Bounce angle is a term generally associated with wedges, but any golf club can have a bounce angle. Besides the golf shaft, bounce angle may be the next most misunderstood concept of a golf club design.

Low Bounce

Clubs with bounce of less than 8 degrees are considered low bounce wedges. Lob, pitching and gap wedges usually have the lowest bounce of all wedges, making them a good selection for tight lies, wet sand and hard turf. Low bounce translates into less opportunity for hitting a shot thin, as the sole of the club should sweep over the surface, rather than cut into it. In general, lob wedges have 0 to 10 degrees of bounce, pitching wedges have 2 to 5 degrees of bounce and gap wedges have 5 to 12 degrees of bounce.

High Bounce

Clubs with a bounce of more than 10 degrees are considered high bounce wedges. Sand wedges and some specialty gap wedges usually have high bounce, making them a good choice for light sand, deep rough or a shaggy fairway. Because the angle of the swing will be steeper, the high bounce allows the club to slide over the surface and create the opportunity not only for clean impact, but also height on the shot. Sand wedges have the most amount of bounce of any wedge, usually between 10 and 16 degrees. Specialty gap wedges may have as much as 12 degrees of bounce, though most are lower.

A Better Club will help you determine the proper bounce for your wedges.