Why do you need a lob wedge?

[kiawah]

If you practice enough and use some sort of system ("clock" method, 1/2, 3/4, full swing, etc.) so you're able to hit the ball to three different distances reliably with each wedge, the number of weapons you'll have to attack shots from 20-100 yards will increase. If you have four wedges, you can cover basically every distance reliably and even have multiple choices at some yardages that might better suit certain shots. I can't even imagine playing a round with a 56 as my highest lofted club. You can only hit so many different shots with an extra wood or driving iron. Having a lob wedge allows you to hit spinnier shots or soft landing flops that you simply can't execute as well when you have to manipulate a sand wedge.

[petep5280]

This makes me wonder why golf courses have bunkers too. 

[DFS PFD]

To each their own, I play fast green with lots of undulation so being able to hit precise carry distances and control spin is critical to scoring. I've dropped my 52* and 56*, and only carry 54* and 60* wedges now. 60* helps me with scoring more than any other club in the bag.  

[North Butte]

58 minutes ago, ChristopherMcDonald said:

Use my 60 for anything 50 yards and in. Can do anything I want with it really. I find it simplifies my game a bit knocking there's only one club I'll use in a variety of up-close situations

And if you are going to use just a single club for all those 30, 40, 50 yard shots from all sorts of situations, it sure as heck makes since to put plenty of loft on it instead of trying to prove a point by always using a 50-degree gap wedge. 

[North Butte]

If you're a Vokey lover, another advantage to carrying a 58 or 60 degree wedge is you can get a K-grind. It's basically as forgiving as one of those specialty old-guy/hacker gimmick wedges except in a lovely Vokey form factor. 🤫

[Thayneil]

14 hours ago, Phireside said:

i ditched my LW many years ago. 56 is fine by me.

read that  chipping and pitching should always be done by  keeping or increasing the loft through impact  never decreasing

 

so  99%  of the time  56  should be enough  certainly  58

 

If a golfer faces these nasty  short sided chips too often maybe his course management needs a little work

 

I know my bad shot a pull hook ends up in a lot of bad spots !

 

 

[kiawah]

14 minutes ago, Thayneil said:

read that  chipping and pitching should always be done by  keeping or increasing the loft through impact  never decreasing

 

so  99%  of the time  56  should be enough  certainly  58

 

If a golfer faces these nasty  short sided chips too often maybe his course management needs a little work

 

I know my bad shot a pull hook ends up in a lot of bad spots !

 

 

Ehh, I don't know about that.

 

First off, the word "always" doesn't have much practical use in golf instruction. For chipping, I think you absolutely need to de-loft the club if you want to keep the ball low to the ground to maximize roll and take spin out of the equation. Also, if you're hitting a pitch from outside of 20 yards and increasing the loft or keeping it static (assuming you're starting with very little shaft lean in the first place), it's gonna be really hard (or at least harder) to make a big enough swing to get the ball all the way to the hole and not mishit it. There are lots of uses for a lob wedge beyond being totally shortsided if you play on greens that run above an 8 or 9 

[Therealpatgiles]

Anything inside 75 yards is a 59 degree. 75 yards is a 3/4 swing. 

[driveandputtmachine]

16 hours ago, odshot68 said:

Assuming you have a 56 degree sand wedge you like what is the function of a lob wedge?  

I have a very strong grip, think Duval, DJ to where for short sided shots or deep bunkers a 56 just doesn't have the height I need.  I play most 115 - 40 yard shots with my 56, but the times I need the extra height is roughly 6 times per round between needing height, or having the backstop where the skip shot doesn't play as well.

[elwhippy]

Carried a Lob Wedge since they hit the market in the 80s. Love them out of greenside bunkers, off tight lies and for flop shots. Currently have Hogan and Cleveland 58s and two different 60 Vokeys. 

[mudmarlin]

I’d love to know the handicap of some of the people in this thread.  The arrogance is outstanding.  Like all of golf, not every club fits every player.  But the majority of better golfers who don’t play dog tracks will benefit greatly from a higher lofted wedge.  Maybe not all will use one, but it’s hard to believe people are actually saying there is no need for one and their explanations are absurd.  I loved the comment about better course management will keep you from being short sided.  Yea because we always hit the ball where our course management tells us too….

[runningblind11]

10 hours ago, Golfinfloridaafter40 said:

A 56* wedge needs a lot of bounce to be effective for rough and sand and is what most people use for those shots.  All of that bounce and the less sharp leading edge makes it less effective to open way up for flop shots on tighter lies, especially in the south where the ground is firm.  Having a 60* with a lower bounce is extremely valuable for those that know how to use it, again this is especially true on tighter lies and firmer conditions.

If you think the ground is firm in the south, I invite you to the western United States 😅

 

Fully agree on needing multiple lofts/options.  It simply cannot be done properly out here in the wild west without both. 

[Phireside]

10 hours ago, dekez said:

 

What is the loft on your next wedge?  I've debated dropping my Lob and 54 Sand for just a 56, but that would leave a 7* gap to my next wedge (49*).  I fear that the resulting 49* - 56* gap will fall right in the 85 - 125 yard gap where it seems most of my wedge shots fall.

50*. When I first dropped the LW, I went 52 and 56. I'm someone who hits full shots with wedges, I know many don't. swapping out the 52 and adding the 50 has been perfect for me. Been this way through a number of wedge sets now. 

[Binson]

5 hours ago, North Butte said:

I have never understood the meme of taking a normal, useful club out of the bag because having it causes you to attempt dumb shots. 
 

Lob wedges are the most frequent thing people mention, but some guys will say that about a driver. Apparently, if I believe what I read here over the years, there are people who will play without a driver, just because there might be a few tee shots on the course where an iron or hybrid are the smart play. They can’t trust themselves to hit the driver half a dozen times instead of 14 times and around, so if they leave it out of the bag altogether.

Well, it's not necessarily just dumb shots, but a lack of skill or consistency with a specific club.  If you have acquired a level of competence with a 60 or a Driver, but attempt dumb shots (using them in unsuitable scenarios), that's a different issue than if you have not achieved a level of competence.  In the latter scenario, it's a dumb shot to attempt if you're trying to score your best that day but really have no chance of hitting a good shot with that club. 

 

If you want to score your best that day and you know you can't keep a driver in play or chip with a 60, it makes sense to take them out of the bag to remove the ability to make the poor decision.  So many strokes can be saved by minimizing your mistakes. 

 

If you want to score your best in the long run and you will work on your game, the Driver and Lob (or fairway wood, or whatever) can absolutely help you lower your score once you achieve a level of competence with them and can make appropriate choices.  

[m d g]

7 hours ago, miami1023 said:

What else am I going to use from 150 out on a windy day when I need to keep it low? Obviously I'm pulling the 60* and thinning the sh*t out of it

 

In that situation I hit a smooth 64-degree with a baby fade.

 

Are you sure you belong on this forum?

[Pepperturbo]

21 hours ago, odshot68 said:

Assuming you have a 56 degree sand wedge you like what is the function of a lob wedge?  

A stock Lob wedge at 58' or 60' replicates a flat-opened face 56' or 54'.  Tiger Woods still carries a 56', his favorite wedge. 

 

I have been carrying a 58/8 or 60/2 for years.  However, when I took up golf, I learned how to open the face of low bounce wedges,  to create more effective bounce.  Last, most people don't benefit from a LW, as they don't practice enough to make the club beneficial. 

[miles2go]

My technique just requires a 60 wedge. After years of practice, I dont know why.  It just works. Easier to use the lob wedge than learn a new chipping method. 

Edited March 28 by miles2go

[jefecoon]

8 hours ago, kiawah said:

If you practice enough and use some sort of system ("clock" method, 1/2, 3/4, full swing, etc.) so you're able to hit the ball to three different distances reliably with each wedge, the number of weapons you'll have to attack shots from 20-100 yards will increase.

 

=> I 142% concur w what Kiawah said earlier.

 

Lob wedge is just stupid good fun, really.  Do I **neeeeeeeeed** it in the bag for scoring?  okay, fine, **maybe** not.  But, that one shot per round where I'm seriously short-sided and have to flop over the water hazard full of alligators, water moccasin, scorpions, and tetanus?   Flop shots == fun.

 

Highly recommend watching Gareth Raflewski break down creating a "Wedge Matrix" w TXG:

Very similar to 4 clubs x 3 ball positions x 5 "gears" matrix for chipping... and w practice the two flow together nicely... have you zoning in your around the green shots like a **boss**

 

Edited March 29 by jefecoon

[tannyhoban]

Because I like having more than one way to skin the cat. 
 

 

[Roejye]

13 hours ago, dekez said:

 

What is the loft on your next wedge?  I've debated dropping my Lob and 54 Sand for just a 56, but that would leave a 7* gap to my next wedge (49*).  I fear that the resulting 49* - 56* gap will fall right in the 85 - 125 yard gap where it seems most of my wedge shots fall.

I know you weren't asking me specifically but I go from 50° to 56°. Yes the gap is kind of large for full shots, but it's also a yardage that I rarely come across even away from my home course. Even a full swing 56° I don't come by very often, so I mainly use the 56 for more touch shots.

[miami1023]

3 hours ago, m d g said:

 

In that situation I hit a smooth 64-degree with a baby fade.

 

Are you sure you belong on this forum?

They should have a long drive contest but with lob wedges

[dubbelbogey]

The main reason I have a 60 is to give a completely different bounce option than my 56 - which is a high bounce (12* or 14*). Opening up a 56/14 wedge simulates the loft of a 60*LW, but not the bounce. 

 

I play bunkers that range from soft and fluffy to sand-dusted concrete. I find the bounce options highly useful. Sure, I could have another 56 or 58 with low bounce instead of the 60, but frankly, the 60 is more versatile and gives more options.

 

I've never understood the anti LW sentiment. It's not that hard to learn how to hit reliably. This mainly boils down to stop trying to hit hero shots with it all the time (though those are fun, too.)

 

 

[Jc0]

7 hours ago, kiawah said:

Ehh, I don't know about that.

 

First off, the word "always" doesn't have much practical use in golf instruction. For chipping, I think you absolutely need to de-loft the club if you want to keep the ball low to the ground to maximize roll and take spin out of the equation. Also, if you're hitting a pitch from outside of 20 yards and increasing the loft or keeping it static (assuming you're starting with very little shaft lean in the first place), it's gonna be really hard (or at least harder) to make a big enough swing to get the ball all the way to the hole and not mishit it. There are lots of uses for a lob wedge beyond being totally shortsided if you play on greens that run above an 8 or 9 

 

You don't need to deloft it. If you want it to go lower with less spin just chip with a lower lofted club. I don't even get what your second point is. Open the face of a club a few degrees to get some additional lift didn't make it that much harder to hit. 

[m d g]

1 hour ago, miami1023 said:

They should have a long drive contest but with lob wedges

 

If you could blade it on purpose some of those guys could probably hit it close to 300 : )

[geauxt]

Different bounce than my 56

[robbie91]

Simple. I use a 60* with low bounce for tight lies and speciality shots. My 56* has a much higher bounce for use from the sand and in dodgy lies. 

[black bnr32]

Uh, so I can hit it higher?

[Thayneil]

10 hours ago, mudmarlin said:

I’d love to know the handicap of some of the people in this thread.  The arrogance is outstanding.  Like all of golf, not every club fits every player.  But the majority of better golfers who don’t play dog tracks will benefit greatly from a higher lofted wedge.  Maybe not all will use one, but it’s hard to believe people are actually saying there is no need for one and their explanations are absurd.  I loved the comment about better course management will keep you from being short sided.  Yea because we always hit the ball where our course management tells us too….

that was me

 

you can  learn to avoid these areas  if  you think your way round

 

Not my strongest  point  but i do try

 

I love the arrogance of people who  decide other people are arrogant?

[Thayneil]

1 minute ago, Thayneil said:

that was me

 

you can  learn to avoi d these areas  if  you think your way round

 

Not my strongest  point  but i do try

 

I love the arrogance of people who  decide other people are arrogant?

also like the subtle digs  at others  by saying if  you play greens faster than X or you dont play dog tracks etc

[Thrummyfox]

On 3/28/2024 at 2:48 AM, odshot68 said:

So as a follow up why a 60 and not a 64 degree?  Neither would be used outside of 30 yards. 

I have a 60 and also won a 64 but like you say not much in the way of distance. Especially as I never play a ‘full’ shot with anything less than PW. 
 

The 64 is fun but I just can’t see the value of a place in the bag. Trying to be sensible and low risk (Golf Sidekick inspired) and just don’t use it enough, having said that played my best golf as junior chipping everything with an Eye 2 61 degree lob wedge and certainly seem to remember joking out more!