USGA Ban on High Lofted Wedges

[newtothegame]

i'm new to the game and i must say the 60* is the hardest club i've tried to hit. Even harder than my driver, which i don't hit too straight. I think this is ridiculous that they are considering this

[Fat Slice]

I saw a guy trying to play with a 73 deg wedge. Trust me, it wasn't making golf easier!

[newtothegame]

73* thats insane. i couldn't really imagine what that would look like. The 60* looks so pitched. What company makes a 73*

[Fat Slice]

[RocketSauce]

ha! i have that wedge. i dont use it, but i have it. you can almost hit yourself in the face with the ball using that club. i think i could hit it 30 yards max, lol. its stupid.

[newtothegame]

Ive always read that wedges and irons were best used by making full swings. Meaning the more irons and wedges in your bag, the better. But i don't know if i'd carry this. When i heard there was a 64* out, i laughed. 73* is ridiculous

[Shindig]

Anyone remember what Greg Norman could do with a 56° wedge? Of course, greens were a bit slower back then.

For what it's worth, I regret some of the time I put into learning my 58° wedge back in the early times. It saved me now and then, but I should have been learning some diverse shots around the green instead. But then, I don't mind what other people use - I figure the harder the club is to hit, the less it can help all but the most skilled, who could just figure out another way to pull off the shot.

[RocketSauce]

Ive always read that wedges and irons were best used by making full swings. Meaning the more irons and wedges in your bag, the better. But i don't know if i'd carry this. When i heard there was a 64* out, i laughed. 73* is ridiculous

theres also an 80º wedge "

Doctor Knockdown " lol http://fairwaymarketing.zoovy.com/pr...anded_NEW.html

[newtothegame]

My first thought when i see these wedges is, what club would i drop from my bag if i were to have one of these? I carry a driver, 3,5, 4h, 5-lw and a putter. that puts me at 14. the club i use the least is the 5w. But i couldn't see myself dropping the 5 wood for either of these highly lofted clubs

[RocketSauce]

My first thought when i see these wedges is, what club would i drop from my bag if i were to have one of these? I carry a driver, 3,5, 4h, 5-lw and a putter. that puts me at 14. the club i use the least is the 5w. But i couldn't see myself dropping the 5 wood for either of these highly lofted clubs

dont even consider it. 58º or 60º at most is all you will ever need

[newtothegame]

I agree, my pw is standard 48* gap is 52* sand is 56* and lob is 60*. I use the lob the least out of the wedges. I only use it when i have to clear a bunker to get to the green. I would never think of buying anything higher than 60*. the only reason i have the 60* is because i bought a wedge 3 pack and it was included

[1dayIllBaPro]

I agree on banning a wedge that has more than 60*. I am thinking they should ban hybrid clubs also. I mean, since they are on PGA tour, you know. Let keep this game more challenging.

Another thing, club and ball makers are trying to improve their technology such as making the ball goes further and straigter. I wonder if one day USGA decide to make the course longer. For example, 700 yards par 5? That would be hard for them to walk. It would take longer to finish a round. I am thinking there's a chance since golf clubs and balls technology are always improving. And if they make the course longer, golf is not going to be fun anymore.

[onthehunt526]

High-lofted wedges with ridiculous lofts should be banned... i.e. 73 or 80 degrees... because basically after really 64 degrees a golf club loses its effectiveness anyway... as for hybrids they aren't going anywhere... as for square grooves being banned... that is a straight up not exactly... The rule effects the sharpness and the volume of the grooves... not the shape... If you can some how get a cross-sectional volume to be the same as a V-grooved club... (or slightly higher i think with the measurements) you can in effect still have square grooves... and only effects clubs with more loft than your 4-iron... and hybrids and drivers do not apply...

Besides that if some Joe blow golfer wants a higher lofted wedge than 60 all they have to do is take a forged wedge that says 60 on the bottom and bend it to whatever they want to... and in like club situations who would know... what is the USGA police gonna be out on the practice range measuring everyones highest lofted wedge at next year's U.S. Open?

I don't think they will... It causes too much chaos and it is too difficult to police because forged wedges bend naturally anyway... The groove thing I can see and its actually only targeted at better golfers... The high loft thing won't get off the drawing board... It's too difficult to police, and to disqualify a player for having a club that is 0.5 degree too weak, is just the USGA being Arbitrary and capricious... pros maybe... Amateurs and weekend golfers high lofted wedges will remain legal and available...
Green side shots are not that easy even with the 64 degree wedge or such...

What the USGA really needs to do is get rid of the 44 degree pitching wedges on the market and standardize iron lofts... within a certain range...

[bruce]

I hope this rule comes in,

[silentfink]

I love my 60* lob wedge. I find it's far easier to hit it consistently than, say, a 4-iron. If they ban it, I'd be bummed. Well, that's not entirely true. I'd just bend it to 59*...

[misty_mountainhop]

Really? Wouldn't be bad thing IMO.

I agree with you, I don't understand their logic. It's really no easier than opening up a 56* or 54*?

No easier than opening up a traditional 55-56° SW? Using a lob wedge is a lot easier. You have to get a feel for how much to open up the 56° for a given shot as well as how much to put into it. You also, on most SWs anyway, have to account for the increased bounce when you open the blade up.

I saw a guy trying to play with a 73 deg wedge. Trust me, it wasn't making golf easier!

LOL! Did he smack himself in the face with the ball? Could be fun into the wind as well - the ball might end up behind you.

Anyone remember what Greg Norman could do with a 56° wedge? Of course, greens were a bit slower back then.

What about Seve as well? Were the greens really slower back when they were at their peak? I'm not so sure; at least not for the Majors anyway.

High-lofted wedges with ridiculous lofts should be banned... i.e. 73 or 80 degrees... because basically after really 64 degrees a golf club loses its effectiveness anyway... as for hybrids they aren't going anywhere... as for square grooves being banned... that is a straight up not exactly... The rule effects the sharpness and the volume of the grooves... not the shape... If you can some how get a cross-sectional volume to be the same as a V-grooved club... (or slightly higher i think with the measurements) you can in effect still have square grooves... and only effects clubs with more loft than your 4-iron... and hybrids and drivers do not apply...

I love my 60* lob wedge. I find it's far easier to hit it consistently than, say, a 4-iron. If they ban it, I'd be bummed. Well, that's not entirely true. I'd just bend it to 59*...

The bending would be difficult to police. That said, I thought golf was a game in which self-policing was a big part. Shame if people feel that they could cheat just because no-one could actually catch them.

Standardising (within a range) iron lofts would be no bad thing I think.

[iacas]

I think this is ridiculous, have you ever seen a hack try to use a 60° wedge. Using high lofted wedges correctly in itself is difficult and can only be done with a good amount of skill to begin with. The USGA has gone off their rockers this time.

I think that's the point (from their perspective): if they cap it at 58 or 60 degrees, it'd have the largest impact on the pros and not much impact on amateurs.

Most amateurs don't have and/or can't hit a 60 or 64 degree wedge, so removing it from their bags won't have much effect (just as most amateurs don't have the swing speed and make contact well enough to take advantage of square grooves). Thus, it's a "universal rule change" they might be able to apply that would affect only those who "need" it. At least, that's how they see it. They probably also see it as potentially taking the teeth out of their groove change: guys might just hit higher lofted "fliers" now to stop the ball quickly from the rough. Frankly, I don't really care one way or the other about this. I carry a 60 degree wedge but use it sparingly - only when necessary. I can see the point about greens being firmer and faster than ever, and pins being tucked more closely than ever, but the counter-point to that is: don't short-side yourself. I can't even say I lean ever so slightly in one direction or another. At this point, it's just a study - I may have an opinion when I see the results.

[imtomtomim]

I can't loose my 60. I've learned how to love that club. When the ground is harder, I go with the lob wedge instead of my 56 sw. I also need it for those shots that are under 100 yards away. I play 4 wedges so that short game adjustability is pretty important to me. The less I need to shave off my swing for distance control, the better.