If you are a golfer who tends to struggle with their short game, look no further than a 76° wedge. The beauty of something like a 76° loft wedge is that it allows you to still get height on the ball without getting too much distance. So for many golfers who aren’t that great at short game, it is a great tool.
However, is a 76° wedge too good to be true? In other words, is it even legal to usein a standard game of golf? To figure this out I did some research and looked at the USGA and R & A equipment regulations to find out exactly whether or not it is legal.
Is a 76 degree wedge legal? According to the USGA and R&A, a 76 degree wedge is totally legal to use in any casual, amateur, high-level amateur, and professional rounds and tournaments. In other words, you can use a 76 degree wedge in any golf outing as it is deemed totally legal.
For reference, the USGA and R&A are considered governing bodies of the golfing world. Any rule or regulation that they create is considered law by any other golf group or organization. So there shouldn’t be any other golf entity that says a 76 degree wedge is illegal.
Is There A Limit On Wedge Loft?
Surprisingly, neither the USGA nor the R&A have any restrictions on the amount of loft a wedge can have. Despite having numerous rules about legal equipment, wedge loft is not one of those restrictions. So you can have a wedge with very high or very low loft and it would still be considered legal (as long as other parts of the club still conformed to the equipment rules).
Is The Wilson Super Fly 76 Degree Wedge Legal?
After checking the R&A’s conforming club database, it appears as though the Wilson Super Fly wedge is not legal. In other words, the Wilson Super Fly 76 is illegal.
The USGA keeps an extensive list of all legal clubs that can be used on any level of golf. Any club that is not on that list is deemed illegal by the USGA. WHile they don’t list a specific reason, it is illegal nonetheless.
The Wilson Super Fly 76 degree wedge was not on that list, likely due to its grooves. Being such an old club, chances are its grooves break some new rule instituted by the USGA.
Why Are 76 Degree Wedges Hard To Hit?
While there are many benefits that the 76 degree wedge offers, especially for those who struggle with their short game, wedges with higher loft (like the 76 degree wedge) are quite hard to hit. There is 1 big reason why it is hard to hit.
Simply put, the higher the loft, the more horizontal the club face is. This means that there is less club face to actually make contact with the ball. That is why a 76 degree wedge is hard to hit.
How Far Does A 76 Degree Wedge Hit?
Generally, you should expect your 76 degree wedge to hit anywhere from 25 to 40 yards from a full swing. This means that with full power, you aren’t going to be able to hit the ball more than 25 yards to 40 yards.
As mentioned above, you shouldn’t expect to see much distance from this kind of club. But it gets a crazy amount of height, giving you a great up and down kind of shot.
What Is A 76 Degree Wedge Called?
In the golfing world, different types of clubs go by different types of names. Well some people may refer to this club as a 76° wedge, others may refer to it as an ultra lob wedge. The name, 76° wedge, is a bit more specific, whereas ultra live wage groups it into a certain type of wage.
Why Is It Called An Ultra Lob Wedge?
The name itself is pretty self-explanatory, a 76° wedge is called an ultra lob wedge because the club is meant to lob the ball in the air. The ‘ultra’ part comes in because this club will give you more height than a regular ‘lob wedge’.
What Is A 76 Degree Wedge Used For?
In a majority of instances, you would use a 76° wedge when you’re just outside of the green. Whether that be on the far side range, or right at the end of the fairway, it is going to be most useful for very short yardage chips.
There are 2 primary characteristics of a 76 wedge shot:
- High arc
- Low distance
With 76 degrees of loft, you shouldn’t expect much distance. What you should expect is a lot of arc and height in your shot. This is the reason why it is called an ultra lob wedge, because it’s main purpose is to provide an insane amount of height on the ball.
Do Pros Use A 76 Degree Wedge?
There aren’t any pros that use a 76 degree wedge. In fact, very few even use ultra lob wedges. The reason for this is that the pros are much more skilled at their short game, so they aren’t going to waste a spot in their bag for a club that already does what their regular wedge can do, if that makes sense.
Final Thoughts: Legality Of 76 Degree Wedge
So, it is undeniable that a 76° wedge is totally legal to use for any game of golf. It is important to know that it is the right club for you, as there are very minimal uses for it, and you don’t wanna waste a spot in your bag on a club that is going to provide you with extreme value.
So feel free to give yourself a lot of time to test the club out, and see if it does in fact help you with your extremely short golf game. If it is the right club for you, then you’re likely to see a lot of benefits and more importantly half strokes taken off of your score.