What is bounce, and why does it matter?

When choosing second-hand golf clubs, many of our customers ask us whether bounce is a consideration in all golf clubs, or just wedges, and itā€™s a great question that weā€™ll answer below. In our recent Ace Series article on golf wedges, we discussed the importance of bounce in some depth. We talk a lot about loft and lie in our articles, but given bounce is an important topic in its own right, we thought it deserved its own dedicated article.

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Golf club bounce, in a nutshell

In the spirit of making golf accessible to all, weā€™re fans of keeping things really simple. So, to explain bounce in a single sentence, ā€˜bounceā€™ refers to how high the leading edge of the club is, compared to the sole when itā€™s flat on the ground. A higher bounce angle means that the sole's leading edge sits more off the ground, and a lower bounce angle means it sits closer to the ground line.

If that still leaves you a little confused, then the diagram below will help you make sense of it.

Number 5: Red X

It is, but where it really comes into relevance is when youā€™re choosing golf wedges, because it has a direct impact on how the club interacts with the ground youā€™re playing off. Thatā€™s why youā€™ll see that you can generally find an option to filter by bounce level if youā€™re buying second-hand wedges.
Wedges are available in low, mid and high bounce levels, and itā€™s a good idea to ensure your selection covers as many eventualities as possible. Sometimes clubs are marked up with the bounce angle (e.g., 4 degrees), while other clubs just say ā€˜lowā€™, ā€˜midā€™ or ā€˜highā€™

Choosing the right wedge bounce angle

Since bounce is an important consideration for wedges, letā€™s take a look at what you should be thinking about. Whether you need less or more bounce depends on whether youā€™re playing on firm or soft ground.

Number 5: Red X

If youā€™re playing a bunker or a sand shot, then obviously the ground youā€™re playing off will be soft. Use a wedge with more bounce to prevent the leading edge of the sole from digging into the sand. This is also true when playing in wet conditions when the ground will be softer.
If youā€™re playing off firm and/or dry ground like links turf, non-arable ground, short grass, or perhaps even tarmac, less bounce will get the ball into the air.
Wedges are available in low, mid and high bounce levels, and itā€™s a good idea to ensure your selection covers as many eventualities as possible. Sometimes clubs are marked up with the bounce angle (e.g., 4 degrees), while other clubs just say ā€˜lowā€™, ā€˜midā€™ or ā€˜highā€™

Wedges are available in low, mid and high bounce levels, and itā€™s a good idea to ensure your selection covers as many eventualities as possible. Sometimes clubs are marked up with the bounce angle (e.g., 4 degrees), while other clubs just say ā€˜lowā€™, ā€˜midā€™ or ā€˜highā€™

Different bounce angles

Here are the three types of bounce angle, with a little explanation of each:

Low (4-6 degrees): Most common in lob and gap wedges. Best for firm turf, tight lies, and/or players with a shallow swing angle.
Mid (7-10 degrees): The most versatile bounce level, so itā€™s good for a wider range of swings and conditions.
High (10+ degrees): Best for soft turf or sand, or players with a steep swing angle. Often found in sand wedges and sometimes specific lob wedges.

But what about other golf clubs? All types of golf clubs have some degree of bounce, but usually, itā€™s only wedges where you can experiment with adjustability and variables. Well, irons have a very low bounce (normally 1-6 degrees), but itā€™s generally not customisable or adjustable. The only thing to note is that if youā€™re a high handicapper looking to improve your game then itā€™ll probably help you to look for an iron with a bit more bounce.

Likewise, when it comes to drivers, fairways and hybrids, each has a small bounce angle built into its design, but itā€™s not an important consideration.

How do bounce and loft relate to each other?

If you were to measure the angle between the ground line and the plane of the clubface when the sole is on the ground, thatā€™s the loft angle of the club face. But when the sole is on the ground, youā€™ll notice that it doesnā€™t sit flush. An angle is created between the ā€˜trailingā€™ edge and the leading edge of the sole. That is the angle of bounce, which can be anything from 14 degrees down to 4 degrees at the lower end.

Do I need to worry about bounce as a beginner?

Itā€™s not a huge issue, and bounce is more of a consideration for more experienced golfers. But even so, we recommend that you spend time experimenting with different types of bounce, and at least bear it in mind when youā€™re choosing your clubs for a game.


You can search by both bounce and loft when you browse our huge selection of used golf wedges. Simply select the ā€˜bounceā€™ or ā€˜loftā€™ filter to get started.

More resources

No matter what youā€™re looking to learn, our blog is a mine of information and a great place to start. Check out a few of these related links to get started:


Shop all second-hand wedges by bounce here.

Check out our ten best-selling wedges here.

Read our buyersā€™ guide to golf wedges here.

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