Might be time to drop the Lob wedge

[gregh729]

Might be time for me to drop the lob wedge.  Several years ago, I went 54/58 with wedges.  I only use the 58 for sand or very specialized chips.  I played with a friend the other day who has never used a lob wedge and is a wizard with a standard 56*.  I think the 56 would give me more options around the green with a 52 as my main chipping club. I tend to cut my chips, so a little less spin/extra roll would be good.

If nothing else, it'll give me something to play around with for the last 2 months of the season

[TR1PTIK]

As @Middler suggested, it all just depends. First it depends on your particular set makeup and then it depends on what shots you want and are trying to hit.

While I may have lost some touch with the vaunted flop shot, I've spent a considerable amount of time learning to hit all my wedges at various trajectories in various ways. If I want to play a low running chip shot with my 58*, I can do it. If I want to hit my 50* a little higher and land a bit softer, I can also do that.

Considering you're only talking about a change in loft just 2-degrees, the biggest benefit of going from a 58* to a 56* is (typically) less aggressive grinds and more bounce. Though I'd argue that you should be able to find similar grinds and bounces in a 54*.

I'm certainly not trying to advise you against making a change you believe would benefit your game. However, I am cautioning that simply changing loft is unlikely to make a huge difference in what you experience out on the course. Food for thought...

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, gregh729 said:

Might be time for me to drop the lob wedge.  Several years ago, I went 54/58 with wedges.  I only use the 58 for sand or very specialized chips.  I played with a friend the other day who has never used a lob wedge and is a wizard with a standard 56*.  I think the 56 would give me more options around the green with a 52 as my main chipping club. I tend to cut my chips, so a little less spin/extra roll would be good.

If nothing else, it'll give me something to play around with for the last 2 months of the season

I agree with @TR1PTIK.  Consider what you use your 58 for and can you do without it.  Just because your friend never used a lob wedge and is a wizard with a 56, doesn't mean that you can hit the same shots.  I suggest that you only play with your 54 from all the lies that you might hit your 58 for awhile, and evaluate your ability with that club before you make a decision.  The 2º of difference in loft from 54 to 56 shouldn't make much of a difference.

The makeup of a set of wedges is a very personal decision.  The 54/56 sand wedges tend to have higher bounce than the 58/60.  However, the grind of the wedge make a huge difference in how they play.  This year I switched from SCOR 54 and 58 to Callaway PM Grind C-Grind 54 and 60.  The 54 has 14º of bounce and the 60 has 12º.  That's a lot of bounce playing on firm turf, but I have no trouble playing the C-grind off tight lies, and that extra bounce is very nice from sand and thick rough.  My 60 is my goto club around the green; gives me the option of high and low shots.

[gregh729]

Some good food for thought. I was only thinking loft numbers, not bounce. Right now I have a SM7 54F, 14* bounce, and a SM7 58K, wide sole 14* loft.  I use the 58 out of traps, but maybe a lower bounce lob to go with a higher bounce "SW" might be a better choice.

I have a long day of meetings tomorrow, so that'll be a good time to think about all of this 

[TR1PTIK]

28 minutes ago, gregh729 said:

I use the 58 out of traps, but maybe a lower bounce lob to go with a higher bounce "SW" might be a better choice.

Excellent idea. Sounds like you may just need a little more variety in your arsenal. My current gamers are an exception, but typically I try to mix and match loft, grind, and bounce options so that each wedge has a unique specialty.

[gregh729]

So, do you use your 54 as your "sand wedge"?

[TR1PTIK]

19 minutes ago, gregh729 said:

So, do you use your 54 as your "sand wedge"?

Yes. Whether it's 54 or 56, most golfers will designate that as their sand wedge and get a high bounce option or possibly use a wider sole grind with just enough relief in the heel and trailing edge to open up the face in bunkers.

Looking at your current setup, you say you have a 54* F grind and a 58* K grind - both with 14* bounce. This is somewhat problematic because there simply isn't enough variety between the two clubs.

From the Vokey website:

The F grind is an all-purpose grind that is particularly suited for full shots and shots hit with a square face. Ideal for players who prefer a traditional wedge sole. The F grind is the most played sand wedge on Tour.

The K Grind is the highest bounce wedge in the lineup, and is the ultimate bunker club. The K Grind is a wide, full sole wedge with enhanced camber to make it forgiving from a variety of sand and turf conditions.

So based on the descriptions, you basically have two very similar wedges. If it were me personally, I'd opt for an M or maybe even an L grind in the 58* and leave the 54* alone (or swap for an S grind if I'm really picky about it). Or, if you find that the 58* is particularly easy to hit from the sand, keep it and get the 54* in an M grind. Either way, learn how to utilize the design of the club and create a little more versatility in your short game arsenal. 

[gregh729]

I played with Golfspy_CG2 about a month ago and he has/had (never know with him) the M grind in his 54. I used it to chip on a hole and really liked it.  My 54F is wearing out and needs replacing this winter, so that might be the way to go. I've always gravitated towards high bounce wedges for some reason. I need to give a lot of thought about what purpose each wedge would have. I've overthought every other club in the bag, but haven't given the wedge setup/grind much thought

My main problem is that I do not practice. If I have the time, I'll play.  I've been feast or famine on playing this year.  I'll play 5 times in a 2-week stretch and then not again for another month.

[the_hammer]

I have a 50, 54, and 60 right now. Before I would use the 60 a lot to try and get “spin” on the ball but 50% of the time I would skull it over the green. That is when I got the 50 and now use that most of the time unless I am inside of 100 then I will use the 54 for more of a full shot. If I were to add another club and one needed to come out of the bag I do this the 60 would be the first to go. 

[Kenny B]

3 hours ago, gregh729 said:

So, do you use your 54 as your "sand wedge"?

Depending on the bunker, my 54 and my 60 are both "sand wedges".  The shot is the same; the difference is the distance. 

[Mr. 82]

Find a purpose for each club in your bag, especially your wedges.  Loft is irrelevant to me.  Ask yourself what purpose each club has that you need it for?  If you can't come up with a purpose, then toss the club.

Using the wedges as an example, here's my setup.

• 58° - shots from 90 yards and in.  Flop shots around the green, and any sand shots.
• 54° - full length shots from 100 yards.
• 50° - full length shots from 115 yards.
• PW - 125-130 yard shots, and bump and run pitch shots around the green.

I've tried various loft scenarios in my bag over the year, from a 60° to a 52° and everything in between.  I discovered that I can't hit a 60° no matter how hard I tried, so I gave up on that, and the 52° isn't needed with the 50 and 54°.

I've got the same argument going on with my 4 iron/crossover in my bag.  I honestly can't remember the last time I pulled this club for a shot that I really needed it on that I could have pulled either a 5 iron, or my 3 hybrid.  Shots from the 190-210 yard distance are so tough to make solid contact on anyway, that your value for the club used is so low as to be non-existent, mostly because we rarely hit those clubs.

But wedges are always being used - probably more than any other club.  Besides the putter, wedges are your money clubs.  Wear them out getting good with them, no matter what the loft is.

[tony@CIC]

Depending on the bunker, my 54 and my 60 are both "sand wedges".  The shot is the same; the difference is the distance. 

Same here. My wedge inventory is: PW=45*, GP=48*, 52,56, & 60. The 60* is key for me around the green with our tall rough and deep green side bunkers.


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[ZenGolfer]

I dropped my lob wedge recently and dont miss it.  Who needs a lob wedge when you can just open the face on a 54 or 56?

[Kenny B]

14 minutes ago, ZenGolfer said:

I dropped my lob wedge recently and dont miss it.  Who needs a lob wedge when you can just open the face on a 54 or 56?

Opening up a 54 with 14º of bounce on my course means blading the shot.  Might be fine on Bermuda or soft conditions, but hard tight lies... I need a 60.  Of course, I could get a 54 with less bounce, but then I wouldn't be as good out of the sand.

[ZenGolfer]

Opening up a 54 with 14º of bounce on my course means blading the shot.  Might be fine on Bermuda or soft conditions, but hard tight lies... I need a 60.  Of course, I could get a 54 with less bounce, but then I wouldn't be as good out of the sand.

IMO, any time you drop the lob wedge, it's a compromise. I dont open up my 54 if it's a tight lie. To be fair though, you'd probably run the risk of blading a 60 degree too in that instance.

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[Kenny B]

12 minutes ago, ZenGolfer said:

IMO, any time you drop the lob wedge, it's a compromise. I dont open up my 54 if it's a tight lie. To be fair though, you'd probably run the risk of blading a 60 degree too in that instance.
 

I agree.  That's why I switched from opening up my wedges to playing fairly square, and I've have had better results.  I do open up a wedge on occasion in a bunker if I'm close to the lip and need to get the ball up fast.

[azstu324]

These days, greenside and +/- 100 yd full shots get the lob. Depending on the lie or how I'm approaching will determine the shot, i.e. open, hooded, chunk, etc.

Anything in between I've been having a ton of success with a bumped PW or GW. I can keep those shots at half swing or below and have a much better outcome. It's when the club needs to get over half-plane is when I lose my control. Give an 80 yd a half PW and see how much easier it can be.

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

[the_hammer]

42 minutes ago, Middler said:

Can’t tell from your post. If it’s a high bounce 60, the loft may not be the problem.

The 60 is an 8 bounce. 

[Kenny B]

On 10/2/2019 at 5:21 AM, gregh729 said:

I played with Golfspy_CG2 about a month ago and he has/had (never know with him) the M grind in his 54. I used it to chip on a hole and really liked it.  My 54F is wearing out and needs replacing this winter, so that might be the way to go. I've always gravitated towards high bounce wedges for some reason. I need to give a lot of thought about what purpose each wedge would have. I've overthought every other club in the bag, but haven't given the wedge setup/grind much thought

My main problem is that I do not practice. If I have the time, I'll play.  I've been feast or famine on playing this year.  I'll play 5 times in a 2-week stretch and then not again for another month.

Practice with wedges is important; I spend a lot of time on the practice green and on the course working on different shots with my wedges, but then again I'm retired.  When you can't practice much, it's more critical that you have the proper wedge setup for your game and course conditions.  Anything less, you are fighting both your technique and your clubs when you don't practice.

[cnosil]

Can’t tell from your post. If it’s a high bounce 60, the loft may not be the problem.

I would lean toward technique first.

[the_hammer]

6 hours ago, Middler said:

That should be workable off grass, anything but a really tight lie or hard pan. But it does take a little practice to get used to a 60, I am glad to have mine when the situation calls for it (described earlier).

But I also get just losing confidence in certain clubs - I just dropped my 3H after forcing myself to use a hybrid for 3 years. I grew up with a 2-iron and used it a lot, now I have one again - even though there’s a “3” stamped in the sole, same loft as a 2i always used to be. Good luck!

Ha. Thanks. Just dropped the 3H too. I need to work on it or something. I always pull it left and most of the time can use a 4i or 5i but have never gone below that. Thanks for the feedback I might keep the 60 in there and practice with it a bit more. 

[cycleguy55]

I play 52, 56 and 60 deg wedges, with the 56 being the SW. I find the 60 great to have when my game is 'on', but nothing but trouble if I'm even the slightest but 'off' or 'rusty'. It's also got enough bounce that it's nothing but trouble on any kind of hardpan, so it's best left in the bag around that stuff. I don't recall the last time I used it in a trap, but it's handy to have around the greens when it's working.

[tony@CIC]

I play 52, 56 and 60 deg wedges, with the 56 being the SW. I find the 60 great to have when my game is 'on', but nothing but trouble if I'm even the slightest but 'off' or 'rusty'. It's also got enough bounce that it's nothing but trouble on any kind of hardpan, so it's best left in the bag around that stuff. I don't recall the last time I used it in a trap, but it's handy to have around the greens when it's working.

My personal opinion is that there's more to wedges than just the loft. I also carry a 52, 56 and 60. My 60 (Ping Eye 2) is perfect from the fairway 65 yards in or from green side rough and (soft sand) bunkers. We also have a couple of hard pan green side bunkers where my 56 (RTX3.0) is a better wedge vs the 60. Fortunately I either lucked out or learned how to live with what I have. My next trip to the fitter will be for a wedge fitting just to confirm what I have is the best combination.


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[GolfSpy_SHARK]

On 10/1/2019 at 10:45 AM, gregh729 said:

Might be time for me to drop the lob wedge.  Several years ago, I went 54/58 with wedges.  I only use the 58 for sand or very specialized chips.  I played with a friend the other day who has never used a lob wedge and is a wizard with a standard 56*.  I think the 56 would give me more options around the green with a 52 as my main chipping club. I tend to cut my chips, so a little less spin/extra roll would be good.

If nothing else, it'll give me something to play around with for the last 2 months of the season

So I just swapped from 52/56/60 (52 was a gap wedge not a true wedge in my eyes was part of my standard set) I revamped And grabbed the 50/54/58 in the cbx2’s. I typically utilized my 60 for softer short side shots and the sand. Was touchy with a full swing but could be done. 56 I used a lot more from distance than sand. But when looking for roll I typically use an 8 iron from a good distance and works really well anything from 8-PW works great. I am hoping my new wedges when I play give me some more versatility from distance and that the 58 is still my go to sand wedge because the 60 was pretty money from any bunker around the green 

[tony@CIC]

So I just swapped from 52/56/60 (52 was a gap wedge not a true wedge in my eyes was part of my standard set)

That's a good point. My gap wedge is a 48*, which btw works great for me (my PW 48*) so next naturally the next wedge up was a 52*


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[baddog]

56 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

My personal opinion is that there's more to wedges than just the loft...

A 58° is not a lob wedge in my book.  I call it my SLW because that's what I use it for; the sand and short sided chips, pitches and lobs.  I just dropped my 60° for a 58° and the 2° does make a big difference.  It comes down to the more forgiving nature of the lower lofted wedge.

As tony mentions above, it's not just the wedge loft.  I play from an open stance and face with my high lofted wedges and that's even easier with the PM Grinds I use.  Playing 4°, 5°, 6° open would make my 58° up to a 64°; more then plenty to pull off a lob.  My setup, my shot selection and what wedge grind and bounce has a big influence on what wedge lofts I prefer.

So really no right or wrong answer here, it comes down to individual preference and skill, what shots you are trying to make and what bounces / grinds you like/need to play.  Just have to experiment a bit with your wedges and the reason I have a closet full of them. 

Edited April 9, 2020 by baddog

[Kenny B]

A little over a year ago, I went from 50, 54, 58 wedges to 54 and 60.  The biggest difference between the 58 and my 60 is the shaft.  Still auditioning for a gap wedge.  They say that a high bounce wedge is not good on hard turf, but my 54 and 60 are 14º and 12º respectively and work great.  I have zero trouble hitting either off tight lies, but my 60 is my goto and distance is the only reason to use the 54.  Both wedges are used in bunkers; the 54 is my true sand wedge for longer greenside bunker shots, and the 60 is for the shorter shots.

[gregh729]

since i posted this, I've done some wedge buying. Just for kicks and the courses are closed, I picked up a 54/58 Cally MD4. I had 54 bent to 53. Now I can go P, 48, 53, 58 or stay with 48/52/56. The courses here in MD are closed, so I am waiting......

[zrumble]

I play a 48 (PW), 52, 56. My 56 is go to club. I hit as many shots off all sorts of lies with that one club, and stock pitches and bump and runs with the rest. It has 12* of bounce, but I’ve learned what I need to do in my setup to take adjust loft/lie/bounce. I like the theory of becoming an expert with one club for those of us that don’t have 8 hours a day and unlimited range balls. 

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, gregh729 said:

since i posted this, I've done some wedge buying. Just for kicks and the courses are closed, I picked up a 54/58 Cally MD4. I had 54 bent to 53. Now I can go P, 48, 53, 58 or stay with 48/52/56. The courses here in MD are closed, so I am waiting......

We're waiting in Washington too, which is why I haven't rushed out to get a gap wedge.  My PW is 44 and my SW is 54.  Since I don't take a full swing with SW or LW, the 6º gap is not really an issue, but 10º gap is too big between my PW and SW.  So, looking at 49-50 gap wedge.  I have Cally PM Grind SW and LW, but don't like the MD4 or 5.  Probably going with Cleveland CBX2.