Wedge Loft & Gapping
The loft of each wedge (PW, GW, SW, LW) and how they're spaced - typically 4–6 degrees apart - to cover your scoring distances without gaps.
Wedge loft refers to the degrees on each of your scoring clubs: the pitching wedge (typically 43–46 degrees today), gap or approach wedge (48–52), sand wedge (54–56), and lob wedge (58–60+). How these lofts are spaced determines whether you have a comfortable full-swing club for every short-range distance or awkward holes in your scoring zone.
Modern iron sets have strengthened their pitching-wedge lofts significantly, which has quietly created a problem at the top of the wedge range. A 44-degree pitching wedge leaves a large gap to a 54-degree sand wedge unless a gap wedge fills the middle. Many golfers unknowingly have a 20-yard hole in their most important scoring range.
The standard fix is even loft spacing - most commonly 4 to 6 degrees between wedges - chosen so the carry-distance gaps come out consistent. Because loft does not translate to distance identically for every player, the right spacing depends on your actual wedge carry numbers.
Wedge loft is fitted alongside bounce and grind. Loft sets the distance; bounce and grind set how the club interacts with the turf and sand at that distance. Together they make the scoring clubs the most fit-sensitive clubs in the bag.