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Do I need a lob wedge?

SuperStroke
BossHoggBoggs

BossHoggBoggs

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I consider myself to be a mid level handicap and I am trying to improve my short game, do I need a lob wedge and if so what should I be looking for?
 
I find it depends entirely on the type of courses you play most often and situations you find yourself in. Most golfers benefit from having one, especially from bunkers! If you're in a lot of bunkers or play list courses with thick rough then look for something with high bounce.
On a side note, a friend who plays off scratch uses nothing higher than 56°.
 
I carry a 58 degree and use it a lot, but I play with several guys that are better players than me that don't carry more than 56 degree wedges, so it all depends on the course, and your style of play.
 
I only use up to a 56 degree. Having a extra 60 degree leads to having too many choices for me. I can play a flop with my 56 opened up and bump and lower spinners with the rest. With that said my short game style is get it on the green and run it in like a putt. Flop shot is for when I short side myself of have a forced carry.

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When I got my new bag, I didn't get a LW. Then was thinking I needed one. I have a 56* but hardly use it, only if with in 30-40 yards to green. From there on back, I use my gap 50.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
I carry a 58 degree and use it a lot, but I play with several guys that are better players than me that don't carry more than 56 degree wedges, so it all depends on the course, and your style of play.
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Pretty much this. I went to a 58 for the first time last year and combined with my 54 my short game has never been better.

Still needs work tho :)
 
A lot would say that at my handicap I have no business using my 60 degree wedge, but i love it. Very situational, maybe only use 2-3 times at most in a round, but when it do it's probably because I'm in a little trouble an absolutely need it. And it's a FUN club to pull off well. Though I will say, definitely don't let your last swing thought be "don't blade this"...or guaranteed you will :at-wits-end:
 
This is my second year golfing and I am a high handicapper, I usually shoot anywhere between 91-105 when I play a full round, usually only get out for 9 at a time though (44-53 usually). Last Year, and the beginning of this year, I was shooting 56-66 for 9 holes and often near 120 for a full round.

All I had before was the PW and SW that came with my Callaway X20 set (45 and 55 degree). . I found it hard to pay around greens with those clubs so I found some really nice used Vokeys to try out. I picked up a 54-04 and a 58-10.
Let me tell you, Around the greens are my favourite place to play now. I LOVE these clubs, and they completely changed my game.
The bounce on the 58 is a touch high but Im a digger so Im able to use it. I also take it out quite a few times each round. The 54 takes the bulk of the work though since I can play it at a higher loft if I need to. But when it comes down to a shot that I want the ball to stop, with little to no roll, I use the 58.

I also have a 60-08 but I dont find it as versatile as my 58. I find everything just goes straight up and down no matter what I do. Whereas with my 58 I can play the gap between my 54 up to a 60. Meaning I can play it from a good distance out with a full swing or in tight with a flop.

Looking for a 50 now.
 
I am a big fan of the lob wedge but I think it really depends on how it suits your game. I love it around the green, for touch shots and sand shots that are either short sided or require some significant elevation. But I use it more from the fairway on approaches of 80 yds and in. Allows me full shots from 70-80, a lower trajectory one hop and stop shot closer in or to bring it in high and soft to a pin.

I would recommend you first work with you 56° to get all you can out of that club and if you find that there are shots you have a hard time hitting or feel you're missing some versatility, then a lob might help out and you can work one into the lineup.
 
It depends on your current setup and the type of game you like to play. I used to have a 60 and I open it up for all kinds of flops, but now to increase consistency I've rarely been flopping and instead carry a 57 as my highest lofted wedge. So really it depends on how often you would need it based on what you do around the greens.
 
58 degrees is as high as I'll go that I use on every game, I have a 60 in my other set but I use it sparingly. Also see the "Wedges" thread for more discussion. I'll stick with my argument that the higher the loft, thus, 60, the harder to make good contact. So when starting out, 56 or 54 is a little easier on the learning curve. But again, as some of the posts say, it's a matter of personal style and preference, some hit the 60 better than me or others.

Undeniably, the 60 is cool to see when in action - see Tiger Woods @ Wyndham. Also, it's easy to blade or chunk the 60 - see Tiger Woods @ Wyndham, final round, hole no. 11. Again, some guys hit it better than others.

Also, you'll have to figure out the bounce you need, or get a fitter to help you out on that, which is dependent on the conditions of the turf and sand on the courses you play.
 
A lob wedge is good if you don't over use it, a lob wedge can come in handy. I try to use my lob wedge only when I have to as too much loft can result in some really bad shots.
 
I use my 58 degree wedge more than any other club in my bag. It really depends on your style of play and how you attack the pins inside 100 yards. I highly recommend it, very useful for shots when you have no green to work with. Also for when the greens are hard so you don't bump and run over them.
 
IMO, yes. I honestly couldnt imagine not have my 58 degree wedge. Theres so many short little shots around the green that I use it for which you simply couldnt pull off with a 54 or 56 degree.
 
I love mine, but try to only use it when it really is the best option. When chipping I like to get the ball on the ground and roll it to the hole, but for those shots where you need to get it in the air and have it stop quickly it works great.

I like it from the fairway too but won't hit more than a half to three quarter swing with it.
 
I do not play a lob wedge highest loft I have is 56. Just works for me and my game at this point. Are there times where I could use a lob wedge of course but I do not feel confident with trying to execute those shots.
 
I've dropped to 56° being the highest wedge I carry. Prefer to get it on the green as fast as possible. Can open it up if needed and/or get some air if needed. Too many bad things happen for me if I try to get cute.
 
No reason not to try it, but a lot will also depend on what wedge you get, what loft you decide on, bounce, etc. I'd encourage you to try a lot of them before committing.

I just recently put a 60 in my bag. I've taken it back out after a couple weeks. The 58 is just so much more consistent, and I can play 99.9% of the shots I'd play with the 60.

In fact, if my gaps were different and I had a 56° wedge, I'm not sure I'd put anything higher in my bag. But the 54° isn't quite versatile enough for all the shots.
 
Depending on your preferences and the style of courses you most often play, you may not need a lob wedge.
I play a course with small, slightly elevated greens. The lies around the green are usually pretty tight, so I couldn't do without my low-bounce 59 degree Vokey.
Before becoming a member at the course where I play now, I regularly played a couple of other courses with greens that weren't elevated and did fine without a lob wedge.

To take things a bit farther... You may not need one in your bag, but it would certainly not hurt for you to own one so that you could practice with it some and see what type and quality of shots you can hit with it. Getting in a little extra short game practice and becoming familiar with what you are capable of with a lob wedge will only help your game, no matter if you decide to game it or not. That's my .02. Your mileage may vary.
 
I definitely play from the rough a lot and the greens where I play are fairly soft not too much bounce
 
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