64 degree wedge - waste of time?

IN my hands definitely a waste of time and in my opinion a waste for the OP. If the 60 degree gets it over, then refine the technique and more importantly practice it from different lies and slopes and learn how speed can affect spin and height
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Given your experience and skill is the ball first strike a crisp and smooth 'off the turf' strike - or a crisp downward 'pinching' strike? It's something I struggle with. What I do generally works OK but I am not that great (at all) at getting the ball to bite and check.
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The former. You never really pinch the strike and there's no point in banging the club head into the ground (that I've established!).
Soft hands, shoulder swing, clean precise contact...the sort of contact you see in Bob's videos (but with a little more loft on the club 😎).
 
I really can't see the point in anything above a 58! My highest lofted wedge is 55 which is more for bunker use. I play majority of my shots with my 50 and that includes flop shots. It's all technique, once you learn what and how to do it then you won't need the higher lofted clubs.
 
I use my 58 and play a flop shot If I want the ball to go up and stop ,if it’s done right you get a fair bit of check too .i used to practice it regular and now pretty confident with it .I wouldn’t bother with a 64 deg myself but if you think it’ll help you score lower go for it .
 
duncan mackie said:
The former. You never really pinch the strike and there's no point in banging the club head into the ground (that I've established!).
Soft hands, shoulder swing, clean precise contact...the sort of contact you see in Bob's videos (but with a little more loft on the club 😎).
Click to expand...

OK - thanks - that's what I've been trying to do after watching a few coaching vids on YouTube.

I have yet to develop the confidence for firm strikes and understand the correct combination of club and 'pitch/lob' distance. I can see where I want to land the ball but as this smooth approach (not my learned one) is new to me I have not yet worked out the combinations for landing the ball where I want to with the trajectory and roll-put I want - with the weight/firmness of strike and club chosen.

Lots of variables - and yes - only really sorted out on the chipping ground. So I must get myself there - we are lucky to have a very good one - large area with surface as good as our greens.
 
I used to use a 64. The course i played required it for the 3rd green. Very narrow, very raised. Miss it left or right, and you were jiggered without it.
Changed clubs, and no, it was not needed.

Max loft for me now is 56. I can work magic with this.

Or not.
 
JamesR said:
You carried a club which cost you shots?
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I think we all have at some point.

For me at the moment it’s the 3 wood, can’t hit it for toffee.

You have two choices, turn it into a club that gains shots or drop it from the bag.

Sometimes after a lesson or range work it can come back again. Not yet for the 3 wood but in time.

For now it’s a driver or 4 iron off the tee as the hybrid is nearly as bad as the 3 wood but is useful for hybrid punches and chips.
 
On the same matter but not about a 64*but for the same purpose.

I am really struggling using my 56* wedge where the lie is fairly tight - never mind tight. I am becoming convinced (in my head) that it is the width of the sole and the bounce of my particular 56* wedge (a Vokey). Do Vokey wedges have standard soles and bounce? I am trying to play crisp pitches for such as lobbing over greenside bunkers and trying to not hit down on the ball - it's not working...:(

When I look at the sole of my 56* Vokey I am not particularly surprised it's not working for me - but it might 95% just be my technique - but I'd like to rule out a deep sole and lots of bounce being an issue with the type of shot I am trying to play.
 
If you get benefits from a 64* over another club, you should carry one. If not, you shouldn't. Simple as that.

Someone saying "just open your 56*" or whatever is a stupid argument, because everyone's skill set is different. What if you naturally deloft every club so you actually need a 64* wedge to get the same result as the 56* that another player uses?

Another nonsense addition to this discussion is "just learn how to use blah blah blah".

"Just learn"!!!!

As if learning a niche shot with a scoring club is an easy thing for an amateur golfer! If it was, I'd "just learn" to stripe 350 yard drives, "just learn" how to flush every iron and "just learn" how to one-putt every green. No need to get a new wedge then!
 
bobmac said:
It is an easy skill to learn with a bit of guidance and practice.
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Not everyone wants to learn or has time to practice - some people will happily pay for a club that will avoid that need and that's just as viable an option. By all means people could offer that advice, but the scorn poured on people sometimes who wanted a quicker fix is unfair.
 
Kellfire said:
If you get benefits from a 64* over another club, you should carry one. If not, you shouldn't. Simple as that.

Someone saying "just open your 56*" or whatever is a stupid argument, because everyone's skill set is different. What if you naturally deloft every club so you actually need a 64* wedge to get the same result as the 56* that another player uses?

Another nonsense addition to this discussion is "just learn how to use blah blah blah".

"Just learn"!!!!

As if learning a niche shot with a scoring club is an easy thing for an amateur golfer! If it was, I'd "just learn" to stripe 350 yard drives, "just learn" how to flush every iron and "just learn" how to one-putt every green. No need to get a new wedge then!
Click to expand...

Not a hope in hell of that working for me except off lush lies - when I actually can play that shot. Open up the clubface of my 56* vokey and all I present to the turf is the round of the sole with a leading edge up in the air.

Before i had 52* and 56* wedges I taught myself to lie my standard loft pitching wedge right back and was able to cut the ball way up in the air with quite a 'full' swing. But timing is abs critical - and so was expecting to be able to use 52 and 56 to same end with much less risk - but as said - struggling.
 
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Kellfire said:
Not everyone wants to learn or has time to practice - some people will happily pay for a club that will avoid that need and that's just as viable an option. By all means people could offer that advice, but the scorn poured on people sometimes who wanted a quicker fix is unfair.
Click to expand...
Maybe, but the 64 deg wedge would require practice to use effectively, therefore not provide the quick fix required. If this was about a chipper, I’d agree with you, but a really high lofted wedge takes some skill to play well IMO. Otherwise we’d all carry them ?

Also agree re opening a 56. That’s a tough shot, sometimes it’s best to take ur medicine
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
On the same matter but not about a 64*but for the same purpose.

I am really struggling using my 56* wedge where the lie is fairly tight - never mind tight. I am becoming convinced (in my head) that it is the width of the sole and the bounce of my particular 56* wedge (a Vokey). Do Vokey wedges have standard soles and bounce?.:(

.
Click to expand...

No. Vokeys and other good makes can be bought with range of bounce soles and these days a range of sole grinds.

For tight lies off close mown fairway somewhere around 8 degree is best. Modern grinds also remove a large part of the sole.

This is a Cleveland ATX 3 which has 11 degree bounce but is designed for fairways

010.jpg
Cleveland now do a vsole which can be manipulated to reduce the 'effective' bounce if needed
 
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