A golfer plays at least one-quarter of their shots using a wedge. The trick lies in using the right wedge for the right shot. If you don’t do this, you will end up struggling around the greens. On the plus side, you can save pars and create birdies with a wedge. It helps improve your scores.
While wedges look like usual golf clubs, they come with a loft range and different specifications. There are four types of wedges – pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge.
A 54 degree wedge comes under the gap wedge category with a loft ranging between 50° and 54° as well as the sand wedge category with a loft ranging between 54° and 58°.
A 54 degree wedge is used as a gap wedge to bridge the gap between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. The 54° wedge is intended for shots that are too short to be covered by a pitching wedge and too lengthy to be covered by a sand wedge.
When used as a sand wedge, a 54° wedge can be used to hit out of the sand as well as for short chips and approach shots on to the green.
What is the Best 54 Degree Wedge?
Several well-known manufacturers offer you 54 degree wedges along with their golf clubs. You can check out the wedges from some of them before making your final choice. Here I will help you with a few popular wedges for you to get started with.
Is a 56 Degree Wedge Better? Read my answer
Titleist Vokey SM7 Tour Chrome F Grind
The Titleist wedge is a great option for golfers interested in short games because of its enhanced trajectory and distance control. The wedge also offers increased shot versatility and good spin with its proprietary heat treatment and spin milled grooves.
The right-handed men’s wedge has a bounce of 14° and a shaft made of true temper dynamic gold S200 steel. The chrome finish gives the 54 degree wedge a classy look.
Ping Glide 2.0 SS
The Ping right-handed men’s wedge has closely spaced, sharp-edged grooves for increased friction and producing more spin. This offers accurate trajectory control and distance for fine and delicate shots and full swings.
The wedge has a bounce of 12° and a hydropearl finish. It has a Ping AWT 2.0 steel shaft and a soft 431 stainless steelhead. This54 degree wedge is a great choice for playing in both wet and dry conditions.
Callaway Golf Men’s Chrome Mack Daddy 4
The Callaway wedge is available for both right-handed and left-handed golfers. The groove-in-groove technology assures good spin. The wedge comes in three grind options of S-Grind, W-Grind, and C-Grind, with each grind having its distinct bounce.
The different grinds accommodate various playing styles, course conditions, and attack angles to execute multiple shots from the sand, rough, and fairway.
The accurate center of gravity location combined with a soft carbon steel shaft help in crisp turf interaction. The 54 degree wedge is available in two finish variants of black matte and platinum chrome.
Mizuno 2018 S18
The Mizuno wedge features quad-cut grooves and an 8° bounce. The forged and continuous grain flow assures a solid and consistent feel. The right-handed wedge has a high-quality construction of dynamic gold steel shaft for enhanced durability.
The repeatable trajectory offers easy control over distance. It renders optimal forgiveness and accuracy levels on shots combined with high comfort and versatility levels.
How Far Does a 54 Degree Wedge Go?
The distance covered by a 54 degree wedge usually depends on the golfer’s capability and whether the wedge is used by a male or a female player.
A male golfer can typically cover a distance of about 85 yards while a 54° wedge for women covers around 59 yards.
However, some golfers have been able to cover slightly longer distances ranging between 105 to 110 yards or 115 to 120 yards.
Average Distance for a 54 Degree Wedge
A 54 degree wedge covers a distance between 80 to 110 yards.
According to the rule of thumb, beginners hit a lesser distance with their 54 degree wedges than experienced golfers. Also, the distance covered by women players is around 15 yards lesser than their male counterparts.
Amateurs can cover a distance of 70 yards with their 54° while professionals can play a long distance of over 100 yards. The range covered by professionals can be anywhere between 105 to 120 yards. On average, male golfers cover 85 yards while female golfers cover 59 yards with the same wedge.
Best Bounce for a 54 Degree Wedge
The best bounce for a 54 degree wedge is 8°.
The bounce of a 54 degree wedge in a player’s bag typically depends on the bounce of the pitching wedge with him/her.
However, some manufacturers offer their wedges with bounces of 11° and 12°. There are also players who have 54 degree wedges with a bounce of either 14° or 17°.
54 Degree Wedge Length
The length of a 54 degree wedge varies depending on whether it has a stainless steel shaft or a graphite shaft. A graphite shaft wedge is typically longer than a stainless steel shaft wedge. Also, irrespective of the shaft, the 54 degree wedge of a female golfer is shorter than that of a male golfer.
A 54 degree wedge with a stainless steel shaft for a male player has a length of 35.25 inches. The length is 35.75 inches in case of a wedge with a graphite shaft.
For women players, a stainless steel 54° wedge has a length of 34.25 inches while a graphite wedge has a length of 34.75 inches.
Can you use a 54 degree Wedge in the Sand?
Yes, some players use their 54 degree wedges for playing distances out of the bunker, out of the sand, and off the grass or fairway. These wedges have helped golfers play well on soft bunkers and chip around the green.
However, some of them prefer using the wedge for approach shots and long shots when there is a lot of green. There are golfers who use it for full and 3/4 shots as well as playing shots with less height and more spin.
How to Use a 54 Degree Wedge
If you’re planning to use your 54 degree wedge as a gap wedge, the best way to do so would be to find how far you can hit with it, in comparison to a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, using a comfortable swing.
- Start with the pitching wedge and hit a dozen balls. Do the same exercise with both your gap wedge and sand wedge. This will help you judge how far you can hit with your 54° wedge.
- Repeat the same exercise by placing the ball in two different positions with respect to your foot. Hit 12 balls with your 54 degree wedge by keeping them across the insole of the front foot.
- Hit the last set of 12 balls from the rear of the trailing foot. These shots will help you analyze the difference in heights between your various shots and also how much backspin can be put on the ball.
- Make a half swing with your 54 degree wedge in such a way that your arms are not parallel to the ground. This will not only help you identify the situations where you will find the wedge useful but also play on the golf course.
Backswing
For a backswing with a 54° wedge, you must not have a loose grip at the top. Short and wide shots are the key. You must aim at producing the same power consistently and not focus on maximum power.
Through swing
Turning to the target is important in this case. In this case, it is recommended that you keep your hands at a lower point on the grip of the 54 degree wedge and swing your arms at normal speed. This will make the wedge cover a short distance.
To make the ball go over a predictable trajectory and achieve good contact, you will have to indulge in some aggressive swinging.
Your chest and hips must lean towards the ball while your hands and arms must be aligned in such a way that the hands do not droop over the shoulder. They should be in front of your chest.
Flop-pitch shot
The key here is to hold the face of your 54° wedge in an open position.
- Let your right arm hang loose and place the grip of your wedge so that it rests in the fingers of this hand.
- Allow the face to open up while the back of the wedge is flushed to the ground. This will open up the leading edge and also your stance.
- Place both hands on the wedge so that you create a weak grip and your hands rotate anti-clockwise. This will help in increasing the loft when there is an impact. Make sure the pressure on the grip is as minimum as possible.
Basic chip
This chip helps in saving more strokes than other shots. You will have to swivel your chest a little to use your 54 degree wedge. In other words, the chip involves an upper-body movement with very little movement of hips and legs.
- Position yourself so that your front foot takes most of the weight. It is ideal to set up a square position adopting a narrow stance.
- Keep the hands before the ball so that the shaft is inclined in the forward direction. This makes your wrists create a constant forward angle.
- However, make sure they are not very stiff during a swing. Release the 54 degree wedge just a little past your hands.
How to Chip with a 54 Degree Wedge
You can do some decent chipping with your 54 degree wedge. However, you will often get the best result when chipping with this wedge within a short distance of 10 feet off the green.
Some players have found their wedges quite versatile for chipping. Other golfers prefer putting their 54° wedges for golf balls that get buried in the greenside rough.
It is worth noting that there are players who prefer using a pitching wedge for chipping around the green. This is typically the case if the ground that you’re playing on is relatively flat or the golf ball is away from the green by nearly 10 yards. In such situations, the pitching wedge can help to ensure that the ball is as low as possible to the ground and allow it to roll towards the hole.
50 Vs 54 Degree Wedge
- A 50 degree wedge is ideal for golfers who play on tight lies, thin bunker or tight and compacted sand, as well as fairway shots. On the other hand, a 54 degree wedge is for those who play in soft and normal conditions or golfers who tend to create shallow divots.
- Players have found a 50 degree wedge more versatile than a 54 degree wedge.
- Golfers who want to cover a long distance have found a 54° wedge a better option over a 54 degree wedge.
52 Vs 54 Degree Wedge
- A 52 degree wedge makes a good choice for players who want to cover around 120 yards while a 54 degree wedge is suitable for those who want to play a slightly shorter distance of 110 yards.
- A 54 degree wedge is better than a 52° wedge for some golfers when they want to play on tight lies or off the fairway.
- A 54 degree wedge is preferred over a 52° wedge by players who want better accuracy.
- A 52 degree wedge does not perform as well as a 54° wedge for some golfers who enjoy chipping and playing on the sand.
54 Vs 56 Degree Wedge
- Some golfers have opted for a 54° wedge instead of a 56 degree wedge when they want a full swing.
- Few players have opted for a 54 degree wedge in place of a 56 degree wedge as it has helped them to hit long and short shots more easily.
- There are high ball hitters who have found that a 54 degree wedge gave them a low trajectory and is more controllable when playing half shots into the green when compared to a 56 degree wedge.
- A 56 degree wedge offers better results than a 54 degree wedge when playing out of bunkers.
54 Vs 58 Degree Wedge
- A 54° wedge has been found to be better to play with than a 58° wedge by players with high handicaps.
- There are golfers who have found the 54 degree wedge to be more promising than a 58° wedge.
- Players have found that they have better control and can hit farther with a 54° wedge compared to a 58 degree wedge.
- Some golfers can play fine shots around the green more consistently with a 58 degree wedge than a 54 degree wedge.
- Is a 56 Degree Wedge Better? Read my answer