I used to carry a 62*, and you have to accelerate through the ball with this wedge and play it back in your stance or you will skull it everytime. You HAVE to get another wedge in between possibly even 2, a 56* sand wedge is a necessary, and i myself carry a gap wedge and a sand wedge to fill the gap. I have 4 wedges and vary the uses of them, but the importance of your short game is huge. The 64* or X-LOB wedge is not for a beginner, usually used for high lobs around the green, you probably wont carry this thing over 20 yards, so just practice at it, back in stance, hit down on ball, accelerate through impact.
I agree with NSOS...D. Pelz advocates the use of this wedge in his system, but he also supports the common theory that lower is better in regards to chipping, in that you use the club that gets the ball rolling on the green ASAP as the green is a more predictable surface vs flying the ball to the hole...there is a difference between chipping and pitching in that chipping is not much more than a lag putt from off the green with a lofted club...I chip best with my 7-pw and have even used a 3wood with success...a chip with a 64 is a difficult shot and should be attempted only if obstructed and you are at your last option...you need to go after a 64 to get it to play well, and to do so consistently will require practice...I would reccomend that you drop the 64, pick up a 50-52 gap and a 56-58 sand and play 3 wedges (incl. your pw) until you gain in experience...they are easier clubs to hit and can be applied to more situations...lastly, I assume that as a beginner you have a relatively high handicap; just as in bunker play where your primary objective should be to get out and onto the green, play your chips with the idea that it is green first, hole second and don't be shy about pulling the putter to bump the ball up onto the putting surface as you will have a better chance of getting the ball close to the hole using the putter vs most other clubs in the bag as long as the rough is not a big issue...
I use an 8 iron for chipping. I only use the LOB when I have to go over something, and as said earlier you have to trust it and swing thru. If you decelerate you are in trouble.
...I would reccomend that you drop the 64, pick up a 50-52 gap and a 56-58 sand and play 3 wedges (incl. your pw) until you gain in experience...they are easier clubs to hit and can be applied to more situations...
FWIW, I agree completely. A 64 is a tricky club to hit, especially for beginners.
Good luck, and let us know how things go!
64 degree wedges are for showing off. High flight that stops on a dime or scoots back. If you want to roll to the hole use a 8 to pw and chip or putt with it. For higher flight shots you need an approach wedge (50 - 54) and/of a sand wedge (55-56). You don't need the headache or heartache of learning on a 64 degree. Take it to the range and practice for fun but until it works as well as the other wedges it is for show only.
Forget about that 64* wedge for now. A few years ago, I built 2 new wedges, a 60* and a 64*, as a test. What I found out is that the 64* wedge is about twice as hard to hit well as the 60* wedge. Same make and model, and same shaft, just 4 more degrees of loft.
I'd also recommend you get a Gap wedge and a Sand wedge and maybe a new 60* lob wedge. My short game is pretty good, and I don't hesitate to pull out my 60* wedge a play a flop shot with it. But the 64* is a lot harder to master, and it will take you at least twice as much practice time with it to get comfortable with it. When and if you master a 60* wedge, then you can get your 64* wedge back out of the closet and try again. Until then, leave it at home.
I agree. A 60 degree wedge is to hard for a beginner to hit consistantly, let alone a 64 degree. I got rid of my 60 for this reason and just use a 56 for high flighted shots...but majority of my chips are done with a PW.
Hi NorCal, I carry a 64* and use it all the time. Just play the ball from off your right ankle. Be sure to hit down on the ball. I see where it was suggested to use your a 8 iron. That shot comes in handy too. I am allways trying to learn new shots. The 64 comes in handy when you have little green to work with and you need to get the ball up fast land soft and have little roll once it hits the green.
Good luck, be glad to offer detailed suggestions on how and when to use your new weapon.
I do as well. When you are on a downhill lie nothing beats it around the green. I use mine from the sand when I am within 20 feet of the pin. The sand where I play is heavy and hard, and since there is less bounce than a typical sandwedge, this guy does the trick. You set up straight at the hole instead of off to the side and cutting it. Neat club.
... by my 64 degree wedge. In our member-guest tournament two weeks ago, I pulled my approach shot to the left into the pine straw near the green. Effectively, I short-sided myself and had a 30 yard pitch shot into an elevated green that sloped away from me and was running 13 on the stimp. Pitched the 64 degree onto the fringe, trickled down the green and into the hole. We won the hole with a birdie and killed our opponents. There is NO WAY I could have made that shot with anything but the 64. For super-fast greens with little green to play, it is the only option for me. That said, I am a pretty good golfer and practice it alot. Hope that helps.
One other thing, I agree completely with tinfoilhat ...
... with our greens, I hit short sand shots almost exclusively with my 64 degree wedge. My club hosted a PGA tournament for about 30 years and the greens are slick. Loft is your friend around these greens.
Well, I really want to thank everyone for their help so far.
With all the new information, I plan to go to the store and pick up a wedge or two. I really feel like I should drop the 64* for a few games and concentrate learning on more common and reasonable wedges. After all, it is gutwrenching when I give myself 2-3 strokes for bogey but end up shooting something like 7 on a par 4 solely because I can't get it from the rough to the green...
It looks like I'll continue to practice with the 64*, but the question of if it rides along in the bag, we'll have to see about that...
October 14th, 2006, 08:25 PM
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