What Is Bounce On Wedges?
Bounce is one of those terms most golfers will be aware of but not necessarily know what is meant. It is a bit of a minefield, when I am asked the question ‘what is bounce?’ I sometimes find it difficult to provide a simple answer to best inform the person asking. But I will attempt to below.
All clubs have bounce, however, it is most important on wedges (opens in new tab). On a wedge there is often two numbers, one corresponds to the loft and the other, you guessed it, to the bounce. The bounce tends to be a small number no more than 14 and no less than 4. The number outlining the bounce on a wedge is a degree – just like the loft.
The degree of the bounce is calculated by laying the sole of the club on the ground and determining how much higher the leading edge of the golf club is in relation to the sole’s contact on the ground. For instance, if the leading edge is high off the ground the wedge has high bounce (typically 12 – 14), whereas, if the leading edge sits low to the ground the wedge has low bounce (usually 4 – 6).
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
When purchasing new wedges there can be a lot of aspects to consider and bounce is certainly one of the most vital. Bob Vokey, craftsman of Titleist’s Vokey wedges, says that bounce is a ‘friend’ and by having the correct bounce it will improve your wedge game and make playing shots with your wedges easier.
The question burning on your lips now might be ‘how do I know what bounce I need?’. In an ideal world, determining the bounce you require on each of your wedges would be done through a custom fitting. However, not everyone will have access to a professional wedge fitting which looks into bounce in depth.
Therefore, as a simple guide, golfers who attack the ball steep and play on softer turf and softer bunkers would be recommended to play high bounce. Golfers who play their wedge shots with more of a sweeping motion and play on courses with tighter lies, firmer turf and harder sand would benefit more from low bounce. If your swing is somewhere in the middle and you play a range of courses you would most likely want to pick a standard bounce (8 – 10) because this will give you the most versatility.
That being said, there is no universal one bounce fits all for those who feel they swing a certain way or play on a certain course. So, it is best to really hone in on the bounce you need with an informed decision to help you shave shots off your golf game.
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