Might be time to drop the Lob wedge

[Ben Hogan mark]

For me I have to practice, practice, practice with a lob wedge to maintain the ability to use it in play. As long as I am putting in the practice the results shows on the course.

[ZenGolfer]

Id say a 58 is still a lob wedge.  We're only talking 2 degrees of difference here.  While I do agree that a 58 is a little more forgiving than a 60 is, there isnt that much difference.  For a couple years I played a set of Mizuno JPX 800s, which have stronger lofts (I believe the PW was 45 and the GW was 50), so I played a 54/58 wedge setup.

It worked out OK but I often found that I had a hole between the GW and 54 and the 54 and 58.  I felt like I always had to lay off of the 54 or try to muscle up on the 58, which was never a good idea.

Thats why you have to select wedge lofts based upon the distances that you often find yourself in, not just to fit certain gaps into your set, IMO.

[Middler]

I’ve dropped my 60* lob wedge since I posted last Fall. It’s very satisfying when I pull it off, but my regular course is all tight lies except rough, and if I blade a chip with the 60* it usually costs me 2 strokes. And there’s no reason to use it unless I’m short sided, so I chip with an 8 iron where possible as a bladed 8 might still be on the green but certainly much closer than a 60*. And I can use my 56* in a pinch, so the 60* has been benched.

[zrumble]

I’ve also found that to be consistent with a higher loft wedge you need to hit chips and pitches like little cuts. The slightly out-to-in path takes the leading edge out of the shot. Very difficult to have and in-to-in swing path with a wedge, and in-to-out is blade territory. 

[cycleguy55]

17 hours ago, tony@CIC said:

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*


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

My set is 52/56/60, but the gap from my 45 deg PW to 52 deg AW is more than those gaps, so a better set for me is probably 50/55/60. 

[MDGolfHacker]

For many years I carried 3 wedges topping out at 58*.  Always loved playing the 58*, but with such a low bounce, it cost me a lot of strokes.  Finally went back to going with a 52*/56* setup.

MDGolfHacker

[Manimal26]

On 10/1/2019 at 9:45 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

Wedges I feel are separate from the rest of my bag and I do not include PW since I look it more like a 10 iron. When I switch to my 52/56/60 they all do certain things at specific times.  I however would never base my choice on what someone else uses. Just because they are a wizard does not mean I can do the same thing they can.  I would also never trade my LW for a club at the top because the times i need the lw are for scoring opportunities and I would rather be in between off the tee and hit one extra club on my next shot than need the lw to get up and down or make a great approach into a green. Just my thoughts, but maybe do a wedge fitting once things open back up 

[silver & black]

I use 50, 54 and 58 wedges. My 58 hates me. I keep it in the bag hoping it will see the light...lol.

[SlowNLow]

On 4/8/2020 at 11:27 PM, cycleguy55 said:

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.

Me too.   The 60 has to be used very wisely, else disaster is the result.    Blade, chunk, cha, cha, cha.   

Have much better results with the 56, and as the years go by, I am using it 99% of the time.  The 60 is feeling very neglected.

 

[RetiredBoomer]

A high or even medium bounce 60º can't be hit from forward in the stance as one would want to play a high, vertically landing shot.

You have to keep hands forward with high bounce from a tight lie, and that's not the shot that you're playing.

Keep the bounce at 3 or 4º and suddenly the sixty lob isn't so hard to hit.

[Kenny B]

47 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

A high or even medium bounce 60º can't be hit from forward in the stance as one would want to play a high, vertically landing shot.

You have to keep hands forward with high bounce from a tight lie, and that's not the shot that you're playing.

Keep the bounce at 3 or 4º and suddenly the sixty lob isn't so hard to hit.

I disagree.  I always play my Callaway 60 PM Grind with 12º bounce center to a little forward in my stance, and I have no trouble hitting a lob shot; and I'm playing from tight, firm lies.  The sole grind has a lot of influence on the shots you can play, and you need a shallow AoA.  If you tell someone like me with a flat swing that I need 3 or 4º of bounce, then every shot will dig too much.  Bounce is your friend.

[tony@CIC]

8 hours ago, Kenny B said:

I disagree.  I always play my Callaway 60 PM Grind with 12º bounce center to a little forward in my stance, and I have no trouble hitting a lob shot

Same here with my EYE2 - middle to slightly forward. This is one of the best clubs in my bag 

[RetiredBoomer]

10 hours ago, Kenny B said:

I disagree.  I always play my Callaway 60 PM Grind with 12º bounce center to a little forward in my stance, and I have no trouble hitting a lob shot; and I'm playing from tight, firm lies.  The sole grind has a lot of influence on the shots you can play, and you need a shallow AoA.  If you tell someone like me with a flat swing that I need 3 or 4º of bounce, then every shot will dig too much.  Bounce is your friend.

Bounce isn't my friend when it doesn't let me get the leading edge all the way down on a soft shot.

A shallow angle of attack leaves the leading edge hitting high on the ball when you have too much bounce.  You need a steep angle of attack to get the leading edge down and that's not the shot that your playing.

How does a shallow angle of attack allow the club to dig? The ball is forward in your stance so your swing has leveled out; it's almost like hitting a driver off the deck.

I learned the shot in 1978 when the lob wedge was first introduced, and the shot as I learned then specifically called for a minimal bounce wedge.

The ball lands as if it were a parachute, steeply vertical.

You'll notice that Vokey and Cleveland both offer very low bounce sixties for those who play the shot that I'm talking about.

The RTX4 still offers a very low bounce 58, but Vokey dropped it going from the SM7 to the SM8.

Edited April 11, 2020 by RetiredBoomer

[zrumble]

I use my 56* with 12* of bounce for flop shots off hardpan when I’m making bets with my buddies. Open it up to darn near parallel to the ground, which increases the bounce, then play it like a wristy cut shot where you let the clubhead pass your hands under the ball. It can be done. Not for the weak-kneed or with windows behind the target. 

[RetiredBoomer]

In configuring a set, I prioritize having the club I want for every specific shot OVER having even gaps at every distance.

I have loft overlaps like a driving iron and fairway wood of nearly the same loft so I have both the specific shots that I want.

I just choke down if I'm in between clubs, because having the kind of club that I want is more important.

This probably influences the way I play, but I HAVE to have a very low bounce wedge for finesse shots, and I also like a wedge with a very curved leading edge specifically for greenside bunkers.

 

[zrumble]

Then again I was playing a 14 club challenge with some guys, where you can only use each club once, and I hit a bad shot under the greenside bunker shortsided to the flag. My playing partner about pissed himself laughing when I flopped an 8 iron to 12 feet. I’ve got a long flat swing with a lot of wrist timing. So I’ve always been good at making shots happen, and bad at keeping it in the fairway. 

[Kenny B]

31 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

Bounce isn't my friend when it doesn't let me get the leading edge all the way down on a soft shot.

A shallow angle of attack leaves the leading edge hitting high on the ball when you have too much bounce.  You need a steep angle of attack to get the leading edge down and that's not the shot that your playing.

How does a shallow angle of attack allow the club to dig? The ball is forward in your stance so your swing has leveled out; it's almost like hitting a driver off the deck.

I learned the shot in 1978 when the lob wedge was first introduced, and the shot as I learned then specifically called for a minimal bounce wedge.

The ball lands as if it were a parachute, steeply vertical.

You'll notice that Vokey and Cleveland both offer very low bounce sixties for those who play the shot that I'm talking about.

The RTX4 still offers a very low bounce 58, but Vokey dropped it going from the SM7 to the SM8.

I have no problem keeping the leading edge down to hit a high shot.  I've tried low bounce wedges and with a shallow AoA there is a high risk of chunks.

Everyone is different in how they play shots and what types of clubs work best for their shot.  There is NO one way that a shot can be played.  

[pulledabill]

I play a high a Vokey SM7 58 (12) and it's great until I get on some of the nicer courses I play during tournament play.  I'm steep and I play in generally a wetter environment than many of you, so my grind, swing,  and bounce works until I get tighter lies.  I've been playing a few different lower bounce 60's and haven't fallen in love as of yet.  I could probably save money and flatten my swing and stay with the 58, but as I look as others WITB, I might play around with a 62 or even a 64 for green side play and under 50 yards.  I will probably end up with two sets of wedges eventually if I can't flatten out as bit. 

What I am saying is don't give up and play with some different bounces and grinds in different conditions.  There is a reason many top players use a lob wedge.  Practice, bounce, and concentration is your friend. 

[gregh729]

I've actually surprised myself and not bought much during my shutdown.  However, I now have 4 sets of wedges

Ping Tour 54/58

Titleist 54F/58D (or 58K)

Callaway MD4 54S (bent to 53)/ 58W

Taylor Made 52/56

It's going to be a few more weeks until I can get out again. Lots of testing to be done!

[SnoopMatty]

I love wedges.  I used to carry a 52, 56, 60, and 64.  I dropped the 64.  It's tough to hit and I can do just fine with my 60, which is one of my favorite clubs.  Vokey SM7