Last week, two of the greatest sports stars of our lifetime got together for a round of golf at the celebrity Pro-Am at the Wachovia Championship in North Carolina. The pairing of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan was a dream team combination never before seen in public.

The two players are close friends and fellow members at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, where Woods was extended an honorary invitation to join following his 2006 PGA Championship, after he mastered his wedge play at the course to capture the victory running away. Jordan, who has a very good golf game in his own right, was also in the gallery as Tiger's guest during last year's Ryder Cup at the K Club in Ireland.

I mentioned last week that golf course conditions and the type of clubs that are used have changed wedge play from the player of the early part of last century to today.

When selecting wedges, today's players must consider the length and trajectories of the shots that they need to play. The first decision will be how many wedges to carry.

Standard lofts available from most manufacturers range from 46 degrees to 64 degrees. Clubs can then be altered if these lofts are not the right fit.

The gap of distance between each full swing wedge shot is how a decision is best made for which wedge to play.

In making this choice, first determine the full-swing distance for your 9-iron. Any distance less then the range of this club is the area where you should use your wedges.

Meanwhile, the distance gap between every other iron should remain the same as from your 9-iron to pitching wedge.

How many wedges you can carry and still maintain the 14-club limit determines the gap between each of your wedges.

We have already determined that the pitching wedge length is one club less then your 9-iron. The most lofted wedge is the one that is a player's preference for high close shots around the greens. Divide the distance of your pitching wedge full shot from your most lofted wedge full shot. This is the distance your gap wedges will need to cover. So, the more wedges a player carries, the closer the distance.

Now that the wedges have been chosen, a player must develop the shots necessary to cover all the different yardages and trajectories in order to play in as few strokes as possible.

This is part of the true challenge and excitement of golf!

To learn more about the wedge game and the entire game of golf, I invite you to take part in PGA Free Lesson Month throughout May, where you can receive a free 10-minute lesson from a PGA Golf Professional. Use the zip code search on PlayGolfAmerica.com to find the nearest PGA Professional offering a free golf lesson to introduce new golfers to the game and improve even the best golfers' games.

Here's to better golf!

Rick Martino is Director of Instruction for The PGA of America. He teaches at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and is ranked among the Top 50 instructors by Golf Digest Magazine. The author of the PGA Manual of Golf (Warner Books/$34.95), Martino can be reached at (800) 800-GOLF or by email at pgalearningcenter@pgahq.com.