Any scratch guys use 56 as highest lofted wedge?

[getitdaily]

39 minutes ago, R5Two said:

I think that particularly on fast green with large ungelation you are putting yourself at a disadvantage not having a 60° or equivelant. Totally possible to be scratch or plus with any equipment setup you can imagine, it just become harder as you have one less scoring club. That part of the game typically takes you from a 2-4 to scratch. My instructor has me worlingnshort game 80% of my available practice and it is paying off. That doesn't necessarily required a 60° wedge, but I'm not sure how I woukd stop a ball when I get shortsided without a 60°

Undulation too, yeah?

 

Unless by ungelation you're talking about hair gel melting back into goo in the hot afternoon sun?

[R5Two]

37 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

Undulation too, yeah?

 

Unless by ungelation you're talking about hair gel melting back into goo in the hot afternoon sun?

That too

[Canyonaro]

13 hours ago, getitdaily said:

If you practice a bunch with that 56 and are really good at ironing the face then rock on. I just can't imagine a scratch not carrying a 60. A few reasons

 

- what is going in the bag instead of the 60 and what benefit is gained vs a 60?

- a scratch golfer is probably playing some level of competitive golf and likely facing tournaments with greens that run quicker than normal courses.

- not having a 60 takes a degree of aggressiveness out of the longer game. Those tucked and short sided pins get a bit more caution.

 

But I really go back to my 1st point. Let's assume you go 

 

Driver

3w

One of: 5w/hybrid/utility iron (18-20 degree range)

4i (modern 3i - 22ish loft)

5i-pw (pw loft 46-48)

 

With pw then you have room to go 50-52 gap wedge and then 56.  That's 13 clubs including putter. So what else is going in the bag? How often are you using that extra club? What benefit would it provide over the versatility of the 60? 

 

I just don't see the benefit of not having a 58-60.

 

I personally go 46-50-54-60. 

 

To me, for a scratch or better, the question shouldn't be "do I carry a 60". The question should be "what bounce and grind are best in a 60, for me".

 

I play this same setup. My 54 has 12 degrees of bounce and my 60 has nine degrees of bounce. Anything less than 30 yards I'm using the 60. That's just always how I've played. Tried for years to chip & pitch with less loft and I just suck at it. Give me the 60 - one hop and bite. That's what I'm good at. Use whatever you're best at using!

[kevinmdowney]

18 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

Been as low as 2 cap, played at a D2 school and I've always had a 54* and 58* setup.  All the scratch and + cap guys/gals I play with either use 60* or 64* as their highest loft wedge.  Higher lofted wedges are necessary on hard and fast greens or pins that are tucked in corners IMO. 

Agree 100%

[NRJyzr]

9 hours ago, shoot4par said:

I'm shocked it wasn't mentioned but didn't Mr. Nicklaus play only a 56* for a long time? 

 

Funny you mention Jack....

 

He was known as having a somewhat indifferent short game.  Worked with Phil Rodgers later in his career.  One of the things Rodgers had him change was the loft of his SW from 56 to 58.

 

Of course, nothing between his PW and SW.  🙂

 

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, Esox said:

Heck even surlyn covered wound balls spun like crazy. I preferred surlyn  because it was too hard to keep balata from yanking back off the green on a full short iron.  I still prefer more moderate spin rates Like a TP5X with the incredible spin todays micromilled wedges produce.

Oh yes the wound Maxflis would spin good. I have a dozen a fellow Wrxer sent me and I play them some in fact I keep one in the bag for our Saturday shootout along with a Maxfli HT for our hard greens. And yes the modern micromilled wedges are agressive as heck. With my trap cut I have trouble controlling the spin on those but then again I prefer my old 588s and if I really want to get aggressive I have some Eye2s and some Zing wedges

[BIG STU]

3 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

Funny you mention Jack....

 

He was known as having a somewhat indifferent short game.  Worked with Phil Rodgers later in his career.  One of the things Rodgers had him change was the loft of his SW from 56 to 58.

 

Of course, nothing between his PW and SW.  🙂

 

OHH and the wound Maxfli balls I mentioned in the previous post we know where they came from--- Don't we ( wink smirk)

[indianagolf2]

Most are not going to play greens that:are that fast..56 yes 

[Esox]

4 hours ago, BIG STU said:

Oh yes the wound Maxflis would spin good. I have a dozen a fellow Wrxer sent me and I play them some in fact I keep one in the bag for our Saturday shootout along with a Maxfli HT for our hard greens. And yes the modern micromilled wedges are agressive as heck. With my trap cut I have trouble controlling the spin on those but then again I prefer my old 588s and if I really want to get aggressive I have some Eye2s and some Zing wedges

Wound surlyn Maxfli DDH 100's in the blue and silver box were my regular ball for a long time. Much more consistent and predictable than Titleist DT's.

Edited July 2, 2022 by Esox

[BIG STU]

16 minutes ago, Esox said:

Wound surlyn Maxfli DDH 100's in the blue and silver box were my regular ball for a long time. Much more consistent and predictable than Titleist DT's.

I played all the balata balls back in the day. When they came out with the HT-Balata that was my ball. The Wound Surlyn balls I liked were the Slazenger ones and Dunlop Maxfli

[kevinmdowney]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

I played all the balata balls back in the day. When they came out with the HT-Balata that was my ball. The Wound Surlyn balls I liked were the Slazenger ones and Dunlop Maxfli

When I started with Slazenger (97), the wound ball was towards the end. We sold the snot out of Raw Distance. The other 2-pieces did okay. The wound ball (can’t remember if it was balata, or the urethane cover by then) - that wound ball had a cult following. Anywhere the pro at the club played it, that ball did really well.

[wallymann]

On 7/1/2022 at 6:26 AM, GolfTurkey said:

 

I wonder what percentage of the tour pro wedges with 58 stamped on them are genuinely 58 degrees, and how many are bent a degree or two weak for extra bounce because they want more bounce than the standard bounce on the 60.

im about as far from a pro as one can get, and that's what i do! #morebounce

 

 

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, wallymann said:

im about as far from a pro as one can get, and that's what i do! #morebounce

 

 

Does not matter one Iota if that is what works for you. Yep I see where you have the lead tape too getting the flight down a little---- Yeah you know what works for your swing and game. And I also see what you are doing with the 2* lofts between the 54 and 56. If I saw those in a bag at a course I would say that you know what you are doing and more than likely have a good wedge game

Edited July 2, 2022 by BIG STU

[BIG STU]

8 hours ago, kevinmdowney said:

When I started with Slazenger (97), the wound ball was towards the end. We sold the snot out of Raw Distance. The other 2-pieces did okay. The wound ball (can’t remember if it was balata, or the urethane cover by then) - that wound ball had a cult following. Anywhere the pro at the club played it, that ball did really well.

By 97 I am thinking wound with a Surlyn cover. The Raw Distance I know they had an aggressive advertising campaign. 

[BirdieBob]

Yes....52* gap....56* sand...just open a bit if needed.

Put the 60* lob in sometimes and take out the Super Hy.

[bellview17]

Sorry, just a lowly 3. 45/50/53/56...

[Stinger83]

I currently have a 58 as my highest (buuuuuuut I'm probly going to add a 62 soon so no) 

[Bdck]

Too much utility in a higher lofted wedge.  I'd find myself wanting it, and that's worth a bag slot.

 

+4 fwiw

[kevinmdowney]

4 hours ago, BIG STU said:

By 97 I am thinking wound with a Surlyn cover. The Raw Distance I know they had an aggressive advertising campaign. 

Well Raw Distance was 2-piece.

 

But our wound ball was Balata forever, but then had urethane cover right after the Titleist Professional came out.

[AC168]

58 is lowest I’ve seen … depends a lot on course / green surrounds.  Skilled player on an easy course could get away with 56 as highest, but 60 is most common … then 62 and 58 … then 64 from courses I’ve seen.

[andyspey]

56 only for me just changed from ping tour s 56 to taylornade grind 3 tw , had the ping 56 for 12 years 🙈 scratch golfer . 

[RH82]

To hit a lob wedge consistently you need to be playing on a regular basis. Playing once a week like I do it’s a dangerous club to be using with more bad shots than good ones. I can do everything I need to do with the 56* and with better execution.

[Phabs]

I played to a +2.4 last year and have slipped a point this year.  I’ve always carried a 58* or a 60*.  My swing changes in the last 3-4 years have made me switch to a 58 over a 60 for yardage gapping and consistency.  I was getting the occasional slider with a 60 regardless of lie condition and going to a 58 got rid of the inconsistency.   

[kevinmdowney]

On 7/2/2022 at 1:13 AM, NRJyzr said:

 

Funny you mention Jack....

 

He was known as having a somewhat indifferent short game.  Worked with Phil Rodgers later in his career.  One of the things Rodgers had him change was the loft of his SW from 56 to 58.

 

Of course, nothing between his PW and SW.  🙂

 

PW much stronger then though.

[kevinmdowney]

20 hours ago, RH82 said:

To hit a lob wedge consistently you need to be playing on a regular basis. Playing once a week like I do it’s a dangerous club to be using with more bad shots than good ones. I can do everything I need to do with the 56* and with better execution.

This is very true. And some might say pw or gw better choice for standard shots, except when space doesn’t allow.

 

I have played with exceptional players whose default pitch / greenside club ranges from 46 to 60 degrees. But it’s easy to get ugly with the 60, that’s for sure.

 

I default to 56 because higher bounce, but not afraid of 60 in tight.

 

I can do 20-30 yard pitch. 60 yards is super soft LW.

 

30 to 60 is tricky yardage. And below 20 is frightening territory for me.

Edited July 5, 2022 by kevinmdowney

[f123acez]

Only carry 52 58 in wedge. Had a phase where I was 50/56/62 but 52-58 setup has been far superior for my game