Ditching the lob wedge?

[Golfingdad]

Brand name.

No, I know that ... What I meant was what does "2 to 3 years ahead of any other wedge sold in the US" mean exactly?

[Elrey Desol]

First off, I consider wedges 60* and higher lofts 'lob wedges.'  A 58* can certainly be turned into a lob wedge by opening the face, so I consider my 58* as the 'go-to' wedge around the green.

Back to your conundrum of swapping out wedges for the long side of your bag.  Apparently, you hit the ball a long way according to your 3-wood distance.  The question is, how many times do you find yourself in a fairway with shots of 200-245 (your 3-wood range) to the green?  Given those yardages, PLUS a drive means you're playing 7000 yard PLUS courses all the time?  If so, perhaps copying the club complement of a tour pro is what you should be looking at.

Most tour pros carry a driver, ONE fairway wood, ONE hybrid (that's 3 clubs) and 4 iron - wedges and a putter.  Let's count: long clubs plus  4-9i equal NINE clubs, plus a putter is TEN.  This leaves room for PW, GW, SW and a LW to round out a 14-club bag.  Pretty much the club complement you see in most tour bags anymore.

For me, it's driver, 3w. 5w, 4- and 5-hybrid, 6-9i, PW, (45*) GW, (50*) and a 54 and 58* Vokey wedges on the short end.  Add putter, and I'm up the 14 club limit. Personally, I see MUCH more value with wedges from 120.  Just personal taste, though.

dave

good post. agree with your points and analysis.

i've got a similar setup: wedges are 52, 56, and 58. i ditched the 60 degree last year and found good success with opening up the 58 when necessary in a bunker or needing a flop shot. was then able to add a 5h which was easier to hit than my old 3i.

[Hardballs]

No point for me to use a 60, if i need more loft i can deloft my 56 to play with more loft.

This takes serious talent! Are you one if those trick shot guys?

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmsage

No point for me to use a 60, if i need more loft i can deloft my 56 to play with more loft.

This takes serious talent! Are you one if those trick shot guys?

He sure won't be "delofting" to mimic a 60°, he would have to add loft, by modifying his setup and by opening the clubface.  His statement is a nonsensical mix of opposites.

Nothing tricky about it, unless he can magically increase loft by decreasing loft.

[Hardballs]

He sure won't be "delofting" to mimic a 60°, he would have to add loft, by modifying his setup and by opening the clubface.  His statement is a nonsensical mix of opposites.   Nothing tricky about it, unless he can magically increase loft by decreasing loft. :loco:

Sorry, I was being overly sarcastic! Lol

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

He sure won't be "delofting" to mimic a 60°, he would have to add loft, by modifying his setup and by opening the clubface.  His statement is a nonsensical mix of opposites.

Nothing tricky about it, unless he can magically increase loft by decreasing loft.

Sorry, I was being overly sarcastic! Lol

I had to read that statement a couple times, and concluded he meant the opposite. Oh, well.

[dkolo]

I had to read that statement a couple times, and concluded he meant the opposite. Oh, well.

Yeah, I think he meant to say he wanted to add deloft onto dewedge to make deball go higher.

[phan52]

Currently play 50/54/58 wedge setup.  Realized over the last few rounds that I really only use the 58 when I'm super short sided, or need to hit a flop that clears a bunker and stops.  I use my 54 for every from 20 yards to 110.  At the other end of my bag I have 3w, 20* hybrid, 4 iron.  I love my three wood which I hit about 235-245 off the deck, but I usually only use it off the deck when I have a 100% green light (good lie, no OB or hazards near the target).  Hybrid I hit about 215-220, so I'm think of ditching the lob wedge (going with 50/56), and putting in a 5w or 17* hybrid.

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts.  Any reason to keep the LW?  Any preferences between a 5w and 2H?

What do you use in greenside bunkers? I use my 58 an awful lot in the sand.

[SoundandFury]

What do you use in greenside bunkers? I use my 58 an awful lot in the sand.

I generally use my 54.  I've gotten pretty good at opening it up wide and hitting soft short ones with a cut off follow through.  All that being said, I played this morning and tied my 9 hole record of 35, mostly in part to holing out from 40 yards for eagle and pitching from 50, and 60ish for kick ins...all with my 58.  Feel like I owe it to the club to keep it in the bag now.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phan52

What do you use in greenside bunkers? I use my 58 an awful lot in the sand.

I generally use my 54.  I've gotten pretty good at opening it up wide and hitting soft short ones with a cut off follow through.  All that being said, I played this morning and tied my 9 hole record of 35, mostly in part to holing out from 40 yards for eagle and pitching from 50, and 60ish for kick ins...all with my 58.  Feel like I owe it to the club to keep it in the bag now.

54° is my regular sand wedge too.  With good technique you can play a pretty high soft shot with it.

[inthehole]

I much prefer a 58 to 60 for full shots. Using a 56 only would require opening the face more often than I like to. I have used a 64 for trouble green side shots. - tend to slide under the ball if it's in the rough though. I much prefer a 2h to 5 wood. - just sets up better to my eye - and the one I have is rediculously long if I do my part

[SoundandFury]

I much prefer a 58 to 60 for full shots. Using a 56 only would require opening the face more often than I like to. I have used a 64 for trouble green side shots. - tend to slide under the ball if it's in the rough though. I much prefer a 2h to 5 wood. - just sets up better to my eye - and the one I have is rediculously long if I do my part

I have a 60 and a 58.  I haven't used the 60 in a year.  It doesn't seem like 2 degrees of loft would make that much of a difference, but I find that it does.  The 58 is pretty much as easy to hit as my 54 (except in tight muddy lies, then it's a nightmare).  I actually ended up replacing me 20* (3H) for an 18* (2H).  Let's me keep the 58, and evens out the gaps between my 3W and 4i a little better.  I hated the 5W.  Obviously easier to hit than a 3W off the deck (no difference off the tee), but the thing just balloons and drops.  Maybe a low spin model could work, but whatever.

[ghalfaire]

I guess the club make up in your bag should reflect your game some.  I carry 4 wedges in the bag and use them all.  The lob wedge in particular I use mostly for when a lob shot is needed.  So mostly when I am close to the green and have to clear a hazard or an elevated green with little green to work with.  But I usually won't use if off a tight lie unless it is close to a full shot.  As to the high end, I gave up my 5W for a 3 Hybrid.  Better in the rough than the wood and I am in the rough some.  Not quite as long as the 5W but more useful for me.

[rkim291968]

I ditched my L wedge 12 years ago best thing I ever did. Since then 56 bent/50 bent/47. I think the main thing to think about which does not get talked about much is the bouce of the wedge. 56/10 51/6

Well, you pointed out something that got my attention.   I ended up using 60/3 for my bunker shots b/c my range's sand practice required it.  It has hard sand and using low bounce wedge was a must.   But I need to stop blindly grabbing my lob wedge for all bunker shots.  Sand condition of my home course varies from bunker to bunker and there were times I screwed up my shot trying to hit through fluffy sand.  In those instances, I could have done better with 56/12 wedge.     Ditto for muddy days.  I could have used high bounce wedge (SW) instead of 52 or 60 wedges with low bounce.

[Jakester23]

Well, you pointed out something that got my attention.   I ended up using 60/3 for my bunker shots b/c my range's sand practice required it.  It has hard sand and using low bounce wedge was a must.   But I need to stop blindly grabbing my lob wedge for all bunker shots.  Sand condition of my home course varies from bunker to bunker and there were times I screwed up my shot trying to hit through fluffy sand.  In those instances, I could have done better with 56/12 wedge.     Ditto for muddy days.  I could have used high bounce wedge (SW) instead of 52 or 60 wedges with low bounce.

Can you explain this to me? Ive never played a low bounce wedge. How would low bounce help depending on sand conditions?

[dfreuter415]

Can you explain this to me? Ive never played a low bounce wedge. How would low bounce help depending on sand conditions?

I don't know if this will help, but here is an article about Greenside Bunker Science & Sand Wedge Design.

http://www.about-golf.org/learning-resources/articles/artshort-game/sand-wedge-science-bounce.html

[anthony]

I'm within a month (hopefully!) of being able to play again, so I can safely talk about golf again without sobbing.

Like others have mentioned, it's all personal preference, and even the course you may be playing. Personally, I'd rather have a higher lofted option closer to the greens, than a club to fill a gap 220+. I'm not shooting darts at 225, but every inch counts when I have 30 feet to the pin, and no green to work with.

[WedgeHead]

Not here, and I even ditched my 60 degree a few years ago. When properly struck, I found that there were very few shots where my 56 SW wasn't sufficient.

To each their own as they say. But I practiced the heck out of my 64 and got real good with it. The best club in my bag by far.

I play a 52 / 56 / 60 / 68. The 52 is my GW. the 56 is my SW with more bounce. My 60 is the club I use most often around the greens (except chipping). They are Tommy Armour wedges and I like the looks. The 68 I use for those short "gotta get the ball up and stop it close to the landing area" shots. Only use it when I don't think the 60* will stick. I have more forward lean than most people I know, so the extra loft of the club probably makes it more like others less lofted clubs.

I carry a 16* 3W, 19* 5W and 23* 4H. They fill the gaps nicely.

I've never even seen or heard about a 68 degree club until now. (rubs hands together vigorously whilst showing an evil grin) I thought 64 was the max.