Golf ScoutHow far should you hit a lob wedge?
Most male club golfers hit a full lob wedge 50 to 80 yards. On our chart that's about 82 yards at scratch, 73 at a 10 handicap and 63 at 20. A lob wedge is usually 58° or 60°, and most of its work is done with part swings around the green.
Full-swing lob wedge distance by handicap
| Club | Scratch | 5 hcp | 10 hcp | 15 hcp | 20 hcp | 28 hcp | 36 hcp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand wedge | 98 | 93 | 87 | 82 | 76 | 65 | 57 |
| Lob wedge | 82 | 77 | 73 | 68 | 63 | 54 | 48 |
Typical total distance in yards, carry plus roll, on a still day at sea level. The same figures as the club distance chart.
England Golf's iGolf gives male amateurs 50 to 80 yards with a lob wedge. Our chart assumes 60°. Foresight Sports' launch reference tables give a lob wedge carry of 72 yards at 68 mph of club speed and 84 yards at about 79 mph.
58° or 60°?
Vokey says most players carry either a 58° or a 60° lob wedge. The 58° launches a touch lower and is more forgiving on full swings; the 60° flies higher and stops faster on the green. Vokey also makes a 62°. As with every wedge, the loft should be 4° to 6° above the club before it, so a 58° follows a 54° sand wedge and a 60° follows a 56°.
What a lob wedge is for
Vokey describes it as the club for short, high shots that need to stop quickly:
- flop shots over a bunker or a mound;
- chips when you're short-sided, with little green between you and the hole;
- delicate pitches to tight pins and approaches into firm greens.
Those are touch shots, not full swings. The full-swing figure matters for the odd 60 to 80-yard approach; most of the time you'll use a lob wedge well inside that.
Do you need a lob wedge?
Two questions decide it. First, the gaps: if your sand wedge goes 82 yards and you have no club for 68, as our chart suggests at a 15 handicap, a lob wedge fills that hole. Second, your short game: Vokey notes the 58° is the more forgiving of the two on full swings, and with that much loft a slight mishit can slide under the ball. A common approach is to master chipping and bunker play with the sand wedge first, then add a lob wedge when you need the extra height.
The Rules of Golf allow 14 clubs, so if your bag is full, a lob wedge has to replace something. Often the easiest swap is a long iron you rarely hit: the club gapping guide walks through the trade-off, and the 3-iron guide shows why that's often the one to go.
Women, seniors and beginners
England Golf's iGolf says women typically hit 15 to 25% shorter than men: about 51 to 58 yards against our 68 at a 15 handicap. At a 36 handicap the chart gives about 48.
Find your own numbers
Learn three swings: full, hands to shoulder height and hands to hip height, and measure each on grass. The pitching wedge guide explains the method, and the sand wedge guide covers the club next to it.
See every club for your handicap
Related guides
- How far should you hit a sand wedge?
- How far does a 7 iron go at your swing speed?
- How far should you hit a gap wedge?
Sources
Golf Scout's Bag keeps how far you hit each club, so your lob wedge distance is there when you need it. Get Golf Scout on the App Store, free for iPhone and Apple Watch.