October 17, 2026

Wedges

hogan equalizer black wedges

hogan equalizer black wedgesNearly one year after the successful launch of the Equalizer wedge line, named after the legendary Ben Hogan’s famed “secret weapon,” Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company has introduced a full-line of Equalizer Black wedges.

The Company had introduced a limited-edition set of Equalizer Black wedges in late 2018, using the same proprietary finish, called Diamond Black Metal, as is used on the much sought-after Ft. Worth Black irons.  In addition to reducing glare, the darker finish provides better contrast with the golf ball. Unlike dark, painted finishes offered by other club manufacturers, the Diamond Black Finish is up to 7 times more durable than nickel chrome.

“Quite honestly, we were taken aback by the demand for the limited-edition Equalizer BLACK wedges we offered in 3-club sets last year,” said Scott White, President and CEO, Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company. “Serious, accomplished golfers were frustrated that we were only offering them in 52, 56 and 60 degree lofts.  Given our factory-direct business model, we were able to receive and react to this feedback quickly. Now, golfers can choose from three different gap wedges, three different sand wedges, and two lob wedges with either our traditional nickel chrome or Diamond Black Metal finish.”

Today, the Equalizer wedge franchise is acclaimed for an unmatched pure feeling that provides tremendous feedback to the hands, which is thanks to single piece, forged 1025 carbon steel construction. In contrast, most other premium wedges on the market are investment cast, making them very harsh-feeling. Moreover, as a result of Ben Hogan Golf’s successful factory direct-to-consumer business model, the unique performance features of the new line of Equalizer Black wedges are available to serious golfers starting at $105 per wedge for steel or graphite, which is on average more than 30 percent less than the leading wedges in golf.

White adds, “To be able to offer a wedge of this quality at or around $100, thanks to our direct-to-consumer business model, allows us to provide golfers with the very best performing product at an extremely attractive price point.”

Equalizer wedges not only perform exceptionally well around the greens, but bear classical, yet contemporary Ben Hogan golf club aesthetics.  While most modern-day wedges are designed to get the ball up in the air as quickly as possible and, in turn, as highly as possible, the Equalizer wedges have been precisely engineered to do exactly the opposite.

Ben Hogan Golf engineers have developed an ingenious Progressive Center of Mass Weighting System in the various wedges.  They moved more mass higher and around the edge of the club head in the lower lofted gap wedges to eliminate ballooning shots.  Conversely, they incrementally lowered the Center of Mass in the sand and more highly lofted lob wedges allowing for incrementally higher launch angles.  The result is that Equalizer wedges perform exactly for their intended purposes.

For maximum spin and stopping power, the Equalizer Wedges feature a milled face and grooves. The engineering team designed the Equalizer Wedges with the most aggressive grooves allowed by golf’s governing bodies so short shots stick on the green. All Equalizer Wedges have 0.20-inch U-Shaped grooves precisely cut into the face at increments of 0.40 inches.  Machining the grooves into the face after the forging process is a time consuming extra step in the production process but one that serious golfers will appreciate on their first shot. Additionally, the face on all Equalizer Wedges are 100 percent CNC-milled, which not only ensures that the face is completely flat, but it creates a texturized surface between the grooves.  This textured surface provides the ultimate spin on less than full shots when the ball is not fully compressed into the grooves.

Lastly, V-Sole Technology has long been a trademark of Ben Hogan irons and wedges. Ben Hogan Equalizer Wedges feature an enhanced and improved V-Sole® Technology with new sole geometry to fit a wider variety of golfers and course conditions. This revolutionary technology, developed with the input of Tour players, was designed to allow the club head to cut through heavy rough or hard fairways more effectively.  Further, the bounce on the leading edge has been ‘softened’ slightly, and more bounce has been added on the sole.  This all but eliminates the club head from digging into the ground for those players with a steep angle of attack.  The straighter leading edge also helps with alignment and reduces dispersion.

All Ben Hogan Golf Equalizer Black wedges are available in the following loft options: Gap Wedge: 48, 50 and 52 degrees, Sand Wedge: 54, 56 and 58 degrees and Lob Wedge: 60 and 62 degrees. 

www.BenHoganGolf.com

 

indi golf atk grind wedge

Two up-and-coming golf club companies — wedge maker Indi Golf and putter maker Sacks Parente — are making big pushes in the battle for short game success. Just take a look at their new products.

Indi Golf ATK Grind Wedge

indi golf atk grind wedge Indi Golf’s new ATK Grind wedges give players more shot-making options.

“We’re committed to designing quality products that will help golfers perform at their best and enjoy the game more,” said Rob Lang, General Manager, Indi Golf. “Our new ATK Grind, which is short for Attack, allows us to provide an option for players needing more bounce and turf forgiveness on square face shots.”

The ATK Grind has been designed with more heel, toe and trailing edge relief to allow for increased shot making. This allows the player to open the face and the leading edge will remain the same distance from the ground as if in a square club face position, yielding a consistent look and increased confidence.

“This new grind is an addition to our current grind that has been very well received and successful,” added Lang. The ATK Grind is designed with Indi Golf’s ScoopBack, TractionFace, and LaunchControl technologies, maintaining Indi’s legendary forgiveness, spin, and control. The ATK Grind will feature a new matt black finish and will be available in both the StingRay and StingRay TT models.

Indi Golf’s proprietary ScoopBack design creates maximum forgiveness by moving mass higher in the face, and toward the toe.  This optimizes the location of the club’s CG, making the head more stable on off-center contact, helping shots feel better, go straighter, spin more and end up closer to the hole.  The ScoopBack design is not a muscle back or perimeter-weighted design but is a combination that brings the player the best of both worlds.

TractionFace technology uses a proprietary open square groove shape and pattern to create tremendous backspin and optimal launch conditions.  These aggressive box grooves increase spin by 50 percent and are so effective that the StingRay wedge exceeds the performance limits outlined in the Rules of Golf, making them ideal for recreational golfers. StingRay TT remixes TractionFace technology with another revolutionary groove shape and pattern to optimize launch and increase backspin by 20 percent on a full swing while conforming to the Rules of Golf.

Other features of the ATK Grind wedges:

  • LaunchControl — A lower launch and higher spin combination allows golfers to be more aggressive and reduces the influence of elements on the ball.
  • ShortHosel — Creates discretionary weight that has been position higher in the face and more towards the toe, resulting in higher performance, better feel, and more forgiveness.
  • Optimized Bounce — Allows the head to glide through the turf yielding solid contact for the grooves to grab the ball and impart maximum spin while producing ideal launch conditions.

The ATK Grind StingRay TT Wedges are available in 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60-degree lofts. They conform with the Rules of Golf. The ATK Grind StingRay Wedges are offered in 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60-degree lofts. They do not conform with the Rules of Golf.

$159.99 for all models. For more information, visit  www.indigolfclubs.com.

Sacks Parente Series 39 Blade Putters ​​​

sacks parente series 39 putterSacks Parente Golf Company introduces its innovative new Series 39 blade putter. Available in both a Players Edition and a Tour Edition, the Series 39 putters feature Sacks Parente’s patented Ultra Low Balance Point (ULBP) technology that lowers the balance point along the shaft between the sole and a point not more than five inches above the sole, causing the putter head to square and release at impact, delivering exceptional rollout and accuracy.

The Series 39 features extreme perimeter weighting using lightweight face inserts along with more tungsten in the toe and heel than any other putter, resulting in a true blade with a higher MOI than most mallet putters. The flawlessly balanced 39 features a perfectly placed center of gravity which stabilizes the head while in motion and through impact, eliminating gear effect and side spin. The result is an exceptional putting instrument that will allow golfers of all skill levels to make more putts.

The Series 39 Tour Edition is made from 316L surgical steel, featuring a light weight face insert made from AL24, Sacks Parente’s proprietary alloy material, that absorbs vibration 100 times better than steel. To maximize the MOI, the Series 39 has over 120 grams of high-density tungsten strategically located in the faces at the heel and toe.

“To our knowledge, 120 grams of tungsten is the most tungsten ever placed in a putter head to influence its playability and MOI,” said Rich Parente, co-founder of Sacks Parente Golf. “This weighting helps diminish putter twist, resulting in far less energy loss and more accurate ball rollout even on putts hit off center.”

Sacks Parente has numerous patents and patents pending in regard to the science associated with their game-changing putter technology.

“Our putters are designed, engineered and crafted from only the finest steels, alloys, aluminums, composites and tungsten,” added Parente. “They are assembled with rigorous attention to detail and every component is produced to the most exacting standards possible.”

Sacks Parente uses a standard head weight of 350-360 grams and has focused on technologically advanced shaft and grip design to solidify their ULBP technology. The shafts performance at less than one-third the weight of a typical steel shaft is an engineering marvel that translates to more putts made.

At an average weight of 30 grams Sacks Parente grips are less than half the weight of typical grips found in today’s market. They are engineered to enable the ULBP technology, and to also meet the SPG specific requirements for feel and comfort. They come in three variations, to meet every golfer’s unique grip style.

“It’s not often that you have legends of the golf industry come together to create a business,” said Tim Triplett, CEO of Sacks Parente Golf. “In the case of Sacks Parente Golf Company, we have combined the talents, commitment and drive of two legends in golf, Steve Sacks and Rich Parente. After years in development, we are excited to introduce our new line of putters that defy convention and actually improve a player’s game.”

www.sacksparente.com.

cleveland rtx 4 wedge

Cleveland Golf is calling its new RTX 4 wedge “the most tour-authentic wedge” they have ever made. Enhanced with fourth generation Rotex, it will be available Sept. 14, 2018, in a variety of lofts and grinds.

“With the new RTX 4, we spared no expense in trying to achieve the best possible wedge for the best players in the world, and then bring that wedge to the consumer,” said John Rae, Vice President at Cleveland Golf. “We worked tirelessly with our tour staff to refine every detail of the wedge and its shape to fit their needs.”

The foundation of RTX 4 is the 4th generation of Cleveland’s proprietary Rotex Face Technology. Following four life cycles, years of research, and millions of data points, the tolerances were tightened to help provide ultimate short game control. RTX 4 generates more spin through the sharpest Tour Zip Grooves, most aggressive face milling, and more precise laser milling.

“It feels like the ball is really spinning off the face,” said Tour player Shane Lowry. “There are extra little grooves in there, which makes it spin more and it definitely does spin more.”

Following extensive tour feedback, RTX 4 features a more compact blade shape, with less offset and a smaller overall profile to provide that classic blade design that tour players prefer. Additionally, RTX 4 offers four new sole grinds, including an all-new XLOW grind, to provide the versatility to execute the most challenging greenside shots.

“I mean it’s got that soft feel which is so nice,” said 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. “I really love the bounce profile here. I like the feeling of using the back bounce on the wedge so, when I look at that, it’s something that really appeals to me.”

“What I love about this wedge is the sole in the bunker,” said 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley. “It doesn’t dig in too much, and I’m able to really clip the ball and put a lot of spin on it. We are all very excited to play this wedge.”

“Having something that you can mishit a little bit and still see the results of what you’re trying to accomplish is amazing,” said Sean Crocker. “Cleveland wedges have already been the best wedges in the game, and this just makes it even better because to improve on their wedges is something hard to do, but they’ve done it with RTX 4.”

The RTX 4 full sole grind is offered in 56 through 60 degrees; the mid-sole grind is offered in 46 through 60 degrees; the low-sole grind is offered in 56 through 64 degrees; and the x-low sole grind is offered in 58 and 60 degree lofts. The wedges are available in three different finishes, (Tour Satin, Black Satin and Tour Raw) and left and right-handed options.

$139.99 | clevelandgolf.com

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Indi Golf's StingRay TT wedge.
Indi Golf’s StingRay TT wedge.

Indi Golf, design and manufacturer of high performance golf clubs, announces the launch of a new golf club trade-in program that allows golfers to receive credit and cash for unwanted clubs.

“We want to make it as easy as possible to purchase an Indi Golf wedge,” said Rob Lang, General Manager, Indi Golf. “Now you can easily trade in your clubs and receive credit towards new Indi Golf products. It’s a great way to get rid of clubs you no longer use and get some great wedges that will add more backspin around the green and lower your scores.”

The trade-in process is simple with an easy online trade-in form on the Indi Golf website. Golfers select the club they want to trade in and select its current condition. They can send in as many clubs as they wish, and Indi Golf pays for shipping.

Once the clubs are received and confirmed Indi Golf will issue a credit to be used for new Indi products. If there is a leftover credit after purchasing Indi products, the company will send cash.

Indi Golf offers its original StingRay wedges and its newly introduced StingRay TT wedges.

SEVERAL WEDGES TO CHOOSE FROM

The StingRay TT wedges have been engineered with grooves which run along the entire length of the face to optimize launch, improve control, and increase spin. This design increases spin by 25 percent on a full swing and conforms to the Rules of Golf.

The original StingRay wedges features large open square grooves that increase spin by 50 percent and do not conform to the Rules of Golf, making them ideal for recreational golfers.

Both wedges feature Indi Golf’s proprietary ScoopBack design to create maximum forgiveness by moving mass higher in the face, and toward the toe. This optimizes the location of the club’s CG, making the head more stable on off-center contact, helping shots feel better, go straighter, spin more and end up closer to the hole. The ScoopBack design is not a muscle back or perimeter-weighted design but is a combination that brings the player the best of both worlds.

 Other features of the wedges designed to improve performance include:
  • ShortHosel — Creates discretionary weight that has been position higher in the face and more towards the toe, resulting in higher performance, better feel, and more forgiveness.
  • Optimized Bounce — Allows the head to glide through the turf yielding solid contact for the grooves to grab the ball and impart maximum spin while producing ideal launch conditions.
  • LaunchControl — A lower launch and higher spin combination allows golfers to be more aggressive and reduces the influence of elements on the ball.
  • Straight Leading Edge — Makes the wedge easier to align, giving a player more confidence and resulting in more consistent shots

“Our line of StingRay wedges will teach players what a great wedge game looks and feels like,” added Lang. “We have found that golfers can learn how great spin feels by using our StingRay wedge in practice rounds and then using our StingRay TT wedge in tournament play. This new trade-in program makes it a lot easier to justify purchasing both wedges!”

The StingRay TT wedge is available in lofts of 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60-degrees, and conforms with the Rules of Golf. The StingRay wedge is available in lofts of 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60-degrees, and does not conform with the Rules of Golf.

Priced at $159.99, the StingRay TT wedge is available for pre-sale at www.indigolfclubs.com.

All trade-ins are shipped and processed by Indi Golf’s fulfillment partner Swing’Em Again Golf. Trade-in value is determined by real-time aggregated market value. To trade-in clubs, visit www.indigolfclubs.com/trade-in/.

Cleveland Junior Spec Wedges

Cleveland Junior Spec WedgesCleveland Golf has announced its brand new line of Junior Spec Wedges, designed for junior golfers who demand the highest quality equipment and are serious about improving their game.

Cleveland Golf has been a global leader in wedge innovation and short game technologies since 1979. The Junior Spec Wedge bring the same scoring tools included in their main line offerings, but in a form that will fit developing golfers. They come in three different wedge options depending on player preference: the RTX-3, Cleveland CBX or the Smart Sole 3 wedge.

Brian Schielke, Marketing Director at Cleveland Golf, discussed how the Junior Spec Wedges will serve the needs of improving young players.

“There are many avid junior golfers who want top quality wedges, but when they order a cut-down version of a standard wedge, it’s still too heavy and not built for their game,” Schielke said. “Plus, these shorter versions aren’t available in stores for kids to test out. Our Junior Spec Wedges provide the perfect blend of technology and playability for junior golfers, and will be available in store for them to see and try out first-hand.”

Key innovations and high-end components inside Cleveland Golf’s Junior Spec Wedges include:

  • Premium wedge technology packaged in lengths suited for junior golfers
  • KBS 560 Junior Shafts designed for aspiring juniors
  • Golf Pride Junior grips built for comfort and performance

$99.99 each | www.clevelandgolf.com

StingRay Wedges

StingRay WedgesIndi Golf, design and manufacturer of high performance golf clubs, introduces new StingRay Wedges featuring unmatched feel and spin. Indi Golf has designed the StingRay wedges so that golfers of any skill level can achieve tour player control and spin rates.

“Professional golfers practice eight hours a day and hit over one thousand balls a session,” said Rob Lang, General Manager, Indi Golf. “Our design team created the StingRay Wedge for the 99+ percent of golfers who love golf but don’t make their living playing the sport. Compiling decades of industry experience, creative thinking, and premium quality manufacturing, The StingRay delivers what we think golfers want — playability, lower scores, and more fun.”

Designed as a premium solution for the recreational golfer, StingRay wedges features large open square grooves that increase spin by 50% on a full swing measured using Foresight GCQuad.  Indi Golf calls this innovation TractionFace.  “The real challenge was designing grooves that would maximize spin. It’s not just about huge grooves, there is a science to getting the grooves just right to maximize spin, and we did it,” added Lang.

In addition to the 50 percent increase in spin, which is pure fun, is the incredible feel and control of the wedge which can be attributed to Indi’s Scooped Back. Indi’s ScoopBack technology makes off center hits feel better, go straighter, spin more and end up closer to the hole. The thickness is  optimized at hundreds of points in a grid across the entire head, creating a unique smoothly curved back which looks beautiful at address, and from any angle.

Other features of the StingRay wedges include:

  • ShortHosel — Creates discretionary weight that has been position higher in the face and more towards the toe, resulting in higher performance, better feel, and more forgiveness.
  • Optimized Bounce — Allows the head to glide through the turf yielding solid contact for the grooves to grab the ball and impart maximum spin while producing ideal launch conditions.
  • Straight Leading Edge — Makes the wedge easier to align, giving a player more confidence and resulting in more consistent shots.

“Indi Golf is committed to making sure that every product we design is the best it can possibly be,” said Lang. “We feel our StingRay Wedge is the best wedge on the market especially for the recreational golfer and the golfer that is looking to improve their short game, lower their score,  and have more fun with the game. The StingRay provides unmatched feel and spin that will teach golfers what a great wedge game looks and feels like. We invite you to become a better wedge player and experience your short game in a way you never have before.”

The StingRay Wedge is available in lofts of 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60-degrees. Due to the TractionGrooves technology, the StingRay wedge is ideal for recreational golfers and is not approved for USGA competition play.

$159.99 | www.indigolfclubs.com

Cleveland CBX Wedge

Cleveland CBX WedgeCleveland Golf establishes a new category of wedges with the announcement of the Cleveland CBX Wedge, a cavity back wedge designed for the 84 percent of golfers who play cavity back irons. They will launch in North America on Sept. 15, 2017.

Cleveland Golf is a trailblazer of wedge design, continually innovating short game technologies since 1979. Their latest wedge offering, the Cleveland CBX Wedge, is a new take on traditional wedge philosophy aimed at the segment of golfers who play forgiving cavity back irons.

The Cleveland CBX is built to be more forgiving and easier to hit than tour-designed wedges while providing dramatically more spin and versatility than set-matching wedges. This totally new wedge design—modeled to complement the address profile and swing weight of the most popular cavity back irons—is designed to look, feel, and play like the game improvement irons used by 84 percent of the golf market.

With Cleveland Golf’s RTX-3 wedges designed for skilled players, and their Smart Sole 3 wedges created for golfers who want maximum forgiveness, the Cleveland CBX is positioned as a forgiving yet versatile wedge that caters to the needs of the majority of golfers.

John Rae, Vice President of Research and Development at Cleveland Golf, explained how the new Cleveland CBX fits into the existing wedge market: “Wedges that match iron sets have next to no spin technology and sole designs that are ill equipped for the demands of the short game. Tour wedges are versatile and spin the ball but are significantly heavier and lack the forgiveness features that most golfers are used to in their irons. The Cleveland CBX combines the spin and versatility of our tour wedges with a cavity back design so golfers get plenty of control and forgiveness.”

 

Key Innovations Inside Cleveland CBX:

  • A Cavity Back Wedge Design offers more forgiveness and blends with the look, feel and weight of cavity back iron sets.
  • A Rotex Face, the most advanced wedge spin technology ever made, helps the CBX produce spin just like a tour-designed wedge.
  • A Dual-V Sole Grind offers forgiving turf interaction, delivers extra assistance on bunker shots, and provides versatility when executing different short game shots.
  • Feel Balancing Technology repositions the center of gravity for better feel and distance control.

Cleveland CBX is offered in left and right handed options with Men’s steel and graphite shafts and Women’s graphite shafts. The wedges are available in 46 through 60 degree loft, each with the new Dual V Sole Grind.

$129.99 steel; $139.99 graphite | www.clevelandgolf.com

SmartSole3_2-300x200.jpg

Cleveland Golf Smart Sole WedgesCleveland Golf’s third-generation Smart Sole Wedges are available for pre-sale now at participating dealers, and officially launching July 24, 2017. This latest generation of super game improvement wedges features upgraded technologies that can instantly help golfers play better golf.

As a leader in the golf wedge industry, Cleveland Golf’s new Smart Sole 3 S and C models bring unique technology designed specifically for golfers who struggle with short game shots.

Both the Smart Sole 3 S and C wedges feature a new, three-tiered sole design that’s optimized for smooth turf interaction. Players with inconsistent swings will experience better contact on bunker shots, chips, and full shots. Each Smart Sole 3 wedge has a loft angle that makes it easier to chip onto the green and get out of the sand. The new wedges also feature Cleveland’s proven Feel Balancing Technology, offering better feel thanks to a repositioned center of gravity.

“We designed the Smart Sole 3 with the widest, most forgiving sole of any Cleveland Wedge in the market,” said Jeff Brunski, Director of Research and Development at Cleveland Golf’s Huntington Beach, Calif. headquarters. “That wide sole makes getting out of bunkers as easy as possible. The Smart Sole 3 also features Feel Balancing Technology which provides more consistent performance and better feel.”

The first and second Smart Sole generations we’re celebrated for helping golfers see dramatic improvements without strenuous practice or repetition. The new Smart Sole 3 wedges build on that prior success, further improving the unique technologies that make Smart Sole wedges so beneficial to the golfers who rely on them.

Key Innovations:

  • Three-Tiered Sole. Built for maximum forgiveness, the three-tiered sole has three distinct activation pads for better turf interaction and increased playability from all lies around the green.
  • Feel Balancing Technology. By redistributing weight from the hosel towards the toe, we have moved the CG closer to the center of the clubface. This results in greater feel and tighter shot dispersion to get you closer to the hole.
  • Optimized Club Specs. We’ve built wedges with the proper loft, lie, and sole design so you can setup square and let the club do the work to get the ball closer to the hole.

$119.99 (men’s steel shafts and women’s); 129.99 Men’s graphite) | www.clevelandgolf.com

When was the last time you thought about the sole grind of your wedges? If you’re like most golfers, you probably haven’t considered the sole grind of your wedges at all. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise anyone at Hopkins Golf if you didn’t even know what "grind" actually means relative to the sole of your wedge. (It’s okay, I was once in that category, too.)

The grind of your wedge has to do with the shape and curvature of the sole, which in simple terms is the bottom of the clubhead. The name "grind" actually comes from how the wedge’s sole is ground to affect how the club performs in the shot. This sometimes correlates to a club’s bounce angle, too, which is the angle between the trailing and leading edge of the wedge when placed vertically on the ground. More bounce angle usually means less digging, and less bounce angle means a tighter leading edge to the ground for added dig.

Confused? Don’t worry. There’s a new company out there dedicated to helping make sense of it all. The newly founded Hopkins Golf is presenting an all-new approach to understanding how to choose the right set of wedges for both your skill level and the kinds of courses you play. With seven unique sole grinds available, Hopkins Golf actually presents their wedges not only according to the type of player you are and the shots you like to play, but also to cater to different regions across the country. For instance, if you’re a player who plays on firmer soil and tight turf in the desert, a channel grind may be better suited for you. Or, if you play on soft, spongy turf with beach-like sand, a wide grind may be what you need. Furthermore, it’s not all about course conditions. Some custom grinds cater to players who like to hit open-faced shots, want more versatility from the sand and much more.

"Until now, custom wedge grinds were what Tour players and better amateurs paid attention to," says Greg Hopkins, founder of Hopkins Golf. "We want to change that and let all player types know that there’s a custom grind out there that will help them get up and down more often."

Each Hopkins Golf wedge, dubbed model CJ-1, is made of 8620 Carbon Steel (it’s unfinished, meaning it rusts for added spin) and comes equipped not only with one of seven custom sole designs, but a host of custom aesthetic options, too.

"It’s not just about how the wedge feels and performs," adds Hopkins. "We also want to make wedges that look the way people want them. This means opening the door to custom colors and stamping that for years was reserved primarily for Tour players."

Curious? So are we. The official launch for Hopkins Golf is mid-June 2013, and we’re excited to see what’s in store.

Visit Hopkinsgolf.com to get more information.

Cleveland 588, Cobra Trusty Rusty, TaylorMade ATV

Is there any piece of equipment to which we pay less attention? Yet no other is asked to do so many things. The wedge. It’s a great little implement, and more complex than we think.

Beware The Lie
Over the years, club manufacturers have been building ever more upright clubs, a design tweak that, all else being equal, is designed to lessen slices. CordeValle teaching professional Jon Horner estimates that today’s standard lie is equivalent to a two-degree-upright club of 30 years ago. That’s all fine and well for recreational players trying to find the fairway. But Horner says it’s "the worst thing possible for wedge play."

Wedges often are (should be) used for less-than-full shots, pitches and chips; swings that are less dynamic with hands typically dropped into a lower position. This effectively makes the wedge more upright. The tell-tale sign of a too-upright wedge is the leftward divot (for a righty) and a pulled shot. For best results, wedges should be flattened a degree or two from the configuration of your irons; some advise making some lie-angle adjustment to the 9-iron, as well.


PING Anser, Titleist Vokey Design SM4, Mizuno MP-R12

Don’t Be Put Off By Offset
"It is counterintuitive," says Cleveland Golf’s Scott Carlyle. "But there are better players, often better senior players, who like to see more offset in their wedges."

Long irons have more offset than short irons, players’ clubs have less than game-improvement clubs. Offset helps a club close at impact, which typically isn’t a problem, even for lesser-caliber players, with shorter clubs. That’s why many wedges have no offset or even face progression, which is a wisp of the leading edge protruding in front of the hosel; who wants to pull a wedge, after all?

"It’s just something they are comfortable with," adds Carlyle, mostly of players from a time when they weren’t afraid to tinker with their own clubs and before today’s ubiquitous lob wedges appeared. "It looks a bit like a gooseneck," he concludes. "It subconsciously makes players move the ball back."

The effect is achieved by taking a degree or two of loft out of a wedge on a bending bar, which coincidentally reduces the bounce, adding up to a perfect combo for those who like to hit down and through the ball for lower, higher-spinning pitches.

And it’s not just for the old guys.


Groovegate
The USGA’s 2010-enacted groove restriction–scaling back volume and edge sharpness–has had little practical impact, other than adding costs to manufacturers and consumers. Proximity-to-the-pin data for PGA Tour players in 2011 showed "no statistical difference" over the previous year’s old-groove numbers, says Carlyle, business unit leader for Cleveland, and his company’s stable of pros actually "prefer the new over the old because they spin the ball just a bit less, and they get better, more consistent control. Those big rip backs aren’t a problem anymore."

Don’t think club companies did nothing: "When the USGA comes up with a new ruling, it makes us put our thinking caps on that much more," says PING’s Mike Nicolette. TaylorMade, Cleveland and PING all speak to improving their manufacturing tolerances to get as close to the new allowable limits as possible, and all have added microtexture or microgrooves to get the spin rates "largely back to where we were before," in the words of TaylorMade’s Michael Fox, product manager for putters and wedges.

The Replacements

Tour players replace wedges on two- to six-week cycles; we can do it far less often. Replacement is highly personal, and depends on the amount and type of practice, rounds played, playing conditions–particularly sand–even the type and condition of balls hit, which, of course, is really only a matter for us amateurs hitting battered stripers. PING has actually assigned it a number, according to Nicolette, a club designer and former Tour winner. A "good rule of thumb is significant performance dropoffs" at 5,000 hits for the company’s softer 8620 steel (forged Anser irons and wedges, cast Tour-S Rustique wedges) and 7,000+ for the 17-4 stainless used in the other lines.

If math’s not your thing: If you play once a week, shoot the guy-average 100, practice a degree past nominally, and it’s all done in other than Augusta-in-April conditions, two, three years will be about it, and if you have a five-year-old wedge, donate it to the Smithsonian, not the First Tee.

Bounce Is Good For The Sole
Bounce is your friend. If there’s a mantra to this subject, that’s it. And absent any other input, in other words, if buying blind, "More bounce is better for more players," says PGA Class A instructor Paul Bucy of the Palm Desert Golf Academy, borrowing a line from Bob Vokey.

Bounce typically is selected for playing conditions or player attributes. Lower bounce is best suited to dry, tight conditions and firm sand, and/or shallow-swinging pickers/sliders; the bounce mitigates against deflecting off Mother Earth and center-punching the ball. Pour more water on the course and fluff up the sand, toss into the mix a golfer who comes at the ball with a steep, digging motion, and more bounce is advised so the club doesn’t plow into the turf or bunker. It’s golf–your mileage may vary.

The matter of bounce is more involved than a simple matter of the angle of the sole in relation to the face angle, however. Sole width and camber affect the effective bounce; think of effective bounce as how the shot will come off in the real world.

Wider soles often found on player-improvement clubs increase effective bounce. And a reduction in camber, the curvature of the sole from leading edge to trailing edge, decreases the effective bounce. That’s one way of saying, "Please don’t buy blind."

There’s a lot going on at the sound end of the bag. It might be that the next driver fitting should be scheduled with the wedge folks.

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