What is Wedge Bounce? Can it Make You Better?

One of the most misunderstood parts of golf clubs is wedge bounce. Everyone wedge has it, we all need it, but not many of us understand it.

Simply put, wedge bounce is the angle created by the leading edge of the club face and the lowest point of the sole (the part of the club that actually hits the ground. The higher the wedge bounce, the higher the leading edge will be off the ground.

While this may jab some long-held scars of blading chips us amateurs, it’s a higher bounce wedge that tends to save us most. Crazy, right? Wedge bounce often provides more forgiveness on those pesky greenside chips.

You can almost think of bounce as the front of a sled in the snow. Without it, you would simply dig the leading edge into the turf and chunk all your shots. On the contrary, the right amount of bounce glides smoothly on top of the turf and allows us to make perfect contact with the ball even when we don’t make a perfect swing!

That said, all wedge bounces are not created equal and it’s important to know what wedge bounce is right for your game. The best way to do that is to get fit for your wedges. The second best way is to keep reading.

Wedge Bounce Explained

Wedge bounce is generally categorized into three groups. High, mid, and low.

High bounce is what you’ll see most often with us Average Joes and Janes, but venturing into the mid bounce category can still benefit a majority of us depending on the wedge and our game.

Low bounce tends to be reserved for the elite of the elite and I wouldn’t generally recommend venturing into that world unless you know what you’re doing. Or you are up for a little experimenting, just to see what Phil Mickelson’s world is like.

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High Bounce Wedges

Generally considered any bounce 12 degrees and above, the highest bounce wedges are often sand wedges.

Most of us struggle to find a consistent bottom of the club path. That is, the part of our swing where we make contact with the ball. Couple that with the fact most of us make contact with the ground way before the ball.

While the best thing for poor chippers is always going to be more time on the practice green, a high bounce wedge can help you fake it ‘til you make it.

The high bounce will be the most forgiving option of these three and helps lower the dispersion of bad shots for most of us.

Your swing is not the only thing to consider, however. Because high bounce wedges are less prone to digging into the turf, they also perform much better on soft conditions. Think soggy, wet grass or plush sandy bunkers.

Therefore, if you struggle with chipping, but you often play on extremely firm courses, mid or low bounce wedges may still be a better option.

Mid Bounce Wedges

The mid bounce is by far the most versatile option there is as it can be found as an option for almost every wedge type on the market.

Considered to be any bounce between 8 and 10 degrees, the mid bounce is probably the one you have if you bought your wedge without knowing any better.

For the average muni course with typical playing conditions, these wedges are going to be plenty playable for almost anyone.

Low Bounce Wedges

Elite hitters only.

Low bounce wedges are reserved for the brave and bold. Considered anything blow 8 degrees, these wedges can cause nightmares that Jack the Ripper would be jealous of.

If you’re not confident with your wedge game, you need to stay away from low bounce options. Period. The last thing you want to do is have a rough day with your wedges and be digging into the turf on every short game shot you take.

Been there, done that. That’s a one way ticket to the no fun zone.

However, if you know your way around greenside chip shots, low bounce wedges are an incredible option and can offer some extra versatility. For example, opening up the club face can add relative bounce to your wedge. Therefore, if you know you like opening the face, starting with a lower bounce might actually be beneficial for you.

Switching out Different Wedges

Some of the most elite golfers in the world say they swap their wedges out every month. If not more often.

That’s how important the clubs are to them. After all, they’re the one club (or clubs) you hit most often outside your putter. So why wouldn’t you want to be dialed in with them?

The reason for most people to change out their wedges has to do with grooves wearing down and losing spin around the green. However, as they’re making the shift for fresh grooves, they’re often changing bounce and grinds depending on what tournament they’re headed to next.

While you might play most of your golf on the same course, or in the same general area, that doesn’t mean you won’t play on soggy days, or the weather won’t change as the year goes on.

For that reason, it doesn’t hurt to carry a few extra wedges with different bounce options. Maybe you’re taking a trip to the desert and are expecting dry, firm conditions. It sure would be nice to have that trusty lob wedge with just a little less bounce on it.

All that to say, wedges are one of the few clubs in the bag where you play them far more often than you realize, yet they’re not that expensive if you want to keep an extra option lying in the garage at home. Price is always relative. But you could buy new wedges for the price of some of these drivers these days.

Wedge Bounce: Final Thoughts

Wedge bounce is definitely not something any of us learned in the Golfing 101 course. Probably not in the 202 course either.

But it is something that can dramatically affect our game. A flubbed pitch shot not only crushes our score, it crushes our heart. And frankly, sometimes it tests our will to even be on the course at all.

If you’ve never thought about your wedge bounce before, now is the time. Grab your clubs, see what you’ve got and start figuring out how you can improve your game by simply finding out what wedges help you stick more chips close to the hole.

Wedge Bounce FAQs