The best wedge shaft is one that will respond to your swing motion when feel matters most. Wrist action will be transferred to the club head at all points in the downswing and through impact with the ball. You will feel the response of the club head to those micro movements of the wrist and arms. It translates into distance control.
The best shaft will not be found in most off-the-rack wedges with heavily promoted nonsense that passes for design features. What you find in those clubs is mostly rebar-like steel shafts that did not meet the weight specifications for stock iron shafts. Those off-spec shafts get used by promoting them as wedge shafts -- it's a great way to recover production costs.
We have no arguments against golfers who play rebar shafts. After devoting enough practice time to groove a repeatable movement pattern, many players adjusted to the weight, convinced themselves the harsh feel was good, and developed swing compensations. But nearly everyone lost track of what might work better. There are better performing alternatives for every golfer.
Lighter weight steel and some graphite designs promote feel and responsiveness in ways that heavy steel rebar can only dream about. It's what will allow most golfers to gain greater control of their short game and lower scores.
But what about the pros, you ask, aren't they all playing heavy steel? Well, not all of them. Look carefully and you will find light weight graphite shafts in a few wedges. It's because these players don't let the factory OEM fitters tell them what's best. They explore and test and look for what helps them fewll the club head and score low in the short game.
The best shaft is all about feel and responsiveness, not rebar. Our advice to all golfers is to fit shafts for wedges with an analytical approach just like we recommend for irons and woods. The wedge is a specialized club that deserves full attention. And like every other club in the bag, fit the shaft with same care you fit for the head. You want a shaft that works with your swing mechanics.
We fully expect to take some heat for these recommendations. After all, why don't all those OEMs and golf magazines promote wedge shaft fitting? Well, it will happen when they take a close look at how the shaft can play an important role in improving your short game. If you believe shaft technology can affect iron performance, why does anyone think that rebar is the best shaft for a wedge?