60° Wedge, LOVE IT OR HATE IT?

[Fourputt]

I said "most" and "usually." Congratulations: you consider yourself one of the exceptions I accounted for in my post.

I'm in total agreement with this opinion. Most (I say MOST) mid handicappers and higher end up either using the 60° very poorly, or they try to use it for everything, including situations where it doesn't belong.

The comment I see often in this thread is that players are "inconsistent" with the 60° LW. That is because it requires both the correct decision as to where to use it, and it requires good, repeatable ball striking to put that highly lofted face on the ball the same way every time. Make a bad decision, or a bad swing, and the 60° LW will exaggerate the error, leaving the ball well short or skulling it over the green. I see this from the typical player far more often than I see them execute good shots. I personally feel that most players should actually track exactly how often they use the LW and how successful they are with it. Most would find that they really haven't as much reason to keep it as they think they do. There is a tendency in many players to use the LW more than is actually required. IMO, most should be playing no more than a 56° SW for most lofted shots, then use better course management skills to stay out of those shortsided situations that would seem to require a LW. Learn to really USE a PW, GW, and/or SW, then decide from experience if you really need to add a LW. If you're like me you will find surprisingly little actual need for a LW. If you do add one, expect to spend a lot of time at the practice chipping green learning how to use it well, because if you're going to use one, you need to be able to use it well. I play most of my pitches with my 45° PW and my 50° GW, rarely using even the 56° SW for anything but bunker play. I have a 60° LW which spends most of it's life in my garage or in the trunk of my car. I take it out for an occasional practice round, but even then I am so rarely in a position to actually need it, that it's really just dead weight. BTW, I CAN play it, I just don't need it often enough to carry it. The 60° is a good weapon for those players who practice enough to use it well, but it's an anchor around the neck of the average player who only uses it (and uses it poorly) because "everybody else has one".

[AnalogAG]

I don't like the lobwedge because you often have a very thin contact with the ball. Instead I open the clubface of my sandwedge and place the ball more to the right foot and do a half swing.

[longdrive]

I love my 64 degree wedge. For me I hit it from 115 yards in. It puts great spin on the ball and allows me to throw high shots over bunkers or to tight pin placements.

[i-Guy]

I love my 64 degree wedge. For me I hit it from 115 yards in. It puts great spin on the ball and allows me to throw high shots over bunkers or to tight pin placements.

You hit a 64 degree LW 115 yds?

Wow! How far do you hit your driver?

[Spectrums]

I absolutely love my 60*.

It took a lot of trouble to get it to the point where I am absolutely comfortable with it on the course. It's a great club from about 40-50 yards out to land soft and close on the green.

It's also great on pitch shots.

[longdrive]

during a round on an open course an average of 325 yards..tight courses well my trusty 5 iron comes out of the bag.

[WhiteSoxFan]

during a round on an open course an average of 325 yards..tight courses well my trusty 5 iron comes out of the bag.

John Daly joined the forum! Or is it Tiger?

[Zombie Golfer]

I need to learn how to hit the dumb thing correctly, till then it's out of the bag.

[lhshurdl3r]

I've been practicing a little bit wtith my 60*. it has a pretty high bounce so i've only been practicing with it in longer rough from about 40-50yds from the pin. i miss the green frequently with my irons so i'll be using a lot

[jb1982]

My 60* is my favorite club. I use it for all types of shots. Full shots from 90 yds (I know somebody will call BS). half swings, flop shots, sand shots, you name it. I love that club!

[lamebums]

Love it. The greens at my course turn into parking lots when it's dry, and I have a hard time getting them to hold anything. Especially on pitch and chip shots, where I usually have a hard time getting any worthwhile spin on the ball. Also, it's useful for lobbing the ball over a trap to a tightly tucked pin. My pitching wedge is my go-to club only if I have a lot of green to work with, otherwise I use the Vokey or the 60. (My ball comes out low and hot with the pitching wedge, with little to no spin - I am unable to figure out what's happening because I'm not hitting it thin).

So, yeah, not having the 60 is like throwing away three or four strokes a round.

[mybloodinvt]

love my lob wedge. i think you need to know when to use and when not to use it. one thing i never do is i never try to hit it more than 75-80 yards. inside that yardage and when i have to get the ball up fast or i need to carry some trouble and i've short-sided myself are the places it pays to have the lob in your bag. it really is a great club if you know when to and when not to use it.

[withdrew]

Withrew,

I have to qualify my "FREE" ProV1 statement.

Since this was my thread originally I can go slightly OT for one post. A co-worker of mine, she lives in New Jersey right on a golf course (Colonia Golf Club). Her house is on a cul de sac right off the second hole. From what club members have said, her house is an "aiming point" or landmark for that particular hole, so these golf balls go flying into her backyard, front yard, lawn, deck, garage, pool, you name it. Needless to say when I found this out, I had to ask..."Do you guys PLAY golf?" The incredible answer- neither her or her husband play golf. Quickly followed up with, "What do you do with all those golf balls?" The next incredible answer- "We save them in compound buckets in our garage." So to make a long story short, (if that's possible at this point) I asked her to bring them into work, and she did just that. Out of 100-120 balls about 80 were Titleist ProV1 or ProV1x. I take all the golf balls and put them in a strainer in my sink, give them a bath, and sort them out. The crappy brand and severely scuffed balls become practice balls, the decent brand balls go in the bag for when someone has to "borrow" and the good balls get cleaned up and alignment-marked for play. So every month she brings in almost 80-100 balls, and the majority are Titleist ProV1 or ProV1x. For a golfer of my skill level (who still loses balls at least once or twice a round) it's the perfect way to get a ball that I otherwise would be wasting money on. A funny side story, on SEVERAL occasions I have found 2-3 balls with the same initials and ball marks, indicating the same guy going OB off that tee. And since you're gonna ask anyway, Colonia is amazing with reimbursing them for repairs to their car, deck, windows etc. P.S. I still hate my 60°

[EGS]

That is a great story! Just make sure no one tells this nice lady that she could make a small fourtune by selling these balls on ebay to morons like me.

[shinujk1]

I remember reading, I believe in Golf Digest, Bob Vokey was quoted as saying most players would be better off with a 58*. I couldn't agree more. I used to have a 60* Cleveland 588 and switched to a 58* Vokey. I always had trouble with the 60* sliding under the ball, the ball just rolls up the clubface and I'd get no distance, I would have to hit with the shaft angled way forward to avoid this. I've never had that trouble with the 58*, it's just as versatile too, but easier too hit. 2* makes a lot of difference.

I also have to agree....I made the switch to a 58 degree lob wedge....so much more versatile than the 60.....can use if from bunker, tight fairways and easy to chip.....

[Reefer_Madness]

I've use to use a 60 here and there, but it was way too inconsistent. Now, I only carry a 54 and 56. I use the 54 anywhere from 75 yds - 10 yds depending on the lie. If I'm short sided, it usually means I'm in the rough, so I can open up the 56 and flop it if I need to. I might get a 60 degree Vokey some day, but I'm just way to inconsistent with that club....

[Leek]

I've use to use a 60 here and there, but it was way too inconsistent. Now, I only carry a 54 and 56. I use the 54 anywhere from 75 yds - 10 yds depending on the lie. If I'm short sided, it usually means I'm in the rough, so I can open up the 56 and flop it if I need to. I might get a 60 degree Vokey some day, but I'm just way to inconsistent with that club....

What is your carry distance of the 54? The 56?

You might want to consider replacing the 56 with a 58.

[thumper07]

well i said hate it, but i dont hate just dont need it, i can lay my 56 wide open and hit it as high as like.

-matt