Updated February 2, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: Titleist Vokey SM9 Wedge
“From distance control to maximum spin, the Titleist Vokey SM9 wedges offer premium short-game performance for beginning golfers.”
Best Value: Mizuno T22 Golf Wedge
“The T22’s narrow and cambered sole provides excellent versatility and stability, making it easier for players to get out of any type of rough or when they’re buried in a bunker.”
Best Feeling Wedge: Callaway JAWS Raw Wedge
“The Callaway JAWS Raw Wedge provides maximum spin and control, fueled by its raw face surface that generates a high level of spin.”
One of the biggest mistakes that beginning golfers make when assembling their bags is forgetting to add clubs with loft.
If you do not carry a sand wedge in your bag, you are making it harder to improve at the game of golf.
For our top ten list of the best sand wedges for beginners, we have spent hours combing through sand wedges and we are confident that we’ve found several that are worth your money.
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Last updated on 2023-03-08. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
Table of Contents
Best Sand Wedge for Beginners
- Best Overall: Titleist Vokey SM9
- Best Value: Mizuno T22
- Best Feeling: Callaway JAWS Raw
- Best Contact: Ping Glide 4.0
- Best Sand Wedge: Cleveland CBX Wedge
- Most Afforable: Wilson Harmonized Golf Wedge
- Best Chipping Sand Wedge: Square Strike
- Best Budget: Pinemeadow PGX Wedge
- Most Balanced: Lazrus Golf Wedge
- Outstanding Cavity-Backed Design: Cleveland CBX2 Wedge
Titleist Vokey SM9 Wedge
Best Overall Wedge for Beginners
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PROS
- Premium technology provides total control
- Maximum spin with revamped grooves
- Controlled ball flight with consistent contact
CONS
- Higher priced wedges for serious golfers
Titleist’s Vokey SM9, our choice for the best overall sand wedge for beginners, delivers a host of features to golfers that need the most help. From distance control to maximum spin, the Vokey SM9 wedges offer premium short-game performance for beginning golfers.
The SM9 wedge, designed with a focus on versatility, precision, and control, is powered by Titleist’s progressive center of gravity technology.
The forward CG provides optimal spin and versatility, making it easier to get out of tricky situations like sand and rough while executing the shot you need.
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The sand wedge has several worthwhile sole grind options that provide the perfect bounce for various sand and turf conditions.
Our testers noted how the craftsmanship of the Vokey SM9 delivers outstanding all-around performance. Featuring a sleek and stylish design that will turn heads on the course, the club’s feel and feedback give beginning golfers complete confidence in every shot.
During our time with the SM9 sand wedge, we were amazed at how the club delivered excellent results repeatedly on the course. The Vokey sand wedge is incredibly easy to hit and provides excellent distance control, making it an ideal choice for beginning golfers.
Mizuno T22 Golf Wedge
Best Value Wedge for Beginners
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PROS
- Inviting sweet spot with high launch
- Lightweight feel with impressive responsiveness
- High-grade grooves generate top-tier spin rates
CONS
- Thicker build looks like a heavier wedge
For players struggling with their short game, especially when getting the ball out of the sand, the Mizuno T22 sand wedge delivers outstanding improvement.
Our choice for the best value wedge for beginners, the T22 gives new golfers more consistent contact with high spin rates.
For our testers, the standout feature of the T22 is its unique sole design. The club’s narrow and cambered sole provides excellent versatility and stability, making it easier for players to get out of any type of rough or even when they find themselves buried in a bunker.
The wider sole helps beginners generate more spin when compared to other sand wedges, providing more control and accuracy.
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Also, we noted the T22’s high-quality craftsmanship and attractive design, making it an excellent choice for beginners who want a unique sand wedge that looks as good as it performs.
For our testers, the T22 sand wedge improves confidence and overall consistency in their short game. This impressive reliability translates into lower scores and more enjoyment of the course.
In terms of performance, the T22 is a real winner. The club’s soft yet responsive feel provides excellent feedback, giving beginning golfers the trust they need to execute precise shots around the green.
Callaway JAWS Raw Wedge
Best Feeling Wedge for Beginners
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PROS
- Raw face increases groove edging for maximum spin
- Four different grind options deliver customized shotmaking
- Balanced feel offers an exceptional feel
CONS
- Raw face design isn’t traditional
The Callaway JAWS Raw is a high-performing and stylish sand wedge perfect for beginning golfers. The JAWS Raw, designed with a classic, timeless appearance, offers an excellent option for golfers who want a sand wedge that looks good in the golf bag.
For our testers, the JAWS Raw provides maximum spin and control, fueled by its raw face surface that generates a high level of spin. The wedge also offers top-tier durability and reliability for beginning golfers, which can help reduce the learning curve around the green.
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The wedge’s raw face surface provides several benefits for beginning golfers, including a superb feel. The face of the JAWS Raw ages naturally to produce more consistent and natural responsiveness.
While the raw look may not be for everyone, the wedge does keep the spin rates as high as possible, considering the slower swing speed of beginners.
During our time with the Callaway JAWS Raw Wedge, we noted how the benefits of the raw face surface, high-quality construction, and versatile design make it an excellent option for beginning golfers looking to boost their short game and add more accuracy to their shots around the green.
Ping Glide 4.0 Wedge
Best Contact Wedge for Beginning Golfers
PROS
- Outrageously good feel and responsiveness
- Compact shape with a rounded face
- Milled grooves produce high spin with mid-range launch
CONS
- Expensive price for beginning golfers
The sleek design of the Ping clubhead is both attractive and functional, helping beginners reduce chunking on shots from around the green for improved turf interaction.
For our testers, the Glide 4.0 sand wedge provides exceptional versatility. Whether you’re looking to hit high, soft shots, or low, bump-and-run shots, our testers felt like this wedge could handle it all.
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The compact head shape of the Glide 4.0 sand wedge also provides a versatile sole design making it easier to use from a variety of lies with premium spin and control.
During our time with the Glide 4.0, we also felt the soft elastomer insert boosted feel and increased overall responsiveness at impact.
The wider sole of the Glide 4.0 also makes it easier to play a variety of shots from different lies, especially if you like an open-faced shot from deeper rough. The Glide 4.0 grooves are milled sharp to maximize spin and control, particularly from the fairway on full swings.
Our choice for the best contact sand wedge for beginners, the Ping Glide 4.0, is one of the best sand wedges available to new players.
Cleveland CBX Wedge
Best Sand Wedge for Beginners Overall
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PROS
- Wide sole promotes excellent turf interaction for cleaner contact
- Cavity-backed design gives beginners a wedge that is similar to iron set
- Tall face with large sweet spot gives beginning golfers loads of forgiveness
CONS
- A lighter feel makes the response different than a heavier wedge for beginners
The original Cleveland CBX Wedge is a stunner, providing the beginning golfer with a solid foundational club that will allow them to learn the game with a short game tool that they can trust and depend on throughout the first days of their golfing career – truly one of the best wedges for beginners.
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The wide sole of the CBX wedge helps cut through any obstacle, whether it be tall grass or deep sand, to give the golfer a clean surface to hit the golf ball.
The rounded look of the CBX wedge helps keep the club gliding through the turf to prevent excessive chunking of pitch and chip shots.
Lighter than most wedges, the CBX sand wedge could be too light for beginning golfers who want a heavier, more solid-feeling club that keeps the head low to the ground during takeaway and throughout the impact zone.
Accentuated by the cavity-backed design, the CBX wedge is our pick for the best all-around wedge for a beginning golfer because it reduces the game to the essentials, a perfect combination for inexperienced golfers who need it a wedge to help them focus on improving their short game.
Wilson Harmonized Golf Wedge
Most Affordable Sand Wedge for Beginners
PROS
- Heavier sand wedge keeps the club lower to the ground for more consistency
- Groove system helps with solid spin from a budget-level sand wedge
- Tall face gives beginning golfer more surface area to make quality contact
CONS
- Looks and feels like forged iron that may be harder to hit for beginner
The Wilson Harmonized Wedge is a sleek, affordable club, providing the beginning golfer with a well-designed sand wedge that will undoubtedly help from trouble areas and the fairway.
Wilson’s balance in this sand wedge is expertly distributed as they have a long history of using the weight in the clubhead to level out their wedge line.
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Since the sole of a wedge weighs more, Wilson has moved weight around the head’s perimeter to keep the wedge evenly distributed throughout the swing. This slight detail is why the wedge will help beginners increase their performance from inside 50 yards.
The club does have the look and feel of forged iron, and while that may play differently than other wedges with a broader sole, the beginning golfer shouldn’t be scared off by design.
One of the biggest reasons a beginning golfer should consider the Wilson wedge is the price point, as it is one of the more dependable short game clubs available for beginning golfers.
Although some golfers may find this a bit shallow and prefer performance over price, the club admirably gets the ball into the air with a high spin rate.
Square Strike Wedge
Best Chipping Sand Wedge for Beginners
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PROS
- Specially designed to prevent chunking for more consistency and excellent contact
- Extra-wide sole slides through turf for exceptional contact from off the green
- Can be used like a putter with straight-back and straight-through approach
CONS
- A chipping sand wedge only, not meant to be used from the bunker or too far away from green
The Square Strike Wedge is another club that has been tailored to help the beginning golfer with their contact issues.
The club comes in a wide sole, 56-degree version with the same properties as a sand wedge, but its intent is far more narrow than your traditional short game clubs.
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Made for shorter distances, the Square Strike Wedge has a look and feel of a putter, but instead of an upright clubface, the wedge has grooves and a lofted face.
Another area that separates the Square Strike from your typical wedge is using it with a straight-back, straight-through swing path.
Remember, this isn’t a club to use from 75 yards in the fairway, but instead, it should be deployed when you need an accurate short chip shot that doesn’t have an obstacle or hazard in the way.
We must admit that while the wedge isn’t for everyone, a beginning golfer can benefit from the dependability of the club as it can stop the golfer from hitting behind the golf ball.
And frankly that its purpose, in a nutshell, is to provide the golfer with clean contact from just off the green.
Pinemeadow PGX Wedge
Best Budget Sand Wedge for Beginners
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PROS
- Heavier wedge that stays low to the ground to give the beginner more consistency
- The wedge is easy to use for a beginner, especially with square stance
- Chrome finish goes well with the overall look and design of the club
CONS
- Inexpensive wedge certainly scratches the low price itch, but suffers from inferior construction
The Pinemeadow PGX Wedge is another addition to the company’s long line of clubs made for golfers on a budget.
The company has gained popularity in recent years by creating dependable clubs and offering the golfer solid performance for less than the cost of a green fee.
We are happy to report that the PGX sand wedge meets that threshold with a shiny chrome wedge set against the neon green and black backdrop.
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For the beginning golfer that doesn’t expect too much from their sand wedge they won’t be disappointed by what the Pinemeadow model brings to the table.
When you first hold the PGX wedge, you’ll notice it is a bit on the heavy side and the materials used for the club aren’t exactly top of the line.
But none of that matters once you get the club onto the course because it performs well at moving through the grass and sand to create solid contact with the golf ball.
If you don’t ask too much of it, the Pinemeadow PGX Wedge is a hard worker that certainly provides a solid introduction into the sand wedge game.
Lazrus Golf Wedge
Most Balanced Sand Wedge for Beginning Golfers
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PROS
- Precision milled face provides the club with dynamic spin for advanced control on greens
- Well-constructed design packs a punch at impact for terrific distance from a sand wedge
- Hi-toe look allows the club to forgive off-center strikes with better consistency
CONS
- Has feel of forged iron that may be too advanced for first-time golfers
The Lazrus Wedge is a well-designed sand wedge milled and forged for a classic look that certainly earns its stripes by the way it handles itself close to the greens.
One of the big reasons golfers love the Lazrus line of wedges is because the clubs are made with the amateur in mind as they play with exceptional feel and response.
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The sand wedge from the company is set at 56-degrees and is painstakingly milled to produce a high rate of spin, especially if you are sitting pretty in the fairway.
Even from the rough, this sand wedge was a top performer, especially considering the affordable price.
The club does have the forged look and slimmer design, and while that isn’t an issue for wedges tailored for mid-handicappers or experienced golfers, beginners might want a wedge with more bulk and heft.
We loved the Lazrus sand wedge’s balance we felt throughout the swing. This club is one level wedge that doesn’t dig with the toe or bore down with the hosel.
Instead, it provides the beginner with a horizontal entry into the turf, producing a terrific-looking result.
Cleveland CBX2 Wedge
Outstanding Cavity-Backed Designed Sand Wedge for Beginners
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PROS
- Cavity-backed design gives the wedge symmetry with similarly-designed irons
- Produces wonderfully high spin rates on a full range of shots for better control
- Entire face is milled for better grip at impact with enhanced spin
CONS
- Bulkier sand wedge than slimmer, forged wedges that give the golfer room to grow
The Cleveland CBX2 Wedge is another stellar addition to the company’s outstanding line of wedges. However, this model is designed to help the beginning golfer gain control of their short game.
The CBX2 sand wedge has a hollow cavity-backed designed clubhead to render a more sizable option for the beginner looking for an advanced sand wedge that will carry them throughout the early years of their golfing journey.
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Another thing that the cavity-backed design presents is a similar look and feel to the game-improvement irons that most beginning golfers typically play for additional symmetry.
The CBX2 also has dynamic grooves created by the company through a patented milling process that creates a clubface that greatly enhances friction and spin.
One of the best things about a Cleveland wedge is knowing that they take the time to create a first-rate groove system to create a wonderful club for golfers of all skill levels.
The bulky look of the CBX2 sand wedge might turn away some beginning golfers, but that would be a shame as the club is just what the doctor ordered for weekend warriors looking for an enhancement to their game through equipment alone.
Check our in-depth Cleveland CBX2 Wedge review.
How to Choose the Right Sand Wedge
Spin
Spin is significant when evaluating a sand wedge because it gives the beginning golfer the ability to stop the ball on the green.
Their early golf game will be frustrating for beginning golfers because it will lack consistency, but a high-spin sand wedge can shave off a bit of that learning curve by giving the beginner a club that provides a repeatable shot.
The spin on a golf ball is made when the face of a sand wedge comes in contact with the cover of a golf ball. Spin is created by the friction generated by the grooves on the club onto the ball.
One of the big reasons why PGA Tour golfers love a fresh wedge at each tournament is because they want to keep that high spin rate that clean grooves provide.
Shot Height
Sand wedges are primarily used to enhance the beginning golfer’s short game. The sand wedge provides accuracy to shallow pitch and chip shots and full swing shots from around 80 yards in length.
Beginning golfers want to learn to be incredibly accurate with their sand wedges by hitting higher shots that utilize the club’s maximum spin rate.
The golf ball’s lift is provided by a sand wedge’s center of gravity. Typically, you’ll find the center of gravity somewhere at the bottom of the club or around the top of the sole area where the club comes into contact with the ground.
The lower the center of gravity in a sand wedge, the more loft the ball will have on the shot.
Response
A good sand wedge, much like an iron, can provide the beginning golfer with an exceptional response at impact.
When you hear someone talk about a golf club’s response, they describe the club’s feedback and the general feeling the club gives the golfer throughout the swing, especially at impact.
A sand wedge is different from an 8-iron because it will provide the golfer with a shorter and higher ball flight. Every golfer wants that solid impression at impact, but they also need to get a sense of the lift-off of the clubface.
So, the response of the sand wedge will be lighter when compared to that 8-iron because the ball isn’t being pushed for distance but instead has a softness needed to land and spin for maximum control.
Feel
When we ask a beginning golfer about the feel of a sand wedge, we want them to gauge the club from the moment they first hold the club.
They should tell pretty quickly if the wedge is well made or poorly constructed, based on how the club feels as they hold and swing the club.
With today’s advanced equipment, the difference between a well-constructed wedge and a disappointing sand wedge, at least to the eye of a beginning golfer, can be hard to tell at first glance.
But if you are looking for elements to examine on a sand wedge, it is wise to start at the bottom and work your way up. From the clubhead to the grip, each component contributes to the feel of a club as it enhances the swing from start to follow-through.
Ease of Use
When we note the ease of use of a sand wedge, we talk about the club’s response when being played by a beginning golfer. Wedge play can be challenging as golfers can hit the wedge with a closed or open stance.
But for beginning golfers, equipment manufacturers have designed wedges that are expected to be played with a square stance to eliminate the noise of different stances and focus the golfer on just hitting the golf ball as best as they can.
Wedges with wider soles can provide the best quality of contact because they don’t allow the club to get stuck into the turf and, instead, will enable the club to glide through the grass to assure that the impact with the ball is clean.
Questions & Answers
What is the easiest sand wedge to hit?
The Cleveland CBX sand wedge provides beginning golfers with an easy-to-hit wedge. With a high-toe profile, the CBX helps golfers confidently hit open-faced shots.
With the broad sweet spot, the CBX delivers razor-sharp grooves to the golf ball to create total control with high-grade spin rates.
Cleveland’s Tour Zip Grooves provide an absolute weapon to beginning golfers because they can help the player develop control and touch around the putting surface.
The CBX also features a wide C-shaped sole that effortlessly moves through the most challenging situations on the course, such as thick rough and tough bunker shots.
Is 54 or 56 better for a sand wedge?
For beginning golfers, more loft is better, so we recommend high handicappers go for the 56-degree sand wedge. Playing with a 56-degree sand wedge, compared to the 54-degree option, beginning golfers can produce slightly more shot height with more spin.
Also, on open-faced shots, a 56-degree sand wedge can get under the golf ball with more accessibility.
The 56-degree loft comes in handy when facing the worst situations on the course, such as shots buried deep in dense rough and balls buried in the bunker. In both instances, the 56-degree option offers more help when you need to get underneath the golf ball.
What is a good sand wedge for an average golfer?
For an average golfer, the Mizuno T22 sand wedge offers a complete shotmaking weapon from the fairway and around the green.
It features an inviting sole providing excellent turf interaction and a broad hitting area that maintains ball speed on full swings from the fairway.
The T22’s Hydroflow Micro Grooves move water from the surface of the hitting area to provide clean contact on the golf ball.
For average golfers looking to jump to the next level of their game, the Mizuno T22 sand wedge provides full shotmaking ability, producing spin and distance when you need it the most.
What is a sand wedge?
A sand wedge is a club that routinely has 56 degrees of loft on the face and is used in situations around the green where the golfer needs height and softness to land the ball closer to the hole.
Routinely overlooked by beginners, the sand wedge is among clubs deemed unnecessary, but that is typical because the inexperienced golfer doesn’t understand how the high-lofted club can help their game immediately.
Beginning golfers are wise to use high-lofted clubs exclusively in the early stages of learning the game.
Short irons ranging from the 7-to the 9-iron plus a full array of wedges are a smart collection to use when trying to learn the game and receive some positive feedback as they gain confidence in their swing.
How is a sand wedge different from a pitching wedge?
A sand wedge has a loft that is routinely measured around 56 degrees. A pitching wedge, in contrast, typically measures anywhere from 44-48 degrees.
As you can see by the loft alone, the sand wedge has a higher loft when compared to the pitching wedge, allowing it to hit higher and softer shots.
However, a pitching wedge can hit the ball further than a sand wedge, as most professional golfers can dial their pitching wedge up to roughly 150 yards in length for the longest hitters.
Most amateurs typically hit their pitching wedge around 100-120 yards and their sand wedge anywhere from 80-100 yards in length.
How important are sharp grooves for sand wedges?
Sharp grooves for sand wedges are among the essential elements of the club, especially for the beginning golfer looking for consistency and control from their short game clubs.
The grooves’ sharpness controls the spin created at the point of impact with the golf ball.
For golfers like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, they want the grooves to be as sharp as possible every week, and for that reason, they routinely play each tournament with new wedges.
Since a beginning golfer won’t have that luxury, it is wise to either routinely have the face of the wedge resharpened by a professional or buy a tool that will allow them to sharpen the grooves on their own.
Check our groove sharpener recommendations.
Conclusion
The Titleist Vokey SM9 is our choice as the best sand wedge for beginners. Delivering high-grade spin with total control, the Vokey SM9 provides beginning golfers with smooth turf interaction to help lift the ball easily out of deep rough and sand around the green.
From the fairway, our testers loved the ball flight and distance provided by these top-tier wedges.
Along with its exceptional shot-stopping power, the Vokey SM9 sand wedges delivered a tighter shot dispersion putting our golfers in a better birdie position with more frequency.
The Titleist Vokey SM9 sand wedges reduce that learning curve by providing equipment that makes it far easier to hit consistent shots from within 120 yards.
We also recommend you check our guide on How to Hit a Bunker Shot.