Is a 60degree lob wedge too much?

minty18

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The reason I ask is that I really want to add a wedge to my bag, i've been in some tricky postions lately where i've had to try and open the face of the SW right up so I can get over a hazard but get the ball stopped dead.

I was looking in the local Sports soccer, sports world whatever they are called (name changes every month) when i see a 60degree dunlop lob wedge for £7. Now I dont have the money to pay out for a titleist wedge or anything like that so was thinking about making the purchase.

What would other lob wedge users reccomend?
 
Minty.

I started off with a cheap Ram 6o from Argos. Learnt what I could use it for, and whether I could use it.

I then went and got the current 'spoon' as I really liked what these sweeties can do out of green side bunkers.

However, expect a lot of fats and thins whilst trying to get the hang of it.

Mind you, I'd probably suggest a gap wedge first to fit into the gap between the PW and SW as being a more useful stick. Just my ha'pennys worth.
 
Im now using a 56 and 58 degree, I found the 60 degree just too unpredictable and only use the 58 when I absolutely must hit a high shot, ie where a low shot left or right shot will not come off and I cant play a safe chip out that will let me score bogey at worst.
To be honest minty, you would be better saving the pennies for a milled face wedge rather than the cheaper "teflon" faced wedges that dont spin very well and make a flop shot loop mediocre where a grippy faced wedge would help get the ball to sit up and beg.
Its totally down to personal preference and ircumstances but cheap wedges (to a certain price point) just arnt worth it. I believe even a premium second hand wedge would still outperform a brand new economy brand.
 
I've taken a couple of titleist wedges on a demo from the pro shop and have got on fine with them. Ok i've thinned a few but that happens every now and again with most clubs in my bag.
 
Im now using a 56 and 58 degree, I found the 60 degree just too unpredictable and only use the 58 when I absolutely must hit a high shot, ie where a low shot left or right shot will not come off and I cant play a safe chip out that will let me score bogey at worst.
To be honest minty, you would be better saving the pennies for a milled face wedge rather than the cheaper "teflon" faced wedges that dont spin very well and make a flop shot loop mediocre where a grippy faced wedge would help get the ball to sit up and beg.
Its totally down to personal preference and ircumstances but cheap wedges (to a certain price point) just arnt worth it. I believe even a premium second hand wedge would still outperform a brand new economy brand.

Maybe you're right brendy, I may wait for the pro shop to sell these demo wedges and buy one of those.
 
I rarely carry my 60 Callaway tour wedge.

I like it around the greens, but other than that, it's a bit of a liability. I don't even use my SW a lot between 40-80 yards, I stick with my 52 degree TM satin.

I wouldn't buy a cheap one (I've had 4 or 5 cheap wedges over the years, and they were all rubbish). If you really want one (and feel your game is good enough for anything other than 1 or 2 green-side shots a round), wait for a 2nd hand bargain.
 
sorry, I don't subscribe to the 'save up and buy the latest technology' business. that's fine if you know you can use the tools when you get them but a hell of a waste if you can't.

I've gone the cheap route, £10 gap and £10 lob - when I'm confident it won't be wasted I'll go for the good stuff.

So far the gap wedge is proving worthwhile for upgrading but the lob rarely gets a workout
 
Whatever you do take care with the amount of bounce. Trying to play a lob shot with a bounce of more than 8 degrees with a 60 degree wedge is difficult at best. Mine has just 5 degrees bounce and I use it all around the green. Once you get used to the flight and the amount of spin you get they can be invaluable.

Try golfbidder for a 2nd hand Vokey or MPT - they're not as expensive as you might think.

Oh - and a spin-milled wedge will eat your balls for breakfast - ooh er Missus.............
 
Oh - and a spin-milled wedge will eat your balls for breakfast - ooh er Missus.............
True to an extent imurg matey, only if you are hitting the ball hard, 58/60 degree clubs are get out of jail clubs, not agressive birdie makers. Thats why you never see milled iron sets, imagine the spin of a milled 9 iron, everyone would be sucking the ball off the green at every opportunity haha.
 
Got a £25 Maxfli 64 degree 2 years ago hit it about 2 storeys high and about 30 yards forward but it comes in so handy at times.

It's a lifesaver for me good out of muni bunkers, from behind trees all kinds of places I tend to find myself on a course.

If you are putting it in the bag for a number of types of shots then maybe not worth it but I love getting it out and smacking one with it
 
Said the same to Mickeytwodesks the other day Brendy anymore loft and it hit's your nose on the way up!

It gives me confidence everytime it comes out of the bag and that's half the battle with me
 
Confidence is king, no doubt about it. Confidence inspires imagination, unimaginative golfers get nowhere, I prefer watching the garcia's, woods and micklesons of this world when they are not firing the drives quite straight as it gives an excellent insight to the other types of shots they practice away from the cameras and spectators. They are all definately confidece derived moments of genius, tiger bumping a wood on from the edge of the fringe, mickleson flying a ball 40 yards high, 30 yards long and garcia turning a ball over 20 yards out of the rough and still making it cover 200 yards. Sometimes better isnt always the straightest.
 
I have a 64°, it is in the wardrobe. I have a 60°, that is good friends with the 60° in the wardrobe. I use a 58°, but only when there is no other alternative.

These high loft wedges are card wreckers. Great fun, but card wreckers. You can never, ever trust them. The damage caused by fatting them into the bunker you were trying to flop over, shanking it, or thinning it (worse) is just too risky for competition use.

Instead of trying to flop it close, use a 56° and just get it on the green. Anywhere on the green.
 
murph: Card-wreckers - No. Card-savers - YES.
I absolutely love my 60* Vokey, low 4* Bounce mean I can just slide under the ball on any lie to flop in down nearer the Pin than I'd be able to with any other club when the lie dictates.
You just have to get familiar enough with it to be able to use it.
 
Chris, I am very familiar with high loft wedges, having had them in the bag for 15 years, but when you bear in mind the average golfer is shooting around the 100, a lob wedge is a very specialist club, which won't really help.

Yes, I can hit high flop shots to order when messing about with friends in bounce games, but as a 12 h/cap, in medal this sort of thing can be a nightmare. A little 'head up' anxiety, and that's the card gone. Where is the percentage?

I can only guess that the originator of the question doesn't shoot single figures, or they would already have one, and wouldn't be looking at an outlay of £10 for one. For this handicap golfer, 60° is a no.
 
I love my 60 degree wedge, its great from all lies and dodgy situations I get myself into.

Go get one and try it out, had a 64 degree when I started out and it was ridicoulus! no way again will I use it.
 
As I said, I can use it, consider myself pretty good with it, and is great fun.
However, I still don't find it reliable under pressure, there is way too much variability in the results. Better to stick with what is reliable in medal, and I don't think the flop shot is a reliable, repeatable shot. Even Phil M makes a mess of this every now and then, and he is regarded as the best at it.
Off a nice lie, yeah, easy pitch shot with a low bounce high loft wedge, but I am never in a nice lie (when I need to pitch over something), the rough round our bunkers has to be seen to be believed, and hitting out of 6" deep rough with a 60° is unpredictable. You never know if the ball is sat down or not, so you are guessing how much of the club (if any) will contact the ball.

Each to their own, but for most of the guys I know, it is usually called the blob wedge, and most who have tried it don't carry it anymore.
 
I wouldn't be without a low bounce 60' lob in the bag. Love the vokey I have, though its about worn out now. I've invested in some NV Drew wedges by MD & they are some of the highest spinning wedges on the market today, classic lines & don't break the bank either.

There are many reasonable quality Lob wedges out there for reasonable money, though you can get better than the Sports world/sports soccer ones. Try Hippo, their irons are not the best but their wedges are not half bad for the money, the maxfli ones look okay too

But if you can stretch a few quid for the MD or even Adams wedges then you'll have something that will last well, perform well & wont break the bank.
 
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