When it comes to mastering the short game, Tiger Woods has few equals. The late Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros was another wizard around the greens. But what if their brilliance shared a common secret? Both golfers favoured a 56-degree wedge over a 60-degree option. So, what made the less-lofted club their weapon of choice? Mark Allen of the Talk Birdie To Me Podcast has an explanation.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Tiger Woods has always had a 56 in his bag,” Allen said on his podcast. “…He said he does most of his chipping with the 56. Anything that needs to go up and stop quickly is a 60, but he’ll open up the 56, which puts more bounce on the club. And he uses that for the majority of his chipping, is the way that I remember that episode, which was interesting to me because so many just grabbed the 60 and off they go.”
Allen isn’t the only one who discovered this trait about Woods. In an April 2025 report, Golf[dot]com’s Johnny Wunder claimed Woods sees his 60-degree wedge primarily as an escape tool rather than his go-to club around the greens. Whether playing from the bunkers or tackling delicate shots near the putting surface, he is more likely to reach for his 56-degree wedge. The reason is simple: it offers greater forgiveness.
However, there’s more to the reason. During a TaylorMade instructional session, Tiger Woods revealed that he favours a 56-degree wedge because he grew up playing without a 60-degree wedge and became accustomed to opening the clubface of his 56-degree wedge to play different shots. Meanwhile, Woods explained that when the sand is heavier, his 60-degree wedge tends to dig too deep.
This makes the shot more difficult to execute. And that’s the main reason behind his preference for the 56-degree wedge. Even when Tiger Woods made equipment changes, the wedge would be in focus. He made a notable equipment change ahead of the 2019 Open Championship, switching to a prototype TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 56-degree wedge while retaining his existing 60-degree lob wedge.
The change was particularly noteworthy because Woods had used essentially the same specifications for his 56-degree wedge for more than 17 years. In any case, Woods went on to miss the cut at the 2019 Open Championship. However, it was also the same year he won his final major at the 2019 Masters. Regardless, Tiger Woods isn’t the only one to use a 56-degree wedge.
“And the same with Seve,” Allen added in the podcast. “Seve Ballesteros never had a 60° wedge. He had a 56[-degree wedge] bent to 57-degree [wedge], and that was his chipping club.”
Even for Ballesteros, the 56-degree wedge did wonders.
Seve Ballesteros performed wonders with a 56-degree wedge
While sharing tips on using wedges, Dormy Wold of Golf’s expert Daniel Hansson specifically pointed out Seve Ballesteros’ decision to use a 56-degree wedge, highlighting, “you don’t need 60° to be creative and skilful around the greens.” And this is evident from the things the late legend managed to achieve in his career.
During the 1983 Masters, Ballesteros chipped the ball into the 18th hole. By that point, he had already secured the Green Jacket and was set to win by four strokes. Although the shot did not determine the outcome, it showcased his exceptional touch and skill around the greens.
At the 1988 Open Championship at Royal Lytham, Ballesteros once again demonstrated how his decision helped his short game. Playing the final round on Monday, he pulled off a remarkable recovery from a seemingly impossible position, helping him card a closing 65 and finish two shots clear of Nick Price to lift his third Claret Jug.
Notably, Ballesteros was so devoted to his 56-degree wedge that he refused to carry a 60-degree in his bag. Eventually, legendary wedge designer Bob Vokey had to push him to include one. But why was the Spaniard so reluctant? Ballesteros preferred his wedges to have a flatter lie angle, which meant bending the club two degrees flatter than standard.
This adjustment reportedly helped him slide the club beneath the ball with greater ease, giving him the control and precision that made his short game so exceptional.