A 60 Degree Wedge: What Is It?
By Space Coast Daily // October 31, 2022
A 60-degree wedge is commonly known as a “lob wedge” among golfers. On the PGA Tour, lob wedges are carried by every golfer, but few amateurs do the same. The lob wedge is regarded as a golf club with a high reward/high risk ratio.
A 60 degree wedge has 60 degrees of loft, as its name suggests. This makes it the club with the highest loft in the bag and the best option for shots that demand a high trajectory.
What Distance Most People Hit This Wedge
The ability to hit a 60 degree wedge farther is largely influenced by skill level, as it is with all golf clubs. The majority of seasoned golfers have a 60-degree wedge distance of about 90 yards.
However, the typical amateur golfer will typically hit this club 70 yards or less. Some newcomers can only use a 60 degree wedge to hit the ball in the 30 to 50 yard range.
Situations Where a 60 Degree Wedge Is Best Used
Learning how to use the 60-degree wedge can be challenging. Because of this, many golfers don’t even bother bringing one with them.
A 60 degree wedge can be useful in a number of scenarios on the golf course, though.
1. The ball needs to be swung over a tree.
This situation was covered in the introduction, but it bears repeating. The optimum situation for using a lob wedge is when a very high shot is required to get over a tree or other obstruction in your path. More often than most golfers would care to admit, this occurs.
Every golfer occasionally has trouble with errant tee shots. They frequently find themselves in difficult-to-escape situations as a result of their unreliable shoots. The player can safely return to the green or fairway by using the 60-degree wedge to escape danger.
2. You’re Near the Green But in Some Deep Rough
Even near the green, some golf courses feature some tough roughs. With a simple pitching wedge, it might be challenging to get the ball out of this type of deep rough and onto the green.
The 60 degree wedge enters the picture here. The golfer can cut through the thick rough and get underneath the ball thanks to the 4 to 8 degree bounce of this club. The ability to do this can assist the golfer in saving par multiple times throughout a round.
3. You Need a Soft Landing Because You’re Chipping Near the Green
Have you ever played on a green that was too quick? It can be tough to prevent your chip shots from rolling over the back of the green when you encounter these kinds of greens. Consider chipping with your 60-degree wedge if you find yourself in this perilous position.
You can hit a high chip shot that lands gently on the green with the help of the 60-degree wedge. Your ball will roll out very little after landing if you strike it properly.
4. You Hit the Ball Into a Deep Bunker
Have you ever encountered Jaws while playing golf? No, a shark is not the topic at hand. Golfers have a moniker for extremely deep bunkers: Jaws!
Even a sand wedge won’t have enough loft in some bunkers for you to be able to remove your golf ball. Your 60-degree wedge can come to your rescue if you find yourself in this difficult situation. You will be able to safely enter the green thanks to the added loft and bounce.
Is a 60-Degree Wedge Really Necessary for Your Bag?
The answer to this and many other questions about this bizarre game of golf is: it depends!
For a highly competent PGA Tour professional like Phil Mickelson, a 60 degree wedge might be a big benefit, but for a novice, it can be a huge problem. This is due to the minimal degree of forgiveness in a lob wedge.
Only if you’re an experienced golfer with a single-digit handicap should you consider carrying a 60 degree wedge in your bag. All you actually need is a pitching wedge and a sand wedge if you’re a novice or even an average golfer.
