Wedge Gapping Explained: How to Fill the Holes in Your Short Game

Wedge Gapping Explained: How to Fill the Holes in Your Short Game

Most golfers spend hours working on their full swing and almost no time thinking about their wedges. Yet for the majority of club golfers, shots from 100 yards and in account for more than half of all strokes played. Get your wedge setup wrong and you're leaving shots on the course every single round.

What is wedge gapping?

Wedge gapping refers to the distance intervals between each of your wedges. The goal is to have consistent, even gaps — typically 10–15 yards — so you always have the right club for the distance at hand.

Most golfers carry a pitching wedge, but beyond that, the setup varies wildly. Some carry one sand wedge and nothing else. Others have three wedges crammed into a 10-degree loft range. Neither works well.

A typical wedge setup

A well-gapped four-wedge setup might look like this:

• Pitching wedge — 46° (~130 yards)
• Gap wedge — 50° (~115 yards)
• Sand wedge — 54° (~100 yards)
• Lob wedge — 58° (~85 yards)

The exact lofts and distances will vary depending on your swing speed and ball flight, but the principle is the same: even gaps, no dead zones.

How to find your gaps

The best way to identify your gaps is simple — go to the range and hit 10 shots with each wedge, note the average carry distance, and map them out. If you find a 20+ yard gap between two clubs, you've found a hole in your setup.

Common problem areas:

• A big jump between pitching wedge and sand wedge (no gap wedge)
• Lob wedge too close in loft to sand wedge (redundant club)
• Inconsistent bounce angles making certain wedges hard to use from tight lies

Bounce matters too

Loft gets all the attention, but bounce is equally important. Higher bounce (12°+) suits softer turf and bunkers. Lower bounce (4–8°) works better from tight lies and firm conditions. In Australian conditions — often firm and dry — a mid-to-low bounce setup tends to perform better through summer.

The Haitch Golf wedge range

Our wedges are available in a range of lofts and bounce options specifically designed to help you build a properly gapped setup. Not sure where to start? Use our fitting quiz to get a personalised wedge recommendation based on your game and conditions.

Stop leaving shots out there. Get your gaps right.