When I think about a 60 degree wedge, the first thing my mind goes to is Phil Mickelson and his incredible ability to hit flop shots in sticky situations. Of course, I don’t whip out a full-on flop shot on the course very often, but I do pull out my 60 degree wedge several times per round. I view my 60 degree wedge as a truly versatile wedge, and frankly I use it in so many situations. I’m most confident and consistent from the sand with my 60, and I barely even blink when it comes to hitting over a hazard onto the green with it.
A great 60 degree wedge will round out your bag and add versatility to your short game. We’ve covered the market completely to determine the best 60 degree wedges out there, check out our full buyers guide down below!
If you just want our favorite two options, here they are below:
Premium Performance Pick: Titleist Vokey SM8
Our Overall Top Pick: Callaway MD5 Jaws
Best 60 Degree Wedges in 2021: The Results
Best for Premium Performance: Titleist Vokey SM8
If you’ve been playing golf for more than a month or so, you’ve probably heard the name “Vokey” mentioned, at least once. The Titleist Vokey wedges are the most popular golf wedges on the PGA Tour, thanks for their exceptional design, feel, and performance. The SM8 Vokey is the latest model made, and has seen a few technical improvements since the SM7, which first came out in 2018.
The Titleist Vokey SM8 has an improved center of gravity that helps a player control their distance and ball flight more effectively, while also providing a great feel and feedback when struck. Vokey offers 6 different sole grinds: F, M, S, D, L, and K (I use an F grind, myself). This wedge is also known to deliver exceptional spin, thanks to the Spin Milled process they apply to the grooves. Having maximum spin, especially on a 60 degree lob wedge is absolutely critical in your short game approach shots.
When you’re selecting a golf wedge, the entire decision comes down to performance. After careful study of the market, we found the Titleist Vokey SM8 to be the top performing wedge out there in 2021.
Runner Up Pick: Callaway MD5 Jaws
Phil Mickelson is famous for using Callaway Golf Wedges, and he has been using the Mack Daddy Wedges since their inception. The Callaway MD5 Jaws Wedges were designed by Callaway’s Head Designer Roger Cleveland, and are designed to deliver exceptional performance. The MD5 60 Degree comes in a sleek platinum finish, and are made with 8620 Mild Carbon Steel.
The Callaway MD5 Jaws wedge has an exceptionally soft feel to it, and has a very traditional lob wedge shape to it. The stand out feature of this wedge is the groove design; Callaway made a point to deliver the most aggressive grooves they could make, which in turn delivers exceptional spin. These wedges come close to Vokey in overall performance, but the MD5 delivers much more spin.
If you’re looking for an all around excellent wedge, the Callaway MD5 Jaws is a very solid choice.
Runner Up: TaylorMade Hi Toe
I’ve had the pleasure of playing with the TaylorMade Hi Toe over many rounds, and can certainly attest to the performance of this club- this is the wedge I use today. I have a personal preference for TaylorMade, as I love their irons and woods (I have the M6 irons and the SIM Max Hybrid in my bag these days).
The Hi Toe lob wedge is incredibly versatile, and delivers great feedback and feel on every shot. I feel very comfortable in a bunker using this wedge, and have no doubts about hitting a smooth shot over a hazard. As the name says, TaylorMade uses a high toe for this wedge, which creates a higher center of gravity in the clubface. This change delivers a slightly lower launch with more spin from virtually any lie. There are 3 main sole designs: Standard, 4 Way, and ATV. The Standard sole is more for all purpose use, which the 4 Way offers a mid range bounce for players with steeper swings, and the ATV sole has a V shaped designed to cut through sand and turf easily.
TaylorMade rarely disappoints when it comes to golf clubs or golf wedges, and the Hi Toe isn’t an exception. This is another all around solid lob wedge to add to the bag.
Best for Forgiveness: Cleveland CBX2 Full Face
Cleveland are uniquely tapped into the game improvement market, and deliver some of the most forgiving golf clubs on the market. The Cleveland CBX2 Full Face is the only lob wedge on this list that has a half cavity back, which delivers much more forgiveness than your average wedge.
The CBX2 has a high toe profile, and a low C shaped sole that helps this club be versatile around the green. The full face design actually helps golfers execute an open faced shot, helping you hit a flop shot without fear of it skulling over the green. This is the only wedge we’ve reviewed that boasts this claim, and from what we’ve seen, you can comfortable execute some of those more risky shots with the CBX2.
If forgiveness is your top priority in the best 60 degree wedge, but you still want to be able to attack pins, this is a really strong option from Cleveland Golf.
Best Forged Wedge: Ping Glide Forged
When it comes to feel, nothing compares to a forged iron or wedge. Ping’s Glide Forged Wedge is designed for low handicap players who want maximum control over their short game with their lob wedge.
This wedge was created by Ping Staff and Tour Pros reviewing the technical specifications, and this wedge is much more compact than others on this list. The Ping Glide Forged 60 Degree uses precision milled, wheel cut grooves that help create more ball interaction at impact and creates more spin off the face. This wedge is versatile and perfect for shot making around the green.
If you want a true Tour Style wedge, this option has exceptional feel, a small profile and tons of versatility to add to your bag.
Budget Pick: Tour Edge TGS Triple Grind Sole Stainless Lob Wedge
Tour Edge are notorious for producing pretty decent clubs that massively undercut the market in terms of price. If you’re on a budget, the Tour Edge TGS Triple Grind Lob wedge is a very attractive option, coming in under $50. This is a versatile wedge with CNC Milled grooves that conform to the USGA Standard. The Tour Edge TGS Lob Wedge features a Tour inspired triple grind sole, and overall has a classic, clean design.
I won’t say this is one of the best lob wedges out there, but if budget is a real issue and you’re a high handicap golfer, this is a decent pick for anyone cost conscious.
FAQ on Wedges
When is best to use a 60 degree wedge on the golf course?
A 60 degree wedge can be used to your advantage in many situations on the golf course, and none of the scenarios I’m thinking of involve hitting the highly risky flop shot. While the 60 degree can be used to execute a flop shot, it’s generally a really risky move unless you’re a low handicap player. More often than not, trying the flop will cost you more strokes than it will save you.
The absolute best times to use your lob wedge are when you need to clear a hazard, or need to get the ball to land softly with very minimal roll out. Your 60 degree will allow you to get the ball much higher in the air than you would be able to with your other wedges. Your best bet is to practice 3 shots with this wedge: sand shots, and chip shots without a lot of green to spare, and shots over a hazard.
8 out of 10 times, I’ll use my 60 degree from the sand instead of using my actual sand wedge. Why? Because I find it really easy to get the ball high enough where it can clear any lip. There are very few shots more humiliating than a sand shot that doesn’t leave the bunker. Using the loft and bounce of a 60 degree naturally helps you clear high lipped bunkers, and land the ball softly. Try using the 60 degree from the sand more often, and watch how much your sand game improves.
If you’re chipping onto the green where the flag is quite close to you, you need to be able to stop the ball quickly so it doesn’t rip past your target. This is another advantageous scenario to use your 60 degree; by using the natural loft of the club, you should be able to place the ball on the green easily and expect it to stop quickly. When you come across those nerve wracking tough shots, this wedge can really help you out.
Finally, I find many times on the golf course I’ve missed the green, and have a long and wide sand trap to contend with. I feel much more confident taking a smooth stroke with a 60 than I do using a P wedge or even a gap wedge to clear a hazard. This is just another example of using the natural loft to your advantage, and taking danger out of a risky situation.
What bounce should my lob wedge have?
First off, if you’re unfamiliar with bounce and how it affects your wedge, that’s completely fine. The bounce of a wedge is the angle between the leading edge of the blade and the trailing edge near the sole. A higher bounce degree indicates how high the leading edge is from the surface. Generally, bounce is there to help you by adding forgiveness to your wedge shots.
This is a tough question to answer precisely, because of the fact that everyone’s swing is different. If you’re looking for a versatile lob wedge, your best bet is to go for a bounce that falls between 7 and 10 degrees; this bounce will help your club cut through the turf or sand without a big risk of hitting the ball completely fat. This is considered “mid bounce”, and is all purpose, suiting the majority of golfers out there.
How far should you hit a 60 degree wedge?
Again, this is completely subjective to the person. I used to try and hit my 60 degree wedge on a full swing, but frankly this is another highly risky shot that I wouldn’t recommend to higher handicap golfers. You should be focusing on using your 60 degree around the green and in touch situations. If I were to hit my 60 degree wedge with a full swing, it would probably go 90-100 yards. If you know how far you hit your 54-56 degree, subtract 10-15 yards to get a good idea of how far you can hit a lob wedge.
How many golf wedges do I need?
I recommend carrying 3-4 wedges in your bag. You should obviously have your pitching wedge, Gap or Approach wedge, Sand Wedge, and then the 60 degree or lob wedge is optional. I’m the kind of player where I’d take a 60 degree over a 5 wood or additional rescue club any day of the week. Having that additional versatility in my short game is priceless, and I feel like there aren’t any glaring distance gaps in my longer clubs. If you’re a high handicapper you can probably get away with carrying 2 wedges, but I would recommend 3 as a true minimum.
Final Thoughts
A great 60 degree wedge can be an absolute weapon in your bag. You can become really creative with a 60 degree, and manufacture shots that just aren’t possible with a lower degree wedge. If you need to up your game from the bunker or be able to hit that drop and stop shot from short range, you need to be carrying a 60 degree. After careful review, it became apparent to us that the top performer overall in the group is the Titleist Vokey SM8, thanks to the genius of Bob Vokey himself. This is our number one pick for a great 60 degree to add to your bag.
Thanks for reading!
