Updated August 13, 2021. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: Callaway PM Grind Wedge
“With a Groove-in-Groove technology, high toe design, and a C-Style Grind, the Callaway PM Grind Wedge is sure to help your game continue to sharpen and grow.”
Best For Mid Handicappers: TaylorMade MG1 Chrome
“The TaylorMade MG1 Chrome features a milled grind, ZTP-17 Groove System, and precision weighting to provide outstanding turf interaction, high spin with large hitting area, and better balance and spin rates perfect for mid handicappers.”
Best for Low Handicappers Cleveland RTX 4 Wedge
“Want several choices of grind options? You’re sure to find the best fit with the Cleveland RTX 4 Wedge. It’s razor sharp Tour Zip Grooves and compact face makes it great for low handicappers.”
Lob wedges have grown in reputation to be one of the best clubs to use around the green. Not only are they lofted to lift the golf ball with ease, but they create a ton of spin that helps stop the ball on the green.
From digging out of the deep rough to lifting the ball from dense sand, a lob wedge, when used correctly, can give the golfer tremendous advantages on the course.
These ten lob wedges we’ve settled upon for our list of the best lob wedges and our top 10 picks to purchase in 2021 will all deliver incredible spin and fantastic control.
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Last updated on 2021-09-17. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
Table of Contents
10 Best Lob Wedges
Callaway PM Grind Wedge
Best All-Around Lob Wedge for Single-Digit Handicappers
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PROS
- Groove-in-Groove technology creates incredible spin off the face
- High toe design is covered completely with grooves for excellent control
- C-Style Grind delivers exceptional contact from an assortment of difficult lies
CONS
- Designed to help low handicappers, the wedge may be a little sophisticated for beginning golfers
Callaway’s latest wedge is designed with the help of five-time major winner, Phil Mickelson. The Callaway PM Grind lob wedge is one of the company’s best short game innovations as the club provides the golfer with unreal spin and amazing control from anywhere around the green.
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The wedge has an exaggerated offset to help the golfer better control all aspects of their shot. Another lob wedge that has a fully-grooved face, the PM Grind has a unique rounded shape that helps the golfer control the launch angle of their shots while always manufacturing jaw-dropping spin.
The groove system on the PM Grind is another beneficiary of the company’s Groove-in-Groove technology that ripples the face to create grip on the golf ball that starts the spin rate at the moment of contact.
During our testing, golfers noted how well built the lob wedge is and how wonderful adept it is regardless of the shot you are hitting. On full swings, the wedge produced incredibly tall shots that landed softly on the green with nice spin.
For advanced golfers, the Callaway PM Grind lob wedge is quite good and will certainly help their game to continue to grow and sharpen.
TaylorMade MG1 Chrome
Best Lob Wedge For Mid Handicappers
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PROS
- Milled grind with clean leading edge offers outstanding turf interaction
- ZTP-17 Groove System provides high spin with large hitting area
- Precision weighting offers better balance and spin rates
CONS
From TaylorMade comes our choice for the best lob wedge for mid handicappers as the MG1 Chrome offers dazzling looks, along with outstanding performance. With a milled sole grind, razor-sharp grooves, and a balanced feel, the MG1 wedge rescues wayward shots from any trouble helping you save par with more regularity.
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The best feature of the MG1 is easily the milled sole. Offering incredible turf interaction, the grind cuts through turf to provide clean contact with the golf ball. With the high bounce, the sole also provides golfers with a sharp leading edge that works underneath the ball for easy lift and high launch.
Another worthwhile feature of the MG1 is the balanced feel throughout the swing, especially as the clubhead passes through the impact zone. TaylorMade adjusted the weighting in the head to provide better balance for more consistency on mid-range shots.
For this wedge, TaylorMade outfitted their 60-degree option with 10 degrees of bounce. The level of bounce provides golfers with the ability to cleanly get under the ball to generate high spin rates with a tall launch that lands softly on the putting surface, closer to the pin.
A great lob wedge that plays well for any skill level, the TaylorMade MG1 lob wedge especially can help lower the scores of mid-handicappers struggling with their short game.
Cleveland RTX 4 Wedge
Best Lob Wedge for Low Handicappers
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PROS
- Great for the low handicapper that wants several choices of grind options for the best fit
- Razor sharp Tour Zip Grooves provides unreal spin rate that gives the golfer incredible control
- Balanced throughout the swing, the RTX 4 comes in a non-glare black satin finish that is remarkably durable
CONS
- Tighter width on the face makes the RTX 4 designed more for the low handicapper rather than the high handicapper
Advanced players looking for a wedge that will fine tune their short game could help themselves by putting the RTX 4 lob wedge from Cleveland in their bag. Available in three different loft options between 60-64 degrees, the RTX 4 provides the golfer with a lob wedge that creates high spin while offering terrific control.
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If there’s a highlight on the RTX 4 that you should know most about, then the groove system is one of the finest on the market today. This lob wedge can spin the ball at very high rates, offering the golfer more control regardless of what type of shot you are hitting.
Out of the ten lob wedges on this list, the RTX 4 ranked the highest for feel. With the compact face, golfers that find the sweet spot will be rewarded with an incredibly solid shot that will give them instant feedback.
There’s little to hate with the Cleveland RTX 4 lob wedge as the company designed an extraordinary club that keeps the center of gravity low in the clubhead for tremendous launch angle and softness that sticks the ball close to the hole.
Cleveland CBX 2 Wedge
Best Game-Improvement Lob Wedge For Most Golfers
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PROS
- Great for beginners who need help getting the ball into the air with spin
- The cavity-backed design keeps the club moving through turf for exceptional contact
- Around the greens, the wedge produces spin that helps the golfer with control
CONS
- Golfers who want a sleeker and slimmer wedge will find the CBX 2 oversized
The Cleveland CBX 2 is one of the most accessible lob wedges produced by the company, great for golfers of all skill levels, but the club will help beginning golfers the most. With a cavity-backed design, the wedge can be played either with an open or closed stance.
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We love that the CBX 2 lob wedge is best suited for beginning golfers because it has the look and performance of a game-improvement iron that is constructed to help the individual get the ball high and with lots of spin.
The club is wide and bulky and while we would normally frown a bit at this design, especially for a lob wedge, Cleveland has defied the odds to make a highly engaging club that is a blast to hit, regardless of your handicap.
The wedge’s response and feel are tremendous and certainly was noted by our golfers during testing. Each swing of the club during our time with the wedge produced dependable shot height and spin.
A club that should be considered by golfers hoping to get to a single-digit handicap by the beginning of next year, the Cleveland CBX 2 lob wedge is one impressive club.
Callaway Mack Daddy 4 Wedge
Best All-Around Lob Wedge for Golfers
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PROS
- Enhanced spin with multiple grind options that promote great turf interaction
- Terrific feel throughout the swing with excellent response through impact zone
- Different grind options make this a lob wedge that can be played by all skill levels
CONS
- There are several options to choose from on the Mack Daddy 4, making it harder for novice golfers to choose the model that best suits them
The Callaway Mack Daddy 4 lob wedge brings the company’s wedges to forefront with spectacular performance highlighted by their new micro-positive surface texture that creates unbelievable spin and control around the greens.
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The club face on the Mack Daddy 4 is unique because each groove has several smaller grooves for more grip on the cover the golf ball to create more spin.
The Mack Daddy 4 comes in four sole grind options that offer different turf interaction possibilities, all of which enhance the feel and response of the wedge through the impact zone. The low center of gravity also gives full swing shots unreal launch angle for high, soft shots that land and stick close to the pin.
The Callaway Mack Daddy 4 is a wonderful lob wedge for golfers of all skill levels as the different grind options give golfers plenty of options to choose what version works best for them. It may take a little time to find the right combination of options, but it is well worth the hassle as the Mack Daddy 4 is a premier lob wedge.
Wilson Harmonized Wedge
Most Versatile Budget Lob Wedge for Beginning Handicappers
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PROS
- The sole on the Wilson wedge is wide, making it great for golfers who like to use an open stance
- For budget lob wedge, the Harmonized is well balanced with superb feel throughout the swing
- Tall face catches off center strikes and keeps them online for better forgiveness on full swings
CONS
- Only thing lacking is a strong groove system that enhances spin off the face
The Wilson Harmonized lob wedge has two options, a 60- and 64-degree model, that are both very user friendly and provide a punch at a very low price point. With a high polish chrome finish, the Harmonized lob wedge is sleek and looks like a forged iron.
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What’s great about this lob wedge is that the sole grind allows you to play the wedge in a variety of ways, although it works best laid open with a wide open stance.
There is one major gripe about the Harmonized and it comes with the spin rate. It should be expected that a lob wedge that costs less than a green fee at your local municipal course will lack exciting features, but the spin rate on this wedge leaves a lot to be desired. If you are a mid handicapper on the verge of making it to another level in your game, you’ll probably want more control and performance out of your lob wedge.
For the money, the Wilson Harmonized lob wedge is worth the look, especially for beginning golfers looking to make their way into building their club collection.
Pinemeadow PGX Wedge
Best Budget Lob Wedge for Senior Golfers
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PROS
- Great for beginning golfers who want a heavier lob wedge that stays close to ground for better impact through the impact zone
- An inexpensive option for high handicappers that want to fill out their club set
- Wide sole helps push the club through the golf ball smoothly
CONS
- Low quality of materials definitely cost the golfer yardage on full shots as well as spin
Pinemeadow has carved out quite the niche among older golfers who don’t want to spend too much cash on the clubs they take to the course. At a price point that rivals a nice lunch for two in the club’s restaurant, golfers can get a lob wedge that won’t turn any heads but can deliver dependable performance.
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The wide sole on the lob wedge does help move the club through the turf without much snagging. We did notice in longer grass and deeper sand, the wedge was inconsistent when compared to other lob wedges.
Again, if you are looking to be knocked over, the Pinemeadow lob wedge isn’t for you. The club plays heavier than most lob wedges at this price and the spin rate is certainly lower than you’d like it to be if you are hoping to dramatically improve your scores.
But for senior golfers looking to place a few new durable wedges in their bag, the Pinemeadow lob wedge will meet their expectations without putting a dent in their wallet.
TaylorMade Milled Hi-Toe Wedge
Best High Spin Lob Wedge for Mid Handicappers
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PROS
- Full grooved club face creates spin on every shot, even on off-center strikes
- High toe on face gives golfers gigantic sweet spot for better quality contact
- Unique sole provides excellent balance and response through the shot
CONS
- Unconventional look and design could turn away more traditional golfers
The TaylorMade Milled Hi-Toe lob wedge is one spectacular club that produces outrageous spin with its full-groove face that gets the ball into the air quickly. What’s great about this lob wedge is that it is extremely versatile, allowing the golfer to play the club with either an open or closed stance.
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The first thing that sticks out on the TaylorMade Milled Hi-Toe lob wedge is how stunning the copper finish is when it sticks out from the top of your bag. This is a sharp short game tool that performs every bit as well as it looks.
In what is becoming an increasingly popular design among equipment manufacturers, the TaylorMade Hi-Toe lob wedge is fully grooved to help golfers create spin and control regardless of where the ball meets the face.
Once you are on the course with the wedge, you’ll really notice how well balanced the club is throughout the swing. In your hands, the wedge feels solid and instills a high level of confidence, great for mid handicappers ready to take the next step in their game.
C3i Wedge
Best Lob Wedge for High Handicappers
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PROS
- Straight forward lob wedge that is made exclusively to help beginners and high handicappers get out of trouble
- The wide sole gives golfers plenty of room for error when hitting from deep rough or sand
- Can be used with a square stance with no need to open the clubface, making it easy to hit
CONS
- A very simplistic wedge that isn’t ideal for low and mid handicappers
If you are fed up with your game from the rough or sand and are looking for a one-stop solution, then the C3i Wedge is the answer to your problems. Crafted with a large face and wide sole that cuts through the deepest of rough and thickest of sand, the C3i Wedge comes in either a 59 degree or 65-degree option that are both well within the loft range of the best lob wedges on the market.
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The features on the C3i Wedge are highlighted by the extra-wide sole that glides through the trouble to make sure that you are always making solid contact with the golf ball. The sole is so wide, that the club is meant to be played with a square stance, rather than an open stance, making the wedge very accessible for beginning golfers.
Another nice feature of the wedge is that it is completely legal for tournament play, making it great for your club’s weekend scramble and other events.
It is hard to deny that the C3i Wedge is not tailored to skill or experienced players that want more control over their wedges. This club is strictly a tool that allows beginning golfers to take the guesswork out of their short gameplay, making the game more fun and enjoyable.
That said, if this wedge is something that you feel would greatly help your game, then don’t hesitate to add it to your bag, because it consistently delivers relief in the worst situations on the course.
Callaway Mack Daddy 5 JAWS Wedge
Best High Spin Lob Wedge for Low Handicappers
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PROS
- Elegant lob wedge that has impressive features and options
- Different sole grinds allow the golfer to create the shot they need at any time on the course
- Ideal for low handicappers that need more dependability around the greens
CONS
- Not inexpensive, the Mack Daddy 5 is well suited to golfers who don’t mind paying for their equipment.
The Callaway Mack Daddy 5 is another magnificently designed wedge by the company, that will provide the golfer with a host of options that can help them tailor the short game that is best for their time on the course.
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The Mack Daddy 5’s head is made from lightweight carbon steel that is pleasing to the eye but also provides splendid feel and response on shot after shot. The club comes available with several different sole grinds and bounce options to create the club that works best for how you like to play the golf ball in close quarters next to the green.
The club’s Groove-in-Groove technology is another proprietary innovation from Callaway that gets the ball spinning at the moment of impact. The wedge’s ability to produce high spin helps the golfer in all sorts of problem areas such as high grass and soft, dense sand.
If you are a low handicapper in the market for a high spin lob wedge that will provide you with a skilled club that can work wonders around the green, then the Callaway Mack Daddy 5 is well worth the additional money.
Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation
Criteria 1 – Spin
The reason why it is so important to evaluate spin on a lob wedge is that it controls all aspects of the shot. From its ability to stop a golf ball on a green to the height of the shot, spin greatly affects the final outcome.
For lob wedges, spin is even more vital to gauge as the club hits the ball higher than other wedges due to its elevated loft.
Spin is created by the lob wedge via contact of the face of the club and golf ball’s cover. The grooves on the face create friction at contact that elevates the spin rate. One of the big reasons why pro golfers want a fresh wedge at each tournament is because sharp grooves equal more spin.
Criteria 2 – Shot Height
Lob wedges are designed to provide loft to short shots around the green, especially in rough and sand. But on longer shots, the lob wedge can be useful because it lifts the ball high into the air and allows for a soft landing with little movement. Most experienced golfers can hit a full lob wedge around 70-80 yards.
The loft on lob wedges is around 60-64 degrees, making it harder to use for shorter pitch shots that need to run to the hole. Instead, the lob wedge is great when the golfer needs to clear a bunker or perhaps a hill to get to the green.
Criteria 3 – Response
The response of a lob wedge is very important because as a golfer becomes more comfortable with the club, they gain confidence around the greens. The short game is where experienced golfers can make the most difference in their final score and the mastering of the lob wedge is a huge part of getting to that level.
For low handicappers, the lob wedge they use has a more concentrated sweet spot that demands accuracy to get the control and spin they want from the club. Having confidence in a club requires time on the range before the golfer truly understands what a good shot feels like from the response of the wedge. For beginners, the response is judged at that moment after impact.
Criteria 4 – Feel
The feel of a lob wedge is different than the response, in that the golfer judges the feel throughout the swing. The first thing that golfers notice when we talk about the feel of a wedge, is their impression of the club when they hold it for the first time.
The golfer will notice the balance, the weight and the shape of the club as all of these components help gauge the feel of the lob wedge.
For lob wedges, the weight is important because you’ll find that most are heavier in the sole of the club as the manufacturer attempts to help the golfer keep the club low to the ground. The sole of a lob wedge is what helps the club make solid contact with the golf ball, as it cleanly goes through the turf, high grass, and sand.
Criteria 5 – Balance
The balance of a lob wedge is primarily referring to how the club feels and responds through the impact of the golf ball. A golfer might find, for example, that a badly balanced wedge has problems with the hosel or toe entering the turf first rather than seeing a clean divot that is uniform.
The reason that balance is so important to a lob wedge is that the golfer needs to make clean contact with the golf ball, especially from trouble areas on the course such as high grass and sand. The wide sole of the lob wedge cuts through those obstacles and delivers balanced strength to the golf ball.
Questions & Answers
What is a lob wedge?
A lob wedge is a club that has a loft beyond a sand wedge that measures anywhere from 60-64 degrees. Whereas amateur golfers usually hit their lob wedge around 60-80 yards, professional golfers can hit a lob wedge between 90-110 yards in distance.
The lob wedge is usually played with an open stance that allows the golfer to open the clubface and slide the clubhead underneath the ball. This tactic is useful when the golfer is either trying to get the golf ball out of trouble, such as tall, deep grass or sand or needs to clear an impediment such as a hill or water hazard.
The lob wedge used in conjunction with the open stance allows the golfer to get the ball high into the air and land softly around the target.
Can a lob wedge help a beginning golfer?
A beginning golfer might struggle with a lob wedge because it is a club that needs a specific level of skill to utilize and benefit from on the course. With the club being anywhere from 60-64 degrees in a loft, the lob wedge can frustrate inexperienced golfers who don’t understand that the club needs more swing speed than your typical wedge.
At best, slow swing speed will push the distance of a lob wedge shot to roughly 40-50 yards. Now, this doesn’t mean that the lob wedge can’t have a purpose for the beginning golfer or high handicapper. But for these golfers, the lob wedge will have to be used differently and with less viable options.
For beginning golfers, a club like the C3i lob wedge is better suited for their skill level because it doesn’t need an open stance to hit but rather a square stance.
What is the difference between a lob wedge and a sand wedge?
A lob wedge is the highest lofted wedge that a golfer can place in their bag. Lob wedges are clubs that have between 60-64 degrees of loft on the clubface. In comparison, the sand wedge has 56 degrees, a gap wedge runs between 50-52 degrees, and a pitching wedge is anywhere from 44-48 degrees in loft.
A lob wedge is different from a sand wedge because the loft makes it ideal for getting the golf ball out of deep rough and thick sand. The lob wedge is perfectly suited for this task because, in an open stance, the club takes on even more loft, allowing it to easily slide underneath the golf ball.
In an open stance, a sand wedge will go further than a shot with the lob wedge due to its reduced loft setting, so golfers, especially beginning golfers have to be careful with what wedge they use around the green.
Are sharp grooves with lob wedges important?
Grooves are incredibly important on all wedges because they create spin by increasing friction against the softer cover of the ball to boost the rotations and launch angle of the shot off the club face.
If you follow professional golf closely, you’ll hear golfers, such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, talk about how they want fresh grooves at the beginning of every tournament to maximize spin and control. Having wedges in their bag that aren’t well worn is an advantage that most pro golfers take advantage of every week.
Since an amateur golfer can’t utilize a relationship with a club sponsor to get new wedges every week, they must maintain the face of the club throughout its life to receive the maximum performance of the wedge. This maintenance includes cleaning the grooves of the wedge throughout a round and sharpening them either through a tool or via a professional.
Can I sharpen the grooves of my lob wedge?
Yes, you can sharpen the grooves of your lob wedge with an inexpensive tool that will restore the condition of the face. Now, while this won’t be as good as if you had the grooves re-sharpened by a professional or just bought a new wedge, the tool is an easy way to maintain the health of the club.
If you play more than 50 times a year and can afford the additional cost, then new wedges every year with routine maintenance is the ideal way to get the best equipment for your game. For periodic golfers, think 10-15 times per year, then just taking the steps of getting a sharpening tool, will suffice for your maintenance needs.