You should consider using wedges in your bag as the second most important club in the bag, right after the putter. This is because the short game can have a significant impact on your golf scoring.
One of the most critical elements for lowering your handicap is your ability to hit shots with your golf wedge.
Knowing which wedge to choose can be a difficult task for golfers that have mid handicaps. Listed below are the best golf wedges for mid handicappers. We will explore the characteristics of wedges and provide you with the pros and cons of specific wedges so that you can make a well-informed decision on which wedges are best to organize in your golf bag.
In A Hurry? Here’s Our #1 Mid Handicap Wedge Pick
If you're looking for an all round high performance wedge then the Callaway Jaws MD5 Wedge fits the bill.
- 23 Customization Options
- Quality Construction
- Great Design
- Aggressive Grooves
The Best Mid Handicap Wedges In 2023 Are:
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What Is A Mid Handicap Golfer?
Before we look at some of our top picks, you need to understand whether you fit into the mid-handicapper or high handicapper category. Firstly, anyone with a handicap between seven and 18 could be considered a mid handicapper.
The needs for mid handicappers looking to use a wedge are different from the needs of beginners. For example, the advanced golfer is more conscious of shot trajectory, ball flight, and spin rate to provide plenty of greenside control, while the beginner is looking more for forgiveness and distance so that they can find a consistent connection with their shots. This is similar to driver selection where a driver for mid handicappers will be different than the needs of somebody starting out.
Key Considerations
There are some essential things to consider before making a purchase. Some of these considerations include loft, the groove, and also bounce. This is because these characteristics can affect the shaping, trajectory, and distance control of your shots. It will affect how close your ball lands to the pin, which can also impact how easy your putts will be.
Loft
In golf, the loft is the angle between the clubface and the shaft. The higher the loft angle, the greater the ball’s height and shorter the distance. Typically, clubs can have low lofts, especially for the loft of drivers. However, for wedges, some clubs now produce lob wedges with as much as 64 degrees.
The different types of wedges and their loft options include the following:
A pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge degree of loft varies. A pitching wedge will typically be between 46 – 50 degrees, a gap wedge around 52 degrees, a sand wedge between 54-58°, and a lob wedge between 60 and 64 degrees.
Golfers typically carry more than one golf wedge in their bag to ensure that they choose the appropriate loft for every shot. Having the correct gap between the wedges in mind can be helpful when you have already decided how many wedges you will need. This is because wedge distances can differ, and a good gap between the wedges can make sure that you space out your wedges to reach a range of yardages on the golf course.
Grooves For Backspin
Professional golfers love sharp, fresh, and deep grooves because of the levels of spin they generate for their game. A mid handicapper needs a golf wedge where the grooves will wear down slowly over time so that they last longer in their golf bag, and they get to benefit from the extra spin for longer.
Nowadays, manufacturers create wedges with advanced groove systems to help amateurs hit the golf ball higher and generate spin off the clubface. This will help them to find a good level of backspin on their shots for better control and consistency.
Bounce
Thirdly, we have bounce. An angle formed by the leading edge of the club and the lowest point of the club’s sole is known as bounce. We wouldn’t recommend low-bounce wedges for mid handicappers as they come at a lower degree and require great consistency with your strokes. Mid bounce wedges have 7 to 10 degrees leading edge angle and are designed to provide excellent control around the greens. In terms of versatility, mid bounce wedges are the best suited because they can accommodate a broader range of conditions and swing types.
Alternatively, high bounce wedges are the best wedges for spin control and more short game control. An example of this would be a high bounce sand wedge which would be excellent for bunker shots. This will be important to mid-handicap golfers as bunker shots aren’t an easy skill to master. Overall, the more bounce a wedge has, the more forgiving it can be for a mid handicapper.
Different Types Of Wedge Shots Such As Pitching And Chipping
There are different types of shots that you will hit with your wedges. These range from approach shots from 125 yards out from the green to chip shots from the greenside. Either way you will need to have a club that gives you plenty of game control as wedge shots such as pitching and chipping demand accuracy.
With a wedge you will hit the majority of your shots from 125 yards with a wedge so you should choose something that you can trust. However, for your lob wedge it is worth considering the best wedges for chipping as these lofted wedges can help to save you shots around the green.
Best Wedges For Mid Handicappers In 2023: In Detail
Now that you understand the importance of a golf wedge as a mid-handicapper, we will look at some of our choices as the best wedge for mid handicappers in 2023. The following sections are detailed reviews of some of our top picks. We will provide an overview of the club’s characteristics and review the pros and cons to help you pick the best wedge on the market for your golf bag.
Best Overall: Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 Wedge
If you're looking for an all round high performance wedge then the Callaway Jaws MD5 Wedge fits the bill.
- 23 Customization Options
- Quality Construction
- Great Design
- Aggressive Grooves
The Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 has no apparent weakness, and we think you’ll struggle to find a better versatile wedge offering for a mid-handicapper. It’s a quality wedge for the mid-handicapper as it comes with a great design and provides excellent spin for the mid handicapper or even those looking for the best high handicapper wedge. The Jaws Mack Daddy 5 wedge from Callaway Golf is a golf club for backspin for any player looking for a soft feel carbon steel wedge that will elevate their game and be able to generate plenty of spin while maintaining consistent performance and a low center of gravity with approach shots.
Overall, it is an excellent all-around wedge that is well suited to high handicappers but especially low to mid-handicap golfers. It has even been used with success by PGA Tour professionals such as Si Woo Kim who has won with them in his bag. (Golf Magic)
Pros:
+ Adjustability: Adjustability for all wedge shots will act as a versatile wedge for all mid-handicappers with great adjustability.
+ Great feel with the clubface: It will give you an excellent feel in the golf swing
+ Great Design: The Design Of The Callaway Jaws MD5 Wedge makes it a great addition to any golf bag.
+ Easy to use: This wedge is easy to use due to its simple design.
+ Variety of sole grind options: You have plenty of choices to tailor to your own needs.
Cons:
– None
Check out our full Callaway Jaws Wedge Review here.
Great All-Rounder: Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge
Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge
- High Bounce Wedge
- Cavity Back
- Helps With Consistency
The CBX 2 wedge is an excellent option for a mid handicapper looking for a cavity back wedge that is on the market. Cleveland Golf makes wonderful high-bounce wedges, and their offerings from 54-60 degrees make it an ideal option for mid handicappers looking to find a great variety of wedges. These cavity back Cleveland Golf wedges get the ball up in the air with ease, have perfect turf interaction, and are great for mid handicappers looking for lofted wedges that can help to create consistency and plenty of spin around the greens.
Premium Performance: Ping Glide 3.0 Wedge
PING Glide 3.0 Wedge
- Wide choices of loft
- Sharp Grooves
- Premium Performance
Ping Glide 3.0 Wedges cover more than enough loft, bounce options, and grind options to make it a worthy inclusion on this list of the best golf wedges for mid-handicap golfers. With sharp grooves that will allow you to create backspin on the ball, these wedges have a tremendous amount of versatility built into them. By finding your preferred loft and bounce options with the Ping Glide 3.0 wedge, you can benefit from a wide range of performance options for your shots.
Great Design: Mizuno T20 Wedge
Mizuno T20 Wedge
- Striking Design
- Soft feel
- Lightweight
The Mizuno T20 Golf Wedge provides golfers with a top-quality wedge from Mizuno. With a slick, easily adjustable shaft, this club is perfect for all golfers looking to improve their game who also want to get a soft feel. This club comes with a 3 point adjustable bounce which makes adjusting the clubhead extremely easy while providing consistency and that soft feel that is so desired with every approach shot as well as shots around the green.
High Durability: Cobra King Black Wedge
Cobra King Black Wedge
- DBM Finish For Durability
- High Performance
- Spin Control
The Cobra King Black Wedge is our final choice on this list. The process used to design this wedge makes them highly accurate and consistent. The Cobra wedges also have progressive spin technology, as most companies do. This enables them to create golf wedges that generate excellent spin to get the ball closer to the pin and for better control around the green.
The King wedge offers an excellent golf wedge that provides flexibility and consistency in the ball flight. The club features a DBM finish, otherwise known as diamond black metal, which reduces glare and increases durability, so you can be sure you can use this club for a long time.
The King is one of the best golf wedges for intermediate players who want flexibility and consistency in their wedge.
How Many Wedges Should A Mid Handicap Golfer Carry?
A mid-handicap only needs to carry at least three wedges in their bag. The first is a 46-50 degree pitching wedge, and the second would be a 52- degree gap wedge, and the third is a 54-58 degree sand wedge. The sand wedge is the most imperative for bunker shots and can help you find that extra touch by the greenside. Alternatively, you may wish to carry four wedges to really spread out your wedge distances. The extra wedge would be a lob wedge for tight lies and chipping. Often golfers will need to compare the benefits of a lob wedge vs sand wedge before deciding on which one to carry.
In Summary: Which Choice Is Best?
To conclude, the Callaway Mack Daddy 5 Wedge is an excellent choice if you are looking for a mid handicap wedge that can give you the control and consistency you will look for with both pitching and chipping. The Mack Daddy will provide you with the benefit of excellent control and a big sweet spot that gives you the consistent feel that you will be looking for.
As with all of the choices on this list, they are the best wedges on the market, and the loft, bounce, and grind at the sole of the club, as well as the grooves, will be essential to consider when looking at a wide range of wedge options that can elevate your short game to the next level.
Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 Wedge
Editor’s Choice
- Great Performance
- Well Designed
- Lightweight
- Spin Control
