Wedges

We Tried It 2010

FT-IZ DRIVER
Featuring a radical triangular design (buh-bye square), this driver is dubbed by Callaway as the company’s longest and straightest driver ever.

Looks and Feel: It has fighter-jet good looks–aerodynamic, sleek, mean. It’s also a cinch to align. The face angle seemed to sit shut rather than square at address even though we tested a 10-degree model with a square face angle, but that’s likely a function of the shape as it rests on the turf. As for feel, it’s the first carbon-crowned driver that doesn’t feel like one at all. It has a tremendous pop at impact.

Performance: It’s definitely long, just like Callaway says. But, in our test, we found it was a lot easier to turn this over and hit a hook than it was to hit a slice. That is, a lot of our misses were pull hooks. We suspect that’s not a mistake, since the configuration of the head shape and internal weighting, in fact, combine to make this club easier to square up at impact than, say, a traditionally shaped head. That took some getting used to, but once we did, we fell in love. As for forgiveness on off-center hits, the FT-iZ demonstrated a lot of give. We rarely missed big, and when we did, it was our fault, not the driver’s.

Bottom Line: If you want a driver that has a new-age shape, awesome forgiveness and is an inherent slice-killer, the FT-iZ is a solid choice. We didn’t test a Tour version (with a one-degree open face), but we suspect that one would have cured our hooks in a jiffy. That said, the FT-iZ remains a top contender for a 2010 GT Tech Award.

DIABLO EDGE DRIVER
The new Diablo Edge is a four-piece, all-titanium design that, like the FT-iZ, is hell-bent on adding more distance to everyone’s drives.

Looks and Feel: Callaway is really making strides in bucking against traditional driver shapes and trying something different. The Diablo Edge is aerodynamic and aesthetically pleasing, and both solid and missed hits feel pretty good. Our only criticism is of the S2H2 hosel configuration on the Standard model. We understand the point: Weight is removed from the hosel and redistributed in the clubhead. Then why affix a cheapish-looking ferrule on the short hosel? It takes away from the sexiness of the sleek titanium design. However, the Tour model, well, that has got to be one of the best-looking shapes (it has a traditional hosel) we’ve ever seen from Callaway. Booyah.

Performance: We only tested the Standard model, but our findings were impressive. The Diablo Edge produces a surprisingly penetrating ballflight, thanks to both a nine-degree loft and a square face angle (models above 10 degrees have one-degree closed faces). We saw a limited dispersion on our misses, and our solid bombs flew a long way, usually in the direction we wanted. In fact, we took a couple swats and tried to mis-hit and had trouble doing so–let that give you an idea of how forgiving this driver is. You may not always hit it straight (that’s up to your swing, not necessarily the driver), but you’ll definitely hit a lot of long drives with this club.

Bottom Line: A forgiving power-hitter. The shaft felt a little whippy, so if you opt for one, be sure you get fitted for the proper weight and flex.

DIABLO EDGE IRONS
Using a 360-degree, undercut-cavity design and a low center of gravity, the Diablo Edge irons are both long and very forgiving.

Looks and Feel: The Diablo Edge has two things going for it: a wide sole and an undercut channel, which basically means weight is pushed to the perimeter of the face. These attributes offer serious forgiveness and, when combined with a low CG, mean big distance, too. We were taken aback by the weird modified Tru-Bore hosel, though. Was it necessary to cut it out like that? We couldn’t help but wonder if that would cause some added friction in deep rough. Nevertheless, having the option to integrate a couple hybrids into the set mitigates any minor dislikes in the iron’s design.

Performance: We hit them high and straight, which for the higher handicapper/slower swinger will translate into bigger distance. Better players, and/or those who swing faster, might see a lot of ballooning shots, but that’s to be expected from an iron in this category. The white groove markings, as well as the vertical white stripes on the sides of the grooves make aligning the clubhead behind the ball very easy. So easy, that we didn’t even have to think about it.

Bottom Line: These irons are long and forgiving, especially in shots hit more toward the toe. Better players who want a more boring trajectory will prefer the Diablo Forged irons.

X SERIES JAWS
Designed by Roger Cleveland with input from Phil Mickelson, the Jaws wedges represent the latest in new wedge tech from Callaway Golf.

Looks and Feel: Can someone please pass the butter? These wedges are sharp and smooth–two traits of great wedge design. With many wedges using a cast design, we can’t help but feel the love for forged carbon steel. It has a soft feel that helps make you feel more relaxed over your chips. The MACK Daddy grooves are as aggressive as can be under the new rules, and the C-Grind sole
basically reduces turf contact to a small area on the center-bottom of the sole. As for the two finish options, we liked the Milky Chrome finish, but we loved the Dark Vintage finish.

Performance: We don’t try to fake it. How a wedge performs is highly contingent on the skill of the golfer using it. That said, we took our limited skills and found these wedges to perform beautifully. We liked the compact shape–it seemed to make hitting pitches and chips from the rough easier. We also liked the open-face capabilities. That is, when we open the face, the leading edge doesn’t come way up off the ground.

Bottom Line: The best-looking wedge we’ve seen from Callaway. Better players will like it more than amateurs, mainly because they’re able to do more with it.

Showcase: TaylorMade xFT Wedge

TaylorMade’s most innovative offering for 2010 is the xFT (Exchangeable Face Technology) wedge ($129). That’s right, you can change out the wedge’s face so you have fresh, new grooves whenever you want. Comes in 10 loft/lie combos; faces will cost $39.
The xFT has a classic teardrop-shaped clubhead with nickel-chrome plating and a pearl finish. This blend of high-quality shape and materials makes it beautiful, playable and durable.	Comes in 10 different loft and lie combinations, from 50_¡ to 64_¡. Also included is its 40-pound torque wrench.	Features a KBS High-Rev shaft that’s specifically designed to promote increased spin.
Its thin urethane layer behind the clubface ensures the face fits precisely into the milled pocket while promoting a soft feel.	The CNC-milled clubface produces a perfectly flat face and perfectly formed high-performance grooves.	ts stock face is the “Z groove” that conforms for recreational players until 2024. (The ZTP groove face conforms to this year’s groove changes). Both are sold separately.
*TaylorMade recommends Tour pros replace their club faces four times a year (some actually change wedges every week); top amateurs do it twice a year, and recreational golfers, once a year.

Wedge Secrets

Recently, one of my students came to me with a curious question. “Doc,” he said, “why do I hit it off the toe with my wedges, but not with other clubs?” We were on the practice tee, so I had him take out his wedge (pictured) and show it to me. He was right. He’d been hitting it off the toe so much that the clubface had started to wear down.

I asked him to set up to the ball. Without his even taking a swing, I immediately recognized the problem. The lie angle (the angle at which the sole of the club rests on the ground) was too flat, a characteristic that causes the club’s toe to dig into the ground at impact. When the toe digs down, the club’s heel comes up, and, as a result, shots are hit off the toe. (That’s a natural result, as the heel isn’t making contact with the ground.) Luckily for my student, wedges tend to be fairly forgiving when hit off the toe, so his shots stayed close to on-line; however, he wouldn’t be so fortunate if he were hitting a longer iron. They’re less forgiving and, when hit on the toe, result in low shots that tend to veer right.

You may be asking yourself why my student didn’t have this problem with his other clubs. Well, for the simple reason that his wedge wasn’t part of his 3-9-iron set. Those clubs were properly fitted, but his wedge was “bought off the rack.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right fit, and now he’s paying the price.

While lie angle was the culprit for my student’s mis-hits, you can’t always attribute these kinds of wear marks to how clubs sit on the ground. If, or when, you notice a similar abrasion developing on one of your clubs, the root cause can be traced back to one of the following: lie angle, posture or your grip.

Lie Angle
The club’s lie angle is too flat for your swing. As a result, the toe digs into the ground at impact and the heel comes up. What results are shots hit off the club’s toe. For longer clubs, a lower ball flight is produced. There’s also a greater chance for the ball to veer right.

The Fix: Either change your wedge or have it bent so it’s more upright. If you suspect your club is too flat (or too upright, for that matter), use a “lie board” to determine where the club is bottoming out. All club companies and clubfitters have them.

Bad Posture
You have bad posture. Check your distance from the ball at address. Your hands should hang under your shoulders in a neutral hanging position (not too close or far away from you). If, however, your arms are extended and your hands are away from your body, you’re standing too far from the ball.

When you swing, your arms and hands tend to return to their neutral position under the shoulders. It’s important to keep in mind that bodies strive for balance during the golf swing, so they’ll try to get into a neutral position through impact. Start in neutral, and your chances of solid contact improve dramatically.

The Fix: Adopt a proper posture.

Faulty Grip
You have a faulty grip. Because your wrists set the club’s lie angle, it’s vital that they’re in the correct position. A way to see if you’re holding the club correctly is to take a look at your glove. If its palm is wearing down, you’re not holding the club enough in your fingers. Regardless of whether everything else in your swing is neutral, gripping it more in the palm will set an incorrect angle and thus produce shots hit off the toe.

The Fix: Hold the club more in your fingers. Also, make sure your grips are the right size. If they’re too big or too small, you’ll be more inclined to grip it in the palm.