Attention, Englishmen, Irishmen, Scotsmen, and Welshmen......

[jim8flog]

I understand.
However, the lob wedge isn't a recent innovation.
I bought my first one in 1980.

Nor is it a rare instrument.
Many players bag them.
Either one of us would like a Dollar, Pound, or Euro for every one in circulation.

One of the the things I remember about lob wedges was watching Tom Kite at the 14th on Wentworth . He had come up about 20 yards short and below the green whereas every European player at the time would have hit a running shot Tom Kite went with the lob wedge, it took him 3 attempts to the ball on to the green and for it to stay there.

I will admit to having tried them from time to time but they do not stay in the bag for long.

The first one I tried was a Wilson forged and I wore the grooves out on it I used to practice so much in those days.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

One of the the things I remember about lob wedges was watching Tom Kite at the 14th on Wentworth . He had come up about 20 yards short and below the green whereas every European player at the time would have hit a running shot Tom Kite went with the lob wedge, it took him 3 attempts to the ball on to the green and for it to stay there.

I will admit to having tried them from time to time but they do not stay in the bag for long.

The first one I tried was a Wilson forged and I wore the grooves out on it I used to practice so much in those days.

If I'm not mistaken, Wentworth's West Course is somewhat similar to a high level American style wooded course,
and it might entice one to play American style golf on it.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm amazed by how many people configure their sets entirely for distance gapping
without consideration for anticipated specialty shots being required.

My lob wedge isn't great for either full shots OR greenside bunkers
but it's still a necessity for chips and lobs after short side misses.
I feel that it's worth having in the bag for that alone.

I've very conservative from the tee box and don't hit driver unless I see wide open spaces.
Thus, I have to be bold into greens, and short side misses are definitely going to happen.
The very high loft wedge seems an essential tool for those.

Well, you do both. Clubs can do more the one job. For example, my hybrid is my 175-ish club, but it's also the club I hit out of medium length rough, and it's effectively my chipper as I use it to chip out of thick grass near the green. From what you've told us, you would have a 5 iron for the yardage, a hybrid for the rough and a chipper as well so that's 3 clubs instead of 1.

I still don't understand why you would need one lob wedge for sand and a different lob wedge for grass. Most people just get different bounces on their 56 & 60 so they can cover the different jobs. You open up the 60 when more loft is required, and so on.

 

[rulie]

Some of the decisions on bag setup are based on the course being played - its length, its "hazards", its condition(s). Courses are not all the same!

 

[Golfnut1957]

It's my first visit to this thread as I had a feeling how it would turn out, and I've got to say I wasn't wrong.

When you think of some of the nuanced tripe that gets spouted on here and all the constant back and forth between individual, I find it shocking that someone comes on and starts a thread about golf equipment and receives nothing but derision and rudeness.

Of course what isn't a surprise is who the main protagonist are, they pop up on every thread. What is a surprise is how one in particular continue to get away with it, only the mods know.

 

[jim8flog]

If I'm not mistaken, Wentworth's West Course is somewhat similar to a high level American style wooded course,
and it might entice one to play American style golf on it.

Not back in the day (before Els's redesign) particularly on that hole..
Put too much spin on the ball and it used to spin back off the green and roll back down the hill, which is what happened to Kite's tee shot and subsequent lob wedge shots.

 

[KenL]

It's my first visit to this thread as I had a feeling how it would turn out, and I've got to say I wasn't wrong.

When you think of some of the nuanced tripe that gets spouted on here and all the constant back and forth between individual, I find it shocking that someone comes on and starts a thread about golf equipment and receives nothing but derision and rudeness.

Of course what isn't a surprise is who the main protagonist are, they pop up on every thread. What is a surprise is how one in particular continue to get away with it, only the mods know.

Name & shame then.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Not back in the day (before Els's redesign) particularly on that hole..
Put too much spin on the ball and it used to spin back off the green and roll back down the hill, which is what happened to Kite's tee shot and subsequent lob wedge shots.

I see.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Well, you do both. Clubs can do more the one job. For example, my hybrid is my 175-ish club, but it's also the club I hit out of medium length rough, and it's effectively my chipper as I use it to chip out of thick grass near the green. From what you've told us, you would have a 5 iron for the yardage, a hybrid for the rough and a chipper as well so that's 3 clubs instead of 1.

I still don't understand why you would need one lob wedge for sand and a different lob wedge for grass. Most people just get different bounces on their 56 & 60 so they can cover the different jobs. You open up the 60 when more loft is required, and so on.

I understand your points, O, and they're definitely valid, but I've just fallen into my own habits.

I play 95% of my golf at my own club,
and never play golf on holiday because my wife doesn't play
and we spend vacations doing things together.

I can configure a set specifically for the shots I'll expect to hit on my home course,
and that will result in a set
that may not be distance gapped well enough to be versatile.

I have a specific "short side miss" lob wedge, 64°, that I love for its specific purpose--little, finesse, greenside shots---
but it has so much relief at every point on the sole that it has virtually no effective bounce.

If I were to try to play a full wing from a tad back in my stance,
the club would stick into the turf as effectively as any axe.
It does the same thing in a soft sand greenside bunker.

But it's magic around the greens for cute little chips and lobs from the short side.
I really want this club in my bag.

My 58, in contrast, has enough bounce for effective greenside bunker play, but just enough--I have to concentrate and make a decent shot--
but it's also playable from firm fairway lies.

The 48 and 53 are basic set-matching wedges that are useful for hitting half, three-quarter, and full shots into greens..

So your point is taken.
If I played on a lot of different golf courses, I'd have to take a somewhat different approach to set configuration.
I'd also have to beef up the long end of my set.

This forum doesn't particularly like threads like this, however.
American internet golf fora are almost ENTIRELY about equipment.

Golf Monthly has almost no equipment talk, with many members having no patience for any,
but a lot more good content on everything else.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I understand your points, O, and they're definitely valid, but I've just fallen into my own habits.

I play 95% of my golf at my own club,
and never play golf on holiday because my wife doesn't play
and we spend vacations doing things together.

I can configure a set specifically for the shots I'll expect to hit on my home course,
and that will result in a set
that may not be distance gapped well enough to be versatile.

I have a specific "short side miss" lob wedge, 64°, that I love for its specific purpose--little, finesse, greenside shots---
but it has so much relief at every point on the sole that it has virtually no effective bounce.

If I were to try to play a full wing from a tad back in my stance,
the club would stick into the turf as effectively as any axe.
It does the same thing in a soft sand greenside bunker.

But it's magic around the greens for cute little chips and lobs from the short side.
I really want this club in my bag.

My 58, in contrast, has enough bounce for effective greenside bunker play, but just enough--I have to concentrate and make a decent shot--
but it's also playable from firm fairway lies.

The 48 and 53 are basic set-matching wedges that are useful for hitting half, three-quarter, and full shots into greens..

So your point is taken.
If I played on a lot of different golf courses, I'd have to take a somewhat different approach to set configuration.
I'd also have to beef up the long end of my set.

This forum doesn't particularly like threads like this, however.
American internet golf fora are almost ENTIRELY about equipment.

Golf Monthly has almost no equipment talk, with many members having no patience for any,
but a lot more good content on everything else.

I wouldnt say its " no patience" but most I would suggest have a set of clubs, and leran how to use them for differing shots/needs. Players such as Ballesteros creating shots with all sorts of clubs inspired many to learn how to use clubs in different ways.
I might also suggest that apart from a very few, most don't change their clubs that often.
I know I dont restrict my clubs to a single use, and even my putter is an excellent "Texas wedge"

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I wouldnt say its " no patience" but most I would suggest have a set of clubs, and leran how to use them for differing shots/needs. Players such as Ballesteros creating shots with all sorts of clubs inspired many to learn how to use clubs in different ways.
I might also suggest that apart from a very few, most don't change their clubs that often.
I know I dont restrict my clubs to a single use, and even my putter is an excellent "Texas wedge"

Good point to be sure, but in fairness,
Seve, GRHS, was a tad more talented than I.
A rather BIG tad, I'd go so far to say.

 

[Orikoru]

I understand your points, O, and they're definitely valid, but I've just fallen into my own habits.

I play 95% of my golf at my own club,
and never play golf on holiday because my wife doesn't play
and we spend vacations doing things together.

I can configure a set specifically for the shots I'll expect to hit on my home course,
and that will result in a set
that may not be distance gapped well enough to be versatile.

I have a specific "short side miss" lob wedge, 64°, that I love for its specific purpose--little, finesse, greenside shots---
but it has so much relief at every point on the sole that it has virtually no effective bounce.

If I were to try to play a full wing from a tad back in my stance,
the club would stick into the turf as effectively as any axe.
It does the same thing in a soft sand greenside bunker.

But it's magic around the greens for cute little chips and lobs from the short side.
I really want this club in my bag.

My 58, in contrast, has enough bounce for effective greenside bunker play, but just enough--I have to concentrate and make a decent shot--
but it's also playable from firm fairway lies.

The 48 and 53 are basic set-matching wedges that are useful for hitting half, three-quarter, and full shots into greens..

So your point is taken.
If I played on a lot of different golf courses, I'd have to take a somewhat different approach to set configuration.
I'd also have to beef up the long end of my set.

This forum doesn't particularly like threads like this, however.
American internet golf fora are almost ENTIRELY about equipment.

Golf Monthly has almost no equipment talk, with many members having no patience for any,
but a lot more good content on everything else.

I think there's been plenty of topics about equipment - latest drivers, wedge selection and so on. But it doesn't interest everyone, that's all. As said above, some people have had the same set for 15 years and not bothered about changing, or even aware of the latest gear.

 

[Voyager EMH]

This forum doesn't particularly like threads like this, however.
American internet golf fora are almost ENTIRELY about equipment.

Golf Monthly has almost no equipment talk, with many members having no patience for any,
but a lot more good content on everything else.

The Vintage Golf thread is mostly about equipment.
Not many gain-sayers or nay-sayers on there, thank goodness.

 

[Parsaregood]

This is probably one of the only golf forums where participants are more interested and vocal about discussing what colour your socks are or what you wear rather than……golf or the equipment we use to play golf. Unfortunately this is how many uk club members are. Very stiff upper lipped

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It's my first visit to this thread as I had a feeling how it would turn out, and I've got to say I wasn't wrong.

When you think of some of the nuanced tripe that gets spouted on here and all the constant back and forth between individual, I find it shocking that someone comes on and starts a thread about golf equipment and receives nothing but derision and rudeness.

Of course what isn't a surprise is who the main protagonist are, they pop up on every thread. What is a surprise is how one in particular continue to get away with it, only the mods know.

Mods don't vet every post. Mods don't read every thread. If you see a post that is problematic, report it. If you don't you are relying on a mod reading the exact post on the exact thread that could be an issue. We rely on members reporting posts, if you don't...............

 

[Golfnut1957]

Mods don't vet every post. Mods don't read every thread. If you see a post that is problematic, report it. If you don't you are relying on a mod reading the exact post on the exact thread that could be an issue. We rely on members reporting posts, if you don't...............

I appreciate that, I don't live on this board, why should you or any of the other mods.

However, I bet you I don't have to "name & shame" to you, any of the mods, or anyone else on here.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I appreciate that, I don't live on this board, why should you or any of the other mods.

However, I bet you I don't have to "name & shame" to you, any of the mods, or anyone else on here.

I agree with you there, no point naming or shaming, silly was the suggestion that you should do so.
Report offences or ask a moderator for advice with a personal message. I've done the latter a few times - always very helpful responses.
Some people will be antagonistic - a trait of human nature that some people have more than others. That's the way I see it.
A debate should discuss the issues, not the personal traits of individuals.