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Master Your Distances: A Guide to Proper Golf Gapping
Finding yourself on the fairway at a distance your clubs don't naturally cover is a common challenge that indicates a "gap" in your bag. Our Golf Experts are here to help you understand the concept of gapping and provide proper methods to ensure every club you carry serves a specific purpose.
What is Gapping?
In the simplest terms, gapping is the practice of ensuring there is a consistent, predictable distance between every club in your bag. It is the idea that each club is designed to go a specific distance, leaving no "holes" in your yardage where you are stuck between clubs. By intentionally selecting your clubs based on loft and carry distance, you ensure that you have a solution for every shot the course throws at you.
Related Expert Content | What is the Loft of a Golf Club?
The 10 to 15 Yard Rule
Proper gapping is the strategy of selecting your 14 clubs so that each one travels a predictable distance. In a traditional setup, you should see a 10- to 15-yard difference between each club in your set. For example, if you hit your seven iron 150 yards, your six iron should ideally carry about 165 yards.
Aside from your driver and putter, your other 12 clubs should be chosen based on how far they fly and how they perform in different types of lies. It is much easier to use the same consistent swing with a different club than to try to "force" a shot to go shorter or longer by changing your swing.
Gapping Your Wedges: The Scoring Zone
Wedges are your "scoring clubs," designed for maximum feel, spin, and control near the green. Because these shots require such precision, gapping here is critical.
How to Build Your Wedge Set
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Start with your highest-lofted iron: To establish your baseline, find the highest-lofted club that is staying in your bag—this is usually a pitching wedge.
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Follow the "4 to 6 Degree" Rule: To maintain consistent distance jumps, a good rule of thumb is to leave four to six degrees of loft between each wedge.
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Common Groupings: If your pitching wedge is 48 degrees, a logical progression would be adding a 52-degree gap wedge, a 56-degree sand wedge, and a 60-degree lob wedge.
Typical Wedge Lofts:
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Pitching Wedge: 48 degrees
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Attack/Gap Wedge: 50 to 52 degrees
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Sand Wedge: 56 degrees
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Lob Wedge: 60 degrees
Filling the Top of the Bag: Hybrids vs. Long Irons
Many golfers struggle to hit a three, four, or five iron consistently. This is where the hybrid comes in. A hybrid combines the best of iron and wood technology into one club.
Why Switch to a Hybrid?
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Easier to Hit: Modern wood technology provides more forgiveness on miss-hits and extra distance.
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Versatile from the Rough: Added weight in the toe and heel helps the club punch through difficult lies or rough without twisting.
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Seamless Replacement: A three hybrid is designed to replace a three iron, and a four hybrid replaces a four iron. Simply find the longest iron you are comfortable hitting and replace everything above it with hybrids.
Expert Tip: Play It Like an Iron
Even though a hybrid looks more like a fairway wood, the goal is to play it like an iron. Place the ball in the middle of your stance and hit down on it rather than trying to "sweep" it off the grass like a wood.
Related Expert Content | How to Choose a Hybrid Golf Club
The game of golf is difficult enough—don't make it harder by carrying clubs that don't fit your distances. Whether you need to swap out a difficult long iron for a hybrid or find the perfect wedge to finish your set, our Golf Experts are right there with you.
Are you ready to find your numbers? Schedule a custom fitting at your local SCHEELS to speak with a certified SCHEELS Master Fitter and receive personalized insights and recommendations.