Lob Wedge or No-Lob Wedge

[Chief Penguin]

Lob wedge definitely, but on the simplify vs “every club is a tool,” I’ve chosen to simplify.  I’ve played with only a 47 and 54 for the past year.  It’s fine, I can hit flop shots with the 54, and any variety of pitch shot.  I ordered a vokey 60 T to help stop the ball a little faster on some shots, as well as to help with the rock hard bunkers we have around here.

 

I kicked the 50 out of my bag because I went back and forth with pitch yardages between that and the 54, and I like hitting 125 with my 47 and I can hit the 54 120, so the 50 was pretty redundant. So I found it easier to get my yardages right from 50-105 by using one club for all those shots.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Chief Penguin

[Pepperturbo]

3 hours ago, rickybooby25 said:

I currently have a LW in the bag but have been debating on taking it out completely because it creates bad habits when facing a chip shot.  What are your thoughts?

That's interesting...  What bad habits does it create for you?

 

Even at my age, I still pit my short game against better golfers.  Reason being is younger guys are longer than me, so my short game has to make up the difference.  I have NO bad habits with any club.  In fact, my 58' saves pars and birdies quite often.  Earlier this week, driveable Par 4, +/-285yds, 3i to 60yd leave, LW to +/- 6' made birdie.  My 3 playing partners used driver but not sure what iron in, still they didn't do as well.  Thank you course mgt judgment and LW.

 

I have carried either a 60' or 58' LW since taking up the game over 30yrs ago.  I practice with LW nearly every day in my office.  There is NO favorite clubs in my bag, just tools to fit conditions.  Around the green, I could use LW, SW, PW or even 9i; depends on the conditions and or where I am in the game.  I don't carry any equipment because it's trending on Golfwrx.

 

The biggest mistake I see from people are they put a club in the bag but don't practice with it.  So it's a crap shoot whether it's effective.  In cases like that, other clubs are better suited.  Of course, it all depends on a persons golf goals. 

 

 

[rickybooby25]

21 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

That's interesting...  What bad habits does it create for you?

 

Even at my age, I still pit my short game against better golfers.  Reason being is younger guys are longer than me, so my short game has to make up the difference.  I have NO bad habits with any club.  In fact, my 58' saves pars and birdies quite often.  Earlier this week, driveable Par 4, +/-285yds, 3i to 60yd leave, LW to +/- 6' made birdie.  My 3 playing partners used driver but not sure what iron in, still they didn't do as well.  Thank you course mgt judgment and LW.

 

I have carried either a 60' or 58' LW since taking up the game over 30yrs ago.  I practice with LW nearly every day in my office.  There is NO favorite clubs in my bag, just tools to fit conditions.  Around the green, I could use LW, SW, PW or even 9i; depends on the conditions and or where I am in the game.  I don't carry any equipment because it's trending on Golfwrx.

 

The biggest mistake I see from people are they put a club in the bag but don't practice with it.  So it's a crap shoot whether it's effective.  In cases like that, other clubs are better suited.  Of course, it all depends on a persons golf goals. 

 

 

What I mean by bad habits is that I watch too many Phil Mickelson highlights... LOL

 

But really, I think I look to land the ball at the hole too much rather than reading the green and look to keep the ball on the ground.

[rickybooby25]

1 hour ago, RolandofGilead said:

I would counter that greens on tour are much faster nowadays than in the Jack/Seve eras, and more loft is helpful for that.

 

I recently added a 60* not for greenside play, but for better distance control on those 30-70 yard shots that come up on par 5s and when out of position on par 4s. I still stick to mostly GW and SW around the greens. LW only for extreme circumstances.

Yeah I definetley use it for <80 yards but sometimes I default to my 60 around the greens too much rather than trying a bump-and-run shot.

[abenjami]

Here's what works for me.

 

I carry a 60* lob (PM Grind).  But I rarely ever chip with it.  I chip with my 50 and either my 54 or 56 (depending on which one is in my bag that day).

 

I don't like chipping with my 60.  It's too much loft.  The ball doesn't roll out well unless I de-loft it like crazy, and then I sacrifice too much accuracy.  But it's an awesome club to have for pretty much everything else inside of 60 yards that I need to drop and stop.

[jomatty]

I think there is a reason the modern pro golfer used the lob wedge as their primary club for chipping.  I know people will disagree with this, and their are exceptions, but it seems like a very high percentage of shots inside 80 yards are with a lob wedge these days.  How good you need to be to regularly use a lob wedge is debatable though.  Personally I can’t see any decent single digit player not benefiting from having one.  Conversely I can’t see many 20+ hcp benefitting.  Those in between I guess have a decision to make...

[Pepperturbo]

34 minutes ago, rickybooby25 said:

What I mean by bad habits is that I watch too many Phil Mickelson highlights... LOL

 

But really, I think I look to land the ball at the hole too much rather than reading the green and look to keep the ball on the ground.

Got ya... lots of Golfwrx guys do both, so you're not alone. 

 

Most people don't spin the ball enough to hit the ball at the pin and stop it, yet they persist, and I often win the money, so I am grateful. 😛  Often, it doesn't matter what ball they are playing.  It may spin plenty only they don't hit it correctly, so it doesn't stop next to the pin.  Then there are those that don't know how to control spin, they create too much so the ball spins backward, too far, so they end up with 2-3 putts I win the money. 🙂

 

Couple weeks back I hit a wayward tee shot that hit the fairway but ended 10' in the right rough.  I had 165yds to middle but 185yds to pin in the back on a little 5' high elevated area section 3 paces to apron.  The green had 3 notable undulations running across the green left to right, and the greens were 11+.  Anyway given conditions, I chose to hit to 10-20' from green front, and I used a 9i to run the ball to the back platform 3', tap in par.  My buddies looked at me and shook their heads.  Could have used a LW or SW, but LW would likely come backward down the slope, and SW might have bounce off the back side.   

 

Pick the right tool for the job, not the other way around and know what your ball will do.

 

@jomatty is right - pros and better amateurs use LW and premium balls because of the speed of the greens, and they have a good sense as to how the ball will behave when properly struck.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[glm]

The best place for a LW is in the trunk of your car.    JMO

 

[Mookieb10]

3 hours ago, RolandofGilead said:

I would counter that greens on tour are much faster nowadays than in the Jack/Seve eras, and more loft is helpful for that.

 

I recently added a 60* not for greenside play, but for better distance control on those 30-70 yard shots that come up on par 5s and when out of position on par 4s. I still stick to mostly GW and SW around the greens. LW only for extreme circumstances.

Green speed is the most influential variable in my eyes. I watch a lot of Dan Henrickson course vlogs and those guys SMASH putts. Dan and his brother carry a 58 with ease. For me, I’ve tried to go 52/58 and I simply cannot stop the ball on our greens. 

[miles2go]

I play 60* lob wedge for everything from 50 yards in. Takes lots of practice but pays off later.  Lots of ways to do it though.  Buddy plays 8 or 9 iron into the rough and rolls it up consistently.   I hate the style but it works.  

[MrJones]

I've got a 62° in the bag right now that I play almost all of my pitch shots (usually 15 yards or more) with. Easy to hit, easy to get spin. But for chips, I use the lowest lofted club I can to get the job done. I rarely, if ever, "chip" with my 62°.

[TwistedSister]

For a normal chip why would anyone use a LW to chip?  LW is to hit the ball high and stop it short.  That is not the proper method for a normal chip which is to get the ball on the ground ASAP and roll it like a putt. 

[Moby]

No lob wedge here, 56* does everything I need..

[Maroon_19]

4 wedges - JPX919 Forged P at 46, Artisan wedges at 50, 54, and 58 in the bag.  I play all four, plus 7, 8, and 9 irons around the green depending on lie, stance, amount of green to work with, and green speed.  I can't imagine getting locked into one club around the green.

[jtmagic]

Put a 62 degree Vokey in the bag this year and really like it for bunkers and chipping to the elevated greens at my course. Took some practice to get comfortable. 

[AP76]

I was 51, 56 and 60 but now down to 52 and 58 to make some room at the top of the bag. No doubt the 60 can be a great club when really needed but how often do we actually need all that loft? The 58 will be much more versatile for me, will do the job of the 56 and 60. Personally I only use loft when it's needed, I prefer to play a chip and run shot as it's more reliable and even if you don't strike it perfectly it still works.

[jomatty]

1 hour ago, dhacker56 said:

For a normal chip why would anyone use a LW to chip?  LW is to hit the ball high and stop it short.  That is not the proper method for a normal chip which is to get the ball on the ground ASAP and roll it like a putt. 

That is a narrow view of what the lw is for.  

[TwistedSister]

33 minutes ago, jomatty said:

That is a narrow view of what the lw is for.  

Narrow?  How much golf exerience do you have ?  54 years?

[brutus27]

LW is essential for me. Just replaced my worn 60 degree Vokey SM6 S Grind (7* bounce) with a 60 degree TM MG raw (10* bounce). Really liking my new wedge. I demoed it and ordered it w/ a Nippon Tour 105 shaft 2* flat lie. This club is way more versatile due to the bounce and grind than the Vokey. I am now using it from the fairway and around the green more too than I used to with the Vokey. But the main reason I have the 60 is for the deep green side bunkers at my club. It is my go to for most bunker shots. Now I will use my 56 with 12 degrees of bounce for real deep sand and longer bunker shots. I’m a decent bunker player, as I except to get up and down at least 50% on a good day.

[indianagolf2]

Prob better off playing no higher then 56 and looking to use that club for different shots. I've seen this.memtioned by pros...most still don't go higher then 58..most don't go higher then 60 except mickelson

[rxk9fan]

I absolutely feel the need for a 58 or 60 in my bag.  From 55yds to 70yds that is my go to 100%.  I will also use it when short sided and have a bunker to carry.  Lastly, with a really short bunker shot and a lip...I got to have it 🙂

When playing well I rarely need my lob.  When struggling, the lob comes into play much more.

[rkillian]

I’ve played with 58s in a few setups and have a high bounce 60 now. I rarely use it. My short game is better when I’m trying to use as low of a loft as I can get away with for the desired result. The 60 I have now comes out situationally. I’m still learning to make the right decisions for situations. But with any club, I think that’s the way to go. That said, if I’m only bringing a half set out I’ll go 4W, 5i, 7i, 9i, AW(48), 56, Putter most of the time. So do I need a lob wedge? Maybe..

[SwingMan]

12 hours ago, rickybooby25 said:

Hey WRXers, let's debate on this subject...

 

Do you use a Lob wedge in your current set-up or not?  Players nowadays immediately default to using a LW when playing a chip shot around the greens.  I currently have a LW in the bag but have been debating on taking it out completely because it creates bad habits when facing a chip shot.  What are your thoughts?

 

Use it when it's useful. I use a 55 deg much of the time around the greens unless the shot calls for a lob wedge. What shot? Depends on your game. But I love to use a lob wedge. It's great for very short chip/pitches just off the green ala Phil.

Edited April 24, 2021 by SwingMan

[rickybooby25]

6 hours ago, jomatty said:

I think there is a reason the modern pro golfer used the lob wedge as their primary club for chipping.  I know people will disagree with this, and their are exceptions, but it seems like a very high percentage of shots inside 80 yards are with a lob wedge these days.  How good you need to be to regularly use a lob wedge is debatable though.  Personally I can’t see any decent single digit player not benefiting from having one.  Conversely I can’t see many 20+ hcp benefitting.  Those in between I guess have a decision to make...

Very well said

[jomatty]

3 hours ago, dhacker56 said:

Narrow?  How much golf exerience do you have ?  54 years?

I’m not trying to argue but if you think that most competent golfers only use a lob wedge to hit it high and stop it short, then I believe that is a narrow view of what it is used for.  If you watch any golf on tv you will see many different shots hit with a lob wedge, including chips.

not sure how much golf experience o have is relevant.  It is less than 54 years.  That doesn’t make me incapable of seeing what the best players on tour do with a 60 degree wedge (I’m 43, although not sure what that matters)

[AcesAndHoles]

11 hours ago, North Butte said:But I swear it's not a big harder to make a stock swing with the 58 than with the other wedges or a short iron. And it's certainly easier to hit well than a 5-iron!

 

I've never really understood what's supposed to be so unforgiving or disaster-prone about a wedge just because it has 58 or 60 degrees of loft. Around the greens I usually putt or pitch the ball with a gap wedge but the LW sure comes in handy for short pitch shots. 

 

Now if we're talking about 14-year-old kids who like to play a 10-yard chip shot with an open-faced lob wedge and hit it 50 feet in the air, like a Phil Mickelson commercial, that's silly of course. But the cure to that isn't eliminating a club from the bag. They just grow up. Or don't.

Ive never understood what’s so hard about hitting a 60* wedge. I bought my first one for $10 at a garage sale riding a 25 handicap and never looked back. I even have a $30 Wilson Harmonized 64* that taught me finesse for green side control. 
 

Cmonnnn you can’t tell me the 10 foot 50’ apex shot isn’t ballsy glorious and impressive though. I say Peter Pan all the way. 

[4x4GGG]

I hit my lob wedge more times in a round than I do my 3W. Don't ask me when for either, I'll know when I know. 

[MB Dirtyy]

I'm sure it's been discussed to death, but I think it depends how each person delivers the club and how fast of greens you play on. Personally, I can hit any shot with a 52 and 56, but I can't hit low shots (I'm talking waist high or lower) with my 60 without delivering the club drastically different and when I try, it introduces a lot more risk when I can simply just club up. I benched my 60 for another club at the other end of the bag.

Edited April 24, 2021 by MB Dirtyy

[ChipNRun]

9 hours ago, RolandofGilead said:

I would counter that greens on tour are much faster nowadays than in the Jack/Seve eras, and more loft is helpful for that.

 

Interesting comparisons here involving a classic course in Pinehurst zone. Several years ago the club decided to replant its greens with a strain of fine-bladed modern turf.

 

Turned out to be a major problem. Most shots from above the hole would run off the green and back into the fairway. We're talking putts and wedge shots. The problem? The greens were built with a lot of break and contour, and the newer turf offered no resistance to the downward path of the ball.

 

Club had a choice: replant the older, coarser grasses onto the green, or bring in earth-movers to lessen the contour of several of the greens... Sorry, I never did find out what the course did.

[Rapidcat]