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Do you carry a Lob wedge or is 56 Degree enough?


Sanders74

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One of the most enjoyable aspects of golf is that it is environmental. An endless variable of change. Weather, course conditions, the course itself, your ability to adapt to changing conditions, walk, or ride. You can make your own list. Playing public courses in LA can be a challenge unto itself.

Personally, I play 3 wedges of 588 Clevelands, 56, 53, and a PW 48. And one of my goals is to use my 8 & 9 irons more around the greens. I use my PW for most of my shots around the green, my 53 next, and SW last.

Like everyone else, I am trying to find the most consistent way for me to get within 3ft. of the pin. There is something to be said for the old rule of getting the ball on the green as quickly as possible, and then let the ball run out.

However, when I realized that to play this game well you have to have a solid short game, and getting the right SW is super important. My first one was the one I still play with now. I quickly found out that practice, and more practice is a must in order to score with this club. I like to practice, so I learned how to hit lots of different shots with the SW. If I need to hit a lob I just open up the face various degrees to match the shot needed.

I have a 60, but I find that for me I can hit most of the shots I need to make with my 56. Also, practice time is limited, and I found that to use that efficiently spending time on the 60 was not paying off. Spending more time on my PW has helped my game the most.

I would recommend to beginner golfers to stay away from the 60, and part time golfers as well.

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I play a 48, 52, 58, 64 set. Both 58 and 64 are Callaway PM grinds. I am in the process of trying to find similar versatility with the 48 and 52.

 

With good touch on the 64 (coming with practice), I have place the ball 1 foot from my stand bag and popped it over full height - landing within 8yards. It's gotten to a point where mini floaters/pitches for 10, 20 and 30 yards are with 64, 58 and 52 respectively with same set up.

 

I use 58 and 64 at greenside bunkers. With the 64 I have been known to rip it to a stop.

 

It's interesting to see Utley recommending 58 in his The Art of Short Game and the recent Golfwrx article regarding wedges stating most tour players saw 58 and 60 as their main wedge out of the sand. If you follow that train of thought with natural gapping, 56 isn't the end all.

 

There is a caveat: certain grinds to allow full opening. Cleveland DSGs was the first wedge I could get repeatable results for this. That was great fun.

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I carry a 62 but it is used 1-2 times a round tops. I only use it on green side bunker shots that are extremely close to the pin (<10ft) and shots that require me to go straight up and over. I've done everything in my power to stay away from using it unless I absolutely have to. And I never use it on full shots. No sense in making the game any harder than I have to!

Driver-SIM2 9* 

3 wood-TM SIM 14* 
5 wood-TM SIM 18*
3H- Ping G400
5i-Ping g700 
6-PW Ping i500 
AW/SW/LW- Titleist SM8
Putter-Evnroll EV5 Black
Ball-Bridgestone B X/Prov1x Yellow

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I walk and carry my bag. I play 4 wedges: 46,52,56,60. I don't use my 60 much but when I do it makes a difference. Especially when the lie is tight and pin is tucked, I feel more comfortable taking a full light swing than a half slightly harder swing. With the half swing intended to decelerate or accelerate too fast. If you were looking to save weight you could go 48,54,60 set up. It really all depends on how you play your touch shots, course conditions and your comfort zones.

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I never got on with the high lofted wedge. My overall swing is grooved more towards driver and hybrid, so when I've tried a 58 or 60 I could always hit nice delicate shots when my round when to crap and I wasn't thinking, but whenever I needed it I usually pop it up and end up way short.

 

I like 56 as my highest lofted club and know I'm not missing anything doing so

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I use a 54 mainly for everything from around 60m/greens/bunkers, am thinking of adding a 58 as I'm considering joining a club with some pretty steep green side bunkers.

 

I felt a bit inferior to a lot of players I played with seeing they had a crazy amount of wedges in their bag, but then came across an article from Jimmy Walker which basically reinforced my thoughts in which he said just play one for the majority of those wedge shots and do it right.

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My highest-lofted wedge is 58. I just found that I rarely used the 60, which stays in the garage. If I play a course with pot bunkers, I'll dust it off.

Adams Speedline 9088UL 10.5* AXIVCore 69 Black (S) Ping G SF Tec 3W, 5W Alta 65 (R) Ping G 4H,5H Alta 70 (R) Ping G 6-U TT XP 95 (soft R) Ping Glide 54*, 58* WS TT XP 100 (R) Ping Darby Sigma G

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I go 50/58 with my PW(10iron) being 45 degrees.

 

I'm comfortable hitting 95% of shots inside 120 yards with this setup. Occasionally I have a shot that a 54* would be perfect for but I usually can make it work with the 50*.

 

How's your bounce/grind situation on your 58?

 

I've been thinking this could work for me, but it just so happens both my current 50 and 58 are pretty low bounce and I feel like that might hurt sometimes.

 

The 50* is the i20 u-wedge which is just stock. The 58* is a mizuno MP-T10 with 10* of bounce. I play in SETX so it can be super soggy or dry hardpan at anytime. Standard bounce seems to work best overall.

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A 56 is enough - and I played that for many years. I've also played 53 + 59.

 

But I play a 52 56 60. I just prefer a 60 out of many sand shots and for a flop once or twice every couple of rounds. Also the different grinds can give more flexibility (I feel) when encountering different conditions / soggy or hard fairways.

 

I don't feel the need to add another wood or hybid, so realistically the 14th slot takes a wedge or goes empty. Might as well add the flexibility around the green.

 

That sums it up for me. I could easily play Driver, 4w, 4iron to Gap, 56 and putter. That's only 12 clubs. So I throw in a 5w and 60 wedge.

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47/52/56/60

 

My set-up as well. Although I believe my old copper Ping lob wedge is actually 61*. At least that's what the specs say if you look up the older clubs on their website.

 

Rarely if ever take full shots with the lob. It's primarily my bunker club as the thing is just automatic out of a greenside bunker. Much more reliable than my 56*.

 

The 56 dies the rest of the heavy lifting on pitches and chips inside of 100.

 

52 is my 95-105 yard full swing club as well as chips I want to run a bit.

 

Don't feel I miss anything at the long end of the bag either. 4i had to go if I want to carry 2 hybrids which I do. A 4h and 2h. 4h much more consistent than a 4i for me. Only thing I really loose is the ability to punch it really low under trees when in trouble.

 

 

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Depending on my bag setup at the upper end I'll either carry 54/58 or just a 56. However, I recently picked up a Callaway SureOut in 64° that I have been subbing for the 58°. I don;t get in many sand traps but am absolutely loving it on shots where I have short-sided myself.

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I enjoy reading everyone's comments. I am a 5 handicap and I carry a 52 and a 58, my PW is 47 and have for at least 10 years. Max distances are 105, 85, 120 respectively.

 

Since I rarely practice, these work for me. I had tried a 60 a while ago but it cost me more shots than it saved

Driver, Sim2 with Hrzds Black 6.0

3-Wood, SLDR with Hzrds Smoke Black 5.5

3 Hydrid, Sldr with Smoke Black 5.5

Irons, Apex 2019 with Your Elevate stiff

Wedges, Vokey 48, 52, 58

Putter, Odyssey White Hot number 7 

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I carry 52, 56, 64 and the 64 is the most versatile club I have in the bag. It gets me out of many a jam. Bunkers, high flops and full shots are the norm. It goes about 80 yards full and I can carry high obstacles at very close proximity. I was afraid of it initially, but using it regularly and practicing has made it my go-to club in sticky situations. I even custom ground the sole for less bounce and lob use.

TM 2016 M2 12*(-2 setting) - OG Grafalloy Blue X, 43.5"

TEE XCG7 16.5* 4w, OG Grafalloy Blue S, 41.75"

Wilson D9 18* 4i, KBS Max-R, 39.5”

Cobra King OS 4-G, TT XP95 R300, -.5
Mack Daddy CB 56.14(2* weak)  60.12(3*  weak)

Edel Brick

 

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I used to walk.... But fixing up golf carts and making them cool is too fun.

 

 

I get the walking thing, is there any reason you wouldn't want to roll a push cart around? Had those too.

 

 

Anyway. I carry a set 47* PW, and 52* 56* and 60* all Callaways.

 

I use my 56* for anything under 90 yards in. 60* is for close up sandy shots or probably 75% of chips and pitches. If the lie is SUPER tight, I'll drop to my PW, and putt one up close(hopefully)..

 

Plus, a push cart has a cup holder....just sayin'

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There is no correct answer here. I play a 57* as my highest lofted wedge, and I never open it up. Its a 12 bounce RAC grind and I can hit super-high shots by hinging my wrists like crazy 90*. Its a skill. Just like anything else, its completely player-dependent.

 

There are literally two things that matter in choosing a 56 or a 60 - 1. Do you hit down on your short game shots? 2. Do you accelerate your swing into the finish for 95% of your short game shots?

 

If the answer to both is "yes", congrats! You have a good short game and it doesn't matter.

If the answer to either is "no", d'oh! You are going to struggle in the short game regardless of the number stamped on your club and it doesn't matter.

 

There are two ways to stop a ball - spin and height. 60* helps stop it with height, 56* with spin.

 

It is incredibly unlikely it matters. If you have a fearless, good short game swing (i.e. you hit the ball hard on every shot and you hit down) you can use either.

 

So is a 56* enough? Sure. But you never see it on tour any longer even though short game superstars like Seve and Watson pretty much just used a 56*..

 

Greens on tour and the ball are different than their day, all the guys on tour use at least 58* I believe. But if you don't play courses that have extremely fast greens or you just don't need the stopping power of a lob wedge then simplifying your wedge game is probably a good thing.

 

I use a 58* and have for many years, I used to use the 56,60 set up but found I used the 56 a lot and the 60 just got me in trouble. When I went 58* it seemed to be the best of both worlds.

 

So personally I would say with the modern ball and greens a 58* is optimal for most people, if you are comfortable with a 56* then go for it.

 

They don't play the lob wedge for around the green. They use it, but only because it has the highest loft. They play it because they are so long they need more clockwork wedge shots from the fairway. if you took 100 yards off every pros drive starting tomorrow, the 56/60 would be cut for a 58 and they'd all play another hybrid. In fact if you look at the bags of the slow swingers OR the bags the senior players bring to the majors when the qualify that is exactly what they do. Pros play 3 wedges because of the fairway, not the greenside. They could use anything greenside given two weeks to practice with it.

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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