Wedge Distance Chart: Build Your Partial-Swing Matrix

Full-swing gapping gets all the attention, but most scoring happens inside your full-wedge distance. A pitching wedge and three other wedges hit with one full swing each gives you four numbers to cover a big stretch of yardage. A wedge distance chart turns those four clubs into a system of a dozen or more shots you can call on.

You can enter your matrix in the optional wedge table inside the CarryMap Gap Checker. It will show any holes in your scoring zone.

The matrix

A practical wedge chart is a simple grid: one row per wedge, one column per swing length.

Wedge	¼ swing	½ swing	¾ swing	Stock
50°	50	68	86	98
56°	34	50	66	80
60°	24	38	50	62

Illustrative example carries in yards. Not averages. Measure your own.

What the columns mean

• ¼, ½, ¾: consistent backswing lengths. Many players use arm positions, like lead arm at 7:30, 9:00 and 10:30 on a clock face. See the wedge clock system.
• Stock: a controlled stock swing, not max. It’s the repeatable swing you’d use for a stock wedge into a green. It’s deliberately not your hardest swing.

A note on that last column. Never copy your full-swing carry into Stock. They’re different shots, and many golfers find their controlled stock wedge carries less than their all-out full swing, with a flight and spin they can trust much more. The CarryMap Gap Checker never auto-fills Stock for this reason. You enter it only if you’ve measured it.

How to measure it

1. Warm up and hit a few full wedges first.
2. Pick one wedge and one swing length. Hit several balls to a target and record the carry of each.
3. Use the median. Partial swings are more sensitive to strike than full ones. The median ignores the odd thin or heavy one.
4. Keep tempo constant and change only the length of the swing. If you slow the club down to hit it shorter, your distances will be inconsistent.
5. Repeat for each cell. It’s a lot of shots, so split it across two sessions if needed.

A launch monitor makes this fast. On grass, use a rangefinder on a flag or a towel and watch where the ball lands.

Reading your chart: finding holes

Sort every number in your matrix, plus each wedge’s full-swing carry, from longest to shortest. Then look at the spacing between consecutive numbers. Big jumps are holes: yardages where you’d have to invent a swing.

In the example above, the sorted numbers run 98, 86, 80, 68, 66, 62, 50, 50, 50, 38, 34, 24. Four jumps are 12 yards (98→86, 80→68, 62→50 and 50→38), and there are three different ways to hit 50 yards. Add each wedge’s full-swing carry to the list and you have the complete picture of what the scoring zone covers.

The Gap Checker does this automatically and lists each hole as “nothing in your wedge table covers X–Y”. The default threshold for a wedge hole is 10 yards. You can change it, and many better players want tighter spacing than that in the scoring zone.

Fixing wedge holes

A hole between swings of the same wedge

If your ½ and ¾ swings are far apart, add a swing length in between, or try choking down an inch on the longer swing. Choking down is a simple, repeatable way to take some carry off without changing the motion.

A hole between wedges

If the stock swing of one wedge sits well above the ¾ swing of the next, the lofts may be spaced too far apart, or the wedges may not match your pitching wedge. See what wedges should I carry.

A hole at the top: PW to the next wedge

This is the most common hole of all and often comes from strong-lofted pitching wedges. Read gap wedge vs pitching wedge.

Overlaps

Two cells within a couple of yards of each other aren’t a problem. Redundancy in the scoring zone gives you a choice of trajectory. But if a whole wedge’s matrix sits on top of another’s, you may have a slot better used elsewhere in the bag.

Using the chart on the course

• Keep it simple. Many players tape a small card to the shaft or keep it in the yardage book. Three swing lengths you trust beat five you don’t.
• Plan on carry. Then adjust for how the ball will react on that green. See carry vs total distance.
• Adjust for lie and wind. A partial shot from a fluffy lie or into the wind won’t match your mat-measured number.
• Re-check it. Wedge numbers drift as grooves wear and technique changes.

The takeaway

A wedge distance chart turns three or four clubs into a dozen dependable shots. Measure carry for consistent swing lengths, keep Stock honest as a controlled swing rather than a max, and close the biggest holes first. Then put your matrix into the Gap Checker and see what’s missing.

FAQ

What is a stock wedge swing?

A stock wedge swing is your controlled, repeatable stock swing, not your maximum-effort swing. Many players use a slightly shorter, smoother motion with wedges because it controls trajectory and spin better. That is why the stock column in a wedge chart can be shorter than a full-swing carry.

How many distances should I have with each wedge?

Three or four reliable swing lengths per wedge is a common, manageable system. With three or four wedges, that gives you a dozen or more distinct carry numbers inside your full-wedge range.

Why don't my partial wedge shots go the distance I expect?

Partial shots are sensitive to tempo, strike and lie. Decelerating, or changing speed instead of length, is the usual culprit. Measure each swing length several times and record the median rather than the best one.

Should my wedge chart use carry or total?

Carry. Wedge shots check up or release depending on spin, turf and green firmness, so plan on carry and adjust for expected rollout.