Many golfers, amateur and pro alike, tend to ask Why do I need a lob wedge? Then they usually follow it through with a Do I need a lob wedge AND a sand wedge? In all honesty, there is no single answer or a simple one, but you’ll want a lob wedge over a sand wedge any time of the year (no pun intended). Lucky for you, we’re here to help you pick the club that will fit your needs and have therefore compiled this best lob wedge review. Enjoy!
The Different Wedges
Let’s go over the wedges to remind ourselves why you need them. There’s the pitching wedge (≈44°–48°), for, well, pitches up to 120 yards, followed by the gap wedge (≈50°–53°) to bridge the gap between the pitching and sand wedges. The sand wedge itself (≈54–58°), is designed for busting out the bunkers, and finally, the lob wedge (≈60°–64°), which we’ll discuss presently.
Why You Need a Lob Wedge
The answer to our first question up there hides in the very name of the wedge itself – lob wedge. You need it for hitting the ball high over any obstacle in the way and landing it softly on the green. Whether you’re a high- or low handicapper, you’ll miss much less greens with such a tool at your disposal. The secret is in not letting your swing decelerate through thinking a soft swing equals a soft landing. Learn to overcome this and you’re golden.
As for the second question, that will depend mostly on how often you use either of the two, and how big the gap between your gap wedge (presuming you carry one) and your lob wedge is. Most professionals recommend a 4–6 loft gap in your bag, so the best thing to do is see if it checks out with your configuration.
Best Lob Wedge Comparison Table
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Image Name Pros Cons Rating |
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Callaway Mack Daddy 3 Milled Grind Wedge
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Cleveland RTX-3 CB Wedge
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TaylorMade Milled Grind Wedge
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Ping Glide 2.0 Wedge
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Titleist Vokey SM6 M Grind Wedge
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Wilson FG Tour PMP Wedge
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Pinemeadow Golf Pinemeadow Wedge
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The Different Wedges
Let’s go over the wedges to remind ourselves why you need them. There’s the pitching wedge (≈44°–48°), for, well, pitches up to 120 yards, followed by the gap wedge (≈50°–53°) to bridge the gap between the pitching and sand wedges. The sand wedge itself (≈54–58°), is designed for busting out the bunkers, and finally, the lob wedge (≈60°–64°), which we’ll discuss presently.
Why You Need a Lob Wedge
The answer to our first question up there hides in the very name of the wedge itself – lob wedge. You need it for hitting the ball high over any obstacle in the way and landing it softly on the green. Whether you’re a high- or low-handicapper, you’ll miss much less greens with such a tool at your disposal. The secret is in not letting your swing decelerate through thinking a soft swing equals a soft landing. Learn to overcome this and you’re golden.
As for the second question, that will depend mostly on how often you use either of the two, and how big the gap between your gap wedge (presuming you carry one) and your lob wedge is. Most professionals recommend a 4–6 loft gap in your bag, so the best thing to do is see if it checks out with your configuration.
Lob Wedge Comparison Table
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Image |
Name |
Pros |
Cons |
Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Callaway Mack Daddy 3 Milled Grind Wedge
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Cleveland RTX-3 CB Wedge |
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|
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TaylorMade Milled Grind Wedge |
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|
 |
Ping Glide 2.0 Wedge |
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|
 |
Titleist Vokey SM6 M Grind Wedge |
|
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|
 |
Wilson FG Tour PMP Wedge |
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Pinemeadow Wedge |
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7 Top Rated Lob Wedge Reviews
To save you the trouble of searching the internet and local stores for the top rated lob wedges on the market, we made a short list of brands and models that pretty much fit the bill. Have a look.
1. Callaway Mack Daddy 3 Milled Grind Wedge
Our Rating:
We’ll kick off this list with one of the most popular lob wedges in the market, the Callaway MD3 Milled Grind. There’s plenty of loft options for all four types of wedges, but as far as lob wedges go, the choice could be more varied. On the flipside, the 60-degree loft comes with three different bounces and as many grinds (8/C-grind, 9/S-grind, and 11/W-grind, with the last option only available for right-hand players).
On that note, there’s a new addition to the family, the 64-degree C-grind with an 8-degree bounce. The MD3 lob wedges, much like the rest of the line, come with the progressive groove design – in their case, it’s the wider 5V grooves, which do a great job of allowing you more control on the shots around the green and out of the rough.
Pros
- Plenty of bounce options for different types of swings
- Callaway offers custom shafts on order
- The new grooves really make a difference
Cons
- No 62-degree loft
See a full review of the wedge here.
2. Cleveland RTX-3 CB Wedge
Our Rating:
Although the choice of wedges is great when it comes to the Cleveland RTX-3 Cavity Back, there’s not much choice in way of lob wedges, so you only have the one loft – 60. On the flipside, there are three bounce angles available, which allows for some versatility, depending on how you swing.
If you’re looking for the most valuable lob wedge, this just might be the thing for you. It’s got a slightly larger profile than the rest of its class, so it’s much easier to hit the sweet spot. Plus, the new grooves definitely play the part in giving you more control on the trajectory, and even if you miss the dead center, the wedge is still plenty forgiving. The RTX-3 really comes into its own on both fairway and rough, and you’ll have no problem covering a 50-yard stretch.
Pros
- Plenty of forgiveness
- Easy-to-find sweet spot
- Accurate to a high degree
Cons
- Not much choice in way of lofts
See a full review of the wedge here.
3. TaylorMade Milled Grind Wedge
Our Rating:
The TaylorMade Milled Grind wedges are an excellent addition to any golfer’s bag, especially those who like to get the best bang for their buck. As far as lob wedges go, the choice is a bit slim, given that there’s only one loft available (60-degree), though there is some variety in the bounce angles (9, 10, and 11, or low, mid, and high, respectively).
The selling point of these puppies is definitely the enhanced Center of Gravity (CG), which is slightly moved to the center and up, with the idea of enabling you to get more control on the ball. And, boy, does it work! With the extra groove on all lofts compared to its predecessors, the TaylorMade Milled works great on getting you on the green with almost surgical precision.
Pros
- There’s plenty of spin thanks to the new wedge-design
- Inexpensive
- Beautiful Satin Nickel Chrome finish
- Quite lightweight, should suit beginners and high-handicappers
Cons
- Slim choice of lofts
See a full review of the wedge here.
4. Ping Glide 2.0 Wedge
Our Rating:
Much like about half of the wedges on our list, the Ping Glide 2.0 comes with a slim choice in terms of loft, but at the same time, more than enough variety in bounce angles. It’s not the most perfect lob wedge out there, but it’s earned its place here. The only loft available is 60-degree, with 6, 8, and 14 for bounce angles. Interestingly enough, all the higher lofts get two extra grooves, which adds just enough spin so that you get better control on approach shots.
On a similar note, if you typically play on soft turf, you’ll want the 14-degree bounce, but the 8-degree should be a bit more versatile, so it might be more cost-effective if you play a variety of different courses.
Pros
- Excellent control thanks to the two extra grooves
- Extra-spiny (again, thanks to the new groove design)
- Looks nice
Cons
- Could have more variety in lofts
See a full review of the wedge here.
5. Titleist Vokey SM6 M Grind Wedge
Our Rating:
If you’re a sweeper, then the Titleist Vokey SM6 M Grind lob wedge might just be the thing for you. It’s got a nice 8-degree bounce, which lets you play on a variety of surfaces, from firm to medium, and there are two lofts available – 60 and 62, which should accommodate for various sand wedge-lob wedge combos.
There’s also the L Grind, which has a low bounce, and only a 60-degree loft, as well as the S Grind (60.10) and the K Grind (60.12), both with high bounce angles, which recommends them to somewhat softer courses and players who tend to take deeper divots. It’s great on super-fast greens, though you should probably resist the temptation to use your lob wedge every time you’re around the green. It’s definitely one of the more useful and popular lob wedges out there.
Pros
- Superb control on the ball for a soft landing
- Plenty of spin, allows for shorter swings
- Decent amount of forgiveness
Cons
- Would be nice to have the 64-degree loft
See a full review of the wedge here.
6. Wilson FG Tour PMP Wedge
Our Rating:
The Wilson FG Tour PMP is an excellent choice for a golfer who wants a budget-friendly lob wedge, but not something they’d regret buying. Granted, there’s not much variety, you only get it in a 60.09 and a 62.07 flavour (lie/bounce combo), which means you’re pretty much stuck with the higher loft on firm turf.
Still, 9 degrees is not too high a bounce, so you could get away with playing it where the ground is hard. However, its selling point would definitely be the precision-milled face (hence PMP), which, coupled with the shaft that comes with an active tip section, generates impressive amounts of spin for higher launch and greater stopping power (and, thereby, more accuracy).
Pros
- Very approachable price tag
- Plenty of stopping power thanks to the active tip section on the shaft
- Plays great on firm turf and packed sand
Cons
- Could have more variety in lofts and bounce
See a full review of the wedge here.
7. Pinemeadow Wedge
Our Rating:
The Pinemeadow has the highest rated lob wedge selection on our list, with lofts going from 60 to 68 degrees in 4-degree increments. Granted, this also means there are no 62 or 66-degree lofts, but the three we just mentioned should cover most bag configurations.
On the flipside, the 68 might seem too gimmicky to most, but to players that have been looking for this exact loft, Pinemeadow is a godsend. The two higher lofts come with a low bounce angle (5 degrees), while the lower loft comes with a pretty high bounce (14 degrees). It’s a pity there’s no mid bounce, since this would add much in ways of versatility.
Pros
- Plenty of loft choices
- Inexensive
- Pinemeadow has lots of options for customizing your wedge
Cons
- No medium bounce available on any of the lofts
See a full review of the wedge here.
Conclusion
On a balance, all of the wedges on our list seem tempting, but picking a favourite is a thankless task, and it might probably lead some of you astray. As you’re probably well aware, you can have the most expensive, high-tech lob wedge out there, but if it doesn’t feel right in your hands, you might as well be holding a baseball bat.
As you can plainly see, the question shouldn’t be if and why you need a lob wedge, but rather how to find the best lob wedge for you, and the best way to do it is a hands-on approach. Take your sand wedge and a bunch of lob wedges, and test them out. (This also works, slightly modified, when you’re buying a sand wedge). Once you find the lob wedge that best complements your sand wedge, you’re ready to hit the course. Fairways and greens!
