Ask most 15-handicaps how far their 56-degree goes and you'll get a range, not a number — "somewhere between 60 and 90, I guess."

That gap is where strokes quietly disappear. The fix isn't a new wedge. It's knowing three specific distances per club — a full swing, a three-quarter swing, and a half swing — instead of guessing at partial shots on the course for the first time.

Twenty minutes on the range with a rangefinder, hitting the same three swing lengths repeatedly, will save you more strokes than any equipment upgrade.