Every golfer knows that chipping is an ESSENTIAL part of golf!
That SATISFACTION you get when you hit your ball! You see it popping into the air, hitting the ground, and rolling toward the hole!
When you have the best wedges for chipping, you’ve already won half the battle.
Have you ever seen a PGA Tour golfer’s golf bag? They have at least three to four golf wedges! Sometimes even five!
We’ll share the BEST ones, so read on!
Our Top 7 Wedges
Best Overall: Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI Chipper
If your priority is to put a little LOFT under your chips, consider getting the:
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 39.37 x 4.72 x 4.72 inches
- Weight: 2.12 Pounds
- Golf Flex: Regular
- Golf Loft: 37 Degrees
- Shaft Material: Steel
- Grip Type: Putter
What Makes It Stand Out
- Performs EXCELLENTLY around the green. You get to hit over hills and bunkers EASILY without being far away from the hole.
- Wide and heavy sole for greater impact and better control around the green.
- Eliminates fat and thin chip shots from the fringe.
- The minimum club face rotation is designed for the perfect balance.
- A good amount of distance with accurate strokes up to 70 yards!
Pros
- Super accurate strokes
- Durable golf wedge for chipping
- Largest clubface area for tough lies
- Easiest 60+ dredge wedge to hit
- Improves short game
Cons
- A bit lacking in distance control
Best Value: Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge
The Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge has the ULTIMATE balance of specialist-wedge technology and performance.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 37 x 4.3 x 2 inches
- Weight: 14.39 ounces
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Shaft Material: Steel
- Golf Flex: Wedge
- Loft: 46 to 54 degrees
- Grip Type: Lamkin 360
What Makes It Stand Out
- Enhanced Feel Balancing Technology with a GelbackTPU Insert reduces vibration upon impact. It provides a very SMOOTH feel when you hit the ball.
- Its hollow cavity design distributes weight and offers more forgiveness at impact.
- The Tour Zip Groves and Rotex Face Technology are amazing. It offers aggressive spin and CONSISTENT short game control.
- Versatile in any shot because of its laser-lined texture lines between grooves.
Pros
- Dramatically consistent control
- Tighter shot dispersion
- Incredible grip
- Super forgiving wedge
Cons
- You’ll be happy that there’s none
Best Budget Pick: Square Strike Wedge
The Square Strike Wedge is an excellent golf club that lives up to its expectations.
Key Specs
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Shaft Material: Black Stainless Steel
- Golf Flex: Wedge
- Loft: 45 to 60 Degrees
- Grip Type: Putter
What Makes It Stand Out
- With its extra-wide sole with a beveled leading edge, it won’t slide under the ball.
- PERFECT for the junior golfer who loves to join tournament play, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to mishit. Thanks to the shape and weighting of the Anti-Rotational Clubhead.
- The putter-like length is a large boost in chipping confidence!
- The Square Strike Wedge is USGA conforming and is LEGAL for tournament play.
Pros
- Low center of gravity
- Very easy to hit
- Perfect for short chip shots
- Legal for tournament play
- Anti chunking sole
- You can choose the colors
Cons
- Non-traditional look
- Cheapo grips
- Bright colors feel plasticky
Cleveland Golf Men’s Smart Sole 3 Wedge S
The Cleveland Golf Men’s Smart Sole 3 Wedge S is the best wedge for golfers that struggle with chipping or bunker play. It is designed to help players of ALL SKILL LEVELS in handling even the trickiest shots.
Key Specs
- Weight: 16 Ounces
- Material: Steel
- Shaft Material: Graphite Steel
- Golf Flex: Wedge
- Loft: 58 Degrees
What Makes It Stand Out
- This is Cleveland Golf’s biggest moneymakers to date. Features three-tiered sole design and thick rubber grip. It’s so MUCH MORE than your average sand wedges.
- Its Smart Sole Wedges make it easy for mid-handicappers to escape bunkers, pitch, and chip.
- Very VERSATILE and used for so much more than getting out of a sand bunker regardless of the quality of your swing.
- The feel-balancing technology places most of the club’s weight toward the head, not the hosel.
- The curvature, width of the sole, and impressive bounce all work together. It helps the clubhead work through rough and sand—all without slowing down abruptly through impact or digging.
- It INSTANTLY boosts ball trajectory.
Pros
- Excellent playability
- Very forgiving
- Excellent for greenside bunker shots
- Worth every penny
Cons
- The high price tag may be an issue
Callaway Mack Daddy CB Wedge
The Callaway Mack Daddy CB Wedge is the golf wedge of choice for countless players. Designed to make life EASIER for amateur golfers out on golf courses.
Key Specs
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Shaft Material: Steel
- Golf Club Flex: Wedge
- Loft: 46 to 60 Degrees
What Makes It Stand Out
- Designed with a forgiving shape for an easier transition from cavity back wedge. It inspires more excellence around the green.
- It features a deep cavity-back shape, a larger head shape, and a thick topline. Encourages more confidence while improving the blend between your short irons and wedges.
- There’s a full sole grind in the lower lofts with moderate bounce. It improves turf interaction on longer pitches and approaches into the green.
- There’s more bounce with the new W Grind in the mid-to-higher lofts. This makes it more forgiving in the rough or when playing out of bunkers.
- The lowered leading edge provides a little more versatility.
- The jaws’ grooves add that little extra bite to your shots, whether from sand, rough, or fairway. These grooves extend right the way across the face in the sand and lob wedge models.
Pros
- Absolutely amazing forgiveness levels
- A longer grip
- Super easy to use from bunkers
- Improves turf interaction
- Great on shorter shots
Cons
- Could be slightly better on full shots
- Fewer grind and bounce options
Wilson Harmonized Golf Wedge
The WIlson Harmonized Golf Wedge promotes forgiveness and helps you strike clean wedge shots consistently.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 121.92 x 14.35 x 14.35 cm
- Weight: 0.45 Kilograms
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Shaft Material: Steel
- Golf Club Flex: Sand Wedge
- Loft: 56 Degrees
What Makes It Stand Out
- This is the best wedge for beginner golfers on a budget looking for a great golf wedge for chipping.
- It comes with a modified bounce angle that offers good control and gets the ball to stop quickly.
- STRATEGIC use of aggressive grooves gives you maximum spin on the ball. This is very useful and greatly boosts your confidence in the course – if you’re a beginner. Improves the game of low handicappers.
- The blade is sharply angled to boost the spin. It’s perfect when you’re in a sticky situation.
- The use of the sole grind means the club can easily slip through the turf when the clubface is open. This is GREAT when you want to get the ball out of the rough and sand in one swing.
Pros
- Solid and durable wedge
- Very forgiving
- Good value for money
- Reliable True temper steel irons for high performance
- Enhanced shot versatility for every swing type and course condition
Cons
- Grips made from cheap material
- Grips too small
Intech EZ Roll Chipper
The Intech EZ Roll Chipper is ideal for both putting and chipping. It’s an all-in-one club.
Key Specs
- Material: Alloy Steel
- Shaft Material: Steel
- Golf Club Flex: Wedge
- Grid Type: Putter
- Loft: 60 Degrees
What Makes It Stand Out
- This is the best wedge for women golfers. Provides great performance in maneuvering golf shots around the green.
- The back-weighted technology gets the ball airborne while maintaining balance with the swing. But, this is for shorter-length shots, not full swing.
- This chipping wedge is PERFECT around the greens. But for full swing shots, it’s best to use a traditional wedge.
- It stands out with its wide sole design that’s curated to look like a hybrid. The design of the shaft helps players in performing lie shots of difficulty.
- The non-glare satin finish reduces the glare when looking down during sunny days.
Pros
- Awesome alignment and grip
- Affordable
- Remarkable range
- Exceptional design
- Precision and accuracy within 20 yards
Cons
- Requires practice and getting Amazing grip
- used to
- Not good for 30+ yard shots
- Not great for full swing shots
- Deep grove alignment hard to see for some people
What Are Golf Wedges?
Wedges are lofted irons used within about 100 yards around the green by golfers.
A “chip shot” or “short game” in golf is a shot from close to the green. It is usually within a few yards of the putting surface.
The idea behind wedges is to use them for controlled shots around the green.
They’re not meant for power shots. Their job is not to go long distances but to get you close to the hole.
Designed in a way to optimize loft and focus on accuracy and spin. They create a good bounce or the angle from the clubface edge to the bottom of the sole.
A high bounce angle will make it easier for the club to bounce off the surface and create a better loft and shot.
Buying Guide for Chipping Wedges
It is common to see players with four wedges in their golf bag with varying lofts, bounces, and grinds.
When you understand and learn how to apply these three elements, choosing a set of wedges will be easy for you.
The best chipping wedge should have the right amount of bounce and loft.
These are important factors that come into play when deciding on the type of shot you need:
Loft
The wedge loft is the angle created between the face of the wedge and an imaginary vertical line.
The more loft, the more elevation on your shot. This results in a higher ball flight with less distance.
When choosing a set of wedges, try to keep the loft’s gaps to around 4 degrees between each club.
Make sure that there are no big gaps in the loft. This is between the lowest lofted iron in your set, the first wedge, and between edge wedges.
The Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI Chipper is replacing a good deal of clubs, and for good reason!
It plays like a putter but with the feel and loft of a wedge. It’s the perfect way to improve a short game. It brings drastic changes in your scores INSTANTLY!
Bounce
The bounce is the area of the wedge that hits the turf. It ‘bounces’ the club through the surface under the ball at impact.
The standard bounce of a wedge is around 10 degrees to 16 degrees. Enough to perform a steeper angle attack.
The bounce angle is the angle from the leading edge to the point where the sole meets the ground.
The higher the bounce, the less the club will dig into the surface.
You want a high bounce when shooting out of soft, fluffy sand and long grass.
You want a lower bounce when hitting the ball off the fairway or hard sand so that the club will dig deep into the surface for the right contact.
The Cleveland Smart Sole 3 Wedge S both have a great bounce and sole grind. The feel balancing technology offers the center of gravity to the center of the clubface.
Gives you better forgiveness and accurate shots.
Sole Grinds
Sole grinds have become the wedge buzzword of recent years. It’s the additional shaping of the wedge’s sole, usually around the heel or the toe.
The Cleveland Smart Sole 3 Wedge S has Smart Sole Wedges for mid-handicappers.
It’s more playable for different types of players in different conditions.
There’s a selection of sole grinds to the market inspired by tour player preferences.
Sole grinds change the bounce of the sole. So it is important to receive advice from a professional on the types of grinds that will suit your golf game.
Some grinds take away more material from the heel area to make it more versatile. It’s easier to get the club sitting well on shots where you need to open the clubface.
Groves
The grooves on a golf club are like the tread on a tire.
Each groove grabs the ball like the tread grips the road. It creates spin and produces the ideal shot trajectory.
A recent rule change by the USGA and R&A eliminates the use of deep grooves in wedges. This creates more backspin and gave golfers an unfair advantage.
The new rule restricts groove volume and edge radius on wedges.
This results in a higher launch angle and less backspin.
There are two different styles of grooves on wedges: vintage finish and laser-etching.
Wedges with vintage-finish grooves rust in a way that compliments the sound and feel of the metal.
While the laser-etched grooves optimize the ball-to-face friction and create maximum spin.
The Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge has Lazer-lined Tour Zip Groves between grooves. It offers aggressive spin and consistent control.
Finish
The finish is a practical consideration for wedges for chipping.
The days of polished chrome-over steel are over. But you probably don’t want the sight of a rusting clubhead.
The “nickel-coated” or “oil can” finish rusts over time and gives a slightly more spin on the ball.
The most popular finishes at the moment are tour satin and black.
The duller-looking finish is a practical choice on clubheads as they do not reflect as much light in the sun.
The Intech EZ Roll Chipper has a non-glare satin finish. It reduces the glare when looking down during sunny days.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness may not be such a pressing need with these short clubs. But then, some golfers still prefer a little help.
That may be via a wedge with more of a cavity back with perimeter-weighted forgiveness.
A slightly wider sole for more forgiveness in the strike and helps get the ball up.
Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge and Wilson Harmonized Golf Wedge have maximum forgiveness!
The Must-Haves
Golfers have a variety of wedges to choose from based on the distance and type of shot required.
A wedge for chipping offers different strengths.
It’s important to understand the differences in each wedge. It helps golfers make good decisions and lower scores.
Pitching Wedge (PW)
The most common wedge for chipping is the pitching wedge. It is a versatile wedge used to play full swing approach shots to the green.
Out of all the different types of wedges for chipping, this has the least amount of loft.
They have a lower, more penetrating flight compared to the high, soft flight of lob wedges.
They also have the least amount of bounce. This helps players deliver a precise strike from the fairway on their approach shots.
It reduces the risk of them blading the ball.
Don’t use your pitching wedge to get out of green-side bunkers.
A pitching wedge works well for hitting chip shots that land on the green and roll out towards the hole. However, You won’t be able to stop the ball as quickly as a lob wedge.
If you want to work around the green to work with, this club is a great choice.
Gap Wedge / Approach Wedge (GW)
A gap wedge is a good wedge for chipping. As the name suggests, the gap wedge fills the ‘gap’ between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge.
Gap wedges, also known as the approach wedge or utility wedge, have 52 degrees of loft.
Used for approach shots from the rough and fairway like the pitching wedge. Or you can use it when chipping around the green.
Gap wedges spin very well, but you will have to leave a bit of room for the wedge to roll when it lands.
Sand Wedge
A sand wedge is the best golf wedge for chipping. It is EXCELLENT around the green, rough, and sand.
It has about 56 degrees of loft and more bounce than any other club in the golf bag.
Keep in mind to speed up during the entire shot. If you decelerate, then you’ll end up hitting the ball fat.
You can get to fly the ball close to the pin. Expect it only to roll a few feet.
The high level of bounce is great for gliding through the sand. You can also use it when playing out of rough or hitting approach shots into the green.
Be cautious when using sand wedges from tight lies. The added bounce makes it easy to blade or thin shots from these spots.
Lob Wedge
Finally, the lob wedge. It has the most loft out of any club in your golf bag.
If you happen to hit in a greenside bunker and the pin is only a few feet away, this is the best wedge!
The high loft on this club is perfect for stopping the ball quick on chip shots.
It’s also easy to hoist the ball high over obstacles like thick rough and bunkers.
New players are scared of it because of all the loft and potential of hitting the golf ball thin.
But when you learn to use this club properly, you will see a BIG difference in your golf game.
Tips on How To Be a Better Chipper
Since we’ve talked about wedges and how important chipping is to your golf game, it’s time to get better at it.
Here are practical tips to become a better chipper:
Tip #1: Small Stance
Some golfers try to chip while standing in their usual position. This is not an effective stance around the green.
Standing with your feet closer together makes your stance more narrow. This helps you control your chip shots and have an easier time accelerating.
Tip #2: Plan Your Shots
It helps if you plan your shots for every single chip you hit.
Picture a spot around the green where you want your chip to land and roll the rest of the way.
Ask yourself if that’s how it will roll and if it seems correct. Then you swing the club if your answer is yes.
Don’t just swing your club at every chance you get.
You’ll have a very slim chance of getting the ball close to the hole if you’re not sure where you want it to land and roll.
Tip #3: Practice Consistently
Hitting a chip shot is not all that difficult. But hitting it and ending up close to the hole is a whole different story.
Try to aim at different targets and hit different types of shots.
Take all four wedges and do drills.
Pick a target about 15 or 20 yards away. Learn how to hit it with your sand wedge, lob wedge, pitching wedge, and gap wedge.
Doing this helps you develop a feel for your game. You’ll be more prepared next time you step foot on the golf course.
Here’s the Recap
Budget Pick: Square Strike Wedge
The Square Strike Wedge is smooth, balanced, solid, yet comfortable!
It forgives your miss-hits far better than any conventional wedge. It has a GREAT center of gravity, anti-chunk sole, and anti-rotational weighting.
A budget alternative that improves your short game… INSTANTLY!
Best Value: Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge
Packed with impressive features! Cleveland Golf CBX 2 Wedge can definitely improve your short game!
And the cavity-back, dynamic sole grind, and tour zip grooves really give it UNREAL height and spin! Definitely the BEST VALUE for your money!
Best Overall: Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI Chipper
Our TOP CHOICE is the Pinemeadow Golf Excel EGI Chipper! It combines efficiency, versatility, and ease of use with a reasonable price tag.
The BEST INVESTMENT for a lot of players because of its impressive performance on the green.
It makes the best wedge for chipping for ALL LEVELS of expertise.
You’ll be sure to find so much purpose for it in your arsenal.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to learn about chipping wedges, and there are different ways you can use them depending on how you like to play.
Some golfers might use the best lob wedge when they’re looking to attack the pin, while others use a sand wedge from the same spot instead.
How you choose to use the best wedge is ENTIRELY up to you!
In the end, it doesn’t really matter because it all comes down to practice and personal preference.
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