Wedges
How many degrees between wedges
Space your wedges 4° apart, starting from your pitching wedge: ELDRICK adds 4° to a 42°, 44° or 46° PW and 5° to a 41°, 43° or 45° PW for the gap wedge, then 4° to a sand wedge kept at 54-56° and 4° to the lob wedge, or 6° if you rarely hit the lob wedge full. A gap of 6° or more into a gap or sand wedge is too wide.
| PW loft | Recommended set | Wedges |
|---|---|---|
| 41° | PW 41 · GW 46 · GW 50 · SW 54 · LW 58 | 5 |
| 42° | PW 42 · GW 46 · GW 50 · SW 54 · LW 58 | 5 |
| 43° | PW 43 · GW 48 · GW 52 · SW 56 · LW 60 | 5 |
| 44° | PW 44 · GW 48 · GW 52 · SW 56 · LW 60 | 5 |
| 45° | PW 45 · GW 50 · SW 54 · LW 58 | 4 |
| 46° | PW 46 · GW 50 · SW 54 · LW 58 | 4 |
| 47° | PW 47 · GW 51 · SW 55 · LW 59 | 4 |
| 48° | PW 48 · GW 52 · SW 56 · LW 60 | 4 |
If you don't often hit your lob wedge full, the 4-wedge sets end 6° above the sand wedge (LW 60° instead of 58°, for example). The lob wedge never goes above 62°.
Strong pitching wedges need a second gap wedge
Modern iron sets often come with a PW of 44° or stronger. Go straight from a 42° PW to a 54° sand wedge with one gap wedge between and you leave an 8° hole. So for a PW of 44° or stronger, ELDRICK's default is five wedges: two gap wedges, a sand wedge and a lob wedge, all 4° apart, ending at 58° or 60°.
That's one more club, so check your bag count. The 4-wedge set stays available if you'd rather keep a hybrid or a fairway wood; it just carries a gap ELDRICK flags as too wide.
Why the lob wedge question matters
A lob wedge you only use for flops and short pitches doesn't need to fill a full-swing distance, so ELDRICK opens that last gap to 6°. If you're unsure, it keeps 4°, the safer choice. Bounce comes next: see wedge bounce.
Frequently asked questions
What wedges should I carry with a 45° pitching wedge?
A 50° gap wedge, 54° sand wedge and 58° lob wedge, or a 60° lob wedge if you rarely hit it full.
Is 6 degrees between wedges too much?
Into a gap or sand wedge, yes: ELDRICK flags 6° or more as too wide. Between the sand and lob wedge, 6° is fine.
Should I carry 4 or 5 wedges?
Five if your pitching wedge is 44° or stronger, which is ELDRICK's default for those sets. Four if it's weaker than 44°.
What's the highest lob wedge loft ELDRICK fits?
62°. If the gapping would land the lob wedge above that, ELDRICK sets it to 62°.