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Good wedge gapping starts with the pitching wedge you actually own and the distances you need to cover. Record its loft and ordinary carry, compare the next wedges, and check partial shots as well as full swings. Even-looking loft steps are a starting plan, not proof of even yardage gaps. Choose the final set from measured results and the short-game jobs each wedge must perform.
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Guide checked: 8 September 2026. This guide uses the linked manufacturer and retailer information. We have not carried out hands-on product testing. Specifications describe the identified models; confirm the selected variant before ordering.
| Record | For each wedge | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Specification | Actual loft and any adjustment | Labels alone do not define the spacing |
| Stock carry | A representative group of normal shots | Avoids planning around the longest strike |
| Partial shot | One repeatable shorter-swing carry | Shows how you cover in-between distances |
| Short-game role | Main chip, bunker or specialist use | Connects the sole choice to a real job |
Table of Contents
Measure the starting point before buying the next wedge
Look up the exact pitching-wedge specification for your iron set and confirm any fitted loft option. If the clubs are used or have been altered, have the loft checked when necessary. The number on a retailer's standard table may not describe the club in your bag. Revisit the wedge plan whenever you change irons, because the new pitching wedge may create a different starting distance.
Take the current pitching wedge and the wedges you intend to retain to a fitting or a suitable practice session. Use a familiar ball and comparable conditions where possible. Record a representative carry rather than the longest shot, and note obvious inconsistencies that make the estimate uncertain. If the contact is highly variable, improving the measurement may be more useful than immediately purchasing another loft.
Use loft spacing as an initial plan
Titleist's wedge-gapping guidance recommends roughly four to six degrees between wedges as a starting framework. Its page contains example set arrangements, but the stated yardage outcomes should not be treated as a guarantee for your swing. Different builds and deliveries still require a carry comparison. Keep the distinction between a proposed loft sequence and the distances actually observed.
As a planning example, a golfer with a 46-degree pitching wedge might investigate 50, 54 and 58-degree options. That is an illustrative four-degree sequence, not a prescription or a claim about any reader's carry. The fitter may find that another arrangement, fewer wedges or a different transition produces more useful coverage. Begin with the framework and let the measured result refine it.
Identify the gap that causes a real problem
Compare the full-shot carries, then ask which distances regularly appear on your course. An uneven gap matters most when it leaves you without a comfortable option for a shot you often face. A small numerical irregularity is less important if you can cover it reliably with a familiar partial swing. The objective is useful scoring choices, not a perfectly symmetrical chart for its own sake.
Choose one repeatable shorter swing for each relevant wedge and record its normal carry separately. Ask a coach to help establish that movement if necessary. Avoid creating an elaborate matrix of swings you cannot repeat. A simple, well-understood set of options can make an awkward approach easier to manage than a large table of optimistic distances gathered from isolated good shots.
Assign the sole after assigning the job
The wedge used mainly for fuller approaches may have a different role from your main bunker club or the wedge used for a particular high shot. The Vokey SM11 specification range offers several loft and sole combinations to investigate. Select the exact bounce and grind for the intended use rather than assuming every wedge should share one sole choice.
The Cleveland CBZ cavity-back wedge is a different head style worth comparing where the chosen build suits your shots. Keep the comparison practical: test the full carry if it fills a distance gap, and test representative chips or sand shots if those are part of its job. A catalogue loft does not establish the right combination by itself.
Check the bag space and the completed build
Before adding another wedge, identify what its place in the bag is worth compared with an existing long club or other useful option. More wedges can offer more full-swing choices, but they also require clear roles and practice. If the new club duplicates a distance you already cover comfortably, it may not be the most useful addition.
Ask a qualified technician before bending a wedge to fill a proposed gap. Confirm whether the exact head and condition are suitable and what the alteration means for the complete specification. Keep the measured lofts and any changes with your set record.
On delivery, check the hand, loft, bounce/grind, shaft, length and grip, then repeat the carry assessment. Use our pitching wedge versus sand wedge guide to clarify the existing roles, and the bounce guide to prepare the sole-fitting questions for the final shortlist.