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Home/Guides/Wedge lofts

Wedge lofts explained: PW, GW, AW, SW and LW degrees

Updated Sep 2026·Lofts from manufacturer spec sheets·118 iron sets, 11 brands, 94 wedge models

Standard loft, average carry and use for each wedge type
WedgeAbbrevTypical loftAverage carryUsed for
Pitching wedgePW43–48°112 ydsFull shots into greens, long chips
Gap / approach wedgeGW / AW / A48–52°100 ydsThe shot between PW and SW
Sand wedgeSW54–58°87 ydsBunkers, pitches, greenside
Lob wedgeLW58–64°74 ydsShort-sided, high, soft-landing shots

Carry is the average male golfer from our golf club distance chart; beginners carry about 20% less, tour players about 30% more. Bounce and "comes with the set" are typical, not universal.

PW

Pitching wedge loft

The lowest-lofted wedge and the last club in every iron set. Its loft is set by the iron manufacturer, not chosen by you, which is why it runs from 43° to 48° and why the question "what loft is a pitching wedge" has no single answer.

Full swings from roughly 100 to 125 yards, bump-and-runs, and chips where you want the ball to release.

In the StickPicker database: 118 current iron sets have a stated PW loft of 40° to 48°. The most common figure is 42° (28 sets). Game-improvement sets average 42.9°, players' irons 45.3°.

GWalso AW, A-wedge, UW, W

Gap wedge loft

Fills the hole modern iron sets opened up between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge. Depending on the brand it is called an approach wedge, A-wedge, utility wedge or just W. Same club.

Full shots from about 90 to 110 yards, knock-downs, and longer pitches where a sand wedge would balloon.

101 of the 118 current sets offer a set-matched gap wedge, stated at 45° to 52° (average 48.5°). Among standalone wedge models, 50° is offered by 54 of 94 and 52° by 70.

SW

Sand wedge loft

The most-used wedge in most bags. 56° is the default; 54° and 58° let you tune the gap to your pitching wedge and gap wedge.

Greenside bunkers, pitch shots from 40 to 90 yards, and most standard chips around the green.

56° is the single most common wedge loft in the database, offered by 79 of 94 wedge models; 54° by 62 and 58° by 65. The 55 set-matched sand wedges in current iron sets run 53° to 57°.

LW

Lob wedge loft

The highest-lofted club in the bag. 60° is standard; 62° and 64° are specialist lofts for firm, fast greens. No iron set ships one, so it is always a separate purchase.

Flop shots, short-sided pitches over trouble, and tight lies where you need height with little roll.

60° is offered by 78 of 94 wedge models, 62° by 11 and 64° by 8. None of the 118 current iron sets lists a lob wedge.

Naming

Gap wedge vs approach wedge vs A-wedge

Same club, five names. Every brand picks its own label for the wedge that sits between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge, usually 48° to 52°. Pick by loft, not by letter: the 101 set-matched versions in current iron sets span 45° to 52° whatever they are called.

GW

Gap wedge: the generic name. Used by Mizuno, Cobra, Wilson and most standalone wedge lines.

AW

Approach wedge: the same club in Callaway, TaylorMade, Srixon and XXIO iron sets.

A

A-wedge: an approach wedge stamped with one letter. Honma stamps its equivalent #11.

UW / U

Utility wedge: Ping's name for it, stamped U on the head.

W

Wedge: Titleist stamps the 48° gap wedge in its T-Series simply W.

The real numbers

Wedge lofts by manufacturer

"A pitching wedge is 44–48°" is a range, not an answer. These are the stated lofts of the pitching, gap and sand wedges that belong to each current iron set, read from the manufacturer's own spec sheet. Blank means the set offers no matched wedge in that slot; no set ships a lob wedge.

Brand
All brandsCallawayCobraHonmaMizunoPXGPingSrixonTaylorMadeTitleistWilsonXXIO
Model year
All years202420252026
Reset
Stated pitching, gap and sand wedge lofts by iron set and manufacturer
BrandIron setYearTypePWGW / AWSWSource
CallawayQuantum Max Combo Irons2026Game Improvement42°47°—Spec sheet
CallawayQuantum Max Fast Combo Irons2026Game Improvement42°46°—Spec sheet
CallawayQuantum Max Fast Irons2026Super Game Improvement42°46°56°Spec sheet
CallawayQuantum Max Irons2026Game Improvement42°47°55°Spec sheet
CallawayQuantum Max OS Combo Irons2026Super Game Improvement42°47°—Spec sheet
CallawayQuantum Max OS Irons2026Super Game Improvement42°47°55°Spec sheet
CallawayWomen's Quantum Max Fast Combo Irons2026Game Improvement42°46°—Spec sheet
CallawayWomen's Quantum Max Fast Irons2026Game Improvement42°46°56°Spec sheet
CallawayWomen's Quantum Max OS Combo Irons2026Super Game Improvement42°47°—Spec sheet
CallawayWomen's Quantum Max OS Irons2026Super Game Improvement42°47°55°Spec sheet
CallawayApex Ai150 Irons2025Players Distance44°49°—Spec sheet
CallawayElyte HL Irons2025Super Game Improvement43°48°56°Spec sheet
CallawayElyte Irons2025Game Improvement42°47°55°Spec sheet
CallawayElyte Max Fast Irons2025Super Game Improvement43°48°56°Spec sheet
CallawayElyte X Irons2025Game Improvement41°46°54°Spec sheet
CallawayREVA RISE Combo Irons2025Super Game Improvement46°—56°Spec sheet
CallawayREVA RISE Irons2025Super Game Improvement46°51°56°Spec sheet
CallawayWomen's Elyte Max Fast Irons2025Super Game Improvement43°48°56°Spec sheet
CallawayX Forged Irons2025Players46°——Spec sheet
CallawayX Forged Max Irons2025Players44°——Spec sheet
CallawayApex Ai200 Irons2024Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
CallawayApex Ai300 Irons2024Game Improvement42°47°—Spec sheet
CallawayApex CB Irons2024Players46°50°—Spec sheet
CallawayApex MB Irons2024Players46°50°—Spec sheet
CallawayApex Pro Irons2024Players45°50°—Spec sheet
CallawayApex TCB Irons2024Players46°——Spec sheet
CallawayApex Ti Fusion Irons2024Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
CallawayParadym Ai Smoke HL Irons2024Game Improvement43°47°55°Spec sheet
CallawayParadym Ai Smoke Irons2024Game Improvement42°46°54°Spec sheet
CallawayParadym Ai Smoke MAX Fast Irons2024Game Improvement44°48°56°Spec sheet
CallawayRogue ST MAX Irons2024Game Improvement41°46°56°Spec sheet
CallawayWomen's Paradym Ai Smoke MAX Fast Irons2024Game Improvement44°48°56°Spec sheet
Cobra3DP MB Irons2026Players46°50°—Spec sheet
Cobra3DP X Irons2026Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
CobraKING Irons2026Players Distance42.5°48°54°Spec sheet
CobraKING MAX Irons2026Game Improvement44.5°50°56°Spec sheet
CobraWomen's KING MAX Irons2026Game Improvement44.5°50°56°Spec sheet
Cobra3DP Tour Irons2025Players45°50°—Spec sheet
CobraBAFFLER Irons Set2025Super Game Improvement44°50°56°Spec sheet
CobraKING CB/MB Black Irons2025Players46°50°—Spec sheet
CobraKING CB/MB Irons2025Players46°50°—Spec sheet
CobraWomen's BAFFLER Irons Set2025Super Game Improvement44°50°56°Spec sheet
CobraKING TEC Irons2024Game Improvement44°49°—Spec sheet
CobraKING TEC X Irons2024Game Improvement42°48°—Spec sheet
CobraKING TEC X ONE Length Irons2024Game Improvement42°48°—Spec sheet
CobraKING Tour Black Irons2024Players44°48°—Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Px 26 Irons2026Players Distance42°——Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Tour V 26 Irons2026Players45°——Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Vx 26 Irons2026Players42°——Spec sheet
HonmaTW777 PCB MAX Irons2026Players Distance41°46°56°Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Hx 24 Irons2024Game Improvement41°46°—Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Px 24 Irons2024Players Distance43°49°—Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Tour V 24 Irons2024Players45°——Spec sheet
HonmaT//World Vx 24 Irons2024Players43°49°—Spec sheet
MizunoPro M-13 Irons2026Players44°48°—Spec sheet
MizunoPro M-15 Irons2026Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
MizunoJPX 925 Forged Black Irons2025Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
MizunoJPX 925 Forged Irons2025Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
MizunoJPX 925 Hot Metal HL Irons2025Super Game Improvement45°50°55°Spec sheet
MizunoJPX 925 Hot Metal Irons2025Game Improvement42°48°54°Spec sheet
MizunoJPX 925 Hot Metal Pro Irons2025Players Distance42°48°—Spec sheet
MizunoPro S-1 Irons2025Players46°——Spec sheet
MizunoPro S-3 Irons2025Players46°——Spec sheet
PXGGEN 8 0311P Irons2026Players Distance44°49°—Spec sheet
PXGGEN 8 0311T Irons2026Players46°51°—Spec sheet
PXGGEN 8 0311XP Irons2026Game Improvement41°47°54°Spec sheet
PXG0317 CB Irons2024Players46°50°—Spec sheet
PXG0317 ST Irons2024Players46°50°—Spec sheet
PXG0317 T Irons2024Players46°51°—Spec sheet
PXGBlack Ops Irons2024Game Improvement42°48°54°Spec sheet
PXGGEN 7 0311P Irons2024Players44°49°—Spec sheet
PXGGEN 7 0311XP Irons2024Players Distance41°47°54°Spec sheet
PXGWildcat Irons2024Super Game Improvement48°—54°Spec sheet
PingG Le4 Irons2026Game Improvement46.5°51.5°56°Spec sheet
PingG740 Irons2026Super Game Improvement40°45°56°Spec sheet
Pingi540 Irons2026Players Distance42°47°—Spec sheet
PingG440 HL Irons2025Game Improvement42°47°56°Spec sheet
PingG440 Irons2025Game Improvement42°47°56°Spec sheet
Pingi240 Irons2025Players45°50°—Spec sheet
PingBlueprint S Irons2024Players45°——Spec sheet
PingBlueprint T Irons2024Players45°——Spec sheet
PingG730 Irons2024Super Game Improvement40°45°56°Spec sheet
Pingi530 Irons2024Players Distance42°47°—Spec sheet
SrixonWomen's ZXi4 Irons2025Game Improvement43°49°56°Spec sheet
SrixonWomen's ZXiR HL Irons2025Super Game Improvement45.5°50°55°Spec sheet
SrixonZXi4 Irons2025Game Improvement43°49°56°Spec sheet
SrixonZXi5 Irons2025Players Distance44°50°56°Spec sheet
SrixonZXi7 Irons2025Players46°51°57°Spec sheet
SrixonZXiR HL Irons2025Super Game Improvement45.5°50°55°Spec sheet
SrixonZXiR Irons2025Game Improvement43°48°54°Spec sheet
TaylorMadeQi Max HL Irons2026Super Game Improvement44.5°50°55°Spec sheet
TaylorMadeQi Max Irons2026Game Improvement42.5°48°54°Spec sheet
TaylorMadeP770 Irons2025Players Distance45°50°—Spec sheet
TaylorMadeP790 Irons2025Players Distance44°49°—Spec sheet
TaylorMadeP7CB Irons2025Players46°51°—Spec sheet
TaylorMadeP7MB Irons2025Players47°——Spec sheet
TaylorMadeP7TW Irons2025Players47°——Spec sheet
TaylorMadeKalea Gold Women's Irons2024Super Game Improvement45°—55°Spec sheet
TitleistT100 Irons2025Players45°49°—Spec sheet
TitleistT150 Irons2025Players44°48°—Spec sheet
TitleistT250 Irons2025Players Distance43°48°—Spec sheet
TitleistT250 Launch Spec Irons2025Players Distance47°52°—Spec sheet
TitleistT350 Irons2025Game Improvement43°48°53°Spec sheet
WilsonDYNAPWR Forged Irons2026Players Distance44°49°—Retailer spec
WilsonStaff Model Blade Irons2026Players46°——Retailer spec
WilsonStaff Model CB Irons2026Players46°50°—Retailer spec
WilsonStaff Model XB Irons2026Players Distance46°50°—Retailer spec
WilsonDYNAPWR Irons2025Game Improvement42.5°48°—Retailer spec
WilsonDYNAPWR Max Graphite Lite Irons2025Game Improvement44°49°54°Retailer spec
WilsonDYNAPWR Max Irons2025Super Game Improvement44°49°54°Retailer spec
XXIO14 Irons2026Super Game Improvement42°48°56°Spec sheet
XXIO14+ Irons2026Game Improvement43°49°56°Spec sheet
XXIOWomen's 14 Irons2026Super Game Improvement44°50°56°Spec sheet
XXIOPrime Irons2025Super Game Improvement42°48°56°Spec sheet
XXIOPrime Royal Edition Irons2025Super Game Improvement42°48°56°Spec sheet
XXIOWomen's Prime Royal Edition Irons2025Super Game Improvement44°50°56°Spec sheet
XXIO13 Irons2024Super Game Improvement42°48°56°Spec sheet
XXIOWomen's 13 Irons2024Super Game Improvement44°50°56°Spec sheet

Showing 118 of 118 iron sets · lofts are the manufacturer's stated men's standard; women's sets read from their own tables · 7 Wilson sets are marked "Retailer spec" because wilson.com publishes no loft table · updated Sep 2026, re-checked when new sets publish.

Loft creep

Why the pitching wedge keeps getting stronger

A 1980s pitching wedge was 50°. A 2003 game-improvement PW was 45°. Today's sit at 41–43°. Every degree the irons got stronger for distance opened more room between the PW and a 56° sand wedge, and the gap wedge exists to fill it.

That is why the pitching-wedge question has no single answer. Across the 104 current men's sets in our database the average is 43.7°, but game-improvement sets average 42.9° and players' irons 45.3°: a 3° spread inside one model year, before you compare decades.

1982Ping Eye 2
50.5°
2003TaylorMade rac OS
45°
2010TaylorMade Burner 2.0
45°
2015TaylorMade AeroBurner
44°
2017TaylorMade M2
43.5°
2020TaylorMade SIM Max OS
42°
2026TaylorMade Qi Max
42.5°
38°45°52°
TaylorMade game-improvement line, its own archiveClassic reference set

Stated PW lofts. 2003–2015 from TaylorMade Japan's product archive; 2017–2026 from TaylorMade US sell sheets in the StickPicker database. Ping Eye 2 as listed in retailer spec tables; Ping no longer publishes it. Players' irons moved less: rac Forged 48° (2003) to P7MB 47° (2025).

Gapping

Wedge gapping

Space your wedges 4° to 6° apart, starting from your pitching wedge's actual loft, not from a round number. Each 4° step is roughly 10 to 15 yards for an average swing.

  1. Find your PW loft in the table above. A 42° PW and a 47° PW need different wedges.
  2. Add wedges at even steps until you reach 58° to 60°. A 42° PW usually wants 46, 50, 54 and 58.
  3. If you only carry three wedges, widen the gaps evenly rather than leaving one 10° hole.
See the gaps with your actual clubs in the bag builder →

Four wedges, even gaps

4° steps
46° PW
50° GW
54° SW
58° LW

46° PW → 50° GW → 54° SW → 58° LW. Each step is 4°, so every 10 to 15 yards inside 125 has a full swing.

The common mistake

10° hole
46° PW
56° SW
60° LW

46° PW → 56° SW → 60° LW. A stock 46° PW straight to a 56° SW skips a whole club: 25 to 30 yards with no full swing.

Beyond loft

Bounce and grind, briefly

Loft decides how far the ball goes. Bounce is the angle of the sole, and it decides how the club behaves through turf and sand; grind is how the sole is shaped to change that bounce as you open the face. Pick loft first, then bounce for your conditions, then grind for how you like to open the face.

Across the 94 wedge models in our database, stated bounce runs from 4° to 18°, with 10° (60 models) and 12° (55) the most common.

Full bounce and grind guide →
4–6°Low bounce

Firm turf, tight lies, sweepers and shallow attack angles.

7–10°Mid bounce

Most conditions and most golfers. The safe default for a 54° or 56°.

11–14°High bounce

Soft turf, fluffy sand, steep swings and diggers.

FAQ

Common questions

Related pages

ChartGolf club distancesChartWood and hybrid loftsBrowseEvery wedge, with specs and pricesToolBag builder

What loft is a pitching wedge?

Between 43° and 48°, set by the iron manufacturer. Modern game-improvement irons sit at the strong end, 41° to 44°; players' irons at 45° to 48°. The 118 current iron sets in the StickPicker database run from 40° to 48°, and the most common pitching wedge loft is 42°.

What loft is a sand wedge?

54° to 58°, with 56° the most common: 79 of 94 wedge models offer it. Pick the loft that sits 4° to 6° above your gap wedge.

What degree is a gap wedge?

48° to 52°. It should sit roughly halfway between your pitching wedge and sand wedge. Set-matched gap wedges in current iron sets are stated from 45° to 52°, averaging 48.5°.

Is an approach wedge the same as a gap wedge?

Yes. Approach wedge (AW), A-wedge, utility wedge (UW) and gap wedge (GW) are different brand names for the same 48° to 52° club that fills the gap between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge.

What is a wedge in golf?

The highest-lofted irons in the bag, from about 43° to 64°: the pitching, gap, sand and lob wedges. They are used for full shots inside about 125 yards and for almost everything around the green.

How many wedges should I carry?

Three or four, spaced 4° to 6° apart starting from your pitching wedge's stated loft. A 46° pitching wedge pairs with 50°, 54° and 58°; a 42° pitching wedge pairs with 46°, 50°, 54° and 58°.

Check your wedge gaps in the bag builder

Add your irons and wedges from the catalog. The builder shows every loft step in your bag so a 10° hole has nowhere to hide. Free, no account needed.

Build your wedge setup