60* Loft Wedge

[RetiredOldMan]

Hi Everyone, 

I just purchased a 60* lofting wedge off of Ebay. 

I tried it out this afternoon and it is going to take some getting used to. 

However, I love it. It is so nice to chip the ball up to the flag pin and have it take just one bounce and stop. The down side, is you have to hit it pretty hard and follow through or you won't get there. 

I use it if I am within 50 yards of the flag. One side note is that I don't use it. If I am uphill of the flag. For that I use my pitching wedge. 

It is Diamond coated and will scrape the outside finish off of the ball sometimes whenyou hit it. 

Retired Old Man

[Zippo]

I love my 60* lob wedge. It's a tough club for me to hit successfully but the options it gives from around the green and out of the bunkers are great.

[70sSanO]

I love my 60.  For me, once you get the right bounce you just hit it.  I use it for most greenside bunkers, and it is great for those 50 yard below the green shots.  It is not a club I can back off a lot.

John

[RussUK]

I'm starting to really like my 60*. Because i wasn't able to play golf for a while i practiced my short game like crazy. I use my 60* if i'm off the green with too much grass between me and the green or need to get over a hazard (otherwise i putt-chip).

I stated last year that i couldn't get the hang of the Mickleson style hinge & hold technique but after having practiced it most days for 2 months it really lends itself to the 60*. Served my well on the par 3 course i played sunday as with the small synthetic greens anything lower than the lob wouldnt have stopped.

Edited September 10, 2019 by RussUK

[jmanbooyaa]

I am not a fan of the lob wedge. I have had a few, but I found they were just not needed. I use a 54 sand wedge and pw. Too many shots thrown away when I would grab the lob. 

[MarvChamp]

I have a 60* but difficult for me. So I don't use it and it isn't in the bag. I probably just need a lot of practice like @RussUK. Best, -Marv

[Patch]

Yeah, a lob wedge is a great club to have. I treat it like my other wedges. (48*-60*) There is a time and place for it's use. I don't use it unless I know it will get the job (shot) done correctly. 

I think different golfers use different wedges, different ways, to fit their games. The whatever works scenario.

The best advice I was ever given about using higher lofted wedges, was to not be afraid to swing them. Totally committ to the club, the shot, and the swing. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Patch

[BC-to-MI]

I've found my lob wedge to be a lot more effective now that I use it less. When I first got it, I fell into the trap that I still see a lot of people I play with fall into, which is using it for every single shot around the green. Now I use it for getting over obstacles around the green and for partial shots that fit my set 1/2, 3/4 swing yardages, but tend to stick with a lower loft for more standard pitch and chip shots around the green. As mentioned above, "time and place" is key in my mind.

[Cantankerish]

I took mine out of the bag.

I acknowledge that it may end up back in the bag at some point.  But at the moment, I can not afford the catastrophies that occur when I either carpet under it with a full swing that goes 15 yards or blade the sucker, sending the ball 90 yards.  The vertical surface is just too small for my skill level.

As for the shots from a hillside...funny story, once I was a on a steepish slope of about 30 degrees, hit the ball square with the lob wedge.  Ball goes up , hits darn near where it started, and rolls down the hill, backward.  30+60=90 after all. Foolish.

RetiredOldMan, I see most of the retired guys hitting bump and runs whenever possible.  Do you?

[WUTiger]

On 9/9/2019 at 12:31 PM, RetiredOldMan said:

... The down side, is you have to hit it pretty hard and follow through or you won't get there. 

I use it if I am within 50 yards of the flag. One side note is that I don't use it. If I am uphill of the flag. For that I use my pitching wedge. ... 

Not everyone likes the 60*. Even on the PGA tour, a past survey showed that half the pros had 58* as their highest lofted wedge.

As you have noticed, it takes getting used to. Like you said, you have to hit it firmly. You need smooth turn-through and left-hand lead to get the ball where you're going. Good form and smooth downswing increase chances of success.

I hear you on uphill (to?) the flag... This especially is true if you also have an uphill lie: the 60* can quickly become a 66* at impact on an uphill slope.

I added back a 60* early last season. It is one I can hit - at least for quarter and half swings. I used a 58* for more than 10 years because none of the 60* models worked.

Funny note: I gave a troublesome offbrand 60* to my brother, and he loves it!!

[RetiredOldMan]

Wow, I have appreciated all of the replies. 

I want to clarify something. 

If the green is up hill to me, (the green is at a higher elevation than I am), I will hit my Loft wedge. 

If the green is down hill to me, I hit a pitching wedge and let the slope of the green carry the ball to the hole. (by letting it roll freely) Sort of a modified bump and run.

If I use the 60* wedge to try and do this, I have too much back spin and the ball won't roll far enough.

If I use my putter, I can't slow the ball down once I hit it and I have a tendency to blow by the hole. 

Anyone else thinking like I do? 

Also, coming out of thick grass, I find the Lofting Wedge lets me swing harder without making my distance longer. 

Retired Old Man

 

On a side note. I am going to update my profile so you can see more of myself. (Lucky You. 🤵 )

[Piz]

One thing to be aware of @RetiredOldMan is that standing on a slope will significantly increase or decrease the effective loft of a club...provided the club path is roughly parallel to the slope.  I use my highest lofted wedge to pitch down a slope and a 9 iron, or pitching wedge, to pitch up a slope.