What is a 46 Degree Wedge Used For?
Some golfers prefer to use the 46 degree wedge as a pitching wedge, while others feel that it’s better off as a gap wedge. When it plays the role of a pitching wedge, this wedge is a good choice for hitting the green.
As a gap wedge, it’s worth considering for long shots and as a pitching wedge, for short shots from sandy patches.
A 46 degree wedge is best used help to get the golf club under the ball to launch it high as possible. If your aim is to land the ball near the hole or towards putting greens, the 46 degree wedge is recommended.
It’s also a good choice if you’re playing on a short course. These are some key reasons why most professional players prefer using this wedge over a stock pitching wedge.
A 46 degree wedge is also helpful in hitting full shots confidently with a high flight without compromising on the versatility surrounding the greens.
The wedge is also beneficial for golfers who want to be consistent during their trajectory window hits with good control over the golf club.
It also gives the ball a long-lasting spin and allows players to render long chip shots surrounding the green.
The wedge is also an apt choice for golfers who want to use their club to play on hard turf, tight lies and other firm conditions such as coarse, heavy sand and hard ground.
The 46° wedge is also a good choice for those who are looking for a club to lessen their chances of hitting thin shots. It’s the right option for those who have a shallow attack angle and a sweeping swing.
How Far Does a 46 Degree Wedge Go?
A 46 degree wedge is often used to hit shots from a distance varying from 110 to 125 yards with a full swing. Professionals cover a distance of around 25 yards more, which will make the golf ball travel a distance of around 140 yards in this case.
Average 46 Degree Wedge Distance
The average distance of a 46 degree wedge is 120 yards for males, and 90 yards for females.
As in the case of any golf club, the distance covered by a 46 degree wedge will vary from player to player and is also based on the skill level of the golfer. However, this wedge is most often chosen to cover distances of more than 100 yards.
Most male golfers hit a distance of 100 to 140 yards with their 46° wedge. Their average distance seems to be about 120 yards.
On the other hand, female players achieve a distance of 70 to 120 yards with the same wedge. Their average distance is approximately 80 yards.
Amateur male short, mid and long hitters cover distances of about 95, 115 and 129 yards respectively. In contrast, their female counterparts achieve close to 58, 75 and 95 yards as short hitters, mid hitters and long hitters.
The average carry distance that PGA Tour players get with their 46° wedge is 136 yards. The same distance for LPGA Tour players with the club is 100 yards.
Some players have achieved a distance of 115 to 120 yards with the 46° wedge. However, they were not very consistent with this wedge. Other golfers managed to reach a distance of 105 to 110 yards. Only a small percentage of golfers managed to achieve 146 yards.
46 Degree Wedge Vs Pitching Wedge
The following are some differences players experience when they use a 46 degree wedge and a pitching wedge.
- More spin
A 46 degree wedge offers much more spin than a pitching wedge because of several factors such as its grooves, design and weight distribution.
- Swing style
A 46 degree wedge is ideal for a partial swing because of its chunky head while a pitching wedge has an iron-like head that makes it suitable for full swings.
- Distance and launch
A 46 degree wedge is a more suitable option than a pitching wedge for achieving shorter distances and slightly lower launch.
- Control
A 46 degree wedge offers a better feel and control when compared to a pitching wedge.
44° Vs 46° wedge
Based on their experiences, golfers have experienced the following differences when they tried playing with both the wedges.
- Similar to 9 iron
A 46 degree wedge performed more like a 9 iron than a 44° wedge in terms of hitting.
- Hitting over objects
A 44 degree wedge is not very helpful in hitting the ball over tall objects such as trees when compared to a 46 degree wedge.
- Windy days
A 44° wedge helps in controlling where the ball goes on a windy day in comparison to a 46 degree wedge because of low ball flight. This makes the ball remain in the air for a lesser time.
- Distance covered
A 44 degree wedge is a better option than a 46° wedge to hit the ball over a longer distance.
- Choice of professionals
A 44 degree wedge is often not the club of choice of professionals when compared with a 46 degree wedge because of the lower ball flight as they prefer playing on hard green and narrow courses.
- Ball control
A 44 degree wedge offers less control over the golf ball when it hits the ground as against a 46° wedge because of its longer rollout.
46° Vs 47° Wedge
The differences between a 46 degree wedge and a 47 degree wedge based on what players have experienced with both the wedges are given below.
- Different uses
A 46 degree wedge helps in hitting long bunker shots from the soft sand on the course. On the other hand, a 47 degree wedge is a better option to play with for hitting the ball around the greens.
- Stopping the ball
A 46 degree wedge is a preferred option over a 47° wedge to stop the golf ball as soon as it hits the green without too much roll out.
- More spin
A 46 degree wedge is more suitable than a 47 degree wedge when the maximum spin of the golf ball is needed on partial shots.
- Forgiving
A 46 degree wedge is less forgiving on full shots when compared to a 47° wedge.
- Distance
46° wedge renders less distance in comparison to a 47 degree wedge especially when the wedge does not strike the ball well.
46° Vs 48° Wedge
The following points are some noteworthy differences that golfers observe when they play with a 46 degree wedge and a 48 degree wedge.
- Depending on 9 iron
A 46 degree wedge is a good choice if the 9 iron has a loft of 38° or 39°. On the other hand, a 48 degree wedge is more suitable if the loft of the 9 iron is 43°.
- Distance
A 46 degree wedge is worth considering for covering a distance of 120 yards. For slightly lesser distances of around 110 to 115 yards, a 48° wedge gives good results.
- Backspin and trajectory
A 46 degree wedge creates a slightly lesser backspin on the ball resulting in more elevation and a higher trajectory shot when compared to a 48 degree wedge.
What is the Bounce on a 46 Degree Wedge?
A low bounce wedge is a wedge with a bounce between 0° and 10°. A 46 degree wedge is considered to be a low bounce wedge because it has a bounce of 8°. Some manufacturers offer these wedges with a slightly lesser bounce of 6°.
Therefore, a 46 degree wedge offers the benefits of a low bounce wedge, like being able to use it on hard turf and tight lies.