problems with a 58* wedge?

[thr33]

Ok, so I took the advice from a teaching pro at the beginning of last season, who said that most amateurs shouldn't be using a 60 degree wedge and opted for a 58. I tried the 58 for about that season and absolutely could not dial in my yardages. I dumped the 58 and got a 60 again and am loving it. Has anybody else had similar experiences? I didn't really have any problems with the 60 to begin with, so was i stupid for getting rid of it in the first place?

[David in FL]

I tend to agree with the pro.....at least for mid to higher handicappers, but the bottom line is, rules of thumb are just that. You took his advice and gave it a try.......afterwards you decided that it just didn't work for you. No way to argue with that!

BTW, playing off of a 10, you're probably a lot more consistent with your ball striking than "most amateurs".

[walfice]

I got a 60* free with my driver at the start of last season and found it really hard to get used to, but now I'm fine with it. I just took a while to gain the confidence to take full swing when so close to the pin lol.

[TheWarHound]

I tried a 60, it didn't work, tried a 58, it did work for me. I guess it's just what feels right.

[GaijinGolfer]

I disagree with your teaching pro. Even when I was a 40 handicap, I carried a 60* wedge and it was one of my favorite clubs.
If you like your 60* and it works for you, who cares what your teaching pro says?

[anthonykim3]

some people can hit 60 s some cant i personally can and love my 60 i have a very old 60 with the grooves worn way down but just the loft of the club spins the ball

[AbsoluteZero]

I'd tend to agree with the pro, but I only use my 60 for specialty up and down shots where I want the maximum loft becuase I'm not going to get much spin on the ball. A standard SW, if struck properly from the fairway will have plenty of spin to stop, therefore, I never use a full or even 3/4 swing off the fairway with it.

To be honest, I'd say your pro is right, but he's right because most amatures use the 60 in the wrong places on the course, not because it's so much harder to hit than a 58.

[VardonFlyer]

Ok, so I took the advice from a teaching pro at the beginning of last season, who said that most amateurs shouldn't be using a 60 degree wedge and opted for a 58. I tried the 58 for about that season and absolutely could not dial in my yardages. I dumped the 58 and got a 60 again and am loving it. Has anybody else had similar experiences? I didn't really have any problems with the 60 to begin with, so was i stupid for getting rid of it in the first place?

Its interesting your pro you said that. Ive often heard pros make the point that with a higher lofted club high handicappers can swing longer and harder producing better and more consistent short game shots. I know some pros even do this. I think bubba watson plays a 60* bent to a 64* so he can hit short shots at higher swing speeds.

[VOX]

I switched to a 58* a couple years ago to get another fairway wood in my bag. I took out my 56* and 60* and replaced them with a 58*.

[JOSEPHLB]

I play a 58*/8* that is great from the sand and works well from pretty much any lie. 8* of bounce is enough to get me out of the firm sand traps in my playing area; 8* bounce also allows me to attack the ball from a fairway lie and not worry about digging

[lewisgl]

I have used various 60 and 58 degree wedges with 6 to 10 degrees of bounce fairly extensively and find the 58 a little easier to control distances, not a huge difference though. I just recently switched back to a 58 degree (Nike VR 58.10) mainly because it helps the fairway gap situation and because I think the 58 is the more versatile of the two while still performing almost as well as the 60 on r the higher shots required around the greens. If the 60 is working better for you than be sure to stick with it.