Wedge bounce and grinds, explained

The quick answer

Pick wedge lofts first, so the gaps below your pitching wedge are even. Then pick bounce to suit the ground you usually play from and the way you swing. Grinds come last, and matter most to golfers who open the face around the greens.

If you are not sure, a mid-bounce wedge is a reasonable starting point for many golfers. A cavity-back wedge may suit you if you play game-improvement irons and want the same kind of help near the green.

Who this is for

Golfers buying a new wedge, or a set of wedges, who see bounce and grind options on a specification sheet and want to know what they mean.

What actually matters

Loft gapping. Start from the loft of your pitching wedge, which varies a lot between iron sets, and look for even steps from there to your highest-lofted wedge. Many golfers aim for gaps of about four to six degrees. A session on a launch monitor, or a range with yardage markers, shows how far each club actually goes.

Bounce. Bounce is the angle between the leading edge and the lowest point of the sole. More bounce generally helps the club skim through soft turf and sand instead of digging. Less bounce generally suits firm ground, tight lies and golfers who sweep the ball. Golfers with a steep swing who take deep divots often find more bounce helpful; golfers with a shallow swing often prefer less.

Grind. A grind is material removed from the sole, usually at the heel, toe or trailing edge, to change how the bounce behaves when you open or close the face. The same grind can feel different depending on how steep your swing is. Grind names are each maker’s own, so a letter on one brand’s wedge tells you nothing about another brand’s. Titleist, for example, says its F Grind “is often considered the most forgiving Vokey SM11 grind”. Tour Edge calls its three options bounce profiles rather than grinds.

How makers state bounce. Ping lists its bounce figures as effective bounce. Treat a degree or two of difference between brands as approximate.

Bounce often depends on loft. Several makers offer only certain bounce and grind combinations at each loft. Cleveland and Cobra set the bounce by loft on their cavity-back wedges. Check that the loft you want comes with the bounce you want.

Cavity backs. Cleveland’s CBZ and Cobra’s KING-X are cavity-back wedges, positioned by their makers for game improvement. They are usually aimed at golfers who want more forgiveness on full and partial shots.

Finish. Chrome and satin finishes are the most common. Raw finishes are designed to rust, which some golfers like the look of. Dark finishes can wear with use.

Worn grooves

Grooves wear with use, faster for golfers who practice a lot from sand. Worn grooves usually reduce spin, especially on partial shots and from wet grass or rough. How quickly that happens varies with how much you play and practice.

If your wedge no longer stops the ball the way it did, and the edges of the grooves look rounded or the face looks smooth where you strike it, the grooves are a likely cause. Wedges usually wear out before the rest of a set, so replacing them on their own is common.

Six current wedges

At our last price checks, the 6 wedges ranged from about $120 to about $200.

• Tour Edge

  Exotics Milled

  Tour Edge says the Exotics Milled Wedges are “engineered for precise control of contact, flight and spin.”

  Lofts

  50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°

  Bounce

  6°, 8°, 10°, 12°, 14°

  Grinds

  Low Bounce (LB), Mid Bounce (MB), High Bounce (HB)

  $119.99

  With a KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 steel shaft

  Evidence: Research-based · . 2nd Swing Golf

  See at 2nd Swing Golf: Tour Edge Exotics Milled⁠
• 

  Cobra

  KING-X

  Cobra says the cavity-back KING-X, with its progressive teardrop grind, is “the ultimate game improvement wedge.”

  Lofts

  48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°

  Bounce

  10°, 12°, 14°

  Grinds

  Teardrop

  $169

  With a steel shaft; graphite shafts are $181

  Evidence: Research-based · . Cobra Golf

  See at Cobra Golf: Cobra KING-X⁠Affiliate link
• 

  Cleveland Golf

  CBZ

  Cleveland calls the cavity-back CBZ “our greatest achievement in game improvement Wedges to date.”

  Lofts

  44°, 46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°

  Bounce

  10°, 12°, 14°

  Grinds

  V-Shaped, S-Shaped, C-Shaped

  $179.99

  Evidence: Research-based · . DICK'S Sporting Goods

  See at DICK'S Sporting Goods: Cleveland Golf CBZ⁠Affiliate link
• 

  Cleveland Golf

  RTZ 2

  Cleveland calls the RTZ 2 “our most advanced Wedge to date.”

  Lofts

  46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°, 62°, 64°

  Bounce

  6°, 8°, 10°, 12°

  Grinds

  MID, FULL, LOW, 588, ADAPT

  $199.99

  Tour Satin finish with a True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner Tour Issue steel shaft

  Evidence: Research-based · . TGW

  See at TGW: Cleveland Golf RTZ 2⁠Affiliate link
• 

  Titleist

  Vokey SM11

  Titleist says Vokey SM11 wedges “feature new technologies designed to produce cleaner contact.”

  Lofts

  44°, 46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°

  Bounce

  4°, 6°, 8°, 10°, 12°, 14°

  Grinds

  T Grind, M Grind, F Grind, S Grind, D Grind, K Grind

  $199

  Tour Chrome finish with a True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shaft

  Evidence: Research-based · . TGW

  See at TGW: Titleist Vokey SM11⁠Affiliate link
• 

  Ping

  s259

  Ping says the s259 gives golfers “improved precision and versatility with a Tour-preferred look, feel and sound.”

  Lofts

  46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°, 62°

  Bounce

  6°, 8°, 10°, 12°, 14°

  Grinds

  S Grind, W Grind, H Grind, E Grind, T Grind, B Grind

  $199

  Chrome finish with a Z-Z115 steel wedge shaft; the Alta CB Blue graphite shaft costs more

  Evidence: Research-based · . TGW

  See at TGW: Ping s259⁠Affiliate link

Side by side

The table lists every loft, bounce and grind each maker offers. Not every combination exists: see each product page for which bounce comes with which loft.

Cavity back or traditional, from the same maker

Cleveland sells both. The RTZ 2 offers more grinds, lower bounce options and lofts up to 64°. The CBZ offers higher bounce and starts at a lower loft. The two also come with different stock shafts. The choice is less about money and more about whether you want a cavity back’s forgiveness or a wider range of sole options.

New or used

Because grooves wear, a used wedge is a bigger gamble than most used clubs. The used listings we have found are on each product page under Used prices. If you buy used:

• Look closely at the grooves where the ball is struck. Sharp, clean edges suggest light use.
• Check the loft and bounce stamped on the club, and that they match the listing.
• Lofts may have been bent by a previous owner, which also changes the bounce. A club fitter can check.
• Counterfeit clubs exist. Buy from a seller who will take the wedge back.

Where to go next

• The Wedge Finder: pick the wedge you need and what your courses are like, and see which wedges offer that bounce at your lofts.
• All wedges we have researched, with their latest price checks.
• Game-improvement or players irons?, since your pitching wedge loft comes from your iron set.
• How we research, including what our evidence labels mean.