choose to just use pitching wedges in their bags. Unfortunately, that wedge will just not give enough spin or loft angle to get the ball up in the air out of bunkers and for high lofted pitches. The CBX wedge has plenty of loft angle to help with these types of shots.
The CBX wedge will work best for those players that want to use this club for both full swing shots and shots where the ball only needs to be in the air for a few seconds.
You won’t find too much variety when it comes to loft and bounce options on this carbon steel wedge, but you can trust that Cleveland put together an easy to hit and forgiving choice.
Golf Wedge Buying Guide
Now that we gave you all the information you could ever want about the best wedges on the market. Let us try and help you narrow it down a bit by giving you some factors to consider and research before making your final wedge decisions.
Most importantly, you will want to make sure that your wedge is a good fit for your skill level, your budget, and your goals with this game.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing on a golf wedge, you will find that these are some of the lower-priced options as far as golf equipment is concerned. Of course, you will need a few of these for your golf bag, so you may end up spending a bit more than you realize, but these are clubs that are used many times in the course of a round and are a worthwhile purchase.
Most golf wedges are priced between $75 and 150 dollars. Of course, there will be outliers that fall above and below this range. The most common reason for a wedge being more expensive is that it is a tour model, or it has a graphite shaft.
The most common reason for a wedge to be less expensive is because it is an off-brand type club or made with less high-quality components. That is not to say that all lower-priced wedges are a bad idea.
Keep an open mind about pricing, watch for sales, and remember that bargain-priced equipment will likely be a year or two old. That is more than okay; wedge technology will not change fast enough to make those obsolete.
High Handicap Vs. Low Handicap Options
Although there are no set rules about what clubs you can and can’t use if you are a low handicap golfer, you will not want to use a high handicap wedge. The same goes when you reverse the scenario.
One of the quickest and easiest ways to see if a wedge is, in fact, meant for a low or high handicap player is to look at the overall shape of the wedge. If you are looking at a cavity back design, that is more suited for the high handicapper. Lower handicap players like the traditional blade look to their wedges.
In addition to the look of this club, the blade-style wedges are much less forgiving than the cavity back. Cavity back wedges will give you a bit of wiggle room should you miss the center of the clubface.
If you are a mid handicapper wondering which option makes more sense for your game, we recommend choosing the blade style. Although you will have to learn how to hit this club and there could be a few ugly shots, long term, you will want the feel and precision that the blade-style has to offer.
Loft
One of the most common questions that golfers will ask is what wedges they should be playing with. There are a few factors that go into this decision.
First, you must determine which wedges you are already playing and what lofts they are. Do you have a 42 or a 47-degree pitching wedge? You must know this number before filling in the rest of your wedges.
Next, you must know how much room you have in your golf bag. Do you carry so many fairway woods that you can only put one additional wedge in? Do you have room for five wedges if you so choose?
Lastly, you must determine where the gaps in your bag that you need to fill in. Sometimes you just want something to fill the gap between your pitching wedge and your sand wedge. Other players feel as though they are handcuffed after their sand wedges and need something with much more loft.
Loft Gapping
Now that you have the information you need to figure out how many wedges you can have in your bag and what your current lofts are you must do the best job you can to make sure the loft gaps between your clubs make sense.
In general, you want to keep about four degrees between your wedges. These four degrees should develop about a ten-yard gap between the wedges with a full swing. Most importantly, you want to give yourself the option to hit a variety of shots. If you are carrying a 52-degree gap wedge and a 54-degree sand wedge, they are just too similar to help you improve the diversity in the shots you hit in your short game.
Bounce
What is the Bounce? Golfers talk about bounce quite often and the options that they need for their game, but very few understand what bounce is.
If you have a wedge with a high bounce degree, the leading edge is off the surface at the address. If, in turn, you have a wedge with a low degree of bounce, the angle created between the leading edge and the lowest point of the small will be much smaller.
High bounce wedges are great for digging through fluffy bunkers or hitting flop type shots out of the rough. If you try to use a high bounce wedge from a tight or hardpan lie on the fairway, you will have a chance of hitting the ball thin because the club mostly skips through the ball.
When it comes to the ideal bounce on a wedge, there are many factors to consider. Here are the most important.
- Will you use this club for full swings or short shots? If the answer is full swings, try to choose something with a lower bounce.
- Will you use this club off of a tight lie or from fluffy lies or bunkers? If the answer is fluffy lies and bunkers, then the high bounce option will be fine for you.
- What is the best bounce? The best bounce is the one that fits the needs of your golf game. We highly recommend choosing a variety of bounce degrees to make sure you can pull off any shot that you may like during the course of a round.
Shafts
If you haven’t noticed, golfers are very into custom shafts and golf clubs these days. Making sure that your golf shafts are perfectly matched to your club head speed has become a part of the golf club buying process. (This is not always necessary, but that is a topic for another day).
Most wedges are going to come in a standard wedge flex steel. This is a steel shaft that is a bit heavy and will flex somewhere between a regular and a stiff shaft. If you are a lower handicap player that is particular about club fitting, you will need to order custom shafts in your wedges.
If you are a slower swinging player that can have trouble with both distances and launch, it may make sense to look into a graphite shafted wedge. A graphite shaft is going to weigh less and be easier to get up in the air. These factors will make it a better fit for the slower swinging player in situations where speed is needed, like bunker shots and full swing shots.
Look/Feel
Look and feel on wedges will vary between manufacturers, and it will also vary between wedge styles. The blade-style wedges tend to have a bit better feel to them than the cavity back wedges, but obviously, they provide much less forgiveness.
As far as the look is concerned, wedges are offered in a variety of finishes. The most popular wedge as of late is the black PVD type finish.
There are several companies going with the black finish, and there are a few reasons behind it. Mostly the black wedges tend to produce a bit less glare. Players say that it helps them visually when they address the ball to have a darker, non glare club head.
We think that the finish on the club matters if it matters to you. The black wedges look great, but there are certain styles like the CBX 2 that don’t come in black, and that is certainly no reason not to purchase that golf wedge.
It is one of the best options on the market for mid to high handicap players, and it won’t have a black finish. It’s still a great choice!
Lie Angle
The lie angle of a golf club is how it sits on the ground when a player is at address. For shorter golfers, a more flat lie angle is necessary. For taller golfers, the upright lie angle is a better idea. Lie angle can be adjusted for golfers.
Spin
The spin on a wedge is what gives players control of their golf shots. To be able to control the ball well, you must also know how to spin it. Spin is a tough thing to learn to do if you don’t have the proper wedge in play. Out top wedges like the Titleist Vokey SM8 are known for their ability to spin the ball.
Lesser Known Facts About Golf Wedges
The more you know about wedges, the better you will be able to use them and to score with them. Here are a few thoughts about golf wedges to keep in mind as you find the solutions for your game.
Wet Condition Performance
Many new golf wedges are being made with wet condition performance benefits. When water gets between the grooves and the ball, the overall performance is not going to be nearly as good. Wet condition performance helps for both morning play and rainy days on the golf course.
Consistency Is Essential
The most important part of any wedge that you choose is the consistency of the club. The more consistent that you can hit the ball, the better your overall results are going to be. Wedge distance does not matter nearly as much as consistency does.
Launch Angle Must Be Perfected
The launch angle of a golf shot has to be perfect in order for golfers to be able to get the control and performance that they need. Launch angle can typically be adjusted and perfected as long as the wedge is a good match for the player’s game. Keep this in mind, and you will see impressive overall results with the golf wedges you have in your bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Wedges Should I Carry In My Bag?
A golfer should carry three to four wedges in their bag. All players should have a pitching, sand, and lob wedge. Many golfers add in the gap wedge to fit between the pitching and the sand wedge. This combination is a good fit for golfers to have the control they need around the greens.
What is the most popular wedge?
The Titleist Vokey wedge tends to be the most popular wedge. This wedge has some impressive features and characteristics and it will be a good choice for those that are trying to shorter shots that spin.
What are the best degree wedges to have?
Most golfers find that the 52, 56, and 60 degree wedge setup tends to be the best overall option for golfers. The 52, 56, and 60 degree wedges can each be modified by a few degrees to give players the exact specifications that they need.
What are the easiest wedges to hit?
The cavity back wedges are the easiest to hit. Cleveland makes some forgiving cavity-back wedges that are well known for their versatility and ease of use.
What wedge does Phil Mickelson use?
Phil Mickelson uses the Callaway Wedges. Most of the time, he has the Mack Daddy, PM Grind wedges in his golf bag. Sometimes professional golfers have wedges that amateurs have access to, and other times, the wedges are impossible to access and are just prototype wedges.
Conclusion
There is a lot of information here. We provided some great wedges for a variety of golfers and some very valuable information for choosing the correct wedge in your game. The Titleist Vokey still pulls through as our top choice.
Golfers who are looking for the best feel and spin will like what these clubs have to offer. The Vokey wedge is one that will stay in your bag for years to come. You can purchase the Vokey with many grind and bounce options and end up getting clubs that are custom fit to your needs.
For golfers that don’t think the Vokey clubs are the best choice for them, Cleveland puts out a variety of amazing clubs. You can get lofts anywhere from 46 to 60 degrees in the CBX 2 or the RTX style.
Between these two golf clubs, almost every handicapper can find an option that will work to help them get the ball in the hole a lot quicker!