Best Wedges for Mid Handicappers & Intermediate Golfers 2019 & 2020

As a mid handicapper, you wouldn’t want to settle for being a mere average golfer if you can challenge yourself to further lower your handicap by using the right wedge. But what exact wedge should an intermediate golfer buy to achieve that?

To answer that question, we’ve put together the list of best golf wedges for mid handicappers in 2019 and 2020.

In a hurry? Here are the best mid handicap wedges

  1. Winner: TaylorMade Milled Grind
  2. Runner-Up: Callaway JAWS MD 5  
  3. Honorable Third Place: Cleveland Golf Smart Sole 3 Wedge S.
  4. Budget Wedge for Mid Handicappers: Wilson Harmonized
If you want to take another step towards lowering your scores then you might want to invest in a rangefinder. It doesn’t have to break the bank – read our budget rangefinders article to see what are the best affordable rangefinders on the market.

Best Wedges for Mid Handicappers 2019 & 2020: Reviews

With so many golf wedges available in the market today that cater to golfers of every skill level imaginable, you’d be forgiven for feeling confused as to which one you should purchase from a sporting goods store.

Thus, we’ve put together this article with golf wedges catering towards mid handicappers and intermediate golfers. You can find more detailed reviews below.

1. TaylorMade Golf 2018 Milled Grind Wedge

Top Rated 

Some golfers have their wedges ground so that they can hit the ball and not dig too much grass or sand along with their shot.

But grinding a wedge by hand can get time-consuming and even destroy the club head itself.

Thus, you would want to buy the TaylorMade 2018 Milled Grind wedge instead so that you don’t have to risk having the head of your wedge ruined from over-grinding.

Pros

  • The TaylorMade Milled Grind wedge has three grind options that you can use for different turf and sand conditions. Each grind has been machine-milled to ensure manufacturing consistency.
  • The ZTP groove technology of the TaylorMade Milled Grind wedge allows for greater control of the ball while taking your shot.

Cons

  • Out of the three grind options available for the TaylorMade Milled grind, you might want to steer clear of the low bounce one as a previous review noted that it digs into the turf which can ruin the look of the course where you’re playing your round of golf.
  • The small red oblong situated near the heel of the TaylorMade Milled Grind wedge sticks out like a sore thumb and doesn’t match well with the head’s chrome finish.

Check Current Price

2. Callaway JAWS MD 5 

Runner Up

Callaway is one of the best manufacturers in golf.

In recent years Callaway made a name for themselves with their Epic and Rogue ranges but their latest range of wedges, JAWS MD 5, is equally impressive. 

The JAWS MD 5 range is available in a wide variety of lofts, finishes, and grinds, finding one that fits into your bag should be a very easy task. 

Pros

  • The JAWS MD 5 wedges are available in a variety of different loft offerings that range from 46 – 64 degrees. 
  • Available in 3 different finish options including raw, platinum tour chrome, and satin.
  • The JAWS MD 5 wedges are available in 5 different grind options, each grind option interacts with the turf in a unique manner. 
  • The groove design of the JAWS MD 5 wedges promotes exceptional control and a piercing ball flight

Cons

  • The JAWS MD 5 wedges feature an above-average price tag. 

Check Current Price

3. Cleveland Golf Smart Sole 3 Wedge S

Honorable Third Place

The third generation of Cleveland Golf’s Smart Sole wedges has been helping golfers make shots to the green without any hassle.

The Smart Sole 3 Wedge S, in particular, is what you’ll need if you have to get the golf ball out of a sand bunker.

Pros

  • The Cleveland Golf Smart Sole Wedge S has a loft of 58 degrees which is the maximum allowed for a sand wedge and should make it easier for you to hit the ball out of a bunker and into the green.
  • With its huge sole, the Cleveland Golf Smart Sole 3 Wedge S stands out compared to most other wedges made by the competition.

Cons

  • The only other wedge being offered by Cleveland Golf under its Smart Sole 3 line is a club that’s somewhere between a wedge and a putter. There’s no word yet if Cleveland Golf will release Smart Sole 3 pitching, gap and lob wedges anytime soon.
  • If you’re looking to hit the ball out of the bunker and make it reach the flagstick marking the hole, the Cleveland Golf Smart Sole 3 Wedge S won’t be able to help you with that.

Check Current Price

4. Wilson Harmonized Intermediate Golfer Wedge 

Best Budget Wedge for Mid Handicapper

Wilson is a very reputable sports equipment manufacturer and they are one of the oldest golf club manufacturers in the business.

In recent years Wilson has rejuvenated their golf club offerings and their Harmonized range of wedges are some of the best wedges currently available on the market in 2019 and 2020. 

The Harmonized wedges feature an aesthetically pleasing design, they are available in a variety of loft options and they are packed with advanced design features. 

Pros

  • The Harmonized wedges are available in a variety of loft options ranging from 52 – 64 degrees. 
  • The clubheads of the Harmonized wedges are forged out of soft 8620 carbon steel.
  • The Harmonized wedges feature a unique sole grind which allows you to open up the clubface with peace of mind in order to hit a variety of different shots around the greens. 
  • The Harmonized wedges retail at an affordable price tag.

Cons 

  • The Harmonized wedge range is limited in terms of finish and bounce options.  
  • Wilson doesn’t have the same pedigree in comparison to other brands such as TaylorMade and Callaway. 

Check Current Price

What Are the Four Types of Wedges That Mid Handicappers and Intermediate Golfers Should Use?

When you first bought your set of irons, you may have noticed that already included in there is a pitching wedge.

  • If you’re 100 yards away from the green, you should use your pitching wedge to make the ball land and roll smoothly on there. However, as it usually isn’t enough to get the ball to reach the green, you would have to separately buy a gap, sand, and lob wedge.
  • If you’re 70 to 100 yards away from the green, you should use a gap wedge to prevent you from either hitting the ball too hard with your pitching wedge or swinging your sand wedge too lightly.
  • You should use a sand wedge if the ball landed on a bunker instead of the green. You can also use it if you’re 70 to 80 yards away from the green and the ball is on wet grass.
  • Finally, if you’re 50 to 70 yards away from the green, you should use a lob wedge to make the ball attain a high flight arc.

What Should Mid Handicappers and Intermediate Golfers Consider When Buying a Wedge?

Even though wedges don’t carry as many features as those found in drivers, numbered irons, and putters, they’re still important for you as a mid handicapper or intermediate golfer so that you can gradually turn your handicap into a single digit.

To help you choose which wedge to get, here are a couple of things to consider before heading to the sports shop:

Looking for new irons as well? Read our best irons for mid handicappers article. And check out the hottest hybrid golf clubs here.

Loft

The loft of a golf club refers to the angle between its shaft and the face of its head.

  • If you’re looking for a pitching wedge, you should check if the golf club’s loft falls between 44 and 49 degrees. For a gap wedge, the loft range is between 50 and 53 degrees. A sand wedge has a loft range of 54 to 58 degrees, and a lob wedge is usually lofted at 59 to 65 degrees.
  • Every wedge that you’ll buy should have lofts in four-degree intervals. So, for example, if your pitching wedge has a loft of 48 degrees, your gap, sand, and lob wedge should have lofts of 52, 56, and 60 degrees, respectively.


Bounce

A wedge-specific term, bounce refers to the angle between any surface and the sole of a wedge’s head.

  • Striking the ball on either short grass or water-hardened sand requires the use of a wedge with a bounce of 4 to 6 degrees.
  • If the ball is on slightly longer grass or fine sand, you would want to strike it using a wedge with a bounce higher than 10 degrees.
  • But if you don’t have the time to choose between the two above-mentioned sets of bounces, you can use a wedge with a bounce of 7 to 10 degrees instead that could take on any kind of terrain.

 

You may also like: Callaway Supersoft vs Titleist Pro V1 (the result will surprise you)

 

best wedges mid handicappers

Conclusion

So, what are the best wedges for mid handicappers?

While being a mid handicapper or intermediate golfer is fine, you don’t have to settle for that level forever. Using the right wedge can help you get the ball into the green and turn your handicap into a single digit.

So, which golf wedge is the best one for you? Out of the three wedges reviewed above, the TaylorMade Milled Grind has been crowned as the best wedge for mid handicappers and intermediate golfers in 2019 and 2020 as it provides three grind options that can be used in different terrain.

The Callaway JAWS MD 5 comes at a close second and Cleveland Golf Smart Sole 3 Wedge S takes the honorable third place. 

Alternatively, if you’re on a tight budget, go for the Wilson Harmonized mid handicap wedge.

Or if you’re a newbie your should be reading the best wedges for beginners instead.

1 thought on “Best Wedges for Mid Handicappers & Intermediate Golfers 2019 & 2020”

  1. Pingback: Best Hybrid Golf Clubs 2018: Complete Guide + Reviews

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *