to lob wedge or not to lob wedge.. that is the question

[timchump]

i'm toying with getting a 60 degree lob wedge, i'm finding at my new club i need to get a lot of shots up and down quickly

i have a 56 degree at the moment 10 degrees of bounce

i can understand people's view about opening practicing manipulating their wedges to get the desired shot

though surely opening up a club with this much bounce is going to be much harder to hit than a lob wedge with less bounce, especially at a links type golf course

i also would have thought many people's 54-56 degree wedges have a fair amount of bounce as this is typically the sand wedge making opening up this club more likely to create a thin shot?.....

 

[Lump]

I only use my 60 out of bunkers or to get over hazards close to greens. my course has lots of green side bunkers so its worth while me keeping it in the bag.
I wont touch the 60 if the ball is sitting fluffy or it needs a full shot. Its just far too risky.
Its a worth while club as long as its used right. They are not magic clubs that aid you to drop it on flags.

 

[daymond]

I use my 60 from greenside bunkers about 90% of the time. For me it is no more difficult to use than any of the other wedges. All have to be struck accurately otherwise it's a fat/thin senario every time.

 

[Monty_Brown]

As in others areas of the bag, I think the manufacturers have got lots of us confused by adding options where previously there weren't as many and convincing the average golfer they need new gear. Wedges are a prime example.

A good way to think about this is to identify the lofts you want to carry in your bag and in particular making sure they are evenly spaced. The idea of a 4 wedge bag is daft any way... it's the result of manufacturers boogering about with lofts (ie strengthening them)

Take my 20-year-old Ping Eye 2s. Off the shelf, black dot, standard everything when purchased.

9 iron = 45*
PW = 50.7*
SW = 57.7*

In new money with typical modern lofts, the 9I would be a pitching wedge, PW would be classed as a 51* gap wedge, and the SW would be a borderline SW / lob wedge.

On average that's at least a 6* gap between the three shortest clubs in the bag, which according to some theories is "too much". But as that's the way they came, I learned to use them every which way, and can hit similar shots with any of them. Because I practiced and learned how they felt, rather than what the numbers told me should happen. There is a tendency to overthink this issue, to put it mildly!

 

[patricks148]

My set up is pw, gw 51 deg 5 bounce and sw 56 deg 11 deg bounce.

I don’t feel the need for a 60 wedge and would prefer a longer club in the bag. I play on links courses which both have deep pot bunkers and 56 gets me out fine. Some of our bunker have a 10 foot face and have never felt I needed more loft than 56 to get out if you are playing the bunker shot correctly. Why not just learn to use what you’ve got??

 

[timchump]

My set up is pw, gw 51 deg 5 bounce and sw 56 deg 11 deg bounce.

I don’t feel the need for a 60 wedge and would prefer a longer club in the bag. I play on links courses which both have deep pot bunkers and 56 gets me out fine. Some of our bunker have a 10 foot face and have never felt I needed more loft than 56 to get out if you are playing the bunker shot correctly. Why not just learn to use what you’ve got??

i haven't tried a 60 degree wedge out on the course so have to confess i don't know if it would help

i don't have a problem of opening up my sand wedge to get out of steep face bumpers

the shot i'm struggling is a short pitch onto a table top green from a tight lie.

i have to get it up and down quickly if not i could hit it into the bank or i'm off the back of the green, opening up my sand wedge on a tight lie is surely more prone to a thin shot than investing in a lob wedge with less bounce?

 

[patricks148]

i haven't tried a 60 degree wedge out on the course so have to confess i don't know if it would help

i don't have a problem of opening up my sand wedge to get out of steep face bumpers

the shot i'm struggling is a short pitch onto a table top green from a tight lie.

i have to get it up and down quickly if not i could hit it into the bank or i'm off the back of the green, opening up my sand wedge on a tight lie is surely more prone to a thin shot than investing in a lob wedge with less bounce?

If its a links course with close mowen fringes why not putt, i played a royal doroch twice in the last couple of weeks and they have a lot of table top greens with steep banks and i've had my best scores round there putting up, a bad putt is always better than a bad chip

 

[DaveM]

Cant remember who said it. But it was one off the big three. Think it was Gary Player? He said always put if you can(as said above a bad put is better than a bad chip). If you cant put. Chip and run. Only use a lob wedge if all else fails, as its the hardest of the shots. Seemed to work ok for them.

 

[timchump]

i'm opening to the idea of putting will give it a go next time.

i think a bad putt could be as bad as a bad chip in this scenario?...

i don't have many longer clubs, just carry a driver 3 wood and 3 iron, so there's plenty of room
(can't get on with my rescue and hit my 3 iron pretty well)

i'll probably take the plunge and end buying a 60 degree, thin all my shots and realise everybody was right

 

[Philm]

i dont think anyone doubts that a 60* wedge has its place and time.

now concentrating on the bad shots is a bit like the old one of "leave your driver in the abg take your 3wood"

now whilst a lob wedge or driver isnt for everyone, its also clearly of great use to some people.

so if you are able and prepared to practice, then you should have no great problems with it.

i think the real emphasis of Bobs post was practice, if you practice you will build muscle memory and a confidence to hit these shots without quitting mid swing.

personally i dont even have a Lob wedge! i play mizuno irons which are not silly strong lofts, and a 56 cleveland sw is my most lofted thing in the bag.

purchase the wedge (if you want) but practice with it

Phil

 

[patricks148]

I’ve got a 60 deg wedge, I just don’t use it. Got it when I first started and was playing off 24 and felt I needed it (I didn’t) its not been in the bag since my first year of playing. I found I was better off learning to use what I had in the pw, gw,sw. I can use it fine but it’s just another club I might only use once in a blue moon. Need more options on longer clubs where I play. So it’s gathering dust in my golf den.

 

[Jonny]

Most of the top boys will have a very lofted wedge (be it 58 or 64 degrees) in their bags. The reason being that the game is won on the grass 50 yards and in... By having a club which provides additional options within that scoring range they are ensuring they have as many opportunities to capatilise as possible. They often find they need to attack tight pins from awkward positions and having a club that performs in the desired manner with no manipulation of the club increases the probability of success.

So they are a good thing... Although I personally don't carry one due to the course I play and the amount of spin I generate. I find 57 is more than enough loft for me.

 

[Yer Maw]

PW 45 GW 52 and a low bounce 56 which I use for sand (good out of the bunkers) and tight lies. I try to keep types of chip shot to a minimum and practise those I can be sure will work well. I know what wedge to use for each type of lie but bump and run as much as possible as it's so much easier to be accurate with and not balls up.

 

[SocketRocket]

My course has long narrow greens that are protected by many large bunkers down the sides. A lobbed shot that gets up quickly then drops and stops is a must, you cant putt or bump and run in these cases.

My 60 deg Mizuno Lob Wedge is a great tool around the green, I use it a lot from fairway bunkers as well, it has plenty of loft to get the ball high enough without opening the face, this allows me to hit straight at the pin with good effect.

I have Mizuno MP 'R' Wedges and the way the sole is ground allows you to manufacture many different shots. I have a 48 PW, 52 GW, 56 SW and 60 LW. I find this combination gives a nice spacing between clubs.

 

[Aztecs27]

Lobs are so hard to hit consistently but then again the 58+ wedges can also be used to hit low checkers from back in the stance (*ball choice and practice dependant)

This is the one shot I wish I could hit. I can't even do it by accident! (yet ).

I have 48 (PW), 52 and 56. Dropped my 60 as I rarely used it (it's been in the boot of my mate's car since St. Pierre, really should get it back! :-/). Much prefer my 56.

 

[timchump]

i've just ordered a 60degree mizuno mp r12 wedge

really looking forward to seeing what it can do

 

[brendy]

This is the one shot I wish I could hit. I can't even do it by accident! (yet ).

I have 48 (PW), 52 and 56. Dropped my 60 as I rarely used it (it's been in the boot of my mate's car since St. Pierre, really should get it back! :-/). Much prefer my 56.

It is one shot that looks spectacular from the side but normal from the players perspective.

 

[Aztecs27]

It is one shot that looks spectacular from the side but normal from the players perspective.

Yea. A mate of mine uses the shot alot to great effect. It's obviously not something you can just pick up overnight and do accurately, but it's a beaut.

 

[SocketRocket]

i've just ordered a 60degree mizuno mp r12 wedge

really looking forward to seeing what it can do

I think you will be pleased.