The Lob Wedge: the Savior and Destroyer

[DNice26]

When you are inside say 80 yards or thereabouts, do you find yourself reaching for the LW more than the SW?

Recently, I've been messing around more with hitting sand wedge (56) in spots I normally would just automatically grab the lw and the results have surprised me a bit. Example: 60 yard shot, pin is at the front of the green in a tight little spot. 99% of the time, my brain is going lw. Recently, I've found myself in this spot a number of times and decided to grab the SW instead. With fantastic results. The sw flies lower and seems to spin more with better overall control. The lw in comparison kinda slides a bit up the face and seems to do its best work via apex as opposed to spin. I've even come across scenarios where I went with the SW when I suspected it wasn't going to stop fast enough, only to find it spin so much it stopped a bit short.

Perhaps this shouldn't have surprised me..... Toward the end of the summer I started using GC3 more and brought it with me to collect data on my Edison wedges. I was kinda surprised to discover that my SW actually gets a fair bit more spin than my LW. Now taking this knowledge to the course, it seems to have proven itself so far.

So......let me ask : Do you overdo your LW use?

 

[BostonSal]

I would be content to just hit my sixty for little greenside lobs and go to a shorter backswing on my 54 for the shorter pitches from inside of 80 yards.

But if I'm taking too much off the 54--if I don't incorporate enough swing-velocity--the bounce may make me belly into the ball.
The 60 has almost NO bounce and could be the safer choice, but I'm not crazy about hitting it with a big, full swing.

This, I go with a 54-10 which isn't TOO MUCH bounce. It's enough bounce when laid wide open for a bunker shot, however.

 

[MWard]

For me, it’s more about trusting the amount of speed I give it than the club. 54 is absolutely an option, but a decel pull draw left is right behind door number 2 if I feel I am gonna smoke it 20yds further than what I want.

 

[Scooby45]

It's mostly a break in case of emergency club for me. I try to use the 54 way more for pitches in the 50-100 yard zone

 

[DNice26]

For me, it’s more about trusting the amount of speed I give it than the club. 54 is absolutely an option, but a decel pull draw left is right behind door number 2 if I feel I am gonna smoke it 20yds further than what I want.

Funny, that fear is in my head as well, but I've been surprised to find it doesn't really happen. Or.....hasn't yet.

I would also say.....in my case I'm talking 56 vs your 54. I know its only 2 degrees......but I think I'd be a touch more hesitant to go SW over LW if I had a 54 in the bag.

 

[OldandStiff]

I do not. I play it when it's appropriate for the shot I want to hit. Which considering the grinds and lofts between my wedges is often from 80 yards in, but definitely not a rule or anything. I can't imagine I'd ever fall into that overuse trap because I used to not carry a very high lofted wedge and my 55 is actually my favorite overall. It just doesn't suit as many of those shots.

 

[Parrot]

I feel more comfortable hitting my 54 from 40-60 yards than I do my 58. But I hit 58 better than 54 in the 60-90 yard range. Maybe I'll try 50 there.

 

[olperfesser]

My 60° is for soft sand. Never use it otherwise. My 54° is my go-to anywhere inside 60 yards. Rarely do I use my wedges more than a half swing from the fairway, so AW inside 75 yards.

 

[MWard]

Funny, that fear is in my head as well, but I've been surprised to find it doesn't really happen. Or.....hasn't yet.

I would also say.....in my case I'm talking 56 vs your 54. I know its only 2 degrees......but I think I'd be a touch more hesitant to go SW over LW if I had a 54 in the bag.

i go 54-58 but it’s 100% feel, wind, the lie, and the pin location. Then again, my favorite is to just go Leeroy Jenkins and nuke it over the green because the shot at hand was apparently much too easy.

 

[Bosco...]

Seems like whenever I pull the 60* it’s because I’m in trouble trying to make a save instead of a shot, so to speak.

 

[DNice26]

i go 54-58 but it’s 100% feel, wind, the lie, and the pin location. Then again, my favorite is to just go Leeroy Jenkins and nuke it over the green because the shot at hand was apparently much too easy.

Yeah, of course. To clarify, I'm not saying I now only use my SW everywhere inside 80 yards....but I've increased the probability of its use and it seems to be bearing fruit in terms of proximity.

 

[MWard]

Yeah, of course. To clarify, I'm not saying I now only use my SW everywhere inside 80 yards....but I've increased the probability of its use and it seems to be bearing fruit in terms of proximity.

Sincere question, how often to do you:

A: leave yourself that yardage?
B: practice that yardage?

 

[TxAggie2018]

The Lob Wedge: the Savior and Destroyer

And it pretty much alternates between rounds!

Standard e-golfer advice is to eschew the LW as a dangerous "hero" club and recommend safer, lower short game shots, but I am finding more and more situations where it really is the best choice available.

-Steep bunkers. I can't open a 56* SW with any degree of success, so I need a 60* to get me out of those. I'll use my low-bounce 60* for pretty much any bunker that doesn't have wet sand in it.

-Par 3 courses. Greens are about 10 yards wide, so you need something that stops quickly. It's why I originally bought mine.

-Hands forward chipping. A LW allows you to de-loft the club and still get some air under your ball. The instructor I'm seeing recommends a high bounce 60* even to new golfers for that reason, and has them use it for all greenside shots. He tried to get me doing the hands-forward thing, but I just can't warm up to it.

 

[DNice26]

Sincere question, how often to do you:

A: leave yourself that yardage?
B: practice that yardage?

Not often, which is why I think the bit lower loft seems to be helping my consistency. The ball is coming out a bit lower and I feel the strike a bit better. The LW can get a bit wipey for me at times. The lw can seem to slide up the face a bit more and it seems to just have less control as a result.

 

[badolds]

I am debating a 56* S grind or 58* X grind to be my highest lofted club beyond my 52* S grind Jaws Raw. I am more confident with a SW because of better contact but I need the versatility when I need to hit an open face shot from the turf. I do not love hitting flops for fear of the skull burner but sometimes it's the only play.

 

[MWard]

Not often, which is why I think the bit lower loft seems to be helping my consistency. The ball is coming out a bit lower and I feel the strike a bit better. The LW can get a bit wipey for me at times. The lw can seem to slide up the face a bit more and it seems to just have less control as a result.

All of that checks out! I’m fortunate enough where I’ve got two areas to practice those dumb yardages

 

[BigMac]

LW (58° in my case) isn't a full swing club for me. I'll pull it for bunkers and greenside shots where I have the right lie and need its loft, but if I'm out in the 50-60 yard range it's going to be a partial 52° or AW if the pin is up front, maybe an even lower lofted bump and run type shot if the pin is further back.

 

[McLovin]

i’m not scared of my lw. i really enjoy hitting wedges. i will use different lofts for the same distance shots depending on a number of factors like lie, pin placement, etc.

 

[Scooby45]

All of that checks out! I’m fortunate enough where I’ve got two areas to practice those dumb yardages

I like to wear out the top tracer range to dial in the yardages. I really enjoy wedge play.

 

[BuffaloPlunger]

this year I focused on using SW for almost everything 90y in that isn’t greenside and my short game really improved because of it. Most of my poor shots were from just poor shot choice. I find myself relying on my LW less and less and I don’t regret it

 

[DNice26]

i’m not scared of my lw. i really enjoy hitting wedges. i will use different lofts for the same distance shots depending on a number of factors like lie, pin placement, etc.

TBH, its not about being "scared" of it. It's simply about being more consistent in control with the bit lower loft.

You have a GC3..... have you noticed more spin with your SW?

Couldn't hurt for you to prove me wrong.... ?

 

[DaveGolfer15]

The high lofted wedge is an absolute weapon in the hands of a skilled golfer. And more trouble than it’s worth to some.

 

[McLovin]

TBH, its not about being "scared" of it. It's simply about being more consistent in control with the bit lower loft.

You have a GC3..... have you noticed more spin with your SW?

Couldn't hurt for you to prove me wrong.... ?

i guess i don’t feel like i control one more or less than the other.

you don’t want to know how low my spin can be with wedges…

 

[Puttmaster]

Savior or destroyer? Yes.

 

[dAS0]

My lob wedge is great for full and partial shots, but with the catch that wet conditions keep it in the bag. I like to hit a lower, almost punch when things are saturated.