# 60Âº Wedge Yardage conundrum.



## Slime (Apr 23, 2012)

I seem to be having distance issues with my 60Âº lob wedge, it just goes nowhere. 
No matter how hard I hit it I  just can't get it to go more than 60yds when I think it should be going  75yds minimum...........maybe a ball position problem? My twin bro has an identical wedge & hits his about 95 yards and he's normally only one club longer than me.
I have the ball  in the middle of my stance when hitting all my wedges, my 55Âº sand wedge  goes about 95yds if that's any help.
Thanks guys,

*Slime*.


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## MadAdey (Apr 23, 2012)

I think the main problem I have seen when people hit these high lofted wedges full is that they do not keep their hands ahead of the ball, making the ball just fly up in the air and get no forward motion. But to give you an idea on distance with a LW........ I hit a nice 9-iron 150 yards and get 80 yards from a nice smooth 60* LW. So I do not really hit it a mile compared to my irons, even though I do hit it really well on full shots.


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## bobmac (Apr 23, 2012)

It's obviously broken.
Throw it away or sell it on ebay and get yourself a 21 hybrid


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## Slime (Apr 23, 2012)

bobmac said:



			It's obviously broken.
Throw it away or sell it on ebay and get yourself a 21 hybrid  

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I don't think it is broken.
Iit's got a grooved piece of metal at one end, a long silvery thing coming out of it with a long black piece of rubber at the other end, is this not normal?
Oh...............and a twat holding the long rubber thing .


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## Jay1 (Apr 23, 2012)

I don't get any distance out of high lofted clubs either. Although I can hit 270yard drives regulary, like you I only get about 60 out of a lobwedge max. It's the main reason I don't carry one, as I don't trust them to give me consistent distance on full shots. 

My 50degree gap wedge flies about 95-100, which again isn't a big distance. 

Doesn't overly bother me


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## Matty (Apr 23, 2012)

I need to stop reading posts like this - when some people can hit lob and gap wedges as far as I hit a 9 iron it starts me thinking that golf isn't a game for me!!


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## moogie (Apr 23, 2012)

SLIME  --  I carry a 60 degrees Lob Wedge too,  mainly as its great Sand club.
But to be Honest,  I NEVER try and hit it any further than 50-60yards,  as thats a Nice Smooth Easy Swing
I could hit it further.......But prefer Not to hit at the Ball


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## brendy (Apr 23, 2012)

Forget 60 degree yardages would be my opinion.
You need to weigh up what obstacles are in front of you and do you really need to hit a full distance shot or a more constructed half or 3/4 shot with more control.
A controlled sw will be more accurate than a balls out lob, again my opinion but when do you ever seen a pro try to nail a lob instead of a spinning half shot? If the lob was so accurate they would be doing it more often and they are supposed to be a lot better than us hackers.


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## bobmac (Apr 23, 2012)

brendy said:



			Forget 60 degree yardages would be my opinion.
You need to weigh up what obstacles are in front of you and do you really need to hit a full distance shot or a more constructed half or 3/4 shot with more control.
_*A controlled sw will be more accurate than a balls out lob*_, again my opinion
		
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Unless you shank it


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## garyinderry (Apr 23, 2012)

ive been trying to keep my approaches down this last while. full wedges when the wind is blowing was hurting my game!


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## Slime (Apr 23, 2012)

moogie said:



			SLIME  --  I carry a 60 degrees Lob Wedge too,  mainly as its great Sand club.
*But to be Honest,  I NEVER try and hit it any further than 50-60yards,  as thats a Nice Smooth Easy Swing*
I could hit it further.......But prefer Not to hit at the Ball
		
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brendy said:



			Forget 60 degree yardages would be my opinion.
You need to weigh up what obstacles are in front of you and *do you really need to hit a full distance shot or a more constructed half or 3/4 shot with more control.*
*A controlled sw will be more accurate than a balls out lob*, again my opinion but when do you ever seen a pro try to nail a lob instead of a spinning half shot? If the lob was so accurate they would be doing it more often and they are supposed to be a lot better than us hackers.
		
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Good points, well made. May well review my LW situation & reserve it for when it HAS to be a lob shot.
Thanks guys.


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## MadAdey (Apr 23, 2012)

You have to find out what works best for you. I love my LW and can hit it pretty consistent 70 yards every time, so I know if I leave myself around that mark I can hit the middle of the green without having to grip down or hit half shots. But it is what works best for you. I have a mate with a 64* LW and he is deadly with it on full shots. I am not a fan of hitting my SW from the fairway when they are firmer as it has 12* bounce on it and I find I can't get good control as it can sometimes make me hit it a dimple thin.


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## SGC001 (Apr 23, 2012)

The Lw has the potential to be quite accurate for distances as if you swing a little bit further it goes up a bit more and not so much forward more, which makes it quite forgiving in terms of distance conrol.


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## brendy (Apr 23, 2012)

bobmac said:



			Unless you shank it 

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No No bob, that would be the 50 degree and I suppose it isnt really the clubs fault just the wingding at the end of it


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## duncan mackie (Apr 23, 2012)

Matty said:



			I need to stop reading posts like this - when some people can hit lob and gap wedges as far as I hit a 9 iron it starts me thinking that golf isn't a game for me!!
		
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me too

60 degree goes 65yds for me
56 (SW) 78
52         92
46 (PW) 118

all summer carry distances

otoh I am not considered short with the big stick


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## Lump (Apr 23, 2012)

You have a yardage on a 60* wedge...why? Are you trying to hit over a wall from the rough or something?
IMO not the right choice of club for a standard 65yrd shot.


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## Slime (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			You have a yardage on a 60* wedge...why? Are you trying to hit over a wall from the rough or something?
IMO not the right choice of club for a standard 65yrd shot.
		
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Surely if *duncan mackie* is 60 - 65 yards out he'd be foolish to try to manufacture a shot when he knows he'll be close with a well struck 60Âº wedge, or am I missing something?


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## Lump (Apr 23, 2012)

A full swing on a 60* wedge is not a percentage shot in my eyes. As murph has said before, the 60* wedge is poison to handicapped golfers.
A half swing with a 56* would be my personal choice.


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## kid2 (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			A full swing on a 60* wedge is not a percentage shot in my eyes. As murph has said before, the 60* wedge is poison to handicapped golfers.
A half swing with a 56* would be my personal choice.
		
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Completely agree.....
Why would you want to hit a full 60 degree wedge when it was designed to Lob the ball up not forward!
This is a club for short shots over trouble or when you short side yourself.....
At 85 yards for a SW if you grip it down the handle you'll take the 10 yards off that your looking for with a murdered lob wedge.


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## Foxholer (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			A full swing on a 60* wedge is not a percentage shot in my eyes. As murph has said before, the 60* wedge is poison to handicapped golfers.
A half swing with a 56* would be my personal choice.
		
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While I can understand the sentiment, I'm actually the other way around.

My go-to wedge is my 52 and I don't use the 56 off the fairway. But if the distance is 'right' for my 60* (40, 60 or 70) than that's the club I'll use. I actively try to avoid getting myself into situations where I NEED a lob shot (short-sided etc) so would hope to only use the lob for those specific distances!


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## duncan mackie (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			You have a yardage on a 60* wedge...why? Are you trying to hit over a wall from the rough or something?
IMO not the right choice of club for a standard 65yrd shot.
		
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I have a yardage on it because when I have a 65 yd shot it's the obvious selection!

This doesn't mean I would use it from less but, at 60-65 it's going to get selected as I wouldn't have to think about anything except 'normal shot'


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## Lump (Apr 23, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			While I can understand the sentiment, I'm actually the other way around.

My go-to wedge is my 52 and I don't use the 56 off the fairway. But if the distance is 'right' for my 60* (40, 60 or 70) than that's the club I'll use. I actively try to avoid getting myself into situations where I NEED a lob shot (short-sided etc) so would hope to only use the lob for those specific distances! 

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What shot would you hit to a pin 60 yrds away but into a gusty wind? (genuine question)


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## Region3 (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			What shot would you hit to a pin 60 yrds away but into a gusty wind? (genuine question)
		
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I know the question wasn't aimed at me, but you have to decide on an imaginary yardage that you'd want to hit if conditions were flat still.

I personally don't think "what club will go 65yds into this wind"
It's more like "I think this wind will make the shot 10yds longer so I want a club and swing that goes 75yds.


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## duncan mackie (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			What shot would you hit to a pin 60 yrds away but into a gusty wind? (genuine question)
		
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chip with a rescue club (not a genuine answer)

I generally work as Region3 outlines - ie I work wind, temp, slope and actual distance into a practical distance to play.

However, my genuine answer would be that if the conditions were so gusty, and the target so distance sens itive, I would probably look to minimise the influencing factors. Example - pin 60yds, bunker 55, 15 yds of green behind sloping b2f, - computes to a knockdown high spin low trajectory shot aimed 10yds past pin. Could hit it with any of 5 clubs, inc 60 degree wedge!

I can't help feeling that there is a huge missunderstanding in this thread over terminology - I, and others, may hit a 60 degree 65 yds, for example, with what we consider a full shot with that club; however the swing we use is probably a long way short of what you, and others, consider a full swing!

This accounts for the distance variables, the perceived risk of a full shot with a 60 (I don't see any risk!) etc


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## Lump (Apr 23, 2012)

duncan mackie said:



			chip with a rescue club (not a genuine answer)

I generally work as Region3 outlines - ie I work wind, temp, slope and actual distance into a practical distance to play.

However, my genuine answer would be that if the conditions were so gusty, and the target so distance sens itive, I would probably look to minimise the influencing factors. Example - pin 60yds, bunker 55, 15 yds of green behind sloping b2f, - computes to a knockdown high spin low trajectory shot aimed 10yds past pin. Could hit it with any of 5 clubs, inc 60 degree wedge!

I can't help feeling that there is a huge missunderstanding in this thread over terminology - I, and others, may hit a 60 degree 65 yds, for example, with what we consider a full shot with that club; however the swing we use is probably a long way short of what you, and others, consider a full swing!

This accounts for the distance variables, the perceived risk of a full shot with a 60 (I don't see any risk!) etc
		
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Hey don't get me wrong. I'm not saying their is a right or wrong way for hitting the ball 60ryds. But for me (someone who considers his short game the best aspect of his game) a full shot with a 60* wedge doesn't even enter my thoughts. I only carry a 60* wedge for bunker shots or getting over a hazard


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## Kellfire (Apr 23, 2012)

Lump said:



			I only carry a 60* wedge for bunker shots or getting over a hazard
		
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Something I have learned to take into my game as I go along and lo and behold my short game is vastly improved since the last time we played.


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 23, 2012)

Why would you want to hit a LW full out anyway. It isn't really designed for that use. The clue is in the title "LOB wedge" indicating something with finesse. If you want to hit it 60 yards use another wedge and a smooth half swing. As for hitting 60 yards in a strong wind surely the answer is anything that gets it low and under the wind


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## Region3 (Apr 23, 2012)

So tell us what you use a "PITCHING wedge" and a "SAND wedge" for?
Surely they're only names. Might as well be called 10, 11 and 12 irons.

I'll use whatever club I think will fit the bill best, no matter what club it is and what swing I have to use for it, provided I'm confident I can pull it off most of the time.


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## MadAdey (Apr 23, 2012)

I think the bottom line is we all see different shots when on the course. I like to hit a nice LW from 70 yards as that shot is fairly consistent, also it does not matter if the pin is cut tight to the front or I am hitting onto a green that slopes F2B, it is going to stop on a 6 pence and get me close.

Everyone plays the game differently. Look at people like Mickleson, he will flop a shot right up in the air onto a fast green that slopes away from, when ask most of the players and they would pitch it short and let it run to the hole, different people, different ideas.


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## JustOne (Apr 24, 2012)

Slime said:



			I seem to be having distance issues with my 60Âº lob wedge, it just goes nowhere. 
No matter how hard I hit it I just can't get it to go more than 60yds
		
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Mine's 105yds... and Swingers is 160! 

How far do you WANT to hit it?

If you're staying centered and picking it clean out of the middle of your stance with little/no shaft lean then 85yds would be considered pretty good... if you weight up your left side, put the ball back 2" and hit down hard with 15 degrees of forward shaft lean then you can fire it 90yds with a 3/4 swing 

Are you hitting it high like a 'sliding underneath' lob shot?


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## duncan mackie (Apr 24, 2012)

JustOne said:



			if you weight up your left side, put the ball back 2" and hit down hard with 15 degrees of forward shaft lean then you can fire it 90yds with a 3/4 swing 

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I reckon I can get an easy 150 from it loading my right side and using the leading edge with a 1/2 swing


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## Slime (Apr 24, 2012)

JustOne said:



			Mine's 105yds... and Swingers is 160! 

How far do you WANT to hit it?

If you're staying centered and picking it clean out of the middle of your stance with little/no shaft lean then 85yds would be considered pretty good... if you weight up your left side, put the ball back 2" and hit down hard with 15 degrees of forward shaft lean then you can fire it 90yds with a 3/4 swing 

*Are you hitting it high like a 'sliding underneath' lob shot?*

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I'm hitting it from the middle of my stance with my weight on my left side, and I only take a small, shallow divot. Should I have my hands further forward or maybe the ball further back in my stance?
It just doesn't seem to have any ooomph in it, although it is reasonably accurate.

*Slime*.


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## Dave B (Apr 24, 2012)

I'm reasonably happy with my iron play and can generally hit my irons as far as or further than many of the people I play with, however as with driving I wonder how accurate peoples perception of distance is?

I'll admit there are differences in lofts in manufacturers 60 degree wedges and I sold on some MD wedges that seemed to be one loft stronger than that stamped on the club.

However going back to the subject a good 60 degree wedge for me is 50 yds. My 54 degree SW will go 70 yds,  GW 90 yds, PW 115 yds, 9 iron  130 yds, 8 iron 145 yds and 7 iron 160 yds.

Working on similar "typical" yardages some people must be hitting their 7 irons almost 200 yds :fore:


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## Region3 (Apr 25, 2012)

Dave B said:



			I'm reasonably happy with my iron play and can generally hit my irons as far as or further than many of the people I play with, however as with driving I wonder how accurate peoples perception of distance is?

I'll admit there are differences in lofts in manufacturers 60 degree wedges and I sold on some MD wedges that seemed to be one loft stronger than that stamped on the club.

However going back to the subject a good 60 degree wedge for me is 50 yds. My 54 degree SW will go 70 yds,  GW 90 yds, PW 115 yds, 9 iron  130 yds, 8 iron 145 yds and 7 iron 160 yds.

Working on similar "typical" yardages some people must be hitting their 7 irons almost 200 yds :fore:
		
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It's very weird how people's distances through the bag vary so much. My 7 is also around 160, but my 60Â° goes about 80 on the rare occasion I use it for a full swing.


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## Dave B (Apr 25, 2012)

The harder I hit it the higher it goes. 60-70 yds sky high not only loses accuracy but increases the risk a 150 yd bullet 3ft off the ground 

I'll stick to my poor 50 yd, smooth tempo, 3/4 swing rather than sacrificing control and accuracy over distance


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## stevelev (Apr 25, 2012)

Region3 said:



			So tell us what you use a "PITCHING wedge" and a "SAND wedge" for?
Surely they're only names. Might as well be called 10, 11 and 12 irons.

I'll use whatever club I think will fit the bill best, no matter what club it is and what swing I have to use for it, provided I'm confident I can pull it off most of the time.
		
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I use the pitching wedge to get tent pegs in, and the sand wedge to help my kids make small historic building on the beach. :lol::smirk::fore:


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## RGDave (Apr 25, 2012)

I gave up hitting full 60 degree wedge shots in about 1995.

Way to inconsistent for my liking.


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## Imurg (Apr 25, 2012)

A club is a club is a club.......

The "lob" wedge is no different to the 7 iron - with the obvious exception of length and loft.
You can play the same shot (either full, half 5/8ths or whatever) with either/any club. The outcome will be different but the swing can be the same.
To my mind the purpose of "gapping" your clubs correctly is so that when you have a 70 yard shot - assuming a "normal" situation - you know which club to reach for. You put the same swing on the ball regardless of the club and let the loft do the work.
If I have 75 yards to the pin and 70 yards to carry a bunker then the 58* comes out and a normal swing should see me stop the ball a yard or 3 from the flag. Trying to hit a half or 3/4 or 5/8ths shot with a SW is, for me, either going low'n'long or in the bunker.


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## Lump (Apr 27, 2012)

Took my 60* to the range tonight to find out what sort of distance it flights (as I've said, I've never played this shot on course) and I was amazed a good full swing was flighting the 70yrd green. Could even push it out to the 100yrd green with a good press forward and a axe murderer swing.
The 70yrd green usually gets peppered with my 56* wedge shot.


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## DaveM (Apr 27, 2012)

I must admit, I don't care how long or how short. I hit my irons. As long as the gaps are right and I use the same swing. Plus I know the distances. What more do you need?


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## MashieNiblick (Apr 28, 2012)

I have also noticed with a LW that it tends to have a max distance beyond which, however hard you swing, it just goes higher not further.

BUT surely that is part of its advantage.

However hard you hit it it goes 60 yards. Excellent. If you hit it consistently well and feel confident with it then that's your lay up distance. Any time you need that shot you know it's there and you can swing hard and confidently and know you'll be there or there abouts. I used to use my 60LW in those sort of situations as well as for more delicate little shots over bunkers.

I know some people don't like hitting half or 3/4 shots and for some a full swing is easier to produce.


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