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Some very strong opinions here.

On guy says it's only for low-handicappers, another says it's for guys chasing anything they can get at to improve their game because some magazine says so.

I'm a bonafide high-handicapper, mainly because of my driver and some inconsistancies, but I can hit the 60 pretty darn well. It's a matter of confidence with club, and having an affinity for a particular club.

I think some of you guys are a little too rigid in your thinking.

I have a 60 wedge, i dont use it often. I normal use it when theres something in the way of the flag like a bunker etc or i cant chip and run.

I have no problems getting it up, its just i tend to be short at times as its a club that you must be 100% on what your doing. Any doubts and your likey to slow down just as you hit the ball imo

I disagree. In fact, rather than rigid, I consider myself quite flexible in that I can hit most of the shots described in this thread as requiring a LW, but I can do it with my 56 degree SW. Rigid is needing a special club for every special situation. Rigid is saying the the only club that can be used for a flop shot is a 60 degree LW. I simply offer an alternative.

I don't really care what anyone chooses to use, but when a question is posed as a topic for discussion, I will discuss it. And I will state my opinion. My opinion on this topic, based on 30+ years of playing golf, and on watching dozens of high handicappers struggle with a 60 degree wedge, is that most average golfers (those who never break 90) don't NEED one in their bags. If they still want to carry one, that's their choice, and I wish them all the luck in the world.

I offer my advice from personal experience and observation, but I'm not giving orders.

Yeah, DiverDown, even though Fourputt and I have been on different sides of this debate, I don't think either of us have been "strong" or "rigid" in our opinions. Perhaps the only thing that we've been "rigid" on is that both of us stressed the absolute need for practice -- he chooses to practice using his SW for the shots, and I choose to use my LW, but neither of us have been rigid in saying that one or the other is the best way to do it.

He is just saying he has seen lots of high-handicappers struggle with the club, and I really think it is because they think that just because the club is around 60 degrees of loft it will throw the ball up in the air without any trouble at all. But, just like all the other clubs, it demands practice to get the technique down right and to know how the ball will repsond. In no way whatsoever is it the miracle short game cure that many are seeking. And, unless you have put that practice in, some people find it really hard to hit the club, and hence the mishits with the club can be brutal -- it is easy to skull the ball well across the green and easy to fluff the ball a grand total of 4 inches.

Additionally, lots of players end up having a real love affair with their LW, and using it way too much. Partly, this is due to watching the pros toss a lot of thier balls up in the air. However, this is because the greens they play on are usually incomparable to the greens the average player encounters -- getting the ball up in the air with lots of spin is just about the only way a ball is going to stop on PGA Tour speed greens. But partly, the player just gets an "oooo that's cool" factor and likes to toss the ball up in the air. Unfortuantely, again due to lack of practice, sure they can get the ball up onto the green, but usually leave themselves 20, 30, 40+ foot putts. Whereas if they had used a PW or even the SW, the ball would release more and give the ball a chance to actually roll near or into the hole.

Learning when not to use the LW is at least as important as learning how to use it.

The point is that the average player who hasn't practiced with his LW, is probably costing himself several strokes -- and if they don't want to do the short game practice, a LW is not going to fix that deficiency. If they don't want to do the practice, for the typical player, there are clubs that are easier to use that would in all likelyhood lower their scores.

Sure, like close to pretty darn near eveything in life, there are no absolute rules. Anyone who says something like "Anyone with a 20 or higher handicap shouldn't use a LW" really doesn't understand the entire spectrum of golfers. Like you yourself, DiverDown, you could be a high handicappper from your driving and iron play, or you could be an excellent driver and still be a high handicapper because your short game and putting is terrible. But, what is true, is that the average high handicapper is probably costing themselves more strokes with the LW than they are saving.

Good post... and good points.

Agreed.

I love my 60 , but I get lots of practice with it, and I've learned when not to use it. There are lots of times when I know I'm better off with a bump-and-run, so the 60 stays in the bag.
Flop shots? Not unless the lie is perfect, and even then, I'm probably going to take my medicine, and just try to get it somewhere on the green. Give a 60 to someone who is a Mickelson, or Tiger wannabe, and his playing partners need to find a good hiding place, or have invested in helmets and body armor.
A low-bounce 60 out of the sand to a tight pin can't be beat - after you learn how to use it. Anywhere from 50-90 yards out, I'm probably going to be hitting it if the fairway is in good shape. If it's wet, that's another story.
Of course, I've got 12 or 13 years of using a 60 to look back on. There's no way I'd recommend one for everyone, but if you put the time in with it, it can be a valued piece of your arsenal.

I just thought I'd show these monsters to the loyal readers of this thread: Here we are arguing over a 60 degree wedge, what about...

a 73 degree wedge?!? Full release golf grips, Best golf grips, Golf Wedges, Lob wedges, Sand wedges

Not enough for ya? How about 80 degrees?
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Think we'll be arguing on the golf forums about 75 degree wedges in 10 years? I can just see it now... "back in MY day we didn't have no stinking 75 degree wedge! We had to struggle with a mere 60 degrees."

I've seen 64's and even 68's. Who decided they could possibly need more loft than that? It's insane. You're approaching the point where the clubface will be almost flat to the ground.