Our guide to the best golf wedges for mid handicap golfers will help you find a suitable model for your game
Best Golf Wedge For Mid Handicapper
Getting the best golf wedges for your game and equipment setup could see your handicap start to improve. Why? Well your wedges are your scoring clubs, yet there’s a fair chance you haven’t given enough thought to the wedges that you use.
We recommend that you read our post on what to consider when buying a wedge, in which we discuss loft, bounce and grind in more detail – as well as price.
As for the best golf wedge for mid handicapper golfers, there’s plenty of choice.
What handicap is a mid handicap golfer?
Whilst this isn’t set in stone, anyone with a handicap between seven and 18 could be considered a mid handicapper.
However, many of the wedges below are designed for the best players in the world, too.
Most manufacturers offer plenty of options, so many of these models will be as appealing to those touch players who demand high levels of feel and spin, as they will be to mid handicap golfers who rely on having a certain amount of forgiveness.
For those with a higher handicap, we have advice on the most forgiving wedges, and it may also be worth reviewing the best golf wedges for beginners to find out more about those wedges which target game improvers.
Best Golf Wedge For Mid Handicapper
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge
+ More consistent direction and distance than SM7
+ Superb feel, versatility, spin and spec options
– Over £450 for a set of three wedges will deter some
Image credit: Titleist
Vokey wedges have always caught the eye, but they’re not just for the better players.
It’s the most accurate and forgiving Vokey wedge to date, according to Titleist, which is down to a forward shift of the CG to a position that actually hovers in front of the wedge face.
Golfers can select from six Tour-proven sole grinds – F, S, M, K, L and D, as well as four finishes – Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel and Jet Black, plus the tour-preferred Raw finish (custom order only). There are also plenty of loft and bounce options too which makes the SM8 one of the best gap wedges to consider because every gap can be filled.
We were impressed with the stable feel, and the clubhead was definitely more forgiving.
With the SM8, you have all the tools you need to hit the ball closer to the hole from 120 yards and in.
As with all the wedges coming up in this list, we highly recommend getting custom fit because of the sheer amount of options available in most of these wedges. Custom fitters will be able to talk you through the correct lofts and sole grinds that suit your style of chipping and turf conditions you most commonly play on and this will allow you to get the most out of a new set.
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge Review
Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 Wedge
+ Soft feel and exceptional spin control
+ Wide variety of loft and sole grind options
– Some may prefer a straighter, longer leading edge for easier alignment
Having put these wedges through their paces, we believe the C-Grind will provide enough heel and toe relief to manipulate the face and produce different shots, but there options to please a range of golfers and their various preferences.
For the mid-handicapper, the muscleback look will be a pleasing shape to look at when addressing a shot.
The high-bounce W-Grind makes the Jaws MD5 one of the best sand wedges on the market, while the new low bounce version works well for those with a shallower swing, or off firmer turf you’d find on a links course.
The Jaws MD5 has no obvious weakness, and we think you’ll struggle to find a better all-around wedge offering.
Callaway Jaws MD5 Wedge Review
Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge
+ Impressive forgiveness on full shots
+ Plenty of loft and grind options
– Fewer sole grinds compared with the outgoing RTX-4
Image credit: Cleveland
The foundation of the RTX ZipCore wedge is a unique core at the heart of the muscleback design, which sees the sweetspot better aligned with impact location.
This is a high-spinning, soft-feeling wedge that looks the part and is surprisingly forgiving on full shots.
The sole grinds ensure golfers have the versatility to play the shots that come most comfortable to them around the greens.
If there’s one slight negative, it’s that lower handicappers may prefer to see a straighter leading edge.
Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge Review
Ping Glide 3.0 Wedge
+ Extra sole grind options offers greater versatility
+ Improved distance control
– No extra spin of note over Glide 2.0
Image credit: Ping
Whilst this wedge is more aimed towards the game improvement sector, they cover more than enough loft, bounce and grind options to make it a worthy inclusion on this list on the best golf wedge for mid handicapper players.
The clean, rounded head profile with a tapered hosel and a little more offset provide better ball capture.
It’s also a slightly more forgiving wedge than the previous model, and we liked the Hydropearl 2.0 finish, which helps repel water and reduces friction through the turf for cleaner strikes.
Mizuno T20 Wedge
+ High levels of spin even in damp conditions
+ Soft feel and consistent flight
– Not having the sole grind marked on the head is a little confusing
Mizuno is renowned for its soft-feeling irons, and this definitely transfers into the T20 wedge, which has a lovely buttery feel.
Whilst the noticeably thick topline may not please the eye of the better player, the teardrop profile is really eye-catching, as is blue ion finish.
We enjoyed the impressive spin control on a wide variety of shot lengths, which should help inspire golfers to make a committed swing, as you know the ball will check up quickly on the second bounce.
Golfers of all levels will enjoy the consistency and control it provides when trying to attack the flag, as well as the off-centre forgiveness it offers.
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Wedge
+ Clean turf interaction
+ Ample spin creation with and soft feel
– Rusty look that builds over time won’t appeal to everyone
Image credit: TaylorMade
These wedges go about creating more spin in an ingenious way.
It features a patented Raw Face design, so while the rest of the wedge has either a satin chrome or matte black finish to maintain its premium look, the face is left untouched.
The rust that builds over time is said to give golfers more spin, and whilst we couldn’t prove this with any certainty, others might have more success.
Regardless of this, we found every other area of performance was second to none, so they’re sure to be a popular choice for a wide range of golfers.
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2.0 Wedge Review
Wilson Staff Model Wedge
+ Consistent flight through the loft range
+ Super soft feel at impact
– Doesn’t generate as much spin as others
The Wilson Staff Model wedges are aimed at the lower end of the mid-handicap spectrum but could be an ideal option if you use blade-like irons already.
These wedges have an incredibly soft feel of the face so are ideal if you are after this sort of feedback from a set of wedges. Again, these would be a great set to transition in to if your irons are made from a similar forged material.
There is also a Hi Toe model with full face grooves if you want a bit of variety in your highest lofted wedge.
Wilson Staff Model Wedges Review
Cobra King MIM Wedge
+ Address profile will appeal to all handicaps
+ Excellent value for money (RRP £119)
– Slightly more clicky sound at impact than others
Other manufacturers might got more attention in the wedge category, but in the King MIM wedges, Cobra has a really impressive offering.
They feature a fully Metal-Injection-Molded (MIM) 304 stainless steel head construction, a process that allows for the most precise shape possible for improved feel and turf interaction.
For anyone who’s looking for a premium wedge – and they are really easy on the eye – here’s one that comes without the premium price tag.
Honma T//World Wedge
+ Looks and feels great
+ Variety of sole shapes available
– Compact shape may be intimidating for some
One of the finest looking wedges on the market, Honma’s T//World wedges, pack a compact look at address which will suit the better golfers looking for a thinner top line.
The thinner top line is not to say these wedges are unforgiving, in fact Honma have added aluminium back inserts to improve the CG location and make these wedges more forgiving from off-centre hits.
There are three sole shapes available too, meaning golfers of any ability will be able to find the perfect set up with a good custom fitting.
The C-SOLE, which is across the 56°, 58° and 60° wedges, has a thicker design on the upper portion of the head for greater versatility and we loved using these around the green.
Cobra King Snakebite Wedge
+ Full face and conventional grooves available
+ Three grinds on offer make these a great option to get custom fit for
– Fairly similar to the MIM wedges
Cobra’s Snakebite wedge is designed to provide more spin and ‘bite’ around the greens.
As you can see, the overall shape of the wedge is very similar to Cobra’s MIM wedge – as seen above in this list – but it is on the face where Cobra has worked its magic.
The lower handicappers amongst us might find this wedge a bit chunky from the top, but a true mid-handicapper in the low teens should find this wedge the right balance of forgiving and aesthetically pleasing.
On the 48-54° lofts, where you’d be using the club with a square or de-lofted face to approach the green, the groove are a conventional length across the face but are narrower and deeper to optimise spin.
On the 56°, 58° and 60° wedges, the grooves are full face and are wider and shallower than the lower lofts to create more spin on the wedges you’d be using with an open blade around the green.
There are three grind options and lofts from 48° down to 60° and – especially with the different groove patterns down the set – the Snakebite wedges are ideal to get custom fit for a full set that can all do a very specific job in the bag.
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