Wedge Grind? What On Earth Is That Then?

Now that we have discussed bounce at length, we need to delve into the mysteries of wedge grind. Tour players have always personalised the way their wedges react with the turf, shaving bits of metal off here and there until the wedge sits and plays exactly how they want it to. They are in a position at each tournament they play, whereby dedicated teams are on hand to make any adjustments they need for the conditions that week.

Although most of us aren’t in the privileged position of having someone looking after all our equipment needs, we do now have more wedge options available to us than ever before. Manufacturers realised that producing different wedge  grinds, in addition to bounce and loft options, would allow the golfing public to dial in their short games like never before.

So, what exactly is wedge grind?
Wedge grind is the removal or manipulation of material on the sole of the wedge in order to alter the way the club interacts with the turf.  Different wedge grinds allow you to be more creative with your short game and enables you to play around with ball flight and spin to a huge extent.


As mentioned in an earlier article, when you open the face on a wedge this creates more bounce which is not an ideal situation when you are trying to play some form of lob shot. Too much bounce on a flop shot will prevent the club from sliding under the ball in the necessary way and can result in a bladed shot that shoots across the green and into trouble on the other side. Choosing a wedge that has a grind with plenty of heel relief (material shaved off around the heel) negates the extra bounce that is added when opening the face and allows you to channel your inner Phil Mickelson.

That style of grind is perhaps for the more accomplished player, many of the different grinds available are designed to make wedges more forgiving, with different shaped soles excelling in different areas. Whatever area of the short game you are struggling with there is an ideal wedge grind that will help you improve. As a general rule, if you like to play a lot of shots with an open face, then choose a grind that has plenty of heel and toe relief. If you play most of your short game shots with a square face, or you struggle with consistent contact then look for a grind that is classed as versatile, with a measured bounce and grind.