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Should I Carry a Lob Wedge?

Wilbersmith

By Wilbersmith,
in Instruction and Playing Tips

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boogielicious Incredible Member

boogielicious

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3 hours ago, Wilbersmith said:

 I'm an 17 h/cap and I am not sure weather I should carry a lob wedge or just a sand wedge

I carry a 58 degree lob wedge in addition to my 54 SW. if you are good with the sand wedge, you can probably handle a 58. I would not recommend a 60 though. They are harder to hit.

Scott

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Piz Great Member

Piz

I have collected enough wedges, over the years, to open up my own shop.  My two favorites, at present, are a 54/10 and a 58/8.  The only time I carry both is on trips to the range.  When playing; I do better sticking with one or the other.  A few degrees does not make a wedge more or less difficult to use; but it does require a slightly different mind set.  A higher lofted wedge, in the right hands and circumstances, can be quite useful; but you have to use it often enough to have confidence in what you are doing.  Otherwise...in my case...you spend the day landing short or dribbling long.

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Cleveland Hi-Bore driver, Maltby 5 wood, Maltby hybrid, Maltby irons and wedges (23 to 50) Vokey 59/07, Cleveland Niblick (LH-42), and a Maltby mallet putter.                                                                                                                                                 "When the going gets tough...it's tough to get going."

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  • iacas changed the title to Should I Carry a Lob Wedge?
Patch Incredible Member

Patch

(edited)

Owning a LW, and being able to get positive use out of it, is sort of a badge of honor for a lot of amateurs. It can also be a very humbling club. I suspect many LWs are resting on the bottom of more than a few water hazards, being thrown there by frusterated ball strikers. 

A possible negative to owning a LW, is that it will take up space in the golfer's bag. Space that could be better used for a more stroke saving club. 

On a positive note, using a LW, and sticking the ball near the pin feels pretty darn good, and is a great confidence booster.

I carry a 60 LW, and I find situations to use it in just about every round I play. That said, I could probably get by without it, while using other clubs in those same situations. All I would need to do is manipulate those other club's faces by opening them a little. An open club face, with a shorter swing, using another wedge,  will do what a LW will do in a lot of situations. 

Edited by Patch
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MarvChamp Great Member

MarvChamp

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I would not recommend a 60 though. They are harder to hit.

Agree with this, at least it is my experience. I can hit it in practice but results are not as consistent as my 56. I followed my pro's advice and left it at home. Best, -Marv

DRIVER: Cleveland 588 Altitude ( Matrix Radix Sv Graphite, A) IRONS: Mizuno JPX-800 HD Irons & 3,4,5 JPX Fli-Hi (Grafalloy Prolaunch Blue Graphite, R); WEDGES: (Carried as needed) Artisan Golf 46, 50, 53, 56 low bounce, 56 high bounce; PUTTER: Mizuno TP Mills 9

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Hacker James Great Member

Hacker James

(edited)

Awhile back I gave my grandson a starter set of clubs that did not have a sand wedge. I threw in a Lob from my 3 piece set of Tom Watson figuring I could get by without it and it would suffice for use in bunkers for him. In retrospect, I probably should have kept the lob and given him the sand.  This also gave me an excuse to buy a new set of wedges, one of which is a 60 degree lob. I have no problem hitting it and it usually comes into play several times during a round.

Edited by Hacker James

"James"

:titleist: 913 D3 with Aldila RIP Phenom 60 4,2 Regular Shaft,  :touredge: Exotics XCG-7 Beta 3W with Matrix Red Tie Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX8 19 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3 Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX9 28 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3  shaft, / Bobby Jones Black 22 deg Hybrid:touredge: Exotics EXi 6 -PW  w UST Mamiya Recoil F2 Shaft, SW (56),GW (52),LW (60):touredge:  TGS),/ ODDYSEE Metal-X #7 customized putter (400G, cut down Mid Belly)

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Wilbersmith Member

Wilbersmith

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4 hours ago, MarvChamp said:

Agree with this, at least it is my experience. I can hit it in practice but results are not as consistent as my 56. I followed my pro's advice and left it at home. Best, -Marv

I also agree, we all need to be more consistent. I'm taking mine out & putting the  5 iron back in.

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Moxley Great Member

Moxley

Agree with a lot of what @Patch has said. 

Although of late I've been getting by with just my 54, where I do like the lob wedge is for shots that are fairly tight/hard lies, and with little room to work with - in these scenarios I'd tend to open up my 54, but it's a more difficult shot than if I had a 60+ degree wedge with less bounce that I could hit with a squarer face. It depends a lot on course too - I have a lot of those types of shots on my home course, whereas at other courses with softer ground it isn't an issue. 

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Wilbersmith Member

Wilbersmith

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(edited)

🤠Yes that makes a lot of sense regarding tight lies and the courses that you are playing. I have found that on my own course Whetstone Hinckley Leicestershire I can go a number of rounds without using my lob wedge. Also when I carry it plus SW I only get confused as to which one to use in various situations.  So I'm taking LW out.

Edited by Wilbersmith
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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FWIW I don’t go along with the idea that you should have less bounce in a lob wedge. My lob wedge has over 20 degrees of bounce and I can hit it off hardpan dirt if needed.

Bounce is your friend. Just make sure the sole width isn’t super wide.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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17 minutes ago, Wilbersmith said:

There r so many different opinions on this subject all valid for each individual.

Let's not get carried away now.

BTW @Wilbersmith, you should finish filling out your profile with things like your handicap index, handedness, etc.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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billchao Incredible Member

billchao

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Wow, there's a lot of "hate" out there for the LW. I play a 60/08 and it's my primary short game club. Part of it is due to the fact that I dislike almost everything about my 56° now, but I digress.

I don't find it any harder to hit good shots with the 60° than the 56°, but I also never hit full swings with either club. It took me some time to learn when I shouldn't open the face with the 60°, but that was really the only learning curve. I can hit a variety of shots with it and any lies that might give me difficulty with the 60° would be hard with any wedge in my hands. 

Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

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Vinsk Incredible Member

Vinsk

13 hours ago, Wilbersmith said:

Hi billchao. You'll be talking me into putting my LW back in the bag and trying shorter swings with it. At the moment I am more consistent with the 55 degree SW😖

It’s best to mention someone by using the “@“ then start typing the name and choices will appear to which you can select your intended member. @Wilbersmith

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