For professional golfers, selecting the right wedges can be a critical part of their strategy. Even the slightest difference in loft or bounce can impact their ability to hit precise shots under varying course conditions. Read on to learn more about what wedges pros use and how you can apply their strategies to your own game.
The top 100 PGA Tour players utilize wedge models from a total of 15 different manufacturers, amounting to a selection of approximately 70 different options. Titleist, however, is the overwhelmingly preferred brand among these elite players.
Almost 80% of them carry four wedges in their bags, including a pitching wedge, a gap wedge, a sand wedge, and a lob wedge. These four wedges typically have varying loft angles ranging from 46° to 64°. When it comes to wedge bounce, 10 degrees is the most commonly used angle among these pros.
In this article, we’ll explore more about the different types of wedges used by professional golfers, the most popular on the PGA Tour, and also the number of wedges carried by professional golfers.
What Wedges Do Pros Use?
When it comes to wedge selection, professional golfers have access to a wide range of options from various manufacturers, and here are some of the most used wedges on tour:
Titleist Vokey SM8
This wedge is a favorite among many top players, including Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Its precise grooves and varied grind options make it a versatile choice for a variety of shots around the green.
TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe
This is one the most used wedges on tour with a unique high-toe design that allows golfers to hit high, soft shots with more consistency. It’s a popular choice for players like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
Callaway Mack Daddy 5
This wedge offers a variety of grind options and grooves that provide exceptional spin control. It’s a top choice for players like Phil Mickelson and Xander Schauffele.
Cleveland RTX ZipCore
This wedge features a unique core design that maximizes energy transfer for better ball speed and distance control. It’s a popular choice among players like Shane Lowry and Hideki Matsuyama.
Some players may prefer wedges from different manufacturers or with different features. However, the most popular wedges on the PGA Tour tend to offer a balance of feel, spin control, and versatility.
How Many Wedges Do Pros Carry?
Best wedge players on tour typically carry between three and four wedges in their bags, in addition to their set of irons and woods.
For example, a golfer who frequently plays on courses with challenging greens and deep bunkers may opt to carry four wedges to ensure they have the right club for any situation.
A golfer who relies more heavily on their long game may choose to carry fewer wedges and instead focus on having a wider range of drivers and fairway woods.
A typical pro golfer’s wedge setup might include a pitching wedge with a loft of around 46-50 degrees, a gap wedge with a loft of around 50-54 degrees, a sand wedge with a loft of around 54-58 degrees, and a lob wedge with a loft of around 58-62 degrees.
Some best wedge players on tour may also carry a high-lob or flop wedge with a loft of 64-68 degrees for shots that require an extremely high trajectory.
However, below is a breakdown of the number of the most used wedges on a tour that gives a good overall idea of the trend of wedges used by the top 100 golfers on the PGA Tour:
| Number of Wedges | Percentage of Players |
| 3 | 2% |
| 4 | 79% |
| 5 | 16% |
| 6 | 3% |
What Brand Wedges Do Pros Use?
Professional golfers have a wide range of options when it comes to wedge brands, and some of the most popular wedge brands among pros include Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Cleveland, and Vokey.
| Wedge Brands | Percentage Used by Top 100 PGA Tour Golfers |
| Titleist | 44% |
| PING | 17% |
| Callaway | 15% |
| Others | 24% |
| Most Popular Wedge Model | Percentage Used by Top 100 PGA Tour Golfers |
| Titleist Vokey Design SM8 | 30% |
| Others | 70% |
What Bounce Wedges Do the Pros Use?
Pro golfers typically carry wedges with a variety of bounce angles to suit different conditions, but most pros tend to use wedges with mid-to-low bounce angles in the range of 4 to 10 degrees.
Given below is a breakdown of the various bounce wedges used by the top 100 PGA best wedge players on tour:
| Wedge Bounce | Percentage of Players |
| 0-4 degrees | 10% |
| 5-9 degrees | 38% |
| 10-14 degrees | 43% |
| 15-19 degrees | 7% |
| 20+ degrees | 2% |
What Loft Wedges Do Pros Use?
Mostly best wedge players on tour tend to carry wedges with loft angles ranging from around 46 to 60 degrees, with the exact makeup of their set depending on their individual needs and preferences.
Below is a breakdown of the lofts of wedges used by the top 100 PGA Tour golfers. This breakdown represents the most commonly used loft ranges among these elite players but some golfers may carry wedges with lofts outside of these ranges.
| Wedge Loft | Percentage of Players |
| 46-48 degrees | 3% |
| 49-51 degrees | 8% |
| 52-54 degrees | 23% |
| 55-57 degrees | 31% |
| 58-60 degrees | 25% |
| 61-64 degrees | 10% |
According to Justin Thomas wedge setup, one of the best wedge players on tour, typically carries a Titleist Vokey SM8 pitching wedge with a loft of 46 degrees, a gap wedge with a loft of 52 degrees, a sand wedge with a loft of 56 degrees, and a lob wedge with a loft of 60 degrees. He also typically chooses PGA tour wedges with a relatively high bounce angle and a grind that allows him to open up the face for more versatility.
FAQs: What Wedges Do Pros Use
What Degree Wedges Do the Pros Use on the PGA Tour?
Most pro golfers carry at least three or four wedges with varying degrees of loft to accommodate different shot types and situations. The top 100 PGA Tour players typically use pitching wedges with lofts ranging from 44 to 49 degrees, gap wedges with lofts ranging from 50 to 54 degrees, sand wedges with lofts ranging from 54 to 58 degrees, and lob wedges with lofts ranging from 58 to 64 degrees.
What Wedge Do Most Pros Chip With?
Chipping is a critical part of the short game, and most pro golfers have a go-to wedge that they use for these types of shots. Many pros tend to use a wedge with a loft angle of around 58 to 60 degrees, combined with a grind and bounce angle that allows for versatility around the greens.
Are 72-Degree Wedges Legal?
Golfers often carry several wedges with varying lofts to accommodate different shots. However, it is illegal to use a wedge with a loft angle above the traditional maximum of 64 degrees. The maximum allowable loft angle for any club is 60 degrees, making any club with a loft angle above 60 degrees non-conforming and unsuitable for tournament play. The rules of golf may change over time, but for now, golfers must find alternative options if they need a wedge with a higher loft angle.
Conclusion: What Wedges Do Pros Use
Pro golfers may carry different numbers and types of wedges, but most tend to carry at least three or four wedges with varying lofts. The rules of golf dictate a maximum allowable loft angle of 60 degrees for any club, meaning that wedges with loft angles above this limit are not legal for use in tournament play.
The top 100 PGA Tour players use a diverse selection of approximately 380 different wedge models made by 15 different manufacturers. Titleist dominates the market with their clubs accounting for 44% of those used by these elite players. The most popular individual pitching, gap, sand, and lob wedge is Titleist’s Vokey Design SM8. Most players carry 4 wedges, including a pitching, gap, sand, and lob wedge of varying lofts from 46° to 64°.
