bobmac
Major Champion
Don't you already have someone to do your washing and ironing?
All brave and smart when you're not in slapping range
Talk to me about bounce
- Thread starter peaty
- Start date
All brave and smart when you're not in slapping range
Tiger
Money List Winner
Nice of you to say so. I've learnt a lot of lessons the hard way. My main problems were my accuracy and my course. My track's quite tight in places and though I hit it a pretty long way I've had issues with control. Not had a medal since November so hoping I'll be putting a decent card in February.
I've also been practicing a lot more recently so hopefully resolved my short game issues. Here's hoping.
Bob I keep telling you to move. You'd make a small fortune off me!
Hawkeye more than a little has got through!!!
Leftie
Tour Winner
Peaty.
As mentioned above, most of those recommending carrying and using, where appropriate, a lob wedge are single single figure or low teens handicappers. They have the skill to precisely and consistently strike the ball with it. Those advising you against it for the moment are the higher handicappers.
Both sets are speaking from experience. Using a lob wedge will not turn a high h/capper into a low h/capper and will cost you far more shots than it saves.
The only mid to high h/cappers that I have met who can consistently use one well have had to spend an inordinate amount of time practicing with it - to the detriment of the rest of their game.
Concentrate on getting the rest of your game sorted and reducing your handicap first.
LOB WEDGE = BLOB WEDGE
As mentioned above, most of those recommending carrying and using, where appropriate, a lob wedge are single single figure or low teens handicappers. They have the skill to precisely and consistently strike the ball with it. Those advising you against it for the moment are the higher handicappers.
Both sets are speaking from experience. Using a lob wedge will not turn a high h/capper into a low h/capper and will cost you far more shots than it saves.
The only mid to high h/cappers that I have met who can consistently use one well have had to spend an inordinate amount of time practicing with it - to the detriment of the rest of their game.
Concentrate on getting the rest of your game sorted and reducing your handicap first.
LOB WEDGE = BLOB WEDGE
I knew I was getting through to you on the LW subject Tiger
And that was my problem. Because I had the lob wedge in the bag I assumed it was some sort of miracle club and just because I was short sided and playing over a bunker the fact it was a LW made me infallable. Rather than being happy 10 foot past with a decent chance to make the putt anyway, I'd go chasing a delicate shot and be playing my next from the sand. I'd rather have a club I trust and play for that 10-15 foot circle with the intention of getting inside that. More positivity through the shot, more acceleration = greater soing and more shots with the putter than the sand wedge.
S
Snelly
Guest
Hmmmm. Wise words Leftie. Wise words.....
I totally concur with everything Leftie has said there about it not being a miracle club and taking hours or practice to master. Like the blob wedge moniker too
Screwback
Tour Rookie
I am sorry but i have read this and have to disagree.
The lob wedge is a great club regardless of handicap. its only got rougly 4 more degrees than a sandwedge. if you practise with it, it will save you shots it gives you more options. you dont have to use it from i tight lie or when you are short sided it may be the case another club fits the bill better.
I think if you do not have one in your bag or dont attempt to use one because it is too hard to hit then you are putting you and your handicap at a massive disadvantage.
As i say it adds options to your short ame and that is something every amateur golfer needs.
Leftie
Tour Winner
I think we must agree to disagree SB. I assume you are a low h/capper from your comments
Out of choice, I don't even necessarily advocate the use of the sand wedge as the lie has to be good (for the average to high h/capper). Learn the clock face distances with the PW and/or GW for those chips on to the green making sure you get on the green and hopefully get down in no more than 2 putts.
If I have to chip over a hazard on to the green, I would always prefer to be 10, 15, or 20ft past the pin (but on the green) if necessary, rather than risk duffing it into the hazard, still leave it short of the green, or thin it through.
It's the curse of the low handicapper that having hit a poor shot (for them) to the green and leaving themselves short sided, they have to take on the high risk lob to try to save par. The higher h/capper will invariably lose shots by taking on a high risk strategy. It's all part of course management in my book.
Out of choice, I don't even necessarily advocate the use of the sand wedge as the lie has to be good (for the average to high h/capper). Learn the clock face distances with the PW and/or GW for those chips on to the green making sure you get on the green and hopefully get down in no more than 2 putts.
If I have to chip over a hazard on to the green, I would always prefer to be 10, 15, or 20ft past the pin (but on the green) if necessary, rather than risk duffing it into the hazard, still leave it short of the green, or thin it through.
It's the curse of the low handicapper that having hit a poor shot (for them) to the green and leaving themselves short sided, they have to take on the high risk lob to try to save par. The higher h/capper will invariably lose shots by taking on a high risk strategy. It's all part of course management in my book.
Tiger
Money List Winner
Sorry Screwback but I'm with leftie. You play off 1 it's been quite a while since you hacked it round like me
When I can chip consistently and accurately with a SW and GW then I'll consider a lob but not before and my recommendation to peaty would be the same
Peaty I've been exactly where you are. I didn't listen to a lot of the sound advice from high handicappers. I still play off 28. All the above are linked
Bet you didn't expect to open Pandora's box when you innocently asked about bounce!!!
When I can chip consistently and accurately with a SW and GW then I'll consider a lob but not before and my recommendation to peaty would be the same
Peaty I've been exactly where you are. I didn't listen to a lot of the sound advice from high handicappers. I still play off 28. All the above are linked
Bet you didn't expect to open Pandora's box when you innocently asked about bounce!!!
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
Lob Wedge 'haters' are talking like it's a totally different golf club to the rest of the bag and has to be played differently. It only potentially costs shots because people try to be too cute with it.
If you are short sided and the safe play is to land the ball 2' before the flag with a SW and let it roll 10' past, why not play the same 'safe' shot with a LW, let it pitch 2' before the flag but only run 7' past.
Wouldn't that give you a better chance of a lower score?
If you are short sided and the safe play is to land the ball 2' before the flag with a SW and let it roll 10' past, why not play the same 'safe' shot with a LW, let it pitch 2' before the flag but only run 7' past.
Wouldn't that give you a better chance of a lower score?
Robobum
Money List Winner
Why is it that, in your opinion, only low h'caps can learn this drill with a lob wedge??
The lob wedge isn't some mythical snake that requires taming. My 60* has the exact same bounce as the 50* I had so it's not a razor sharp cutting implement either.
The key is to learn to hit a golf shot, i.e a chip/ pitch, hitting that shot therefater is the same technique regardless of whether it is a 3 iron or an uber wedge with 89* of loft on it (be careful that doesn't hit you in the nose mind you!)
Closing your minds off to a club that MAY help you shoot lower scores is very short sighted. By calling it a blob wedge you have already mentally duffed one before you start.
P.S I am more than capable of thins/ fats/ duffs/ fluffs and even the rare double hit with all my wedges. It was my technique at fault, not the club.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
I think part of the issue with high loft wedges are that the more you play with different people, the more you see them use totally the wrong club for the job, and mess it up. It is rare that I ever play with someone who is genuinely good with a lob wedge, but they will continue using it at every opportunity.
I also think they don't have much of a margin of error. Because you have to hit them comparatively hard for a short carry, so when it goes wrong, they are a major disaster. A 30 yards pitch with a 64 will go about 100 yards if you thin it. A 30 yard pitch with a pw requires a lot less club head speed.
Also, because the the high loft, there is not much club when looked at front on. It is very easy to go under the ball, and catch the dead zone at the top of the face. A lower lofted club presents a bigger area of the face to the ball.
There is no harm in having a high lofted wedge, and for many, from the right lie, in the right circumstance, they are easy to hit. But they can bite you in the bum quite easily, and to me, will never be a 'percentage' shot.
I also think they don't have much of a margin of error. Because you have to hit them comparatively hard for a short carry, so when it goes wrong, they are a major disaster. A 30 yards pitch with a 64 will go about 100 yards if you thin it. A 30 yard pitch with a pw requires a lot less club head speed.
Also, because the the high loft, there is not much club when looked at front on. It is very easy to go under the ball, and catch the dead zone at the top of the face. A lower lofted club presents a bigger area of the face to the ball.
There is no harm in having a high lofted wedge, and for many, from the right lie, in the right circumstance, they are easy to hit. But they can bite you in the bum quite easily, and to me, will never be a 'percentage' shot.
Whereditgo
Journeyman Pro
Sorry Screwback but I'm with leftie. You play off 1 it's been quite a while since you hacked it round like me
Screwback played off scratch at the Goswick meet! Alan is one of the very few people I have played with who would even consider taking a lob wedge from about 10ft off the green, no hazard in sight and on a nice tight links lie too, speaks volumes for his talent that 1 full swing later the ball was 3 or 4 feet away from the flag.
Me? play the same shot? Yeah right! We'd still be looking for my ball somewhere near the next tee box now!
My 3 playing partners play off 11, 16 and the final guy doesn't yet have a handicap but usually knocks it round in the mid nineties. The 16 'capper advises him to get a lob wedge, 64 deg mind!!!, he is now going round in low 100's! I reckon 1 in 10 shots with that lob wedge come off.
As many have said, it's the technique thats lacking not a failing of the club itself, but sort of goes without saying that high handicappers have more flaws and a lack of consitency in their swing than single figure guys!
The other week the same fourball arrive at the 3rd green, the the 16 guy is on the green in regulation no problem, 11 handicapper and myself have missed the green right, bunker between us and the flag and both balls are just in the edge of a few trees, the guy yet to have an offical handicap is just over the back of the green a couple of yards into the fluffy stuff maybe 60 ft from the flag.
11 handicapper goes, lob wedge which catches the overhanging branches and drops a few feet in front of him, lob wedge into the bunker, SW out of the bunker, 2 putts for a 7.
No handicap goes lob wedge which slides underneath the ball moving it about 2 ft, duffed lob wedge, lob wedge which pitches past the flag and rolls out to about 15 ft past, 2 putts for a 7.
I go 4 iron hard under the branches (intentionally) into the bunker, ball pops over the top onto the green, 2 putts for a bogey 5.
16 handicapper 2 putts for par.
Morale of the story, a) make GIR, b) if you dont't make GIR play the lowest risk shot.
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
Whacking a 4-iron and hoping it runs through a bunker and stops close is the 'lowest risk' shot??????
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Depends how deep in the trees you are?
Robobum
Money List Winner
I read the moral of the story as the examples having a complete lack of understanding at selecting the correct type of shot for the circumstance.
Advising someone not to use a lob wedge just because you can't use one is like advocating chain smoking as good for just becasue your 100 tabs a day granny lived to 103.
Whereditgo
Journeyman Pro
Absolutely, of course it depends on the bunker, doesn't work very well on with pot bunkers
I didn't expect it to be close, just on the green and 2 putts was good enough, the others tries to put it close without a deal of success
Whereditgo
Journeyman Pro
I read the moral of the story as the examples having a complete lack of understanding at selecting the correct type of shot for the circumstance.
Exactly, the guy without a handicap will pull the lob wedge out for every shot within 50 yards of the hole!
I didn't say I can't use one, I implied that he can't!
Using a lob wedge isn't likely to kill him, it is killing his scores though!
Screwback
Tour Rookie
Sorry Screwback but I'm with leftie. You play off 1 it's been quite a while since you hacked it round like me
When I can chip consistently and accurately with a SW and GW then I'll consider a lob but not before and my recommendation to peaty would be the same
Peaty I've been exactly where you are. I didn't listen to a lot of the sound advice from high handicappers. I still play off 28. All the above are linked
Bet you didn't expect to open Pandora's box when you innocently asked about bounce!!!
Tiger,
I may be a low handicapper now but i have not always been like that. But i have always carried a lob wedge i have always enjoyed using a lob wedge as it gives me more option round the green and i figured i would miss quite a lot of greens so would have to know what i was doing with (any) wedge.
The LW may not be for some people but the argument that is that it is too har to use for me is not a good one.
If you practise anything you will get the hang of it and it is a great club to have.
StrangelyBrown
Tour Winner
+1
They're course management/shot selection problems, not wedge problems.
