What Is Bounce on a Wedge? Everything You Need To Know originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
In my past life (aka about 12 months ago before launching Rainmakers Golf Club), I was the Head of Instruction Content at a major golf publication, so you could probably imagine how many golf questions I’d get asked about all sorts of random things.
From general golf tips to mental tips to overcome performance anxiety to equipment-related stuff, anytime I stepped onto the golf course, there was a good chance I’d get nailed with inquiries from playing partners.
I’d always give a very direct response, though: “I’m not a golf instructor, I’m just the guy who delivers the golf instruction from the golf instructors.”
In other words: You’re not getting any better at golf by listening to me as a mid-handicapper.
That’s why I like to rely on golf coaches like Anthony Wik to answer golf questions.
During a recent golf trip to see Wik at Claremont Golf Club in Portland, OR, I asked him something most amateur golfers struggle with: What is bounce on a wedge, and how should you use it in the short game?
Take a look below to see his answer, and follow Rainmakers Golf Club on YouTube for more golf tips and game-improvement hacks.
What Is Bounce on a Wedge (and How Should You Use It)?
Whether you’ve ever taken a golf lesson or not, you’ve probably heard about the “bounce” on a wedge — which might be confusing if you’re a beginner or novice golfer.
For those players who aren’t quite sure what bounce on a wedge is, Wik goes into a full explanation, and details how it actually works.
“We’re talking about bounce on a wedge today,” he says. “[During summer] in the Pacific Northwest, the ground is firm, so golfers in this area typically look for a wedge with a little bit more bounce to it.”
So where is the bounce on a wedge? Simply put, it’s the bottom of your golf club, specifically the angle of the bottom sole.
“It’s the bottom of the club, and how much it’s going to engage with the ground,” Wik explains. “The bounce is what we’re trying to use to make sure the club doesn’t dig — which is that ‘thump’ you hear on wedge shots.”
For golfers who often experience chunked wedge shots, it’s because you’re not utilizing the bounce of the wedge, meaning you’re getting the club’s leading edge to hit the ground first — which is simply the first part of your wedge, directly on the bottom of your clubface.
“Whether you have a shallow or steep angle of attack on wedge shots, if you thump [the bounce] right, you’re not going to take a divot — which is how you avoid chunked shots,” Wik shares.
There are different degrees of bounce on a wedge, so it’s important to understand what club to use given your ball’s lie and the course conditions.
For instance, if it’s a wet and soggy course, avoid a wedge with a higher degree of bounce — Wik references 12-degrees of bounce — which will make it harder to make ball-first contact.
“One of your wedges has 4 degrees of bounce, which is a low bounce, so the leading edge can get down close to the ground,” Wik tells me. “Another one of your wedges has 8 degrees of bounce, so that leading edge is going to sit a little higher off the ground, which makes it good for thicker conditions like the rough.
Finally, Wik says that, while there isn’t a general guide to refer to when gauging which wedge to use, when it comes to the bounce, you should always rely on your swing type on short shots.
“The wedge [with 8 degrees of bounce] isn’t great for firmer conditions, but it all depends on the type of swing that you have,” he shares. “Shallower swings should use lower bounce, while steeper swings need a little bit more bounce because it’s going to help from digging.”
So before seeing improvement with your improvement in your short game, it’s crucial to understand your bounce on a wedge and how to use it — which, hopefully, the info above from Wik helps achieve.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Read the full article here
