Used 58* LW today

[WUTiger]

Today, I left my 4i in the trunk and auditioned a CG14 58.10 LW. Played 18 in 40 MPH wind - worst score of the year, but whatever.

Picked 58* up in used-club bin. Had tried it at range and at Par 3 course. Seems a lot more reliable than different 60* LWs I tried in past. Seems good about 40 yards and in, largely half swing. Was too windy to hit it full today.

Used it for about 12 shots. Most shots popped it up and stopped quickly, but I was often short on shots from beyond greenside. Worked well on all but tight lies.

After round, I had LW regripped to normal size - it came used with a new, high grade Winn grip that was extremely thick, just too big for my hands. Hopefully I can get better hand action with a normal size grip.

For you other middle handicappers out there - do you hit the LW full very often, or just use it for partial shots?

Also, do some of you chip with it, as in "chip and run"? What is your set-up for that?

[Fourputt]

I have a 58° and a 60°... I don't carry either one. They stay in the garage and my scores are better for that. I find no need for anything higher than my 56°, and 90% of my chips and pitches are with my 51° GW. I also chip with my PW and my 8I. The SW is only for bunkers and when I really need the high pitch.

[CPT]

My most lofted club in the bag is my SW, which is 56 degrees. I had the 60 degrees in the bag for years but I took it out a few months back and haven't missed it since. My "go-to" chipping club would be my GW, which is 48 degrees.

Stay clear from very lofted club unless you practice with it a lot.

[hero12]

I use my 60 around one time per round. I use a 54 degree and that is my favorite. I can get it up when I need to, but it has the control for almost every other shot game shot. I never hit my 60 full, too un-reliable, use it for short sided bunker and extremely delicate shots.

[xxsoultonesxx]

I rarely use my 60*. Basically greenside bunker shots, because I can be a little more aggressive with it than the 56*. Sometimes, it will go a couple rounds without being used, though. I've considered a low bounce 58* in exchange for the 56 and the 60, but I'd imagine that would really test the short game on a regular basis, and I mainly practice chipping with the 48, 52, and mostly with the 56, and a 56/10 is a versatile club.

[stebed]

I added a 60 during the summer with mixed results while I was living in Ireland and playing Druids Heath. The heath has 16 elevated greens so pitching had to be very accurate or they would roll off the sides. I moved back to Cheshire at the end of the summer and rejoined my old course which is much sorter and the 60 was used alot more. I spent about 4 evenings with it on the practice area at my club and really worked on a solid strike from 60yards and now use it every round. I think that wind is the number one reason for me not to use it. That all said my old 56 will probably go in the bag for winter to replace my 54 and 60 as I will be carrying my bag.

[kurisu]

I have a 60º LW. Love that thing. But I think if you also have a 50º and 56º wedge then there is no point in hitting a full LW. If I need more distance, then I club up. Wedge shots are finesse shots in my opinion, thus I believe there is no need to go after it. The shaft being short, the swing becomes very steep and well, I do not feel comfortable on the course maxxing out such lofted club. I can hit a full shot with it (70 yards), but that's mostly at the range.

[James_Black]

you don't have any control with a full LW, your at the winds mercy most of the time.

I don't hit my 60* that much anymore, I chip with my 54* and I'm playing a lot better

[Stretch]

I carry a 60* wedge but almost never use it. Think I'll probably end up going to a 54* and 58* setup one of these days.

[Gerald]

I personally use the 58* only for bunkers and deep rough ..... no matter how good your technique is, it is so easy to misjudge a chip and run with the 58* that I wouldn't advise to do so..... it is so easy to apply a little toooo much backspin with the 58, it checks and the run is gone ...... no matter that Utley and Mickelson advise us to chip and run with the 58*.

If you want a chip and run, you want it to run aswell ..... best with a 9 iron (but there are many using an 8).

[WUTiger]

My most lofted club in the bag is my SW, which is 56 degrees. .... My "go-to" chipping club would be my GW, which is 48 degrees.

56* SW my normal high end club. For chip and run, I normally use an 8i, or a PW if the grass is shaggy.

"Lofted club" warning rings true. I got good shots from a 60* LW several years back, when playing Dallas courses with very fine-bladed, almost fluffy bermuda with lots of chocolate-drop berms. LW became a disaster club on hardpan of Oklahoma, and elsewhere.

I carry a 60* wedge but almost never use it. Think I'll probably end up going to a 54* and 58* setup one of these days.

I've been thinking about a 50-54-58 set-up, if I pickup a CG14 54.12 SW. Some of the shorter courses in the area have feature smaller greens with odd dips, so a 58* "dart wedge" would be helpful.

.... it is so easy to apply a little toooo much backspin with the 58, it checks and the run is gone ...... If you want a chip and run, you want it to run aswell ..... best with a 9 iron (but there are many using an 8).

58* definitely bites quick, sometimes too quick. That's why I was wondering how some people chip with it. I'm in Gerald's camp - 8i is my normal chip-and-run club.

Overall... Thanks for the comments. Most of you responders seem to approach wedges similar to my current bag mix, which is PW-50-56. A backup plan would be to swap the X-Forged for a CG14 56.14 SW; I really like the feel of CG wedges. And, three wedges would be easier to manage than four.

[allin]

Today, I left my 4i in the trunk and auditioned a CG14 58.10 LW. Played 18 in 40 MPH wind - worst score of the year, but whatever.

I rely on mine a lot. I am a very short hitter and I have very good success with it around the green especially. I do practice it regularly, I only carry it about 60 yards so about 20 less than SW. A 58 would be a good compromise and I am considering it when I replace my current one.

[TaylorMadeTaylor]

I used to carry a 60* but never really found a good use for it. I now carry a 48*, 52*, 56* setup and love it. The 52* is money on bump and run and short chips.

[Zeph]

I switched from 52-56-60 to 52-58 and am very satisifed with this. I don't use the 58º a lot for chipping, it's more pitching, bunker shots, flop shots etc. I often use it inside some distance to the green. Don't know how far I hit it.

Got 12º bounce on the 58º.

[sean_miller]

I switched from 52-56-60 to 52-58 and am very satisifed with this. I don't use the 58º a lot for chipping, it's more pitching, bunker shots, flop shots etc. I often use it inside some distance to the green. Don't know how far I hit it.

That sounds like a sand wedge. Then again so does WU Tiger's.

[1par2win]

That sounds like a sand wedge. Then again so does WU Tiger's.

I have a 58/12 and I use it as my sand wedge along with other shots. I don't use it much for standard chip/pitches as I have a good feel for my 54* but I use the 58* 5-8 shots a round. There are occasions when I need to hit over a tree or hazard so I do like the extra loft. I think a lot of the reputation for higher lofted being difficult to hit has a lot to do with the type of courses people play. We have some pretty fluffy lies at my home course and soft sand so the configuration of 50/54/58 is perfect for my set-up. I would not hit chips/pitches on tighter lies with my 58* Tried that several times and..... just say lesson learned.

[ohiolefty]

I hit full 60* shots a lot now that I have a decent wedge...I hit a full, stock 60* about 95 yards...my SW is a 56 right now, but I eventually want to bump up to a 54 degree SW/GW so that my wedge set-up is PW (47), SW (54), LW (60).

I play a course with a lot of wind, and I still use my 60 quite a bit. I chip with it, I pitch with it, I hit a lot of shots into greens with it. I think, if you practice a little bit, it's a very good club to use for full shots. Most folks, however, aren't able to compress the ball and also have a hard time trusting themselves enough to hit a shot 80 yards and hit it firm, even hard. It's a trust issue.

In my opinion, unless you hit the ball hard, you shouldn't carry anything below 56*. And, if you don't feel like you need a 60...then you don't. I like playing with a lot of spin on all my short shots...so I carry a 60. I like to hit my short game shots firmer...so I carry my 60. To me, the added loft and spin is comforting. I hardly ever 'flub' or 'mishit' wedges, so I don't have to worry too much about the issues some people have with an L-wedge.

[DBC]

I made the HERO shot of my lifetime this summer with my 60 degree, so I will be keeping it.
I was off the green about 20 yards right behind a 30 foot tall Pine. The only way to the green was up and over. I wouldve been happy just hitting the green but, it came down and stuck 6 yards from the pin.

Noone saw me hit that, they just all asked me " How did you get so close from there"?