14th bag slot, do I need a lob wedge?

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by mdl

Fair enough to offer your opinion.  Just don't pretend it's a fact.  YOU think the 58-60˚ is very difficult to hit consistently.  I never found that to be true.  I got my 60˚ when I was probably a 13-14.  It was instantly and BY FAR my best greenside club.  As I've gotten better I've gone back to mixing it up more and taking shots around the green both with my 54˚ and 60˚, but the 60˚ is still my go to club more often than not.

Let me rephrase......In my experience, the vast majority of people find that the highly lofted lob wedge is a more difficult club to hit consistently.  It's easier to catch either fat or thin and it's much easier to slide under a fluffy lie due to that loft.  Certainly there are exceptions to the rule and if you love your lob wedge, good on ya.  I like mine too.

Having said that, since I don't know anything more about the OP and his game than what he's told us here, I'm going to stick with my recommendation.   There aren't too many things I'll guarantee in life....and even fewer in golf.....but I'll virtually guarantee that the vast majority of 23 hcprs that have played a couple of years will lower their scores MUCH more quickly with a chipper than by adding a lob wedge.  In the near term, the lob wedge may even do more harm than good.

My opinion to be sure.....but it's based on a lot of experience and observation around this silly game.

BTW.....you've got GREAT taste in irons....and that driver ain't half bad either!

[Laws of Woo]

To the OP, I'd suggest trying out a 58-60 degree wedge. Even if you don't use it a lot, they will add to your versatility around the greens. Personally I love my 60* wedge, and would hate to play a round with out it in the bag. It is my go to club when im within 60 yards or so. Getting one that fits your swing will help. I'd suggest giving Scratch wedges a try, providing you get the right sole grind (which you can determine by answering a few questions on their site), they are great wedges. Other versatile options are ones with a multiple bounce sole, like the Taylor Made ATV, Cobra Trusty Rusty, Nike Dual Sole.

[glock35ipsc]

Go to Big 5 or whatever discount sporting goods store is close by and throw down $10-$15 for one and see what you think of it.

I am one of those who LOVES my lob wedge (60°-8 bent to 59°).  It's pretty much the only club I use from 60-65 yards and in, other than very short chips from just off the fringe.  The only time the 56°-14 (bent to 55°) gets used is in the sand, unless it's a fine sand, then I use the lob wedge.  Before we got rid of the carpet in the living room and put down tile, I use to chip with that club every night into baskets I had spread around the living room, even hitting up into our loft bedroom (with AlmostGolf balls).  I got really good at hitting it off of bare hard lies.  Don't practice with it as much as I use to now that the old carpet is gone!

[mdl]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Let me rephrase......In my experience, the vast majority of people find that the highly lofted lob wedge is a more difficult club to hit consistently.  It's easier to catch either fat or thin and it's much easier to slide under a fluffy lie due to that loft.  Certainly there are exceptions to the rule and if you love your lob wedge, good on ya.  I like mine too.

Having said that, since I don't know anything more about the OP and his game than what he's told us here, I'm going to stick with my recommendation.   There aren't too many things I'll guarantee in life....and even fewer in golf.....but I'll virtually guarantee that the vast majority of 23 hcprs that have played a couple of years will lower their scores MUCH more quickly with a chipper than by adding a lob wedge.  In the near term, the lob wedge may even do more harm than good.

My opinion to be sure.....but it's based on a lot of experience and observation around this silly game.

BTW.....you've got GREAT taste in irons....and that driver ain't half bad either!

Fair enough.  I have fewer golf buddies than a lot of guys, so it's totally possible that my experience and the experience of the few dedicated golfers I know well isn't representative.  And in contrast to something like how far the average mediocre golfer hits different clubs, something I see for 18 holes every round, I don't tend to grill every guy I randomly play with about his experience with LWs.

I see you have good taste in irons as well!  I LOVE those irons.  Got a used set last year in great condition and instantly felt more in control of my iron game.

Funny story on the driver.  I got an R7 from a buddy who had replaced his 3-4 years ago.  I hit it for a year or two and loved it.  Then I snapped it and felt like the cost for a new shaft and installation was more than I would pay for a used but newer driver, so I did that.  Never hit that driver as well, and borrowed a couple other drivers from buddies that I never settled in well with either over longish trials.  Snapped my new driver too, and decided screw it, I've never hit anything as well as an R7, and found myself one in great shape.  Instantly went back to hitting the driver better!

[rustyredcab]

I've been playing a long time, and have the ingrained bad habits to prove it. Got a Tour Striker last season and it really helps you teach yourself to hit the ball better. It is not a magic bullet but learning to hit a TS will do more for your game than a 60* wedge.

As to the "why do people say 60* wedges are harder to hit?" crowd: to hit the ball with a 60* wedge the same distance as a 50* wedge, you need to swing bigger or harder because the ball going to go higher. The simpler, and easier you need to swing, the better your results -- in almost all cases. Sure, some love them the lob shot and learn to hit it and feel the extra swing needed to achieve the same result and a lower loft club. But unless you are awesome with a lob wedge, you'll lower your scores with the following advise (from my pro and I'm sure many other teaching pro's):

Putt when you can

Chip if you can't putt

Pitch if you can't chip

Lob/flop when you must

Follow that advise and you'll find you don't have many lob shots per round. (Sure, you may play a cake-top-green course with well bunkered greens and always find yourself with lob shots being your only option. But in most cases, needing to execute a lob shot is the result of a bad shot that got you there.)

Originally Posted by Chetster

Do Tour Strikers really work that well? I was actually considering getting one for awhile, but with so many different training gadgets out there I wasn't sure if it would be worth the money.

[Topper]

Originally Posted by LuciusWooding

There's nothing stopping you. Some people really like them, and the only way to see whether it's your money club or your worst enemy is to shell out the dough. Don't let people tell you you can't hit them just because they can't. People aren't 30 cappers because they suck with the lob wedge, in fact some are pretty decent with one. Do you need one? Not really. Can you hit one? Probably yes if you learn how. But to get the most out of one, you generally need good wedge technique, but that means you can hit most shots with a sand wedge anyway.

Well said.

I'm a high handicapper but I like my 60* and use it regularly when I miss the green and it's a reliable club for me.  I like the 60* from tight lies and from green side bunkers where the sand is really compacted.  I'll go to my sand wedge from the rough or bunkers with fluffy sand.  My handicap is primarily a victim of a really poor and inconsistent long game.  And when I say poor and inconsistent, that's a kind way of saying absolutely horrible.

[carpediem4300]

60* is my go to club, has been since i started playing over 5 years ago,...

Its one of the few clubs i dont actually flip, looking down at it and how lofted it is thewhole "get it up in the air" thoughts vanish

i play it out the sand, off hardpan, rough, sitting up or sitting down

the taboo that its a rarely need club, hard to hit, is all a load of tosh

[Tuffy22]

I can understand why some people think the 60* wedge can be difficult to master.  I'm a 10 handicapper, so I have my flaws...but I rely heavily on my lob wedge (even more than I should).  I spend quite a bit of time in my backyard with it...and I've developed a great feel and comfort for it.  It's one of those clubs that when you do get comfortable with it, it comes in very handy on the course...being able to drop the ball where you want it rather than relying on the roll.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Putt when you can

Chip if you can't putt

Pitch if you can't chip

Lob/flop when you must

Outstanding advice.  I'm gonna steal it!

Buddy of mine taking up golf asked me to teach him how to play out of a green side bunker.  I told him that the first thing to learn was how to avoid green side bunkers.....  I'd offer that the same could be said about getting yourself into a position where you "must" lob/flop.  It's gonna happen for sure, but we have to realize that when it does, it's most likely because of a course management mistake that we made.  In my case, it's usually shooting at a pin I had no business shooting at in the first place.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Let's take this in a different direction. How about making your 14th club another putter? You would have one for long putts and at some point you would switch to a different one for shorter putts. I've done this on occasion and there is a lot to be said for it.

[Mr3Wiggle]

How about one of those drink dispensers that looks like a golf club?

[nevets88]

My 14th club is nothing. I leave one out, makes the bag a little lighter when carrying. SW, GW, PW, 9I-3I, FW, Driver, Putter. Done...

I don't think my short game is good enough to merit a lob wedge. I should have sand wedges with varying bounces based on course and conditions though, right now I only have sand wedges with the standard bounce.

[mdl]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

As to the "why do people say 60* wedges are harder to hit?" crowd: to hit the ball with a 60* wedge the same distance as a 50* wedge, you need to swing bigger or harder because the ball going to go higher. The simpler, and easier you need to swing, the better your results -- in almost all cases.

This is actually exactly why I love my 60˚.  For me, the shots on the fringe or just off the fringe and the shots where I can play the pitch shot where the hands go waist high with full wrist hinge and then I swing smoothly require less touch and feel than the in between shots.  When I have time to spend a lot of time practicing those touchy little pitches I'll have stretches where that's one of the best shots in my bag, but if I haven't had a ton of time for practicing those shots I feel much more confident being able to take the full 1/4 pitch I described.

I guess it goes back to the whole dialing in of 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 shots with all your wedges system.  I don't have time to dial in 1/8, 3/8, and 5/8 shots as well with all the wedges, but having a 60˚ in the bag gives me three different distances where I know exactly what shot to take and also lets me get closer to the hole before I have to rely more on feel and touch and more recent and extensive practice to get good distance control.

[dsc123]

I think my 58* vokey is my most reliable club.  LW's are useful for more than just flop shots.  I hit my SW about 100 and my LW about 85, so it gives me another layup point.  I also use it for every shot inside 65 yards.  pitches, chips, and yes, lobs.  LOBS are hard shots to hit.  That doesn't mean highly lofted clubs are hard to hit.

[logman]

Ok just a few questions to those "60 degree " guys. I was always told to use the" flatest"  club I could get away with. So if I've got a 50/50 shot say 10 meters of fairway  and 10 meters of green, I'd be playing a 9 iron or P/W. I'd be chipping it 12 or so meters and roll it say 6 or 7 meters. I would have thought that that was a good risk minimisation strategy. Have I been wrong all these years?How about the wedge people?Would you really through up a lob in that situation ?

[joekelly]

Answer these 2 questions:  do i need a lob wedge? do i need a lobotomy?

[carpediem4300]

although my earlier post says it is my go to club

i didnt use it once yesterday and shot my lowest round,....go figure

[logman]

Originally Posted by joekelly

Answer these 2 questions:  do i need a lob wedge? do i need a lobotomy?

Didn't mean to offend.