Gap wedges are an extremely important club to have in your bag, they can give you the edge around a golf course as they are so versatile. They are used for all sorts of shots and people often find them indispensable. The gap wedge was made to fill the ‘gap’ between the sand wedge and the pitching wedge.

Gap wedges are very versatile and can be used in a variety of different shots. You would typically use it at 100 yards on the fairway, typically when you need less than 15 yards to the green. Gap wedges are best when you don’t have enough power to get the ball close to the hole with a pitching wedge or have too much accuracy for a sand or other long-distance golf club.

Benefits of a Used Gap Wedge

Fill the distance below your pitching wedge

Modern iron sets can leave a sizeable jump between the pitching wedge and the first specialist sand wedge. A gap wedge gives you another full-swing scoring distance between them.

Make approach distances easier to manage

Instead of taking speed off a pitching wedge or stretching a sand wedge, you can choose a club designed to cover the distance in between.

Add a lower short-game option

A gap wedge launches lower and normally releases more than a sand or lob wedge, making it useful for controlled pitches, chips and bump-and-run shots.

Choose the right design for less

Used stock can include forgiving set wedges and specialist wedges with different bounce, sole and shaft options, giving you more choice without paying new-club prices.

How It Works

Every used gap wedge listed on Nearly New Golf Clubs is inspected before it goes live on the website. That means you can browse with a clearer view of condition, specification and price before choosing the wedge that suits your setup.

Checked before listing

Each gap wedge is reviewed before being uploaded to the website. The face, grooves, sole, leading edge, shaft and grip are checked so the listing reflects the club’s condition as clearly as possible.

Clear condition grading

We grade every used gap wedge so you know what to expect before you buy. Whether a wedge is mint, very good or good, the aim is to make condition easy to understand before it reaches your bag.

Compare the right options

Compare loft, bounce, grind, shaft, condition and price. Check the wedge against the clubs already in your bag so it adds the distance or short-game option you need.

Left-handed golfers can browse our used left-handed golf wedges, while golfers looking for ladies-flex options can explore our used ladies golf wedges.

Fast UK delivery

Order by 12pm and we will aim to dispatch your wedge quickly, so you can get it into play as soon as possible.

30 day returns

You need to feel confident with your wedge on the course. That is why we offer 30 day returns, giving you time to make sure the loft, sole and overall setup suit your game.

Used Gap Wedge Buying Guide

What Is a Gap Wedge?

A gap wedge is designed to fill the distance between your pitching wedge and sand wedge.

That gap has become more important as pitching-wedge lofts have become stronger in many modern iron sets.

For example, moving directly from a 43 or 44 degree pitching wedge to a 56 degree sand wedge can leave a large difference in full-shot carry. Adding a 48 or 50 degree gap wedge gives you another scoring club between them.

The gap wedge is not limited to full approaches. It can also be useful for lower pitches and chips where you want more rollout than a sand or lob wedge provides.

What Degree Is a Gap Wedge?

Most gap wedges sit around 48 to 52 degrees.

There is no single loft that makes a club a gap wedge. Its role depends on the lofts around it.

Common options include:

48° for stronger modern iron sets where the pitching wedge may be around 43 or 44 degrees.
50° as a versatile modern gap wedge that can blend into a 54 or 56 degree wedge.
52° as a more traditional gap-wedge loft that often sits between a pitching wedge and a 56 degree sand wedge.
Choose the loft according to your pitching wedge first, then check the higher-lofted wedge above it.

Do You Need a Gap Wedge?

You need one when there is a scoring distance between your pitching wedge and sand wedge that is difficult to cover consistently.

Suppose your pitching wedge carries comfortably past a particular distance, while your sand wedge regularly finishes well short of it.

If covering the middle means repeatedly changing swing length or forcing one of the clubs, a gap wedge can give you a more repeatable option.
You may not need one if your existing clubs already create sensible carry gaps.

The purpose of the gap wedge is to solve a distance problem, not simply add another club to the bag.

Should You Choose a 48, 50 or 52 Degree Gap Wedge?

Start with the loft of your pitching wedge.

A 48 degree gap wedge can make sense below a stronger pitching wedge around 43 or 44 degrees.

A 50 degree gap wedge often works below pitching wedges in the mid-40-degree range and can lead naturally into 54 or 56 degrees.

A 52 degree gap wedge works particularly well with more traditionally lofted pitching wedges and can lead into a 56 degree sand wedge.

For example:

44° pitching wedge → 48° → 52° → 56°

or:

46° pitching wedge → 50° → 54° → 58°

or:

48° pitching wedge → 52° → 56° → 60°

These are examples, not rules. Your carry distances decide whether the sequence works.

Replacing more than one club? Browse our used golf wedge sets to compare ready-made loft combinations.

How Far Should a Gap Wedge Go?

There is no standard distance every golfer should hit a gap wedge.
Carry depends on loft, swing speed, strike, shaft, head design and how full a swing you make.

The useful number is the distance between the clubs either side.
If your pitching wedge and sand wedge leave a large carry gap, your gap wedge should give you a repeatable number somewhere between them.

You can also measure full, three-quarter and half-swing carries to create several scoring distances from the same club.

Gap Wedge vs Pitching Wedge

The pitching wedge normally has less loft and travels further.
It is often designed as part of the iron set, with a head and shaft that blend into the short irons.

A gap wedge provides the next shorter scoring distance.
In stronger modern iron sets, the difference between the two can be quite large, which is one reason gap wedges have become increasingly important.

Gap Wedge vs Sand Wedge

A gap wedge normally has less loft than a sand wedge.
That means it generally:

• Travels further
• Launches lower
• Produces more rollout
• Is used more frequently for full approaches

A sand wedge normally gives you more loft for bunkers, shorter pitches and shots that need to land more steeply.
Many golfers carry both because the clubs cover different distances and trajectories.

Is an Approach Wedge the Same as a Gap Wedge?

Often, yes. Manufacturers use different names for the club between the pitching wedge and sand wedge. You may see it described as:

GW for gap wedge
AW or A for approach wedge
U or utility wedge on some iron sets
or simply by its loft, such as 50° or 52°

The exact loft still matters because two clubs labelled “approach wedge” can have different specifications.

When replacing one from an iron set, check the model and loft rather than relying on the letter stamped on the sole.

Set Gap Wedge or Specialist Wedge?

A gap wedge designed as part of an iron set normally blends closely with the irons.
It may have:

• A similar cavity-back head
• The same shaft model
• Similar length and feel
• More forgiveness on full approaches

A specialist wedge is designed more like the sand and lob wedges below it.
It may offer:

• More bounce choices
• Different sole grinds
• A more compact head
• More options for partial shots around the green

Choose the set wedge when full-shot consistency is the priority.
Choose the specialist wedge when you expect to use it for a wider mix of full shots, pitches and chips.

Avoid Duplicate Distances

Loft spacing can look perfect on paper and still produce overlapping distances.
A strong-launching 50 degree wedge could finish too close to your pitching wedge.
A 52 could sit too close to a 54 degree wedge.
Test the carry distance of each club rather than assuming that four degrees of loft always produces the right gap.

Bounce and Sole Design

Bounce affects how the sole moves through the turf.

More bounce can help a steeper swing or softer ground by reducing how readily the leading edge digs.

Less bounce can suit shallower delivery and firmer turf.
Because gap wedges are often used for full approaches from fairway lies, choose a sole that works consistently with your normal strike rather than selecting bounce purely around bunker performance.

Shaft and Feel

If you use the gap wedge mainly for full swings, a shaft that blends with your irons can make the transition feel more natural.

If you use it frequently for partial wedges, a specialist wedge shaft may provide a different weight and feel that you prefer.

Compare the shaft model and weight rather than looking only at the flex label.

How to Test Your Used Gap Wedge

Use the 30 day return period to see whether the wedge genuinely fills the gap it was bought for. Check:

• Carry gap: Does it sit clearly between your pitching wedge and the next higher-lofted wedge?
• Full-shot consistency: Can you produce a repeatable carry without forcing the swing?
• Turf interaction: Does the bounce and sole work with your normal strike?
• Partial distances: Can you create useful three-quarter and shorter scoring shots?
• Short-game flight: Does it give you a useful lower pitch or chip option?
• Overlap: Is another club already covering the same distance and trajectory?
• Confidence: Would you choose the gap wedge naturally when that distance comes up on the course?

If it produces almost the same carry as the clubs either side, changing loft may improve the setup more than changing model.

Condition Guide

Every used gap wedge is individually checked and graded so you know what to expect before you buy.

Mint condition

Mint condition wedges show minimal signs of use. They may have been hit only a few times, if at all.
Faces and grooves: little to no visible strike wear
Soles: clean with minimal marks
Heads: little to no cosmetic marking
Shafts and grips: close to new condition

Very good condition

Very good condition wedges show light use but remain clean overall.
Faces and grooves: light strike marks
Soles: small marks from limited play
Heads: minor cosmetic marks may be visible
Shafts and grips: very good condition with light signs of use

Good condition

Good condition wedges show normal signs of play but remain fully usable.
Faces and grooves: visible wear from regular use
Soles and heads: normal cosmetic marking may be present
Shafts: possible light bag wear
Grips: usable or replaced where needed

Cosmetic wear does not stop a wedge performing. A well-graded second hand gap wedge can still deliver strong launch, distance and short-game control when the loft, bounce and grind suit your game.