Lob wedges typically have a loft of 58 or 60 degrees.
Most manufacturers carry two or three loft options for lob wedges: a 58 degree wedge, a 60 degree wedge, and a 62 degree wedge.
Some manufacturers, like Callaway, carry a 64 degree wedge.
That said, wedges can easily be bent a degree stronger or weaker, depending on what you need.
In order to keep your wedges properly gapped, look for a lob wedge with 4-5 more degrees of loft than your sand wedge.
A 60 degree wedge is the most common lob wedge loft:
- It can easily be opened up if needed to get an effective loft of 64°+.
- A 60 degree wedge is also much easier to hit consistently than a 64-degree wedge.
Lob Wedge Distance
The average lob wedge carry distance for a full swing is 60-100 yards, but a lob wedge is rarely used for full shots.
Lob Wedge Bounce
Most manufacturers carry lob wedges with 10-12 degrees of bounce.
If you are good enough to use a lob wedge, the amount of bounce will be determined purely by your preference, swing style, and course conditions.
If you find yourself chunking and/or blading your lob wedge a lot, you should probably stick with a lower lofted wedge until your swing becomes more consistent.
When To Use A Lob Wedge
A lob wedge is typically used for high, spinny shots around the green.
Full swings are rarely used with lob wedges.
They are used for high-feel, delicate shots, usually within 50 yards of the green:
- Flop shots
- Short-sided bunker/greenside shots
- When a quick stop is needed with a carry over a hazard
Enjoy some crazy Tiger Woods flop shots:
Although they can be fun to hit, most mid-high handicappers have no business hitting flop shots and would be better off if they didn’t carry a lob wedge, so they wouldn’t be tempted to try one.
A general rule: The higher your handicap, the lower you should keep the golf ball when around the green.