Opinion & Analysis
Finding the right wedge shaft for your game
In the minds of many golfers, wedges are the most important clubs in the bag. As a fitter, I am always surprised how this belief conflicts with the amount of consideration golfers typically put into selecting their wedges. When asked why certain wedges are in their bag, most reply with something along the lines of, “Well, I’ve always just used this loft and grind,” “I’m not really sure” or “My buddy, who’s a scratch golfer, told me I need it.” For most, wedges are in an unfortunate race with the putter to win the unceremonious award of the clubs that help golfers the least.
Most people know there are wedges with multiple loft and bounce options available, even if they’re not quite sure what’s best for them. Very few, however, have ever thought about the shafts in their wedges. In this article, I’ll be showing you the importance of finding the proper shaft for the wedges in your bag by illustrating how different shafts can impact performance.
The goal of this test is not to make some generic recommendation that “you should be playing XXX shaft,” but rather to highlight the variance that can exist across different shafts. I encourage you to do your own testing with a qualified fitter, but if one is unavailable in your area, these themes might help find a good wedge shaft for you.
Testing Process
To conduct these tests, I selected three testers with low single-digit handicaps and relatively consistent swings. Any findings will only be amplified for higher-handicap golfers due to increased swing variability, and any shaft-to-shaft variations might have been hidden by this inconsistency.
We used an Edel Wedge fitting system because of the interchangeable hosel system and extensive shaft options. Each tester selected a 56-degree head with the bounce that fit them best. They then used the same wedge head on each of the six shafts we tested. The order the shafts was randomized for each golfer during the testing process.
The shafts represented some common wedge shafts and crossed multiple weights, flexes and EI profiles. Testers hit five shots at a target 100 yards away with each shaft, and all shots were measured with FlightScope.
The Data
Data: To start, I’m posting a table that shows summary results for each shaft per golfer (below). A couple of things to remember when reading this:
- All distances are in yards.
- All distances are carry distances.
- On lateral distances: negative numbers represent left of target, positive numbers right of target.
- Standard deviation shows the variance in the range with smaller numbers being better.
Full Testing Results
Click to enlarge
A lot to digest, right?
To help gauge shaft performance for each golfer, I created an additional table showing the ranges in carry distance and lateral dispersion. These numbers were then multiplied to calculate the total area covered by the five shots with each shaft. This is the single best summary stat I can think of to grade wedge performance.
Simplified Testing Results
Now we can start to see some things.
- Based on the average size of the dispersion area, Wes is the best wedge player. Sorry Mike and Nick, but I’m pretty sure you already knew this…
- Distance control is where variation really shows up, and this is where the best wedge players differentiate themselves. Of the 18 player/shaft combinations we tested, there were only two where the carry distance range was less than the lateral range.
- Each player did have a specific shaft that stood out, one with a dispersion area much smaller than the other options. There just wasn’t any consistency in shaft performance across the golfers.
Best and Worst Shafts for Each Tester
Green indicates the best wedge shaft for each player. Red indicates the worst.
Launch Angle and Spin Rate Rankings
The same variation is found when looking at launch angle and spin rates, with the shafts that produced the highest and lowest launch and spin numbers varying for each golfer. These tables are simple stack rankings, based on performance.
- One interesting correlation was that for two of the three golfers, the same shaft provided the smallest dispersion area and lowest launch angle. While not a hard and fast rule, it’s something to keep in mind when trying out wedge shafts.
- The shafts that worked better for the testers weren’t necessarily the ones you would have guessed. The KBS C-Taper Lite 105R worked the best for Nick, who has an upright and aggressive swing. Wes has a flat, smooth swing and the relatively stiff and heavy True Temper DG Spinner Wedge+ shaft worked the best for him.
Two Big Takeaways
- Lighter and More Flexible is Probably Better. When selecting new or re-shafting your existing wedges, your best bet is to find a fitter with the proper experience and equipment to guide you through the options. If that’s not possible, a general trend shown here is that a shaft that’s lighter and a bit more flexible than what you’re using in your irons is a good bet.
- Enough about the Spin. Worrying about what wedge shaft creates the most spin should not be your top concern. Even though there was shaft-to-shaft variation in the spin produced, they all had enough to quickly stop the ball on the green. As good as these Edel wedges are, this is a consistent finding regardless of the brand we’re fitting. Finding the proper wedge head (loft, grind, bounce) and a shaft that helps your distance control should be your main focus when getting new wedges, not if one option gives you an extra hundred or two RPMs.
In our next article, we’ll talk more about selecting bounce and give you some tips on how to fit yourself if you can’t find a fitter with a proper wedge fitting system.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
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Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
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Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
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Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
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Steve Lack
Aug 28, 2016 at 11:25 am
Softer tips must be why some golfers tip trim their wedge shafts to 8 iron specs?
Ezra
Aug 21, 2016 at 4:35 pm
Absolute BS from a fitter trying to sell his services.
Steve S
Aug 31, 2016 at 1:53 pm
Agreed. Most of the articles I see on fitting are BS. Especially on drivers. Anyone schooled in physics and dynamics laughs at most of the articles. The reality is you want a shaft and grip that is as light and stiff as possible because any weight that is not in the club head does nothing to contribute to the force and momentum of the swing. By doing that then it’s a simple determination on loft of the club face and speed to determine maximum distance for you. This assumes that you have a reasonably decent swing arc and impact position. If not, you should work on that before worrying about “getting fit”.
John
May 27, 2020 at 3:46 pm
The dumbest comment ive ever read on any golf related subject, ever..
Clearly, You are an utterly clueless mental midget
Steve S
Aug 31, 2016 at 2:45 pm
Agreed. Most fitting advice is BS. All these guys try to make this complicated. Without a decent repeatable swing arc all “fitting” does is TRY to compensate for your mistakes which never works in the long run….
tlmck
Aug 19, 2016 at 3:06 pm
Same shafts as my irons and low bounce since the 1980’s has always worked well for me.
Benny
Aug 19, 2016 at 6:53 am
Great article even though I wasn’t able to understand all the data. I feel I am a better wedge player than most and know through trial and error what works well. S400 shafts my buddy had which he added weights too, were way to delayed so my shots went right while whippy wedge shafts or too light pull and hook. But how does the “bounce” play into this data? For instance I have always hit higher bounce heads much longer than low bounce. Regardless of the shaft. Should this be a factor when getting wedges fit and wouldn’t the bounce also cause different dispersion and accuracey?
baudi
Aug 18, 2016 at 9:25 am
Nice test and great article.
To me it simply proves that a good player should find his right wedge shaft.
Although I wouldn’t go as far stating lighter is better. (A softer shaft than in irons is definitely better. Tom Wishon did a great test on this one)
Point here is that a wedge being a utility club is used on partial shots most of the time. That implies a slower rhythm. A slightly heavier but softer shaft will create a lively feel in the swing.
Christian
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:39 pm
I have tried lighter shafts in wedges and initially they work well, especially during testing. After a while I start to get more misshits, a jerky/handsy action and even skulled shots. Back to S400s now, the most stable option for me. I game 130+ gram X in irons
Scott
Aug 24, 2016 at 9:34 am
I had the exact same results after moving to lighter shafts. Worked great until it didn’t. I get more feel with the heavier shaft.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:33 pm
Thanks for all the great comments and feedback – happy to answer any questions anyone might have!
jason c geraci
Aug 25, 2016 at 9:07 am
Why didn’t you test shafts that are specifically designed for wedges?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:30 pm
It’s not a specific wedge shaft, but we used in testing due to it’s flex profile. It it fits you, it’s a great shaft option.
Brian T
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:12 pm
Why not include the s200 as it is comes in pretty much every wedge out there? At least a baseline of sorts, or give us an idea of where it stacks up against the others.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:27 pm
Hi Brian –
That’s a good point, we used the S400 as it’s very close to the S200, only 3 grams heavier.
Matt
Aug 17, 2016 at 8:01 pm
I’m all messed up X100 in irons KBS Tour X in wedges.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:30 pm
Whatever works for you!
NS Pro
Aug 17, 2016 at 6:04 pm
Why were no Modus3 wedge shafts included in this fitting?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:07 pm
There was no reason it was intentionally excluded, we just had to pick a reasonable number of shafts with varying weights, flexes and profiles to show the variations. Love the Modus shafts, they very well may be the best shafts for you.
jf
Aug 17, 2016 at 5:53 pm
“Any findings will only be amplified for higher-handicap golfers due to increased swing variability, and any shaft-to-shaft variations might have been hidden by this inconsistency.”
So shaft fitting for wedges is of little benefit to most hackers?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:09 pm
Hi JF – thanks for reading, it actually means that wedge fittings are even more important for “most hackers’. Better players are better equipped to deal with a shaft that isn’t fit for their swing. Hackers need all the help they can get!
Larry
Aug 17, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I’m using reg flex KBS Tour 90 shafts in my irons. So the recommendation for my wedges is to soft step the same shafts to get lighter & more flexible. Correct?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:11 pm
Larry – the real recommendation is to find a fitter that allows you to test multiple options and find the best possible shaft. If that’s not possible, it’s very likely soft stepping your same shafts would produce better results than a stock wedge shaft.
DB
Aug 17, 2016 at 2:12 pm
What do you mean by this? You don’t like a lot of wedge or putter designs? Or they have the least tech?
“For most, wedges are in an unfortunate race with the putter to win the unceremonious award of the clubs that help golfers the least.”
explainer
Aug 17, 2016 at 3:17 pm
He means essentially “amateur/high-cap golfers just pick their wedges and putter willy nilly at a detriment to their score”
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:47 pm
DB – unfortunately explainer is correct. Few golfers are fit for wedges and putters even though they are used for over half the shots in a round. The wedges and putter in most bags are working against the golfer, instead of for them.
T-Bone
Aug 17, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Chris, How does a shaft create more spin than another?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:12 pm
T-Bone –
Thanks for reading. Different shafts have different flex profiles that produce varying flight characteristics. For many, a soft tip section will produce a higher flight with higher spin.
T-Bone
Aug 18, 2016 at 12:16 am
OK, thanks. How many more RPM’s of spin could an average swing speed player expect when switching to a soft tip shaft?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 18, 2016 at 9:29 am
It’s really impossible to say. There are so many variables in the swing and how they interact with the shaft is what matters. It’s best to really find somewhere to try some options and find out for yourself.
Tyler Brown
Aug 17, 2016 at 1:10 pm
Why were wedge specific shafts like KBS 610 and Hi Rev not tested?
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:32 pm
Hi Tyler –
If I were trying to make general recommendations on specific shafts, I definitely would have included them. The intent of this article was to simply illustrate how much variance there is between different shafts for different golfers. In an actual fitting, I do typically include those for testing.
GMR
Aug 17, 2016 at 1:09 pm
How often do these guys hit 100yd 56* wedge shots on the course? Personally I find that to be a relatively challenging scoring shot because the length of swing necessary and amount of spin generated (can get ball caught up in wind, spon back 15 feet on green, etc) and would normally opt to hit a 1/2 52* shot instead, which comes in lower and still stops dead. Would be curious to see these numbers again for testers hitting controlled half shots (e.g. 56* to 85-90) as I suspect the variation in swings and shaft performance may not be so substantial…
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:17 pm
GMR –
Great question, these guys tend to hit that shot pretty frequently. We’ve found in fittings that the trend of using a lighter, softer shaft is actually amplified on half swing. The hypothesis is that these lighter, softer shafts still flex on easier swings and provide feel and feedback that is consistent with a full iron shot. For most, using an overly stiff shaft for these touch shots reduces feedback and consistency. Of course, there is not rule that applies for every golfer so it’s best to test for yourself if possible.
Uncle Buck
Aug 17, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Bravo!
Craig
Aug 17, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Great article, been looking for a good wedge shaft and this hits the bullseye. Thanks Chris.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:17 pm
Thank you!
Ryan
Aug 17, 2016 at 11:49 am
Is there a reason you tested the shafts with a full to 3/4 wedge shot?
Does the consistency with a specific shaft in your results continue with chips and pitches?
desmond
Aug 17, 2016 at 11:28 am
Typically, wedge shafts are slightly heavier but more flexible than your iron shafts… hmmm.
desmond
Aug 17, 2016 at 11:34 am
But maybe it says that faster speed players with heavy irons shafts do not need heavy wedge shafts. And that makes sense in terms of one is not typically going full bore with a high lofted wedge.
I can’t see a guy with 80g graphite shafts go to 75g graphite or steel in wedges. I see that guy (me) going from 85g graphite in R flex to 105g steel in R for greater precision, still keeping the shaft flex the same as irons. A golfer with stiff flex may want to go down slightly in flex.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:18 pm
Desmond – you may really want to try a lighter shaft in your wedges if possible. You might be pleasantly surprised.
desmond
Aug 18, 2016 at 4:21 am
Chris – I was fit for a KBS Hi Rev by an Edel fitter at 115g. My new Edel is fit with 110g Nippon Pro Modus Wedge 105. I think you’ll be surprised that if you get too light, you lose control, not to mention the balance of the club is affected. I am a strong wedge player. The lighter graphite iron shafts are for distance and less shock to body.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 18, 2016 at 9:25 am
Getting fit is the best answer – that’s why I was pretty careful to indicate these were trends, not solutions. Every player is different and what works for some definitely will not work for others. I’m glad you found the shafts that work the best for you!
AllBOdoesisgolf
Aug 17, 2016 at 11:06 am
great article but I wouldn’t say their swings are consistent… maybe, after seeing the results, that’s why you used the qualifier of “relatively”. When you have 6mph difference from top to bottom is speed there are going to be different results.
then again, we are not robots… it just surprised me that guys with low single digit handicaps can have such a large discrepancy of swing speeds.
Leon
Aug 17, 2016 at 11:05 am
Or another thumb of rule: use one less flex shafts (the same model) of your irons for your wedges. For example, if you have DG S300 for the irons, consider to put the DG S200 or soft step the S300 once or twice for the wedges. In this way, the clubs will have the same feel and swing characteristics, and there will no transition gap between the irons and wedges.
Lee
Aug 17, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Agreed, I know one of Europe’s top fitter and this is exactly what he and many others are doing.
Chris Wycoff
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:44 pm
While it’s best to try multiple shafts and get fully fit, if that’s not possible, your rule of thumb is likely much better than a stock “Wedge” shaft.
kyle
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:23 am
Agreed, terrific article. Thanks
J
Aug 17, 2016 at 10:05 am
Seriously great article, well done!
DaveMac
Aug 17, 2016 at 2:44 pm
A big thumbs up from me, nice to see a data driven equipment performance article for a change. Really interesting conclusions.