Lob Wedge or No-Lob Wedge

[adonad]

I do like what I can do with a lob wedge. The problem is, that I am not consistent with it. And when it happens, disaster follows. So I decided not to bring it with me. 😞

[North Butte]

1 hour ago, adonad said:

I do like what I can do with a lob wedge. The problem is, that I am not consistent with it. And when it happens, disaster follows. So I decided not to bring it with me. 😞

So what type of shots cause a disaster with a LW and what club do you use for those shots when there is no LW in the bag?

[Hat Trick]

I was 50-54-58... but I decided to simplify my decision making and split the difference and now go 50-56.  My short game has never been better.

[adonad]

1 hour ago, North Butte said:

So what type of shots cause a disaster with a LW and what club do you use for those shots when there is no LW in the bag?

I have too much fun doing flop shots most of the time with a lob wedge. Instead of that, I use 54 and do half swing, controlled shot, or a long bump-and-run with a 7iron if it is close enough.

[Floyd the golfer]

I have 4 wedges in the bag.all 54° with different shaft lengths. same swing different result no delofting no forward or back in stance no open up the face no 7i pitch. It works for me. maybe I'll build a set of 60s the same and see how they work

[SwingBlade]

Can't even imagine playing golf without a LW whether 58 or 60 or 62.  Whatever works for you, but in this day and age, only carrying a 56 SW seems to lie somewhere between stubbornness and unwillingness to learn something new.  Same goes for 5W and/or 7W.   I remember when many pros carried only Driver & 3W.  Then a few begrudgingly began adding a 5W but literally only 2 or 3  pros also carried a 7W.  Now even super long hitters like Dustin often throw a 7W in.   The game and equipment continue to evolve and so should we.   Jack and Tiger also never used a scope in a major win but Phil certainly used one to win on Sunday.

 

But, all that having been said, a LW is rarely a good choice as a chipping tool.  Using a LW as a “one green side club does it all” solution is a very limiting choice.

Edited May 24, 2021 by SwingBlade

[uglande]

Yes on lob wedge but almost never for chipping.

 

Almost all my chips are with 54 or PW. The lob wedge is only good for chipping where I'm short-sided or I'm chipping into a downslope on a fast green.

[North Butte]

43 minutes ago, uglande said:

Yes on lob wedge but almost never for chipping.

 

Almost all my chips are with 54 or PW. The lob wedge is only good for chipping where I'm short-sided or I'm chipping into a downslope on a fast green.

Any shot I'd play with a LW doesn't really meet my definition of a "chip" anyway. It's something I'll used for pitching the ball to elevate it over obstacles, simple little "chip" shots don't really need a lot of loft.

[c_l_33]

This will always be a personal preference topic as most in golf end up being. Nevertheless I am currently in the no lob wedge camp simply because the way the top of my bag sets up I’m really only able to go down to a SW which I play at 56. Also, I prefer to bump and run around the greens whenever possible and feel comfortable using the SW for the green side situations where I can’t bump and run. I very rarely hit a full shot with LW so again for me it’s currently not in the bag. Although I do have one around juuuust in case lol. 

[jorgesgolf2]

I've used lob wedges in the past, but most of my golf is played on public, 'muni' courses that were built in the 1950-1960's if I would guess.  Even if the agronomy has improved, the greens aren't rolling over 10 and they are pretty flat.  When I take the course architecture into account, it just just doesn't seem necessary.  

Edited May 27, 2021 by jorgesgolf2

[north_east_pro]

My 60* lob wedge has been getting called into action too much of late. Visiting more bunkers than I'd like. 😬  

[WilCox]

My 58* lob is my primary bunker club so taking it out of the bag is out of the question.   I also like hitting flop shots when the situation calls for one, but I never chip with my lob.  Lots of players say they can do anything they need with a 56, I'm not one of them.

[Esox]

On 5/27/2021 at 11:35 PM, WilCox said:

My 58* lob is my primary bunker club so taking it out of the bag is out of the question.   I also like hitting flop shots when the situation calls for one, but I never chip with my lob.  Lots of players say they can do anything they need with a 56, I'm not one of them.

Same here. 58-10 S grind is ideal for me given the very firm sand at most of the courses I play, and it's ideal for flops over bunkers and water. Most of my approaches from 100-60 yds are knocked down spinners with the 50 mid bounce Cleveland Zipcore, which spins much better, and has more consistent flight  for me than my 50 degree Vokey did. The club I could do away with for most courses is the 54-14 Vokey, which seldom gets pulled.

[golfjam]

No more for me. I noticed I don't used 54 or 56 if I have a 58 or 60 and results are not as good. I'm an old timer, when I started I only carried one old Wilson Harmonized from a discount bin. I wouldn't mind adding a 62 or 64 for flops but I prefer to leave a space for 2 or 3 iron. Played 52/58 for a few years but 50/56 has been better this year.

Edited June 26, 2021 by golfjam

[NHenson815]

I use a 64 Callaway Jaws.  I'm comfortable using it, but it does take quite a bit of practice.  I needed to try several different shafts to find one that was viable.  I seem to get the best results from the Project X LS 130X due to the extremely stable tip (not sure it would work for everyone, but does the trick for me).  It definitely helps to play it shorter than a standard length for a wedge, and can choke down more as necessary.  Given that I'm not taking full swings, the short length isn't a problem.  In general, I'm not very good with short irons or wedges, so it's nice to be able to have confidence in something others wouldn't.  There is something about the ball popping up to nearly hit my face that is very satisfying (I'm sure it's just a visual illusion, lol).

[jimb]

I have carried a lob wedge for decades.  My first was the Callaway 59 degree Hickory Stick.  If you are playing elevated greens the lob wedge is invaluable if you short side yourself.  The lob wedge is invaluable for me.

[GatorNate11]

Unless I go super minimalist and only carry my 56°, I always carry 52°/60°. I've never understood the inherent "wrongness" of using a 60° around the greens. 

[Righty to Lefty]

I like high lofted wedges (60* or 65*) for greenside bunkers because it ensures that I will be able to, or better yet, forced to accelerate through the shot.  I almost never hit pitch shots with them and usually defer to my 55 or 52 but I will use a lob wedge when when I am forced to hit it.  I just let the shot required determine the club that I hit.  

[rt_charger]

In my mind there's 3 reasons to use a lob wedge:

- Extra height that the sand wedge can't make

- Extra spin that the other wedges can't give

- More of both, when the sand wedge either comes out too low or with not enough spin

 

I carry a 56 and 60, and default to a 50 or 56 unless I need one of the 3 above things.

 

It is definitely important for the modern golfer to learn to use one. With greens getting faster and firmer, they can be used as a get-out-of-jail card - precisely how I use it, and how they really should be used.

 

In the case I'll not need the lob wedge for a course, I'll take it out and sub for a club at the top end.

Edited July 1, 2021 by rt_charger

[dbleag]

I'm an old-school guy who carries a PW (45*), Gap (50*) and a S/L (56*).

 

I'm not afraid to hit pitches, bunker shots and/or lobs with any of the three.

 

I selected my current S/L with a versatile grind so I can employ my "educated hands" that I practiced many years to develop. 

 

It's just the way I learned to visualize those shots, and it obviously varies from course to course.

[Drivingrangehero]

I didn’t use one from 1993- 2015 since many of the irons I played had 48-50* PW’s. I typically played 54* 58*  wedges and like my wedges with less than 10* bounce. So, I think some decisions hinge on what your loft is on your PW. 

 

I recently took my 61* lob out. My PW is 46* so I go from there to a 51* with 6* bounce and a 56* with 8* bounce. I am in Massachusetts, so much of the sand is hard and wet at most local courses, unless you go down the cape (cape cod) or play some decent public or private courses. When I play a course that has soft sand I have a 56* with 13* bounce, but I did grind it some on the heel, so it may be less. 
 

 I can do everything with a 56* at 8 bounce that I can with my 61* with 5*, so I don’t see the benefit from carrying the lob any longer. Admittedly  my ball striking is scratch and my chipping is 12 handicap or worse 🤦‍♂️ if there is such thing as chipping yips, I have it.
 

I may be the wrong person to chime in, but I’m equally as bad with a lob as I am with a SW 😂 which is odd because I’m a very good bunker player. It’s the touch-type, finesse shots just off the green that blow up my scorecard. 

 

On another note, I’ve added in a useless club at the top of my bag that I have no business carrying (2iron) that may help my handicap go up in its place. 😝 

[RainShadow]

58* PM 2.0

Awesome around the greens and short bunker shots, and that's all I use it for.