Using the bounce video

Graeme McDowell explains the importance of using the bounce and how the amount of bounce you use should depend on the turf and sand conditions you play in.

Using the bounce video

If you hold your wedge upright in front of you, bounce is the angle of hang between the leading edge and the back of the sole.

This is a really important part of the club, especially in bunkers because you want that back edge to interact with the sand.

It’s that part of the head that allows the club to ‘bounce’ and not get stuck through impact, causing a duff. But how much bounce do you need?

It depends on how soft the sand is, what type of turf you are chipping from and what technique you are using.

I grew up playing links golf and from firm ground it makes sense to use a lot of front edge (so not using much bounce), but as I have travelled the world, playing courses like this one in Florida, I have learned to use the bounce.

With my 58˚ wedge I have 12˚ of bounce, but when I go back to the UK to play in the Open I might use an 8˚.

The great thing is that Cleveland offer a huge number of loft and bounce options that will suit anyone’s game.

My advice would be to experiment, see what suits you and consult your local PGA pro to get a line-up that works.

Remember!

• Bounce is the angle between the leading edge and the back of the sole
• Important in bunkers. It's the back edge that interacts with the sand
• The back edge allows the club to bounce off the sand and not dig and get stuck
• The softer the sand/turf, the more bounce you should use to stop the club from digging

If you play on a wide range of different courses that have different sand/turf conditions, you might want to consider having two sets of wedges with varying amounts of loft.