What Degree Is a Pitching Wedge?
A pitching wedge is the strongest-lofted wedge in the bag and the club that finishes almost every iron set.
A pitching wedge is normally 43° to 48°. Across the 779 iron sets on file here that carry one, the most common PW loft is 46° and the published range runs 37°–51.5°. There is no industry standard, so the only figure that matters for your bag is the one on your own set’s chart.
- Standard loft
- 43°–48°
- Most common
- 46°
- Published range on file
- 37°–51.5°
- Typical bounce
- 2°–8°
- Also marked
- P, PW, 10-iron (pre-1970s sets)
Pitching wedge loft by brand
Every figure below is taken from the factory spec charts on this site, covering sets introduced from 2010 onward.
| Brand | Sets on file | Loft range | Most common |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callaway | 69 | 38°–47° | 44° |
| TaylorMade | 57 | 42°–47° | 45° |
| Mizuno | 56 | 42°–46° | 46° |
| Ping | 39 | 40°–47° | 45° |
| Titleist | 38 | 38°–47° | 47° |
| Cobra | 34 | 41.5°–46° | 45° |
| PXG | 31 | 41°–47° | 46° |
| Wilson | 27 | 42°–47° | 47° |
| Tour Edge | 19 | 42°–46° | 44° |
| Srixon | 18 | 43°–46° | 46° |
| Bridgestone | 16 | 38°–47° | 46° |
| Cleveland | 15 | 43°–47° | 44° |
| Miura | 15 | 44°–47° | 47° |
| XXIO | 15 | 42°–44° | 42° |
| Nike | 12 | 44°–47° | 44° |
| Adams | 10 | 44°–46° | 45° |
| Ben Hogan | 9 | 44°–46° | 46° |
| Honma | 9 | 41°–45° | 43° |
| Sub 70 | 9 | 43°–46° | 45° |
| Epon | 8 | 40°–46° | 46° |
| Maltby | 8 | 43°–47° | 44° |
| Takomo | 8 | 43°–47° | 47° |
| New Level | 7 | 43°–46° | 46° |
| Fourteen | 5 | 41°–45° | 42° |
| Proto-Concept | 4 | 44°–45° | 45° |
| Tommy Armour | 4 | 41°–45° | 45° |
| Vega | 4 | 42°–44° | 44° |
| Yonex | 4 | 37°–43° | 43° |
| Haywood | 3 | 44°–46° | 46° |
| Wishon | 3 | 45°–46° | 46° |
Figures are the standard men’s right-handed steel build for the PW supplied with each iron set. Standalone specialty wedges are sold in 2° increments and are not counted here. 3 further brands with fewer than 3 qualifying sets (Edel, Kirkland Signature, and Stix) are left out rather than shown as a one-model range.
How far does a pitching wedge go?
| Player | Typical carry |
|---|---|
| Slower swing speed | 70–95 yd |
| Average male amateur | 95–125 yd |
| Low handicap / fast swing | 125–145 yd |
| PGA Tour average | ~140–150 yd |
Carry distance, full swing, men’s amateur. These are ranges rather than a single number on purpose: swing speed and strike quality move wedge distance far more than a degree or two of loft does.
What a pitching wedge is used for
- Full approach shots from roughly 100–140 yards for most amateurs.
- Low, running chip shots from just off the green, where its strong loft keeps the ball down and lets it release.
- Three-quarter and knock-down shots into wind, where a sand or lob wedge would balloon.
Why pitching wedge lofts keep getting stronger
The pitching wedge has lost roughly 4° of loft in a generation. Manufacturers strengthen iron lofts to advertise more distance, and because the wedge is the last club in the set it absorbs the whole shift. That is why a modern 7-iron can fly as far as a 1990s 5-iron, and why the club stamped “PW” in one bag is not the same club as the PW in another.
| Released | Sets on file | Median PW loft | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15 | 49° | 47°–50.5° |
| 1990s | 38 | 47° | 43°–50° |
| 2000s | 163 | 46° | 42.5°–49° |
| 2010s | 304 | 45° | 38°–47° |
| 2020s | 257 | 44° | 37°–47° |
Two consequences follow. First, replacing an old set with a new one moves every yardage in the bag, so re-gapping is not optional. Second, a strong modern PW leaves a bigger hole underneath it — which is exactly why the gap wedge exists.
Where it sits in the set
| Wedge | Marked | Typical loft | Typical carry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitching wedge | PW | 43°–48° | 95–125 yd |
| Gap wedge | GW / UW | 48°–52° | 80–110 yd |
| Approach wedge | AW / A | 48°–52° | 80–110 yd |
| Sand wedge | SW | 54°–56° | 65–90 yd |
| Lob wedge | LW | 58°–62° | 50–75 yd |
Aim for 4°–6° between wedges. See the wedge loft chart for the full gapping walk-through.
Sets on file with a pitching wedge
The newest set from each manufacturer in the archive that carries one — follow a link for the full loft, lie and length chart.
- Callaway Quantum Max — PW 42° (2026–present)
- Cobra KING MAX — PW 44.5° (2026–present)
- Mizuno Pro M-13 — PW 44° (2026–present)
- PXG 0311 P GEN8 — PW 44° (2026–present)
- Ping i540 — PW 42° (2026–present)
- Takomo 101 MKII — PW 43° (2026–present)
- TaylorMade Qi Max — PW 42.5° (2026–present)
- Wilson Staff Model Blade (2026) — PW 46° (2026–present)
- Ben Hogan Fort Worth CB — PW 46° (2025–present)
- Miura TC-202 — PW 45° (2025–present)
Frequently asked questions
What degree is a pitching wedge?
Most pitching wedges are 43° to 48°. Across the 779 sets on file at LoftChart the most common PW loft is 46°, and the full published range is 37 to 51.5 degrees.
How far does a pitching wedge go?
For an average male amateur, 95–125 yards of carry on a full swing. Slower swing speeds carry it 70–95 yards, and faster players 125–145 yards. Distance depends far more on swing speed and strike quality than on the loft stamped on the club.
Is a 46 degree wedge a pitching wedge?
Yes. 46° sits in the middle of the pitching wedge band and was the standard for most iron sets through the 2000s. Modern game-improvement and distance sets have moved to 43°-45°, while blades and players irons are still built at 46°-48°.
Why is my new pitching wedge stronger than my old one?
Because iron lofts have been strengthened steadily to advertise more distance, and the pitching wedge absorbs the whole shift as the last club in the set. Median PW loft across the sets on file has moved from 49° in 1980s sets to 44° in sets released since 2020.
Do I need a gap wedge if I have a pitching wedge?
If the difference between your pitching wedge and your sand wedge is more than about 6°, yes. A 44° PW and a 56° sand wedge leave a 12° hole, which is two clubs' worth of distance with nothing to cover it.
- Loft figures are computed from the 779 manufacturer spec charts on file at LoftChart that include a PW; each model page lists its own sources.
- Loft bands, bounce ranges and carry distances are the accepted industry conventions for a standard men’s build, given as ranges because no standard body defines them.
Last reviewed 2026-08-30. Spot an error? info@loftchart.com