7 Best Wedges for Beginners: Cobra, PING & More (2024)

As a beginner golfer, chipping up and down the green is huge for lowering your scores. Luckily, there are plenty of great options on the market these days. With countless options available, finding the perfect wedge can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. From forgiveness to versatility, we’ll explore everything you need to know to elevate your short game on the golf course. This post will take a look at the 7 best wedges for beginners.

Here’s a quick list of my best golf wedges for beginners:

• Cleveland CBX 4 ZipCore Wedge – Best Overall
• Cobra SNAKEBITE-X Wedge – Most Forgiving
• Callaway CB Wedge – Best Full Face
• PING Glide 4.0 Wedge – Best Wedges for High Handicappers
• Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Wedge – Best for Chipping
• TaylorMade Qi Wedge – Underrated
• Tommy Armour 2024 845+ CB Wedge – Best Value

What is a Wedge?

Wedges are your go-to clubs for those tricky shots near the green. With their high loft angles, they excel at sending the ball high and landing it softly. Whether you’re in the rough, facing a chip shot, or stuck in a bunker, wedges are there to help you navigate with precision and control.

Types of Golf Wedges

Here’s a quick rundown of wedges for beginner golfers, including average yardages and loft degrees:

• Pitching Wedge (PW): (100-120 yards, 44-48° loft) Your all-rounder in your iron set, good for approach shots, chip shots, and even some bunker escapes.
• Gap Wedge (GW):  (90-110 yards, 50-52° loft) Fills the distance gap between your pitching wedge and sand wedge for those in-between yardages.
• Sand Wedge (SW): (60-80 yards, 54-58° loft) Your escape artist from sand traps! Wider sole helps you “fluff” the ball out easily.
• Lob Wedge (LW): (50 yards an in, 58-64° loft) Designed for high-loft shots with maximum stopping power, useful for tricky situations around the green with obstacles or for soft landings near the hole.

What are the Best Wedges for Beginners?

Cleveland CBX 4 ZipCore Wedge

Best Overall

Introducing the new Cleveland CBX 4 Zipcore wedges for 2024, boasting a confidence-inspiring oversized design. 

Featuring a rounded leading edge, these wedges offer versatility for approach shots around the greens. 

Equipped with the HydraZip face, laser-milled lines enhance friction for increased spin, especially in wet conditions. 

Utilizing Zipcore technology, these wedges replace heavier steel in the hosel with lightweight, vibration-dampening material. 

Resulting in a 7.8% higher MOI and optimal CG placement for improved performance.

Cobra SNAKEBITE-X Wedge

Most Forgiving

This wedge features an oversized head and hollow cavity back, providing forgiveness and versatility across various lies. 

With a TPU insert behind the sweet spot, it offers a soft feel, while its grooves, akin to those on the bladed Snakebite wedge, deliver exceptional spin performance. 

Available in fixed lofts of 48°, 52°, 56°, and 60°, each with a new teardrop grind, it effectively handles tight lies and deep bunkers. 

Despite limited loft options, its forgiveness and spin make it an excellent choice for beginners.

Callaway CB Wedge

Best Full Face

Callaway has come up with some really forgiving wedges to help out a ton of golfers with their wedge game. 

If you’re looking for a little extra help around the greens, then the Callaway CB wedge might just be your jam. 

It’s got this big cavity back design that’s all about forgiveness, perfect for a bunch of different shots. 

Plus, it’s got a wide base, which makes it super forgiving. From 54º to 60º, you’ve got a whole bunch of grooves covering the face, so even if you miss the sweet spot, you can still get some decent spin going. 

And check it out—the face has these cool face-blasted grooves, just like the ones on the Jaws Raw wedge, which means you’re getting extra spin, no matter the conditions. 

Even though the bounce is pretty high on these wedges, we didn’t have any trouble sliding under the ball or anything like that. So yeah, if you’re after a high bounce wedge, this one’s a winner.

PING Glide 4.0 Wedge

Best Wedges for High Handicappers

The PING Glide wedge has a cool grip with white marks to help you grip it just right, giving you better control. 

PING Glide 4.0 wedges prioritize forgiveness and control. 

Their large heads inspire confidence and deliver consistent distance on off-center hits thanks to perimeter weighting. 

The textured face provides more spin for better ball control, and multiple grind options cater to different swings and course conditions. 

While some might find the head bulky, golfers praise the ease of hitting and appreciate the feel and feedback these wedges offer.

Cleveland Smart Sole 4 Wedge

Best for Chipping

Cleveland Golf Smart Sole 4 Wedges prioritize ease of use, especially for beginners. 

Their extra-wide sole design helps with bunker escapes and prevents digging on all kinds of short game shots. 

Improved feel technology and aggressive grooves enhance control and spin. 

While the wider sole might not suit everyone, golfers appreciate the forgiveness and ease of getting the ball airborne, making them a good option for mid-to-high handicappers looking to improve their short game.

TaylorMade Qi Wedge

Underrated

TaylorMade Qi Wedges target beginners and high-handicappers with a focus on distance control, forgiveness, and overall ease of use. 

The patented face design promotes straighter ball flight and reduces mishits, while a larger sweet spot and strategic CG placement enhance launch and playability. 

Golfers appreciate the confidence boost this forgiving wedge provides, though some might prefer a more premium feel or a wider range of loft options found in wedges for advanced players. 

Overall, the TaylorMade Qi Wedge is a solid choice for golfers looking to improve their short game with a user-friendly design.

Tommy Armour 2024 845+ CB Wedge

Best Value

Targeting affordability and forgiveness for beginners and mid-handicappers, the Tommy Armour 2024 845+ CB Wedge strikes a balance between value and performance. 

The bore-thru hosel design enhances feel, while CNC milled grooves and a higher bounce profile promote spin, control, and forgiveness on off-center hits. 

Offered in common lofts (PW, SW, GW), it covers most short game situations. 

While loft options might be limited for advanced players, and overall performance may not match high-end wedges, the Tommy Armour 845+ CB Wedge is a solid choice for developing golfers seeking a user-friendly and budget-conscious option to improve their short game.

Choosing the Right Wedges for Beginners:

Selecting the perfect wedges boils down to a few key factors:

Prioritizing Forgiveness: Your Key to Short Game Success

As a beginner, your primary focus should be on wedges that offer forgiveness. This means finding wedges that are designed to be more forgiving on off-center hits, those moments where you don’t quite catch the ball flush with the sweet spot. Here’s what to look for:

• Cavity Back Design: Compared to traditional muscle back wedges, cavity back wedges have a larger head with a hollow core. This design distributes weight more evenly across the clubface, leading to more forgiveness on mishits and helping you get the ball airborne more easily.
• Wider Soles: A wider sole design provides additional stability through impact, especially when you make contact with the ground behind the ball. This is particularly helpful for those tricky bunker shots and pitches from uneven lies.

Matching Your Set for a Seamless Transition

Most iron sets come with a pitching wedge (PW) as the highest lofted iron. When choosing wedges, it’s ideal to maintain a consistent look and feel throughout your clubs. Here’s how to ensure a smooth transition:

• Brand and Style: Match the brand and style of your existing irons when selecting wedges. This creates a uniform set that feels familiar in your hands, boosting your confidence as you approach the green.

Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Budget

Wedges can range in price depending on the brand, technology, and features they offer. Don’t be discouraged if high-end wedges seem out of reach at this stage. Here are some budget-friendly options to consider:

• High-Quality Used Wedges: The good news is that wedges tend to hold their value well. Exploring the used market can be a great way to find high-quality wedges from reputable brands at a fraction of the retail price.
• Focus on Forgiveness over Premium Features: While some wedges boast advanced technologies and materials, for a beginner, prioritizing forgiveness is key. Focus on finding wedges with cavity back designs and wider soles, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering the green.

Remember, choosing the right wedges is an important step in developing your short game. By prioritizing forgiveness, matching your set for a familiar feel, and considering your budget, you’ll be selecting wedges that perfectly complement your game and help you become a confident golfer around the green.

People also ask:

Which wedges are easiest to hit?

For beginners, the easiest wedges to hit are typically the Pitching Wedge (PW) and the Sand Wedge (SW). These wedges offer forgiveness and features that make them more user-friendly:

• PW: More forgiving loft for easier launch and distance control.
• SW: Wider sole for smoother sand bunker escapes.

How many wedges should a beginner have?

Don’t feel pressured to fill your bag with every wedge type as a beginner. The key is to focus on mastering the fundamentals first. Your iron set likely already includes a Pitching Wedge (PW), making it your essential starting point. This versatile wedge handles approach shots, chip shots, and even beginner bunker escapes. 

As your skills progress, a Sand Wedge (SW) becomes a valuable addition for those sandy situations. Its wider sole design makes escaping bunkers a breeze. You can explore adding a Gap Wedge (GW) and Lob Wedge (LW) later to fill distance gaps or for specialized high-loft shots, but prioritize mastering your PW and potentially the SW for now.

What is the easiest wedge to hit around the green?

The pitching wedge is often the easiest wedge to hit around the green, especially for beginners. Its lower loft angle makes it ideal for the bump and run shot, where the ball stays low and rolls towards the target. Pitching wedges have lower loft angles compared to sand wedges and lob wedges, which can make them easier to control for shorter shots. 

When should you use a 52 degree wedge?

A 52-degree wedge, also known as a gap wedge, is best used for approach shots from moderate distances, where a pitching wedge may fall short but a sand wedge is too much. It’s versatile for fairway and rough shots and provides more loft and precision for chipping around the green compared to a pitching wedge.

Related articles:

• How to Stop Thinning Wedges: Tips for Pure Contact
• What is A Wedge in Golf?

Wrap-Up.

Choosing the right wedges might seem daunting, but I hope this guide has given you the confidence to navigate the world of wedges. For beginners, focus on forgiveness and versatility. Start by mastering your pitching wedge and possibly adding a sand wedge to your arsenal. Don’t hesitate to visit a local golf shop—they can help you find wedges that suit your swing and budget perfectly. Above all, enjoy experimenting with these specialized tools! With practice and the right wedges, you’ll soon be tackling the green and improving your scores. So, go ahead and start honing your short game skills without worry!