Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
Almost every golf set has a pitching wedge and an approach wedge. The lofts on a modern pitching wedge are just too low to leave the approach out of the bag. The problem that I see with so many golfers is not knowing when to use the pitching vs. approach wedge.
You should have a mental checklist you go through before approaching a shot to decide if the approach or the pitching wedge is the better option. As a golf professional, I’ll show you how this works and how I do it in my game. Hopefully it will help you decide when and where to use the approach vs. pitching.
Key Takeaways
If you don’t have time, here are the key points to walk away with:
- What Is An Approach Wedge?: an approach wedge is a high lofted golf wedge that has more loft than a pitching wedge and less than a sand wedge. It’s used for approach shots to the green typically less than 110 yards.
- Approach vs. Pitching Wedge: the approach wedge or gap wedge has a higher loft, won’t travel as far, and can stop quicker when it lands on the green.
- When To Use An Approach Wedge?: the approach wedge is a perfect choice for longer bunker shots, awkward lengths to the green (90-50 yards), and pitch shots when you have a little green to work with.
- Gap Wedge vs. Pitching Wedge: The gap wedge and approach wedge almost always have between 48 and 54 degrees of loft; they are interchangeable.
Approach vs. Pitching Wedge: What are the differences?
Let’s start with the differences between these two wedges. It’s pretty easy to see a loft difference of around 4-6 degrees on most pitching wedge to approach wedge gaps, but there are other differences.
Carry Distance
The pitching wedge will fly further than the approach wedge. If your clubs are properly loft gapped, expect to get about 8 to 12 yards difference between each of them. For an average swing speed player, the carry distance on a pitching wedge is around 120 yards, with the approach being closer to 110.
Trajectory (Peak Height)
An approach wedge flies higher than the pitching wedge. With a higher loft, the peak height from your approach wedge (on a full swing) should be higher than that of the pitching wedge. Peak height will be impacted by your attack angle and the shafts that you have in your club.
Clubhead Design
Not all golfers have an approach wedge that matches their pitching wedge or iron set. Many golfers switch to blade style wedges when they get past the pitching wedge. There are a lot of approach (or gap wedge) options on the market where pitching wedges are generally more tied to the set of irons.
Bounce and Grind
When you purchased your iron set, were bounce and grind a consideration with your pitching wedge? The pitching wedge is designed for full swing shots, so the bounce and grind do not come into play as much.
An approach wedge that is more of a blade style approach can have a versatile bounce and grind or something more specific to play to the conditions of your golf course or country club.
Do I need both a pitching wedge and an approach wedge?
Check the loft specifications of your pitching wedge with the set of irons that you have. Then check the loft on your sand wedge. What is the gap between them? If this gap is wider than about 6 degrees of loft, you need both the pitching wedge and the approach wedge.
This method should help you narrow down other gaps you may have in your bag.
How To Choose Pitching Wedge vs. Approach Wedge?
I read a lot about golf, and I play a lot of golf. However, in everything I’ve read about the pitching wedge vs. approach wedge, nobody talks about shot selection in relation to the clubhead design.
Clubhead design is a huge piece of this puzzle. There are three scenarios here, and I’m going to break them all down; feel free to skip to the section that matches your current club set makeup.
Matching Pitching Wedge and Approach Wedge: Part of the Iron Set
If your iron set is a game improvement type iron set, chances are you had the opportunity to purchase an approach wedge to match the set. These approach wedges are great because their feel, club length, and overall performance blends in quite well with the rest of the iron set.
When your pitching wedge and approach wedge match, make decisions about when to use this club based on distance.
The further you are from the hole, use the pitching wedge. The closer you are, use the approach. Learn your carry distance with each of the clubs and pay close attention to that. Around the greens, expect the pitching wedge to roll out a few yards further than the approach wedge.
Unmatched Pitching Wedge and Approach Wedge
For players with distance irons, or even just for golfers that decided the pitching wedge was the last iron they wanted to order, you see some mix match in the way the pitching wedge and approach wedge look, feel, and even weigh.
This is where some inconsistency can come up in your golf game.
When your pitching wedge vs. approach wedge do not match (brand, weight, style, etc.), you need to pay close attention to the lie and the desired ball flight of your shot before deciding which one to use.
In this situation, use the pitching wedge for more of the full swing approach shots to the green. In addition, let the pitching wedge help you with shorter bump and run type shots from around the fringe.
When you get into the rough, the blade style of the approach wedge will help get the ball up out of the rough with at least a little spin. In addition, the approach will be your better choice for out-of-bunkers and when you need a higher lofted shot.
The shaping of these blade style approach wedges makes them a bit more versatile around the green but not quite as simple as the pitching wedge on the full swings.
Matching Pitching Wedge and Approach Wedge: Part of the Wedge Set
If you look at the golf bag of most professional golfers, the last iron in their bag is their 9 iron. After the 9 iron, they switch to wedges. Let’s say; for instance, a Titleist player uses the 620 CB irons until he gets to the 9. After that, he will likely have the Vokey SM9 in 46, 52, 56, and 60.
When your pitching wedge and approach wedge are both blade style wedges, choose your club based on the distance to the hole.
With matching wedges (and hopefully matching shafts), you can go back to looking at distance and making your decisions based on how quickly you need a ball to stop and how the wedge design will impact that.
Unlike when wedges are mix matched, the feel and consistency here are quite good. Work with a rangefinder and learn how far you hit each of these clubs. I’ve always found that certain yardages are easier with a pitching wedge vs. approach.
You may find that a half swing pitching wedge is a perfect 60 yard shot, whereas a half swing approach is a perfect 50 yard shot. Try to zero in on things like this to maximize on-course performance.
Tips for Hitting Pitching Wedge and Approach Wedge Shots
I could try to convince you that these four or six degrees of loft difference between the pitching wedge and approach wedge will change your shot-making strategy, but they don’t. Instead, if you can learn to get good with one, you can be just as good at the other!
These are simple tips, and I have more in-depth guides on how to hit a pitching wedge and how to hit an approach wedge, but this will give you something to work on out at the range today.
Check your grip
Use a neutral grip when playing with the pitching wedge and approach wedge (gap wedge). The neutral grip allows you the ability to rotate the clubface open and shut when needed. Manipulation of the clubface in the short game is a skill all great players have.
Lean a little on the left
Lean a little on the left side (or lead side: right for the lefty golfers). This little extra weight on this side, even on the full swing shots, can improve spin rates and create the perfect angle of attack.
Narrow stance
A wide stance with the pitching and approach wedge will create too much movement and turning. The idea of these shorter shots is to stay a little more stable and over the golf ball; keep the stance narrow, especially on the shorter shots to the green; it’s a signal to your brain that less is more!
Picture impact
Do you know what impact looks like? Try to picture that concept when swinging the pitching wedge and approach. I like to help players by putting a tee in front of the ball or a coin in front of the ball. The concept is to hit the ball cleanly and strike the tee or the coin after impact.
Pick a landing spot (Not the hole!)
Always pick a landing spot for a pitching wedge or approach wedge shot, and never let that landing spot be the hole! You have to read your chips and approach shots the way you read putts and land the ball in a spot to give you the best chance to get the next one in.
Learn shot versatility, not just accuracy
We get 14 clubs in our golf bag, but we can learn to hit hundreds of different shots. The more versatile you can get in your short game, the more tools you have to use. Learn to hit a 30-yard shot with your PW, approach, sand, and lob. Then learn how to hit a high, medium, and low 30-yard shot with each of these clubs. It takes time and patience, but you will be amazed at how much a large variety of shots can improve your short game.
Pick a swing thought
Finally, pick a single swing thought before you hit the ball. I like some of the following:
- Hit down and through
- Stay centered
- Keep the wrists stable on the backswing
- Initiate with a little lower body turn
- Feel like the club is heavy
- Rotate through the ball on the follow through
Something simple like this that helps reinforce proper mechanics is the way to go.
Understanding Bounce and Grind: Impact on Shotmaking with Pitching Wedge and Approach Wedge
As you can see from the pictures of these different pitching wedges and gap wedges, the bounce is much different for a pitching wedge than it is for an approach wedge.
- The pitching wedge typically has a lower bounce to help control the shots with a full swing. As great as the pitching wedge is around the green, we can’t forget that a full swing is probably where you will use this club the most. Most pitching wedge bounce is in the 4-8 degree range.
- The approach wedge has slightly higher bounce angles in the 8-12 degree range. The higher bounce can help with soft conditions and bunker shots.
My advice here is to choose the pitching wedge when you have a clean lie or a full swing shot. When hitting shots from the rough or on these half swing type shots, you may benefit from the approach.
Common Challenges with Pitching Wedge and Approach Wedge Shots
Here are a few of the common challenges that golfers face with the approach vs. pitching wedge.
- Not having consistency in the shaft between the pitching wedge and approach wedge can throw of things like tempo, timing, and even distance/ball speed
- Try to have the same hand position (grip) as well as the same physical grip on your pitching wedge and approach wedge
- There is no change in ball position from the pitching wedge to the approach, don’t get into the habit of playing the approach wedge too far back simply because it’s a higher loft
- If you struggle to get spin around the greens, use the higher lofted golf club, as it will help improve the descent angle
- Remember to keep a little extra weight on your lead side to see the best results
Is it worth getting a wedge club fitting?
As a golf professional and golf writer, I test a lot of equipment. You would be shocked at how much of a difference there is from one wedge to the next. Don’t skip the step of going for a golf wedge fitting.
Having the proper loft gaps, weights, and bounce/grind to match your game and course conditions can have an impact on scoring. With how often I use the pitching wedge and approach wedge in a round, having the right equipment can save anywhere from 2 to 6 shots during a round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an approach wedge the same as a gap wedge?
An approach wedge is the same as a gap wedge. Depending on the manufacturer, the club can have a different name, but the loft and the overall functionality should be almost identical.
Is a gap wedge the same as an approach wedge?
The gap wedge is the same as the approach wedge; they will both have anywhere from 50 to 54 degrees of loft. These clubs are designed to fit between pitching and sand wedges.
Is an approach wedge the same as a sand wedge?
The approach wedge and the sand wedge are not the same. Approach wedges have around 52 degrees of loft, whereas the sand wedge will have closer to 56 degrees of loft. Sand wedges achieve higher ball flights and better spin than approach wedges.
Approach wedge vs. pitching wedge distance?
Expect your approach wedge to travel about ten yards less than your pitching wedge. If your clubs are properly loft gap, the 10-yard gap between each is a perfect way to always find your target. If you have a 20-degree gap in your pitching and approach wedge, there is a problem somewhere in the loft gapping that needs to be addressed.
Do I need a gap wedge and an approach wedge?
Check the lofts of the gap wedge and approach wedge that you are currently carrying. Chances are they are within 2 degrees of each other. You do not need to carry both; make sure your wedges have at least 4 degrees of loft between them to get enough variation in performance.
Conclusion
I hope you now understand the approach vs. pitching wedge and when to use each one. Having these wedges in your bag is supposed to make scoring easier, but you must know when to use them.
