To use a 60* wedge or not?

**montru** · January 29, 2010

I put a 60* wedge in my bag just before christmas after practicing with it for a while on the range and out the back of my house (I live on the 10th hole) I was getting fairly consistant with it hence my decision to add it to my arsenal at the sacrifice of my gap wedge.
After a few rounds this year I have had mixed results but it seems that if I'm going to have a "blow up" hole the 60^ wedge seems to be part of my problem, I either go right under the ball taking a huge divot or catch it thin, if I get it right I can hit some class shots and have some amazing up and downs, my current USGA/GHIN handicap is 16.2 but I have been playing to about a 12, shooting in the low 80's since new year and I don't want the handicap to go back up, do I stick with it or thow it back in the garage??

Your coments are welcomed.

**senorchipotle** · January 29, 2010

I put a 60* wedge in my bag just before christmas after practicing with it for a while on the range and out the back of my house (I live on the 10th hole) I was getting fairly consistant with it hence my decision to add it to my arsenal at the sacrifice of my gap wedge.

yeah, you just gotta know how to use it. with all of your wedges, but this one especially, it's imperative you hit ball first, then ground. so, unless you're hitting a flop shot, your hands need to be ahead of the ball upon contact. if you want to hit a low hard spinner, you bow your wrists more and put it in the middle of your stance, this is my favorite shot with the 60*. it's really pretty easy if you practice it a couple times a week. if you're blading it though, try coming from a shallower angle at the ball. you won't get as much spin, but it will make you more consistent and give you confidence so that you can try coming in at different angles to get the ball to do what you want. i love my 60* cause it's the most unique in you can create shots with it that you can't do with other clubs.

**clubchamp** · January 29, 2010

It's just a matter of confidence with it. I carry a 60 but I don't use it that often but I do run into some shots that I feel more comfortable using it. Although I'm not sure it would hurt my scores if I didn't have it and if I had to take a club out of my bag that would be the first one to go.

**nike_golf** · January 29, 2010

I'm of the firm belief that MOST players don't need a 60. Really, weigh the benefits against the negatives. What are you using that 60* for that you couldn't w/ a SW? Do you really need to hit flop shots, or would an easier shot, such as a bump and run, work better?

Like a lot of players, I thought I had to have one. Two years ago I had enough. I took my 60* and threw it into the creek/river that runs through my local private course. God that felt good.

**WUTiger** · January 29, 2010

After a few rounds this year I have had mixed results but it seems that if I'm going to have a "blow up" hole the 60^ wedge seems to be part of my problem, I either go right under the ball taking a huge divot or catch it thin, if I get it right I can hit some class shots and have some amazing up and downs, ...

Had LW with my old set of irons, and had the same performance you describe. It was particularly useful on some of the new/or/redesigned courses near Dallas, TX, that has moguls or "chocolate drop" mounds near the greens. LW useful mainly for handling pop shots over and downhill chip shots on these sudden mounds. Then, when I went from lush Dallas grass to drier grass in SW Oklahoma, LW never worked very well.

Also, it was so "different," more different from other clubs than my Driver. To get in sync with it, I really had to work, cutting into other practice time. People I play with, some 10 HDCPs can't hit a LW to save their lives, while some people in my HDCP range seem to do pretty well with it. I have had good luck with cut shots using my 56º SW, much safer than lobbing. Pros I've talked to say that the LW bounce really needs to match your general swing, and the turf conditions in your area. I know zero about golf in Fla, so ask local pros and your pals about local turf and lobs. Golf club marketing types even suggest a low-bounce LW for spring and fall, and a higher bounce LW for summer. Like we all have extra $$ for seasonal golf club rotations.

**blackxpress** · January 29, 2010

The 60 can be your best friend or your worst enemy. The trick is you have to hit it with authority and accelerate through the ball. If you decelerate you're dead. I love mine but it took me a long time to get it under control. Now I use it for just about every shot inside about 60 yds. unless I need a bump and run.

**kleraudio** · January 29, 2010

I LOVE my 60! But I use it quite a bit, especially greenside and greenside bunkers....

If I had to make a choice though between gap wedge and 60, it would be gap wedge all day long..... IMO you need a club that is between your PW and SW, and anything the 60 can do, your SW can do just as well....

It sure is fun hitting all those different shots with the 60!

Whats the bounce on your LW?? Florida has some really soft turf, you may just have too little bounce for the type of conditions out here...

Jim

**Brugz7** · January 29, 2010

I just got the Mizzy MP-T 10 60° a couple of weeks ago. I was debating whether to go with 2 wedges, a 2 hybrid, and 3-PW.. or 3 wedges, a 3 hybrid, and 4-PW. I concluded that the 3 wedge setup works a lot better for me covering yardage gaps than having a hybrid and a 3 iron. I now can feel confident with anything from 75-125 yards, which are usually around my approach yardages. I plan on using my 52° gap wedge from 115-125 and for low runners around the green. I want to use my 56° sand wedge for the sand and from 100 yards. Everything else inside of 100 yards will be given to my 60° to complete the job. I love the check it puts on the ball and I know it is going to give me so much more confidence around the green. I just figure it is better to have more scoring options then to have every 10 yard gap covered between clubs from over 200 yards out.

RC · January 29, 2010

60 degree wedges are pretty dependent upon the type of grooves you have. If you are playing the new USGA standard grooves, some of the advantages of highly lofted wedges are reduced. 60 degrees might be the maximum that will work reasonably well with the new requirements, but some of the reasons to carry a 60 degree wedge are not quite as compelling as before. If you want to continue to use the box grooves (which are perfectly legal for casual play) then having a 60 degree wedge makes more sense. With the new rounded V grooves, a different kind of shot is required to maximize spin and the bigger swing flop shot will likely not be quite as reliable -- so I expect to see fewer attempts at the flop and stop (or spin back) shot. Tour players might well trade the repeatablilty of a slightly lower lofted wedge and a more firmly decending pitch shot for their 60. It is just an opinion, but I think we will see more wedges max out at 58 degrees and a few guys settling for even less. It will be interesting to see how the pitching of some pros changes this year.

I've hit the new groove wedges and they clearly fly a little lower and land with less spin (for me anyway.) If I go with the new ones, I will need to return to the very open faced, higher risk flopper for many shorter shots, and it might be better for me to use more of a pitch and run type shot than the "lawn dart" pitch of a boxed groove 60. I guess what I am trying to say is the variation in distance and run out from highly lofted new groove wedges is much greater so they will be harder rather than easier to use reliably.

**James_Black** · January 29, 2010

What RC said.
If it's one of the older wedges with the bigger grooves then I say yes.
But you'll have to practice with it.

The best thing about a 60* is shots 20-30 yards out. With the Cobra SW I could never get the ball to stop. Now I can.
They're great for chipping as well.

My 60* is going to shave a good few strokes of my handicap.

**nike_golf** · January 29, 2010

You can stop a ball 20-30 yards out w/ a 60*, but can't w/ a 56* SW? Strange.

You use your 60* for chipping? Even more strange.

I about guarantee that your 60* will ADD strokes to your HCP rather than take them away.

But, what the hell do I know?

**James_Black** · January 29, 2010

You can stop a ball 20-30 yards out w/ a 60*, but can't w/ a 56* SW? Strange.

A SM Vokey compared to a Cobra SW is the main thing.

A lot of people use a LW for chipping, I'm not the only one.

**nike_golf** · January 29, 2010

A SM Vokey compared to a Cobra SW is the main thing.

They do?

I would think that would be quite a rare sight, especially where you're from. Bump and run baby. None of this high in the air crap.

**Gioguy21** · January 29, 2010

I carry a 60*...love it when i need a high lofted shot or when greens are really firm...but if it's windy...i switch it out for my 7 wood and bump-run all day. if it's a touch shot around the green i use my 54*...love me those clevelands

**Nickynoodles** · January 29, 2010

God this is a tough one. It all really has to do with the courses you play, your confidence level in the said club and what other clubs you have to replace it. I love my 60. I use it when im short and got to fly a bunker to a close pin. Alot of the course around where i live the greens are elevated with bunkers all around the front. So when your around the bunkers the 60 comes in hand. I use my SW alot to. My wedges are my best friend. I also have mastered the art of the flop shot, the backspin shot and the bump in run. It depends on you yourself. Noone can really tell you what to play with. Mickelson played with 2 drivers in his bag before.

**Fourputt** · January 29, 2010

I put a 60* wedge in my bag just before christmas after practicing with it for a while on the range and out the back of my house (I live on the 10th hole) I was getting fairly consistant with it hence my decision to add it to my arsenal at the sacrifice of my gap wedge.

I'm of the firm belief that MOST players don't need a 60. Really, weigh the benefits against the negatives. What are you using that 60* for that you couldn't w/ a SW? Do you really need to hit flop shots, or would an easier shot, such as a bump and run, work better?

I have to agree with Nike. If you have doubts then take it out. For most casual amateurs, there is really no need for a 60° wedge. It takes more practice than any other club to get proficient with it, and as a result, it takes practice time away from your more versatile wedges. It really can't sub for a stronger wedge, while a stronger wedge

can be laid open for a flop when absolutely needed. I now use a 56° as my highest lofted wedge, and I'm more consistent than I ever was when I had a 60° in the bag, or even a 58°. In the end, it's up to you, but if it isn't helping your score, then why would you keep it?

**kfowler** · January 29, 2010

I've been carrying one for about two years. It's a 60* 4* bounce. It's kind of a one trick pony for me. I pretty much only use it for chipping and 30-40 shots from the fairway. I agree some of the others that it can be a tough club to hit. I tend to leave chips short to so I've recently committed to just using my 56*. For this season, I'm seriously considering dropping my 60* and adding a 2H replacement. I think I'd get a lot more consistent use out of that.

**Travtex** · January 29, 2010

I'm a damn fence straddler.

I rock a 58*. :D (And it's probably one of the most oft-grabbed clubs in my bag.)

Of course, I suck, so I might as well not even be talking.

Sign In

To use a 60* wedge or not?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Topics Being Discussed Right Now on The Sand Trap

TST Partners

Popular Now

Posts

Important Information