Let’s talk wedges, folks. By now, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, you should know that woods and long irons account for only a third of all shots in golf, while the rest will be taken with either wedges or putters. Granted, this doesn’t mean you should neglect your long game, but packing a wedge or a few for chip shots and closing in for an up-and-down is definitely a good idea if you want to shave off a couple of strokes. With this in mind, how do you find the best wedge sets currently on the market?
Which Way to Go?
Well, there are essentially two options – you could either go for a ready-made set (great for those who don’t have the time or desire to deal with fine-tuning their bags) or make your own. The number of wedges notwithstanding, you should make sure that the gap is between four and six degrees to optimize your set. Seven degrees is also OK if you can cover the yardage, but eight is probably pushing it too far.
Remember, your bag configuration depends on you and you alone, and provided you keep it at 14 clubs max, you can go with seven wedges and as many putters (not a good idea, though). On a more serious note, most trainers do recommend going with three to four wedges, depending on the course and your play style.
For example, if you lack the distance of a tour professional can make, you’d be better off with a three-wedge configuration that’ll leave you with enough room for two fairways. On the flipside, if you regularly play full shots or come too short or far on your pitch shots when switching between clubs, then you’ll want to go with four wedges.
Golf Wedge Set Comparison Table
The 7 Best Wedge Sets Reviews
So, if you’re on the hunt for the top rated wedge sets on the market, stick around and read through our the following wedge sets reviews. By the time you’ve finished studying it and chosen your favourite, we’ll have you tapping in for birdie.
1. Titleist Vokey SM6 Wedges
Our Rating:
The Vokey SM6 line of wedges has all the lofts ranging from 46 to 62, in 2-degree increments, so you can pick whatever configuration fits your bag. They don’t come in sets per se, but that only means you have all the more freedom to customize your bag.
There are five grinds to choose from, L and M being suitable for sweepers, S and F passing off as somewhat neutral, and the K grind, which is great for diggers.
As mentioned earlier, the way the SM6 plays, as well as the fact there is no fixed wedge set per se, but just a set of options you can choose and pick from makes this a great wedge set for low handicappers.
Pros
- Great for low handicappers
- Progressive CG shifts through the lofts to align with the impact position
- Easily customizable
- Plenty of spin thanks to the new and improved grooves
- Comes in three different finishes (Tour Chrome, Jet Black, and Steel Gray)
Cons
- Sort of pricey
- Not for high handicappers
See a full review of the wedge here.
2. Texan Classics Gun Metal Wedge Set Wedges
Our Rating:
The Gun Metal wedges from Texan Classics make one of the most popular wedge sets on Amazon, and with good reason. What you get is a set of three wedges, a gap wedge (52), sand wedge (56), and lob wedge (60).
The 4-degree gap is nice, but it would be nice if they also included a pitching wedge, as this leaves much to be desired. The good news is that this is a ready-made set.
On the one hand, this takes out all the fun of choosing your own setup, but on the other, it also rids you of the headache of thinking and deciding, which is great for newbies.
If you’re looking for the best golf wedge set for mid handicappers that someone’s already chosen for you this just might be the thing for you.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Optimal yardage gap
- Decent GI (game-improvement) set
- Surprising amount of forgiveness
Cons
- No pitching wedge
3. Ping Glide 2.0 Wedges
Our Rating:
The Ping Glide 2.0 is, obviously, the new generation of the Glide series, and they do advertise it as their best wedge yet (with good reason, too).
The grooves are sharper, allowing the face to bite into the ball and give it extreme spin. The compact design does make it somewhat appealing to low handicappers, but the Glide definitely comes into its own in a mid handicapper hands.
The major selling point here would be the slightly longer grip than usual (about 0.75in), which lets you go more down the handle.
If you’re looking for the best custom wedge set for mid handicappers, or, in other words, a GI wedge set you can build yourself, then you should definitely check out the Ping Glide 2.0.
Pros
- Very forgiving on mishits
- Large profile instils confidence on address
- Hard-to-miss sweet spot
- Comes in four grind options, very versatile
Cons
- Not very appealing for low handicappers
See a full review of the wedge here.
4. Cleveland RTX-3 CB Wedges
Our Rating:
The Cleveland RTX-3 Cavity Back is an all-time favourite, despite being sort of a new kid on the block.
The grooves are sharper, giving you much more teeth on the ball, meaning you get better control on it, and the slightly forward-shifted Center of Gravity (CG) allows you a better feel on impact, as well as improved forgiveness (particularly compared to the RTX 2.0).
The Cleveland RTX-3 definitely makes the cut for the perfect wedge set for seniors, though high handicappers and beginners will find it just as appealing.
Pros
- Decent selection of bounce angles (three grinds)
- New and slightly shifted CG for better distance control
- Sharper grooves for more spin
- Excellent loft selection (46 through 64)
- There’s also a women-specific variant, very much up to par
Cons
- Sort of pricy
5. Mizuno S5 Wedges
Our Rating:
The Mizuno S5 is one of the best-feeling wedges you’ll ever hold. It’s forged, rather than cast, which accounts for the soft feel, though this also means the grooves will fade a bit quicker.
If you can accept this trade-off, then you’ll be very happy with it. Granted, the S5 wedges don’t come in a pre-made set, so you’ll have to make one for yourself.
On the flipside, there’s plenty of loft options, from 49 to 62 (in 1-degree increments), which leaves you plenty of room for customization. The S5 makes for, hands down, one of the best sets of wedges for high handicappers.
If you’re fishing for something better suited to mid or low handicappers, you might want to try its less forgiving cousin, the Mizuno T7.
Pros
- Easy-to-hit sweet spot
- Feels right, for lack of a better word
- Amazingly forgiving on off-centre shots
- Lightweight, especially in the lower lofts
- Plenty of loft options (49–62)
Cons
- The finish wears off in no time, especially on SW (go figure)
- Would be nice if it came with some lower lofts
See a full review of the wedge here.
6. Cleveland Women’s RTX-3 CB Tour Satin Wedges
Our Rating:
The Cleveland Women’s RTX-3 Cavity Back is pretty much what it says on the tin – a women-specific line of wedges.
Much like its men-specific counterpart, this line also features sharp grooves that help you generate plenty of good spin, as well as the forward-shifted CG to help you dial in the ball.
The one gripe would be a somewhat lesser loft selection (48–60), though you do get all the four wedge types within. If you’re looking for the top rated women’s wedge set, you might want to look Cleveland’s way and check out the RTX-3 CB for women.
If you’re a tall lady, you can just as well go for the men’s version, you’ll have more lofts to choose from.
Pros
- Plenty forgiving
- The grooves generate lots of spin
- Decent loft selection
- Fairly lightweight
Cons
- Somewhat pricy
7. Pinemeadow Wedges
Our Rating:
With Pinemeadow, you can go two ways – you can either get the set, which includes a GW (52), an SW (56), and an LW (60), or completely forego this option and make your own set.
The loft selection is somewhat disappointing, as there’s no mention of a PW, but on the flipside, the lobs go all the way up to 68 (seems a bit gimmicky, but some folks might like it).
It’s great when you hit it flush, but you don’t get much of an error margin with such a steep loft.
In case you’re looking for a great budget-friendly wedge set, the Pinemeadow just might be the thing for you. It’s a pretty basic 3-piece set which should suit most bag configurations, no questions asked.
Pros
- Inexpensive, great value for money
- Consistent performance
- Quite some forgiveness
- Lots of loft options outside of the set
Cons
- The set doesn’t come with a PW
See a full review of the wedge here.
Conclusion
All in all, choosing the best wedge set for you, whether you get it pre-configured or make it yourself, boils down to only a couple of things – your budget and personal preferences. Obviously, low handicappers will look for something to help them dial in the ball, such as more teeth on the ball and a more back CG, while high handicappers and seniors will benefit from greater forgiveness and lower CG.
Bottom line is – play what feels best. Golf is as much of an art as it is a sport, and there’s plenty of stuff no amount of physics or fancy terminology can explain. So, keep calm, enjoy, and may the course be with you.