Why It’s Costing You Strokes (And What to Do Instead)
Walk onto any practice green and you’ll see the same thing over and over again: golfers pulling out a 60° wedge for nearly every short-game shot. Tight lie? Lob wedge. Fairway cut? Lob wedge. Simple chip that needs to roll a few feet? Still the lob wedge.
It feels like the right club—but for most golfers, it’s the exact reason their short game is inconsistent.
Here’s why chipping with your 60° wedge is usually a mistake; and what you should be doing instead.
The Problem With the 60° Wedge Around the Green
A 60° wedge is designed to launch the ball high with minimal rollout. That’s great when you need it. But when it’s used by default, it introduces unnecessary difficulty into what should be simple shots.
High-lofted wedges:
- Require precise contact
- Punish even slight mishits
- Reduce margin for error
- Make distance control harder than it needs to be
Most amateurs don’t struggle because they lack creativity—they struggle because they’re choosing clubs that demand perfect execution for routine shots.
Why Lower Loft Makes Chipping Easier
Chipping isn’t about hitting a “nice-looking” shot; it’s about predictability.
When you use a lower-lofted club (like a pitching wedge, 9-iron, or even an 8-iron), you:
- Get the ball on the ground sooner
- Reduce required precision
- Let the ball roll like a putt
- Improve consistency across different lies
Think of chipping as putting with loft, not as a miniature flop shot.
The lower the loft, the less timing and speed you need; and the easier it is to repeat.
A Simple Rule to Choose the Right Club
Before you grab your wedge, ask yourself one question:
How much carry do I actually need?
- If you need the ball to fly over a bunker or obstacle → higher loft makes sense
- If there’s green to work with → lower loft is almost always the smarter play
The goal isn’t to impress anyone; it’s to get the ball close more often.
What the Best Players Do Differently
Elite players don’t default to a lob wedge. They choose the simplest solution that gets the job done.
That usually means:
- Using less loft
- Keeping the ball low
- Letting the ground help the shot
- Reducing variables wherever possible
They save the 60° wedge for specific situations; not routine chips.
When the 60° Does Make Sense
This isn’t about banning your lob wedge entirely. It still has a role:
- Short-sided chips
- Shots over bunkers
- Soft landings with no green to work with
The mistake is using it when it isn’t required.
Final Thought
If your short game feels streaky (great one hole, terrible the next) club selection is likely a major factor. Chipping with too much loft shrinks your margin for error and turns easy shots into stressful ones.
Next time you’re around the green, challenge yourself:
- Start with the lowest loft that can do the job
- Let the ball roll
- Make the game simpler
Your scores will thank you.
