There are variables you should consider when trying to buy the best wedges for your game.
Wedges -- often referred to as the scoring clubs -- cover a wide range of lofts from about 42 degrees up to 60 degrees.
They have to be versatile to play a variety of shots in terms of pitching, from the rough, tight fairways or from the sand.
When it comes to the short game and finding the best golf wedges on the market or the best gap wedges, there is much to ponder.
Firstly, consider buying a second-hand wedge -- remember the ball doesn't know what hit it is old or new!
I'm amazed at the wedges now available together with the lofts.
Most golfers carry up to four wedges in their bags, but is that necessary?
The answer to that is you will need to assess whether you require more options and versatility at the longer end of your set to avoid potentially big gaps there.
If you are going to stick with your iron set pitching wedge, then you need to know what loft your pitching wedge is, so that you can work out what loft your next wedge needs to be.
If you want to take out your set's wedge, you need to check the loft of your 9-iron so you can work out what will be the best pitching wedge loft for you.
Iron and wedge lofts have got stronger over the years.
Whereas the degree of loft on pitching wedges in sets was once typically in the high 40s, they're now in the low- to mid-40s.
In an ideal world, you're looking for gaps of between 4 and 5 degrees from your 9-iron to your first wedge and then between wedges.
In my playing days, I just had a pitching wedge and a 58 that I used for greenside sand shots.
I knew to the inch how far I could hit both clubs with various swings as this was vital.
Bounce is as important as loft, if not more so in some ways.
Bounce refers to the angle created between the lowest part of the sole and the leading edge when the club is grounded neutrally.
Low bounce would typically be 4-6 degrees.
With the leading edge sitting closer to the ground, it will suit firm conditions, sparsely filled bunkers, or players who have more of a sweeping action.
High bounce would be from about 10-14 degrees. It will better suit lusher conditions, well-filled bunkers or players who dig a little more and therefore need more wiggle room in the strike.
Out of Bounds: How do I know that my youth is all spent? Well, my "get up and go" has got up and went. But I really don't mind when I think with a grin. Of all the grand places my "get up" has bin.