54 vs 56 Degree Wedge (Which One Is Best?)

The great news about golf is that golfers have plenty of options when selecting their clubs.

Golfers are allowed to carry up to 14 total clubs. This leaves some options in the fairway wood/hybrid area as well as with the wedges.

It can be difficult for the golfer to decide which clubs are best for their game, but we are here to help you consider the different factors and make the best decision to help you score your best!

Should I use a 54 or 56 degree wedge?

If you have room for 4 wedges, the best option is a 48, 52, 56, and a 60. If you only have room in your 14 clubs for 3 wedges, the best option is a 48, 54, and a 60.

So the answer is, it depends!

Wedges on short, but difficult holes can make or break a round!

The 54 Degree Wedge (Complete Overview)

The 54 degree wedge is considered a sand wedge and is most used as an option between the 48 degree pitching wedge and the 60 degree lob wedge. For the golfer that is comfortable hitting 50% to 75% shots with a variety of wedges, they can get away with only 3 wedges in their bag.

If a golfer struggles to hit these less than full wedges, they might want to consider the 4 wedges setup of 48, 52, 56, and a 60. I prefer to go with a 3 wedge set due to my comfort level with hitting a variety of wedge shots with my 3 wedges in my bag. This provides me with the flexibility to carry a 3-9 iron and also add in a 3 wood and a 2 driving iron. I have every distance covered between 275 (driver) and below.

Pros of the 54 degree wedge

Great option if you need a little extra distance with the sand wedge
Has enough loft to still be valuable around the green for lofted chips or out of a bunker

The skilled player can hit higher or lower shots by moving the ball forward or back in the stance and reducing or adding loft with the setup or with their hands

Cons of the 54 degree wedge

The 3 wedge setup might be difficult for the golfer who can’t make adjustments with the loft or the golfer who doesn’t feel comfortable hitting 50-60% effort shots.

Dialing in your distances is vital to your success. See below for sample charts.

When should I use a 54 degree wedge?

The 54 degree wedge will most often be used from shots running between 80 and 115 yards depending on your swing speed. It typically has around 10-14 degrees of bounce and is a comfortable go to wedge on those longer shots right around 100 yards.

I often use it around the green to hip chip shots that I want to fly lower than my lob wedge, but still need some loft to carry onto the front of the green. I also use it for longer greenside bunker shots where immediate height is not required due to a flatter bunker shot.

The 54 can be a rather versatile club and the golfer might decide not to add a 60 degree wedge and instead add along such as a hybrid or fairway wood to close gaps in at the longer end.

The 56 Degree Wedge (Complete Overview)

The 56 degree wedge is considered a sand wedge and is most used as an option between the 52 degree gap wedge and the 60 degree lob wedge. For the golfer that is comfortable hitting more full swings with their wedges, they will want to make the sacrifice of carrying 4 wedges.

The 56 can be a great addition and the go to club for many shots inside of 90-100 yards. It can also be used around the green for higher lofted chips and out of sand traps. Some golfers might only carry a 48, 52, and a 56 and decide that the 56 provides enough loft for those shorter 50 yard shots, greenside chip shots and greenside bunker shots.

How far should you hit a 56 degree wedge?

Pros of the 56 degree wedge

The extra loft allows the golfer to hit the ball higher compared to the 54 degree wedge.

Might be more versatile on those lofted chip shots or flop shots around the greens.

Cons of the 56 degree wedge

The golfer might struggle to hit it as far as they need to compared to the 54.
Carrying 4 wedges, limits the golfer’s option with the longer clubs in the bag.

Get very comfortable hitting difficult shots with your wedges!

When should I use a 56 degree wedge?

The golfer will use the 56 degree wedge on full swing shots between 80-100 yards and on lesser distances using a less than full swing. It has the versatility to be used for greenside chips, longer pitches and greenside bunker shots.

When to use a 56 degree wedge – complete post!

How to decide between the 54 vs 56 degree wedge?

Here are some checklist items to consider:

If you answer yes to the majority of the questions below, you should consider the 54 degree wedge and the 3 wedge setup.

I am comfortable hitting 50%-75% wedges from 50-110 yards
I prefer to have an extra fairway wood, driving iron or hybrid in my bag.
I feel like I am skilled enough to be creative with a 48, 54 and a 60 degree wedge in my hands.

I enjoy fighting a variety of wedges at different heights depending on pin location and golf course conditions.
I am more of a feel player and can adjust to a 6 degree gap between wedges.

If you answer yes to the majority of the questions below, you should consider the 56 degree wedge and the 4 wedge setup.

I prefer to hit 80% or above wedges for most of my shots.
I don’t mind having less fairway woods, driving irons or hybrids in my bag.
I prefer to only have a 4 degree gap and dial in specific distances with more full swings.

I prefer to hit a similar looking shot every time I use a specific club.

This is a great addition to your golf tools to help you score better!

Next Steps: Assess Your Game

With whatever wedge setup you currently have, track some data closely over your next 5 rounds. Here are some things to consider:

Percentage of greens hit in the following yardage gaps
- 50-75 yards
- 75-100 yards
- 100-125 yards

Proximity to the pin from the distance above in each category
How many times in the 5 rounds did you feel uncomfortable with your wedge selection
How many times in the 5 rounds did you feel comfortable in hitting the ball inside of 15 free

How many times did you get up and down around the greens with your wedges in your hands form 20 yards or less

How to hit a sand wedge 100 yards

Next Steps: Map Your Bag

I would recommend setting up a distance chart for your wedges and then determine what is needed in your game.

Your Chart May Look Something Like This: Option 1

Wedge	Carry Avg Distance	3 quarter swing
48 Degree	125	115
54 Degree	105	95
60 Degree	85	75

Or It May Look Something Like This: Option 2

Club	Carry Distance (100%)	90%	80%
Pitching Wedge	128	118	108
Approach Wedge	118	110	102
SW Club	105	97	91
LW Club	85	76	68

I prefer to use my Skytrak Launch Monitor to dial in my distance. Check out the Skytrak at Rain or Shine golf and take your game to the next level!

Rain or Shine Golf Packages

Final Thoughts

You have plenty of options. The best way to figure out what is best for your game is to track your data closely over the next 5-10 rounds and make adjustments as needed. The time of year with the conditions you are playing in might factor into your decision as well.

Some golfers decide to own a variety of wedges, fairway woods, or hybrids and make adjustments depending on the course, the conditions, or how they are currently playing.

The ultimate golf dream! Play golf 365 days a year and watch your scores improve!

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Rain or Shine Golf Packages

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions: