LOB Wedge Addiction - I’m guilty of it.

Iceman!

THPer formerly known as "markm778"
Albatross 2024 Club
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Here is some stats from SC@ShotScope Blog that I find fascinating and truthful:
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This so me. I now realize the I need to use different clubs to get around the course. This is also the reason I took my 2019 PM Grind out of my bag. I felt obligated to use it, even places I should not.
 
its worse for me, ANY wedge addiction. not only in play, but in ownership. I probably have over 20 wedges laying all over the house, not counting the 4 normally put in play.
 
Had one, got rid of it. Got another one, got rid of it. Evil things, really.
 
I carry a 58* and use it only when necessary. So probably more than I should.
 
easier said than done.

My course has thick greenside rough and I'm always in it. I can recall once in the past three rounds where I had short grass chip and 13-14 shots each round where I'm in thick rough So, for me, I don't have another choice but to use a lob wedge. If there is another way to hit this shot I'd be all ears.
 
LOB Wedge Addiction - I’m guilty of it.

Just depends what you practice and know. Also the grass types can play a role as well.

I noticed in FL I can’t use it as much because the grass just seemed to grab way more than up here and I wouldn’t get the typical bounce and roll I would be looking for. Around here though I practice and use my lob almost exclusively and have really good results.
 
easier said than done.

My course has thick greenside rough and I'm always in it. I can recall once in the past three rounds where I had short grass chip and 13-14 shots each round where I'm in thick rough So, for me, I don't have another choice but to use a lob wedge. If there is another way to hit this shot I'd be all ears.

I have absolutely the same problem here in the Chicago area, the rough is so thick due to rain and I actually went to a 50* wedge to try to use the weight of the club to get it out.
I found the LOB either went under or it wasn't enough and I came up short.

Please don't get me wrong, I know exactly how you feel....
 
If there is another way to hit this shot I'd be all ears.

My golfing partner (the wife) says "pick it up and throw it, works every time"
 
I was just joking with ddec and jman that Im about done with my 58* cause it does me way more harm than good.

54* from everywhere from now on
 
I use mine about once per 20-25 holes. It seems to be on hole 16 at my home course because the green is domed, small, and slopes severely. If you are close but off of it you have to loft and land and the ball will run no matter what. That said I put the ball way back in my stance on chips and just go strait back and strait through so there is much less chance of a skull, it just gives a little less loft and runout than my SW. So when I use it's not for flopping.

I think the flop shot is the real danger not the lob wedge itself.
 
A lot of players both pro and amateur have plenty of success using a LW most of the time around the greens, I play with one of them and he's a great short game player.

That being said I agree with the OP, I think weekend players try too often to pitch or lob when they should be chipping, and you can't really chip well with a LW, or even a SW, I use a GW/PW often.
 
I use and love my 56* for just about every shot within 100 of the green. Very rarely do I take out the 60*, save bunker shots
 
Well I am a high handicapper but I hit my lob wedge great and have a lot of confidence with it. I prefer to bump and run with my 7 iron from 10 yards in, but it depends what is between me and the green. I prefer not to put the ball in the air up close. 20-60yards it checks up very good. Half to 3/4 swing I will use it with good repeatability.
 
I used to use my 60 almost exclusively for chipping. Now i use my 54 most of the time and do use less lofted wedges and the occasional 7 or 8 iron and have found that my proximity is much better, especially with the poorly struck chips.

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easier said than done.

My course has thick greenside rough and I'm always in it. I can recall once in the past three rounds where I had short grass chip and 13-14 shots each round where I'm in thick rough So, for me, I don't have another choice but to use a lob wedge. If there is another way to hit this shot I'd be all ears.


When I get super thick rough i play it like a bunker shot and try to splash it out, stops me going underneath it and it means I can swing aggressively too. Might not work for everyone mind
 
I definitely have this "problem," ha. I'm so comfortable with my 60* that I can use it for any type of short game shot. I probably use it for 75% of short game shots, but the vast majority of those are low chips that check-up and roll out like a putt--I deloft the club so much you could probably just call it a PW. Honestly, it's probably the strongest part of my game, so I don't think it's actually costing me strokes.

I have never been comfortable chipping with an iron. I have 3 clubs I'll chip with: 54*, 60*, or lowest lofted hybrid. That's it.
 
I remember a similar article a couple of years ago. Really opened my eyes, been trying to make the effort to not want to grab the 60 right away.
 
I used to be guilty. But coaching kids who tried to do the same changed that really quick for me.
 
easier said than done.

My course has thick greenside rough and I'm always in it. I can recall once in the past three rounds where I had short grass chip and 13-14 shots each round where I'm in thick rough So, for me, I don't have another choice but to use a lob wedge. If there is another way to hit this shot I'd be all ears.

You know Ward’s answer is always “swing harder”.


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I have a problem with the statistics. Reading it, it refers to LW usage "within" 20 yards of the green. I take that to mean anything inside of 20 yards. If one is 20 yards away, they may a LW, or any other club, and get up and down less than when they are chipping with an 8 iron greenside. They are closer. I don't care what club they are using, if you are closer to the green, you are more likely to get up and down.

~Rock
 
I had a 60* years ago and became guilty of using it everywhere. It started hurting me too much so I went to having a 56* be my highest wedge and I could do anything I needed with it. I have a 60* right now simply because I had an extra spot in the bag and love using it, but it's only used sparingly.
 
More than any other piece of equipment the Lob wedge has caused players of all skill levels to shoot higher scores.
 
You know Ward’s answer is always “swing harder”.


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Dang, I should have tried that today. Had a tough round chipping with the 58°
 
More than any other piece of equipment the Lob wedge has caused players of all skill levels to shoot higher scores.


What do you primarily use? e.g. for deep rough, for light rough, for fairways. I definitely need a different way to attack this problem of mine.
 
You could be decent with many clubs, or a master of one. It's hard to do both. There is a reason the overwhelming majority of tour pros use one or two clubs around greens most of the time (typically a lob, or if not, then a sand wedge).

There is nothing stopping a player from hitting a low running chip with a lob wedge. Not every shot with a 58/60/etc. has to be a flop shot.
 
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