Best Golf Wedges For Beginners: Quick Menu
1. The Quick List
2. How We Test
3. How To Choose
4. FAQs
Best Golf Wedges For Beginners
If you're new to the game, there are a few wedges buying tips to consider before you part with your hard-earned money. Given the proliferation of technology and the variety of models offered by different brands, you might not need to spend an arm and a leg to get the best golf wedges for your game.
Regardless of golf proficiency, there are things to consider though. When investing in a wedge set, you want to ensure you have even gaps between the lofts of your wedges, so you can cover off as many distances as possible.
We also recommend trying to make sure the shafts in your wedges are similar in type to your irons, so they feel the same on full shots. In terms of specific clubhead design, the best golf wedges for beginners often tend to offer a bit more bounce - the angle created between the leading edge and the lowest point of the sole - to help achieve cleaner strikes.
Then you need to consider how many wedges to put in the bag too. If all of that sounds complicated then our piece on what to consider when buying a wedge should explain tings a little better.
Here, we review some of the best golf wedges for beginners to give you a better idea of the models you should be looking to try. Alternatively, we also recommend checking out some of our other beginner golf gear guides too - such as the best golf balls for beginners, best golf drivers for beginners, or even the best golf irons for beginners. Whatever level you are in the game, we are here to help.
The Quick List
The CB wedge is extremely forgiving, constructed for ease of use and provided clean turf interaction. Available in multiple lofts with the option of full face grooves on the higher lofted wedges, the CB wedge provides plenty of spin and feel.
The cavity back Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 wedge blends in better with today's modern sets for mid to high handicappers. The larger head with full width grooves combines forgiveness with control for full shots and around the green.
A brilliant wedge that punches well above its weight. In particular, it stacks up against anything on the market in terms of spin and that quickly inspires confidence and sparks the imagination. On full shots, it doesn't quite offer the same level of forgiveness.
The Pinemeadow Wedge in the higher lofts is an excellent get out of jail club for a competitive price. The wide sole and curved leading edge offer maximum forgiveness from the fairway, rough and sand.
In today’s market, buying yourself three new wedges can be an expensive business. The Signature wedges from Kirkland may not offer the options you’ll find from other, more premium-priced brands but in terms of basic performance, they more than hold their own.
The MacGregor V Foil Wide Sole Sand Wedge is not for everyone. It is designed for those who struggle to chip well, or who lack confidence doing it. For these golfers, it offers clear benefits.
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The gains in forgiveness are worth the slightly chunkier aesthetics for the inconsistent player. It offers good control on full shots and around the green, making it a proper all-rounder and still one of Cleveland's best wedges.
The Lazrus wedge features a forged head in a classic style which performs well in all conditions. The feel is little compromised by the lower quality shaft and grip, but overall this is a worthy club.
Best Golf Wedges For Beginners
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Callaway CB Wedge
Callaway CB Wedge on a grassy background
Callaway produce some of the best and most forgiving wedges in the game that are designed to help a full range of golfers. And if you've ever had the yips or chunked a shot with your wedge, then you'll know how important it is to have a forgiving wedge that will help you to hit good shots around the greens. Well, if you're the type of golfer who might need a bit of assistance around the dance floor, then the Callaway CB wedge might be the club for you!
This wedge comes with a large cavity back design that is built to offer maximum forgiveness on all kinds of wedge shots. It also comes with a very wide base and a full face groove design that is only available on the wedges running from 54º to 60º. In fact the full face design definitely helped to inspire us with confidence when we placed it behind the ball during our testing sessions. They help to produce a ton of spin, particularly when playing from out of the bunker.
The face comes with the same 'face blasted' Jaws grooves seen in the Callaway Jaws Raw wedge. Which helps to create a roughness on the faces to help them generate extra spin - regardless of the conditrions you're playing in. While there's a lot of bounce on these wedges, sliding under the ball really was not an issue at all, proving why this is one of the best high bounce wedges around. Lastly, the Urethane Microspheres included behind the face work to provide exceptional acoustics and feel on this very consistent wedge. In our opinion, this is one of the best golf wedges for beginners thanks to the assistance and forgiveness it offers around the greens.
- Read our full Callaway CB Wedge Review
Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 Wedge
Cleveland make some of the best golf wedges on the market and, with their CBX Full-Face 2, you will get a premium performance with ample forgiveness, something which will suit those who are taking up the game for the first time.
What makes the Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 stand out is that the grooves are the full width of the face and also go right up into the toe so that you can open the face and be able to get the maximum spin on the ball. It is also full of technology, with the Full-Face 2 one of the most forgiving wedges on the market, as it features in a number of shaft, sole and loft options.
We see the forgiveness on offer through the cavity-back design and, although cavity-back wedges sometimes lack feel, the Full-Face 2 doesn't. This is thanks to the TPU gel back insert that sits in the cavity to moderate the sound. It does not sound like a cavity back at all and the feedback is superb.
- Read our full Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 Wedge Review
Ram Tour Grind Wedge
This is a fantastic wedge that we think certainly punches above its weight when it comes to the control, forgiveness and performance on offer. The Ram Tour Grind is a great club for any high handicap player who is looking to improve around the greens. It boasts an eye-catching look that comes in a black and a silver finish and, while it took a while to grow on us, we did eventually come to like the stamped numbers and writing on this club.
The highlight of this wedge is the excellent level of spin it delivers around the greens. We were able to generate a ton of control from the precision milled grooves when chipping and, having tested a host of the best wedges this year, the Ram Tour Grind easily holds its own among other heavyweights in the same division.
One thing to note is that on full shots it doesn't offer the same level of forgiveness and workability as its competitors, but at a fraction of the price, the Ram Tour Grind is not to be overlooked. It does feel a little firm off the face but offers bags of confidence in the level of control it offers. That combined makes it one of the best wedges for mid handicap golfers.
- Read our full Ram Tour Grind Wedge Review
Pinemeadow Wedge
The Pinemeadow Wedge may not have the heritage that the major wedge brands command, but that does not mean it should be put out to pasture, especially if you are going to judge it on the price tag of around $40.
This is an ideal wedge for beginners as, not only does the loft go all the way up to 68°, but the generous, wide and high toe area sits well behind the ball and should inspire confidence.
If you need a club to get the ball vertical from short range then the Pinemeadow really delivers. Almost from any lie the combination of the leading edge and the 5° bounce on the wide sole would flop the ball up and land it softly.
- Read our full Pinemeadow Wedge Review
Kirkland Signature 3-Piece Wedge Set
Kirkland is a brand that has gathered momentum in recent times for its solid performing, affordable golf equipment and, for under $150, you can pick up three wedges. The set includes a gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge, with the overall cost just $50 a club.
The Kirkland Signature wedges impressed us with their simple, classic aesthetic. In terms of their size and shape at address, there is not much to choose between these and the best golf wedges you'll find on tour. What's more, performance wise, they have higher spin rates than the more premium options, meaning they are likely to get airborne easier.
Certainly these offer fantastic value and, for any beginner wanting to get into the game of golf, would make a welcome addition to the golf bag. Although you can't play around with different loft and bounce options, the gapping is well spread and extremely consistent.
- Read our full Kirkland Signature 3-Piece Wedge Set Review
MacGregor V Foil Wide Sole Sand Wedge
The MacGregor V Foil Wide Sole Sand Wedge is marketed towards those people for whom chipping is a weakness of their game. The wide sole is designed to reduce miss-hits, through eradicating thin and fat shots. The wide sole makes it hard for the club to dig into the turf; instead the club glides over it.
The loft is 66 degrees (yes you read that right), which compares with the more standard 56-60 degrees found on most sand wedges. This extra loft helps to get the ball into the air and makes it easier to clear lips of bunkers and also helps shots stop quickly on the green. It is undoubtedly a unique club and our tester absolutely loved it although those players who want to be more creative and versatile should probably look elsewhere. But for a beginner, this is a wedge we definitely recommend.
- Read our full MacGregor V Foil Wide Sole Sand Wedge Review
Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge
The first Cleveland wedge to make this list is the CBX 2 model from a while ago. In terms of the key technology, a hollow chamber towards the heel and a heavy weight strategically placed in the toe help maximize MOI to improve forgiveness. The clubhead felt really stable at impact during testing, and controlled both direction and distance consistency admirably on slightly mis-struck full shots.
Meanwhile, we found the wide sole design especially helpful from the sand, allowing the club to glide rather than dig downwards with minimal interference. It is this technology that makes the CBX 2 one of the best lob wedges we have tested.
- Read our full Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge Review
Lazrus Wedge
To begin with, the face is milled and gives decent levels of spin from the additional score lines between the grooves that are there to create more friction with the ball at impact. This will help control around the greens and on full shots.
Featuring a shape that is classic and, despite the fact there is only one bounce option for each loft, the sole gives plenty of options for opening or closing the face. Also, the sole is reasonably generous and features a curved leading edge which helps with the forgiveness of the wedge from tighter lies.
- Read our full Lazrus Wedge Review
How we test
When it comes to wedges, we take the testing process very seriously. Whether we are sent a product or buy it ourselves, we put everything through its paces to ensure we can provide thorough and reliable advice. Every member of the Golf Monthly team is an avid golfer and as such, knows what does and doesn't make for a good wedge for each category of player.
As far as our methodology goes, we review all wedges properly, which means we have used each one across multiple rounds and in practice to assess every aspect of performance in all conditions. For example, if a wedge claims to be the ultimate bunker club, we will test that theory from any and all lies possible.
Specific to the best wedges for beginners, we tested every one thoroughly to assess how easy they were to hit and the level of forgiveness on offer. While not as important at this early stage, we were also keen to find out how much spin each was able to generate and if there were any difference in flight.
This comprehensive testing style is not just exclusive to wedges as we test with the same level of thoroughness across all gear categories.
How to choose a wedge
When choosing a wedge there are a variety of factors to consider. Let's go into those now.
Forgiveness - For a beginner, the main factor we think you need to consider is how forgiving a wedge is, because consistency of strike is the main thing newer players struggle with when starting out. As such picking a wedge that is going to help you as much as possible makes sense and there are lots of models out there to help, many of them are in this guide in fact.
Lofts: Even beginners should have some kind of understanding on what loft their wedges should be. As such we recommend measuring your current wedge yardages and how often you are in between clubs to help decide if you need to carry extra options. This is an important part of your bag setup to get right across the entire bag too, because knowing your gaps can allow you to fill out your bag correctly whether that be carrying two, three, or four wedges, which can then impact how many clubs you can carry at the top of the bag. The opposite is true as well. We have also created a guide on the best gap wedges as well so check that out for more information.
Finish: Options like black PVD and copper are becoming increasingly common. The difference is mainly cosmetic, but dark finishes can help reduce glare. Alternatively there are classic chrome and silver designs as you can see above so it is a case of picking a design you like the look of not just at address, but in the bag as well.
Grooves: While grooves are now tightly regulated, it is still well worth keeping up to date with the latest designs, which use new milling processes and groove shapes to help move water and dirt away from the ball at impact to create extra spin and improve control. Additionally there are several brands that have brought out wedges with grooves that stretch across the entire face. Admittedly this does take a little bit of time to get used to, but for those players who may struggle with strike, a full faced wedge might do you some favors when creating spin towards the toe.
FAQ
What is the best golf wedge for beginners?
A 56° sand wedge or one of the best gap wedges offer tremendous versatility for a beginner golfer getting started. One with full-face grooves and a cavity-back design will also help on off-centre strikes that are likely to be an issue in the early stages.
What are the easiest wedges to hit?
Most modern wedges are now designed to provide forgiveness on everything from chip shots through to full shots. However, as mentioned above, cavity-back wedges are probably the easiest to hit due to their maximised MOI and game-improvement technology.
What are the most forgiving golf wedges?
Generally speaking, wedges with a high MOI are the most forgiving. And for a more detailed breakdown, check out our guide to the most forgiving wedges on the market.
How many wedges does a beginner need?
There's no right or wrong here but it might be worth erring on the side of caution to begin with. It would be a waste to invest in three wedges only to discover golf isn't for you. With that in mind, one or two would probably be best and we'd suggest a pitching wedge and/or a sand wedge to get you started.
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