There's a reason hardly any pros ever carry one.

Try a 54ish* with putting grip and stroke. There was a minimum distance I could hit chips because my first move was a wrist hinge to increase forward press to the amount I needed. It it works for you feel free to try other clubs but test it out on the practice green first because it's pretty easy to double hit with a 60* using this technique.

Hope this helps.

Do none of this.

FYP

Why would you need a 64* wedge? If you can't open up a 56 or even a 60 enough to get what you need you certainly don't need more loft.

I'm going to start making 70* wedges and print money with these guys.

You teach golf, right? Do all of the amateurs you teach have the same game? Same swing? Same problems? Hit the ball the same distance? Didn't think so.

The point is everyone's game is different. Making absolute statements like the one I quoted above is dumb.

I am a 9. Pretty sure that makes me an amateur. I carried a 64 for a long time. I now carry a 62 instead. It is one of my most important and useful clubs, for my game. I'm sure it's not for everyone. But to say that "no golfer" should carry the club is wrong, sorry.

Just get a 58 or 60 with a grind that makes it really easy to open the club face up,

Is it a matter of "need"? What about comfort? Do we "need" hybrids? We have 2 irons and 3 irons.

Why should I change what works for me?

OK, 99+ amateurs out of 100 have no business with a 64.

You are a 9, you say it's one of the most important clubs in your bag. You could be right. But you could also be wrong. Let's face it, if you knew exactly how everything worked with golf and your true strengths and weaknesses you wouldn't be a 9. You'd be a scratch or better.

Now hell, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a 9, or a 19, or whatever. We are all different. But the fact remains a 9 has a ton still to learn about his golf game and the 62/64 could very well be part of it.

Because something else could work much better. Might not, but it could.

BO

56 is plenty if you learn to lay it open. It's really not hat hard. I had a 60 and tossed it after a few months. I felt like the club was a duplicate tool and with only 14 clubs allowed, I was better served having a longer iron or fairway wood.

he probably has too much shaft lean(decreasing loft) with his pitches so the extra loft helps him get more height on the trajectory. If he knew how to open his club up and have a more perpendicular shaft at impact he wouldn't need anything more than a 60. so its more of a quick fix that really doesn't address the issue.

but golf should be about having fun out there, so if it helps him have a more enjoyable round so be it. but my statement that no amateur should use a 64 degree wedge still holds true.

How does one improve his opening the face of a wedge abilities? I tried it today on a practice green and I hit a few very well that worked with little green to work with, but I also messed up several and like topped it and it went way over. It just seems much easier to chip like normal, and without a perfect lie it's even harder to open it and hit it well. I know it's not nearly as helpful to chip normally, I just don't know the best way to learn how to open a wedge. Ty.

Hmm I just realized the answer to this is probably "practice."

You can try at home with those foam balls so you get the swing of the shot down and then practice with real ball on course. But for real the answer is practice and or you are better off using a 52 and realize you aren't going to get it within 10 feet and take your medicine.

Yep. More practice. Definitely a harder shot considering how easy it can be to mis-hit and blade the ball over the green, but when mastered it's an amazing tool to have in your bag. Your lie is pretty important here as well. Not a good shot to try and hit from a super tight lie off hardpan or something.

good topic...... and I think it comes down to course management and proper analytics, both of which you need to be an excellent player (I'm not there yet or even close)

so once you're there a few things come into play

if everything is bad, then you need to pop it or flop it or simply take your medicine

if everything is not bad, then you have to look at where your ball sits (read your lie), how much effective room there is to the short grass and the flag and whether it's slightly uphill or downhill around the flag.

if some of that is ok, you can often do a hard chip with a SW and usually the ball will roll some but not get away from you...... further away from the flag/apron you are more likely short pitch or flop is needed...

the more high precision shot you take usually = more risk... saw a touring pro talking about getting the ball on the green ASAP when chipping or even some pitching.

one thing I think is underated is reading your lie. ball comes out of different rough and different situations so differently.

not short-siding yourself is course management and something that pro's seem obsessed with that duffers barely think about in my experience. another is leaving layup shots on the fairway not in the rough

practice and proper wedge bounce/loft etc.

invariably such shots are high variance.... a friend of mine is lowish handicap and said that once he started played for a lot of money ($50 or $100 a hole say and he doesn't have high paying job) he basically abandoned hero shots altogether.

You only get 14 clubs. By making your 56 double as your flop club you can add another hybrid.

Exactly.

This is a very good way to learn strategy, when you actually lose something for the times you blade the ball or whatever. I play with a group of poker players for pretty big stakes and some of them are quite poor technical golfers but they absolutely maximize what they have. As an example I would bet on one of them against pretty much anybody out there on putting from 20-50 yards off the green from fairway (or putting out of green side bunkers w no lip)

Yes, it's practice, but the big mistake I see most players make is not comitting to the shot. You have to stay down and hit it more like a bunker shot. You are essentially trying to keep the club gliding under the ball. Like the bottom of your swing is longer or you're trying to take a divot that is twice as long as normal but shallower. Most people that have trouble are hitting the ground first and bouncing the leading edge of the club into the ball or decelerating or both. Use a shallower swing instead of steep. You need speed in the swing trying to just pop the ball straight up almost.

Open your stance but keep the face of the club pointed at your target. The face angle is what determines the direction the ball will travel and not the swing path. You will swing in line with your stance well left of the target.

Its difficult to explain without showing it.

You need a really good wedge with the proper grind/heel setup to maximize your chances of not letting the heel go in first and flip the toe closed. Real important. Next, you want very little (if any) forward shaft lean or lateral body motion. Keep your torso moving (turning) to the left, and learn how to bottom out perfectly using the bounce and a nearly vertical, sometimes slightly backward leaning shaft angle at impact. Phil Rodgers, direct line of instruction from Paul Runyon. This guy is as good as it gets if you are a really good player.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbxEmaFifA4

#1 at Highland Lakes here in Austin... putting from 20-50 yards out is the shot.