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High Handicappers playing a 60 degree?

mcrobertsjmac32

mcrobertsjmac32

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So guys I shoot in the high low 100s high 90s. My question is for my skill set should I play a 60 degree wedge? I dont currently game one, but have in the past. I usually wanted to swing full shots with it but I see alot of people dont. I stopped gaming one because of difficulty hitting full shots. I have improved leaps and bounds since I gamed one. I could see myself wanting to game a 60 in deep bunkers or on chips/pitches where I dont have much green to work with and need the ball to stop asap.

Ive read where Tom Watson doesnt believe in them, but also some PGA Pros believing all Amateurs should game one.... What do u guys think?
 
I think high lofted wedges take a lot of practice and work. You have to fully commit to the shot and swing. Quitting on a high lofted wedge spells big trouble IMO
 
If you are a good wedge player, I see no problem with it.
What you normally shoot really has no bearing on whether you should game a particular club.
Now, If you are losing a lot of strokes due to your wedge play, I advise against gaming a 60.
 
Depends on conditions, greens, etc. You can play bunker shots pretty well? 60 may help but you still need to commit to your shots.
I have no problem w high hcp players w a 60* wedge, but it takes practice.
One more thing - bad shots can end up being REALLY bad.


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rtparty said:
I think high lofted wedges take a lot of practice and work. You have to fully commit to the shot and swing. Quitting on a high lofted wedge spells big trouble IMO
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Agreed. Unless you are going to put practice into it, there probably isn't enough reward for the risk. The highest I have is a 58* and I don't think I've put a full swing on it more than 5 times total in the past year. At the same time though I wouldn't be able to play without a lob wedge. I use it a lot around the greens, but I also practice it a lot. I'm not great at it in the grand scheme of things, but I practice it enough to not be punished with it and it helps get me closer and be confident on certain shots. I definitely see the benefit of having one, but again I think it's a club that needs practice to be effective with.
 
Michigan Slice said:
If you are a good wedge player, I see no problem with it.
What you normally shoot really has no bearing on whether you should game a particular club.
Now, If you are losing a lot of strokes due to your wedge play, I advise against gaming a 60.
Click to expand...
My wedge play is the weakest part of my game
 
Spivey said:
Depends on conditions, greens, etc. You can play bunker shots pretty well? 60 may help but you still need to commit to your shots.
I have no problem w high hcp players w a 60* wedge, but it takes practice.
One more thing - bad shots can end up being REALLY bad.


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Click to expand...
Im bad in deep bunkers. Thats why I was thinking higher loft could pop me out of them
 
Hi loft in bunkers, if you don't have good technique, can be really hard to play. And technique is the key, no matter what loft you play. Practice bunker shots w pw or gap wedge before jumping to lobs.
Technique trumps loft.


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mcrobertsjmac32 said:
My wedge play is the weakest part of my game
Click to expand...

In that case, I would say one of either 2 things Practice a lot to make it a strong point of your game, THEN grab your 60.
Or, stay to lower lofted wedges.

Good luck.
 
mcrobertsjmac32 said:
Im bad in deep bunkers. Thats why I was thinking higher loft could pop me out of them
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IMO its more about technique.
My highest lofted wedge is 58, and I have gotten out of some really deep bunkers with it.

Remember to open it up, commit, take some sand, and follow through!
 
Personal experience, I gamed a 60* cally forged copper wedge for a good part of last season, couldn't hit it to save my life. I got rid of it. This year I have a 58* (same cally forged copper) and it is a night and day difference. It has become one of my favorite clubs to use, and strangely one of them I am most accurate with. And I am a HIGH handicapper. Typically mid 100's to low/mid 110's. The biggest thing for me was learning to COMMIT to the shot. If I hesitate at all I am screwed.
 
Last edited:
Buy a smart sole Cleveland 58* wedge?
 
sabig27 said:
Buy a smart sole Cleveland 58* wedge?
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I was about to post that myself, I used to carry a 60* but never used it for full shots...mostly out of bunkers and a few flops here and there. I switched to a 58* a few years back and have never missed the 60......but if you have issues with pitches and bunkers shots, the Cleveland Smart Sole 58* just might be the thing you need.....bunker shots are so easy. I have holed out more shots since I put the Smart Sole in my bag than ever before, including 3 times in a single round on one occasion playing with some Houston THP peeps.

Grab a Smart Sole, I think you will enjoy it

http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?49720-Cleveland-Smart-Sole-Wedges
 
mcrobertsjmac32 said:
So guys I shoot in the high low 100s high 90s. My question is for my skill set should I play a 60 degree wedge? I dont currently game one, but have in the past. I usually wanted to swing full shots with it but I see alot of people dont. I stopped gaming one because of difficulty hitting full shots. I have improved leaps and bounds since I gamed one. I could see myself wanting to game a 60 in deep bunkers or on chips/pitches where I dont have much green to work with and need the ball to stop asap.

Ive read where Tom Watson doesnt believe in them, but also some PGA Pros believing all Amateurs should game one.... What do u guys think?
Click to expand...

Here's my honest opinion:

Before gaming a 60, you should concentrate on your game. That is to say, as a high-handicapper, you should learn to NEVER short-side yourself. Twenty yards off the green with a lot of green to work with is better than 5 yards off the green and no room to work with. Your thought should always be "what's the lowest-lofted club with which I can accomplish this shot?"

Now, obviously not everything goes as planned and there will be times that despite your best efforts, you end up short sided. In those situations, your only focus should be to get on the green - anywhere. While having the ball checkup close to a short-sided pin out of a deep bunker is great, such a shot is really above your pay grade. Again, your focus should be simply getting on the green.

As others have said, hitting a 60 well typically requires a big swing and near-pefect technique. Because of the big swing, any mistake in technique is going to be flub or a bladed-ball over the green. I'd stick with a 56 or 58 until you improve, and use the advice above to lower your scores, rather than trying shots which are way too difficult.

Just my thoughts from someone who has had to learn the hard way that scoring for us non-single-digit handicaps comes from taking the smart and easier-path.
 
TripleBogieTim said:
I was about to post that myself, I used to carry a 60* but never used it for full shots...mostly out of bunkers and a few flops here and there. I switched to a 58* a few years back and have never missed the 60......but if you have issues with pitches and bunkers shots, the Cleveland Smart Sole 58* just might be the thing you need.....bunker shots are so easy. I have holed out more shots since I put the Smart Sole in my bag than ever before, including 3 times in a single round on one occasion playing with some Houston THP peeps.

Grab a Smart Sole, I think you will enjoy it

http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?49720-Cleveland-Smart-Sole-Wedges
Click to expand...

I actually have a Tour Edge 1out thats basically the same thing. I just don't like it that much for full swings. I do love it out of the bunker tho
 
Im a low handicap (7) and I have never used a 60°. I never felt the need to. What about a 56 or 58 and if need be you could open it up. I think either one might be more versatile. But in the end it is your choice.

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I would say no. 56/58 would be the highest loft. Being able to play multiple shots with higher lofted wedges would be easier. I would say work on the game and the swing then when the skills become better if you need a 60 and you probably won't then consider it.
 
Best thing I ever did was ditch the 60*. I have a 58* but I rarely use it to be honest, I practice a lot with my 54* and am very comfortable hitting a lot of different shots with it. Are they all GOOD shots? Heck no! But as someone who scores like you (anywhere from mid 90's to 110+ depending on the day & course) I never once hit a good shot with my 60*.
 
I think having a 60° for a lot of people leads to bad decision making, sometimes we think we can hit shots we have no business hitting and it usually turns out to be an epic failure with a big number attached to it, if we remove that variable or temptation to hit impossible shots we will ultimately score better by better decision making. I've been there and done that and now use 1 wedge for 95% of the shots I hit in the short game, 1 wedge=1 club to learn in the beginning.
 
I'm a 9 handicap and I couldn't get on with a 60 degree at all.
 
mcrobertsjmac32 said:
I actually have a Tour Edge 1out thats basically the same thing. I just don't like it that much for full swings. I do love it out of the bunker tho
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I don't hit the Smart Sole for full shots either.....about 3/4 is the most I will go and that's very rare. I just work on not leaving myself shots that require a full lob wedge and even if it happens I can control and 3/4 sand wedge much better.

I can get several different distances with my sand wedge (54*) that I can control much easier than taking a full swing with a 58 or 60
 
Ditto....
TripleBogieTim said:
I don't hit the Smart Sole for full shots either.....about 3/4 is the most I will go and that's very rare. I just work on not leaving myself shots that require a full lob wedge and even if it happens I can control and 3/4 sand wedge much better.

I can get several different distances with my sand wedge (54*) that I can control much easier than taking a full swing with a 58 or 60
Click to expand...
 
People overstate the difficulty involved hitting a 60° wedge. They'll tell you a 58° or 56° is fine, but those extra few degrees somehow makes it an unusable club. Poor wedge play (regardless of the loft) comes from poor technique, bad shot selection, and lack of practice.

That said, a 56° wedge is plenty of loft to get you out of the bunker if that's the only reason you're pondering it.

If you get one, taking full swings with it probably isn't a great idea. Look at more bounce than less. Get some instruction and practice.
 
Hawk said:
People overstate the difficulty involved hitting a 60° wedge. They'll tell you a 58° or 56° is fine, but those extra few degrees somehow makes it an unusable club. Poor wedge play (regardless of the loft) comes from poor technique, bad shot selection, and lack of practice.

That said, a 56° wedge is plenty of loft to get you out of the bunker if that's the only reason you're pondering it.

If you get one, taking full swings with it probably isn't a great idea. Look at more bounce than less. Get some instruction and practice.
Click to expand...

i wonder how much that discouragement is more based on the typical bounce we see with a 60, which is usually less than the bounce on a 56 or 58 (custom options aside). and as we all know, bounce is your friend.

my biggest beef with the 60 is that it is so often unnecessary, or encourages shots that are low percentage. that said, i recently put one in the bag based on a fitter's recommendation. i haven't had enough rounds with it to judge whether it was a good move, but so far i've hit some decent shots.
 
As a high caper I'll only 'attempt' my 60* in green side bunker if I have to get up very quickly (batting about .400 currently) lots of practice to go. I'll use 56* for all the rest.
 
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