• Bettinardi Golf continues their 25th-anniversary celebration with another limited-edition putter.
• The BB28 Slotback is the ninth putter in the series.
• The Slotback cut-out and cavity lines provide a unique alignment scheme.
• Available Sept. 28 with a MSRP of $900.

Another month has passed which means it is time for the next Bettinardi XXV Anniversary limited-edition putter release—the BB28 Slotback.

Last month’s limited-edition anniversary putter, the BB30, is a tough act to follow. That putter was the only one in the XXV Anniversary series with a welded neck and was a head shape previously only available to Bob Bettinardi’s friends.

How can this month’s BB28 Slotback possibly compete with the BB30’s backstory?

Realistically, it can’t. How could any putter compete against a putter called the Goombah? It’s not a knock against the BB28 Slotback. You’ll see shortly that it definitely brings some limited-edition uniqueness to the putting surface. The BB20 Goombah was just next-level unique.

What makes the BB28 Slotback different from the stock model?

The Bettinardi BB28 Slotback is a great example of how simple design changes can significantly change how a putter looks and plays. The BB28 is a staple in the Bettinardi putter line. Bettinardi has produced multiple versions of the BB28 during the past decade. Right now, three different versions of the BB28 are available on the Bettinardi site. Let’s compare the stock BB28 with a spud neck to the BB28 Slotback limited edition.

The stock BB28 is a wide-blade design. Toe hang is just a bit past horizontal, fitting a player with a slight arc putting stroke. The “Aggressive Flymill” face plays firmer than Bettinardi’s F.I.T. (Feel Impact Technology) but softer than a traditional flymill face. The aggressive milling removes more face material than the usual fly milling. More open space in the face translates to less metal touching the ball at impact and a softer feel.

How did Bettinardi change the BB28 design with the limited edition? The first design difference you will notice when comparing the stock BB28 to the BB28 Slotback is the slot at the back. Removing some of the material at the back edge of the putter may not seem like much of a design change but this little tweak significantly changes the optics of the putter at address.

Removing the material at the rear of the putter draws the eyes to the middle section of the putter. For most of us, this is a good thing as we want to hit the ball with the middle of the putter face. Yes, the sight line on the stock BB28 also draws the eye to the center. However, the slotback alteration, combined with the three sight lines, draw the eyes to the center even more than your new Pro V1 is drawn to the water hazard.

The Fine Flymilled face gives the face of the BB28 Slotback a little more pop than the stock BB28. The face is less firm than Bettinardi’s HoneyComb face, their firmest face pattern. Overall, the impact feel of the BB28 Slotback  is crisp and typically the ball departs with some pace.

Specifications: Bettinardi XXV Limited-Edition BB28 Slotback Limited-Edition Putter

• Material: 303 stainless steel and 6061 military grade aluminum
• Construction: CNC milled
• Finish: Violet Haze PVD
• Face: Fine Flymill
• Neck: Spud
• Toe Hang: 3:30
• Weight: 361 grams
• Shaft: Stepless steel
• Grip: Navy leather perforated Gripmaster with copper stitch back
• Production run: 250 
• MSRP: $900

The BB28 Slotback’s Unique Cosmetics

Admittedly, the shape of the putter was not the first thing I noticed when I took off the head cover. The Violet Haze PVD finish is a showstopper. Initially, I’d have described the finish as a weathered bronze. It had an antique feel and I didn’t notice the colors. I had opened the box indoors and hadn’t yet heard the name of the finish.

Outdoors, the BB28 Slotback was a putter of a different color. The base color was still antique bronze but now it was overlaid with a dusting of purple and blue. The colors vary with the contours but remain subtle and non-distracting at address. Overall, it is more matte than shiny, even in full sun.

The blue aluminum plate in the cavity provides a monochromatic contrast to the rest of the putter. I dig its addition but the plate does seem a bit empty to me. I’d have liked to see a Hex B logo etched in the middle.

The perforated navy leather with copper stitching Gripmaster grip and the navy blue headcover complement the looks of the putter nicely.

Final Thoughts on the Bettinardi XXV Limited-Edition BB28 Slotback Putter

Initially, I was not really excited to see a BB28 when I opened the box. I know, every putter should excite me, especially a limited edition. For some reason, the BB28 and I have never really gotten along on the greens. It’s made Matt Kuchar millions but something about the bumpers and the back end of the putter just doesn’t suit my eye.

So much for me hyping a new limited-edition putter, huh?

Like most quick decisions, my initial blase attitude with the Bettinardi 25th Anniversary BB28 Slotback quickly proved inaccurate. The more I looked at this specific version of the BB28, the more I discovered little tweaks to the design.

Not only were these tweaks cosmetic but the alteration to the back edge essentially changed the BB28 design from unplayable to immediately bagable.

One again, the Bettinardi XXV Anniversary putter carries a price tag of $900. In all fairness, the BB28 Slotback does not have the same level of collectibility as the previous BB30 but it will still sell out quickly. The BB28 design is a Bettinardi classic. Fans of the design will be drawn to this limited edition. Even someone like me who is not usually a fan of the BB28 will be drawn to this version. The altered head shape and the Violet Haze PVD finish make this a standout version of the BB28 design.

Find out more about the Bettinardi XXV limited-edition BB28 Slotback and the rest of the XXV Anniversary series at Bettinardi.com

FAQ: Bettinardi 25th Anniversary Putter Line.

Can you tell me more about Bettinardi Golf?

I’m just going to quote myself on this one. “For the full report on Bettinardi’s history, check out this article by our golf historian John Barba.”

Why are these putters so expensive?

Economics 101. The market dictates the price. The other factor is that it takes longer to produce the limited-edition putters than a stock model. That Econ class also mentioned that time equals money.

Why don’t you like the stock BB28?

My issue with the stock BB28 is the same issue I have with a number of other similar blade putter designs. At address, I want all of the cavity edges of the bumpers to line up.

Putters with rounded rear bumpers and squared front bumpers don’t have a clean line at the cavity. This distracts me at address. With the stock  BB28, the rounded rear bumpers are also flat, making their contrast to the higher square front section of the putter even more pronounced.

By adding the slotback, the now square rear section blends in better with the square front section. For my eyes anyway.

Do you really need an expensive putter?

Of course not. What you need is a putter that helps you enjoy playing golf. First point of order should be going through a putter fitting. Making putts is a sure-fire way to make golf more fun. If you are in the area, Bettinardi’s Studio B in Oak Brook has an amazing putter fitting program. If that’s not an option, find a local fitter. Once you know what putter you need, spending extra money for a fancy one is up to you. If you have the inclination and the means, treat yourself to something nice.

The post New Release: Bettinardi Limited-Edition Slotback Putter appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

The SwingU Testing Opportunity

Often, it’s the smaller member tests that make the biggest impact. Member testing of products like PuttOut, Red Rooster golf gloves and various golf balls can help all our Forum members make informed decisions about purchases that can improve their game.

That was our objective with the SwingU Golf GPS app. While SwingU had already been reviewed by MyGolfSpy staff member Tony Covey, we wanted to gauge how this app performed for other golfers with varying levels of tech proficiency.

Additionally, this member test aimed to showcase the testers’ progress over time using the SwingU app as it offers more than just GPS functionality. The SwingU App offers a comprehensive range of features including but not limited to:

• Shot tracking and club recommendations
• Strokes gained analysis
• Green-reading maps
• Scorecards and statistics
• Tips and lessons
• Wind speed/elevation and “plays-like” distances

The SwingU app is compatible with Apple and Android devices and integrates seamlessly with Apple Watch.

The basic SwingU app is free, albeit with limited features. Users have the option to start with a free trial and can upgrade any time. SwingU offers two Premium Tiers: SwingU Plus ($49.99 per year) and SwingU Pro ($99.99 per year).

MyGolfSpy selected six testers with handicaps from 2.2 to 27. These testers brought varying experiences with apps, GPS systems, shot tracking and rangefinders to provide valuable comparisons for evaluating the app.

What SwingU Testers Said

Our testers received a full-year SwingU Pro subscription so let’s hear what they had to say about their experiences with the SwingU app.

Tester tdc1 said, “The app downloaded and installed quickly and easily. It is important to watch the videos on the SwingU homepage to understand the terminology used for the advanced data input on the scorecard…Some (much?) of the app’s functions are self-explanatory but be prepared to need to root around in the app for a while to become proficient in its use.”

Tester Bluesman57 said essentially the same thing but in not so many words. “Downloading and registering the application was seamless and completely intuitive.”

Our testers went into great detail about the various features available on SwingU. Here are some key takeaways from the various functions.

The Strokes Gained Feature (aka Versus)

From Bluesman57:

“The SwingU feature that I was most looking forward to is Versus, which is what the folks at SwingU call their feature for calculating Strokes Gained. The SwingU app absolutely excelled at its execution of this feature.

The user chooses their target handicap range, and, using the numbers that the user enters during (or after) the round, SwingU calculates Strokes Gained relative to this handicap for Driving, Approach, Chipping, Sand and Putting. It then provides relative handicap levels for each of these parts of the game, which is, to say the least, a bit, ummm, humbling.”

SwingU GPS Function

From Bluesman57:

“Yardages are accurate, the course library is huge, and I have never had a problem with the watch finding me as I was about to head to the first tee. I also liked the screen with distance arcs to various hazards on each hole. Also, of course, the convenience of checking yardages to the front, middle and back of the greens (75% of what I use the watch for) by just flicking the wrist like checking the time is a huge plus.“

On-Course Green Reading Map

Tester acatalno32:  

“I have to say that this is a very impressive feature to have in a golf app! While at the course, however, I found myself taking what I judged to be an inordinate amount of time trying to superimpose the slope map on my phone with what my eyes are seeing on the green itself. Just guessing, I would say that trying to use this feature adds 10-15 seconds per putt in my case; none of my playing partners ever said anything, but I felt annoyed with myself every time I used this feature. I’m pretty sure, though, that using this feature throughout several rounds would speed things up as I became more familiar with it. For now, I don’t feel that I would use this feature much”

Club Selection and Shot Tracking

Tester tdc1: “It is possible to individualize your club set-up. Once you are ready, tap Track” and choose your club. The app will tell when it is ready to track. When you reach your ball tap “End Tracking” to see the shot length. You also have the option to “Delete” a shot as well. The app keeps a running total of the number of times you have tracked a shot with each club and provides an average length in post-round review.

Two small issues arose when using Club Tracking: (1) on occasion “End Shot” did not, in fact, end the shot — hence my 400+ yard 8-iron shot on one hole; and (2) there can be a lag time between ending one shot and beginning to track another shot; eventually I got in the habit of ending tracking for one shot, and then hitting my next shot before asking the app to track the second shot.”

Off-Course Features (Drills, Course Maps and more)

Tester DeBartola_B said, “the practice drill section is impressively extensive, offering a wide array of drills tailored to areas of your game that need improvement.”

He also really enjoyed the Course Explorer function which allowed him “to familiarize myself with a course before playing it. This feature gave me insights into the optimal distances and club choices for aiming at the most forgiving parts of the fairway or green. It essentially helps you establish a game plan for your round, which, in my experience, often leads to improved scoring.”

The final point he touched on was the round recap email which is sent after a completed round. “I wanted to share the email that SwingU sends you when your round is completed. I know this is not much but I love these, it’s a way for me to review my round quickly and get a refresher of what went well and what went wrong.”

SwingU On The Golf Course

All the features are great but how did our testers find the SwingU app on the golf course? Bluesman57 was impressed even if it took a little time to get used to it. “Using the app has become second nature to me. Yardages, and especially intermediate yardages given by SwingU, are so vastly superior to those I get from my GPS watch, that it’s not even close to which one is better for me. Having an accurate, intuitive and easy to read way of determining intermediate yardages has definitely improved my scores, and might have even won me a drink or two about one’s ability to clear a water hazard.“

MuniGolfer also had high praise for the on-course functionality when compared to other apps and shot-tracking systems.

“The on-course data entry is the best of the apps I have tried. BE AWARE, you do need to watch the intro videos and be consistent in how you track lies to get the best results, but once you do it is quick and easy.

I also appreciate the decisions they made on what to track. That is part of the simplicity, but provides the required strokes gained data. It’s as simple as GolfShot is for just its standard entry, and easier than its strokes gained setup.

Compared to MyTaylorMade+ it is heads and tails above. MyTaylorMade requires moving the pin to the exact location, marking your locations, etc. You have to constantly have your phone or interact with your watch to track your location. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about missing shots, like with Shotscope or Arccos.

You can even add your round after the fact, if you don’t want to have to interact with an electronic device at all on the course. Just keep track of your approach yardage and your first putt length on your scorecard and the rest most people will be able to remember as they recall their round.”

The Final Verdict

With the testing completed and final scores tallied, the SwingU app got just one low score (69 out of 100) and the rest being 86 or higher with two 92s.

Five of the six testers will continue using the SwingU app as they have seen benefit in using some, if not most of its features.

tester MuniGolfer 

“I have really liked the SwingU app and will continue to play it. I will still be using my range finder, in conjunction, but this will guide my practice and rounds. I have already told myself I will pay for the premium subscription when my free period as a tester runs out, assuming I continue to see the benefit. Unless anything drastically changes with the app, which I don’t see happening.”

We also asked our testers to recap how their handicaps and scores changed over the testing period to see if the benefits offered by the SwingU App helped.

This was best summed up by tester Debartola_B: “I’ve personally experienced some of my best rounds when I’ve leveraged the app’s full capabilities. It helps keep you locked in and focused before and during your round, contributing significantly to your performance. I intend to continue using and experimenting with this app for the foreseeable future, as it has proven to be a valuable asset in my golf journey.”

There are a lot of golf app and technology options available but few offer the range of benefits of SwingU. Our testers as a whole found great benefit in leveraging its features to improve their game and not every tester found the same features as beneficial as others. Regardless, there is something here for everyone to help improve their game.

Tester MuniGolfer summed up the SwingU app nicely by saying, “SwingU has made a great on-course and overall golf stats app. It offers simple Strokes Gained stats entry, caddie features, green maps, and practice help that are second to none. For those that want automatic shot tracking, you won’t find that here, but I feel the simplicity of use makes the interaction with your phone as minimal as possible.

It feels more like a yardage and green book on your phone, with stats tracking that isn’t much more involved than writing your score on a scorecard. There is a little bit of a learning curve, and it’s not the prettiest golf app out there, but it has become an integral part of my golf game.”

Interested in reading the full reviews from our testers? SwingU GPS Golf App Full Reviews

What is Forum Member Testing?

MyGolfSpy offers all its community members a unique opportunity to test, review and keep a variety of different golf equipment, apps, apparel and more. Successful candidates are selected by Forum staff.

Members who are selected interact, engage and write a review on the specific product while enjoying the fun of trying new gear!

Member testing is vital because it gets gear in the hands of you, the golfer. Our members give honest feedback on how any product or service works for a variety of handicaps and abilities to ensure our readers are even more informed when making purchasing decisions.

To learn more about how testers are selected, head here: Want to be a Forum Tester?

The post Forum Member Review: SwingU App appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised. 

What We Tried:

Stitch Golf travel gear. Stitch makes a plethora of travel bags. I tried several including the Multiuse Traveler Bag (MUT), Birdie Bag, Ultimate Garment Bag and the Dopp Kit.

Who Tried It

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I believe golf is better with a pair of cool shoes and comfortable joggers. I’m still lugging around bags from my junior high school days so it’s about dang time I upgrade my luggage repertoire.

Multiuse Traveler Bag (MUT)

This isn’t my first rodeo with the Stitch Golf MUT. This bag was tested as a part of our Best Golf Travel Bags buyer’s guide.

If you’re looking for a bag that can do it all, you need to consider the MUT. With a single zip, it transforms from a compact roller duffle into a full-fledged travel bag.

There are three main areas I look at when evaluating a golf travel bag: transportation, ease of use and protection.

TRANSPORTATION:

A golf travel bag should have a good wheelbase. Ideally, this wheelbase would have four wheels or, at the very least, spinners to make it more maneuverable. The Stitch Golf MUT has only two wheels. That said, they were plenty satisfactory for wheeling my heavy bag to the airport counter and around the resort where I was staying.

EASE OF USE:

When I look at ease of use, I’m really looking at placement of carry handles. Is the bag easy to lift in and out of cars or shuttles? What about grabbing it from the baggage claim? The Stitch Golf MUT has a nice selection of carry handles, both on the side and top of the bag, to make lifts a breeze.

PROTECTION:

What about protection? My main concern with the Stitch MUT was lack of padding. While the top section doesn’t feel particularly shock-resistant, all of my clubs arrived in one piece. Of course, I took the necessary precautions to ensure they weren’t damaged. A travel bag can only do so much, after all. It should really be your last line of defense. Make good use of the torsion bar, remove heads from your woods … blah, blah, blah. You know the drill.

If I had one major gripe about the Stitch Golf MUT, it was the loading process. The sidewalls are extremely flimsy so it can’t stand up on its own. Loading my golf bag into the travel bag was more difficult than it needed to be. Reinforced sidewalls would have done the job here, although that would probably take away from the roller duffle functionality.

I would have liked to see some good external pockets, too. It does have one semi-large one at the top but nothing on the sides or rear.

SPECS:

• Retails for $498
• Roller duffle bag that converts into a golf travel bag
• Includes torsion bar to protect your assets
• Reinforced in high-wear areas
• Carry-on approved (when used as a duffle)

Birdie Bag

Let’s start off with a bang. The Stitch Golf Birdie Bag is the carry-on champ. This backpack/cooler bag/carry-on is so darned versatile.

A solid airport backpack needs to have amazing pockets and storage capabilities. Between the five external pockets, large inner compartment and the removeable laptop sleeve (held in place with magnets), I had plenty of room for everything.

The large storage compartment is accessed through the top of the bag, something I’m a fan of. This made it easy to stack my clothes, headphones, Dopp Kit and laptop and kept everything organized. The backpack straps are comfortable enough and the soft-touch details on the zippers make them really easy to use.

I used my Birdie Bag as my personal item and it fit perfectly under the seat of the tiny CRJ 900 jet I was in. It’s big enough that it works as your sole carry-on item but small enough to tag along with your carry-on duffle (see the Ultimate Garment Bag) as a personal item. As with any luggage, check with your airline for personal item allowances.

SPECS:

• Retails for $328
• Removeable cooler pouch
• Five external pockets
• Removable laptop sleeve
• YKK zippers
• Trolley sleeve to slide over luggage

Ultimate Garment Bag

The Stitch Golf Ultimate Garment Bag may be the piece de resistance of the entire travel collection. Man, is this duffle bag versatile. If you haven’t sensed the theme already, Stitch is phenomenal at getting extra performance and value out of singular products.

A roller duffle that turns into a travel bag? Check. A backpack that can also be a cooler? Absolutely. Now, this sweet-looking duffle that converts into a garment bag? Sign me up.

The best part about the Ultimate Garment Bag is the placement of the opening flap. Because the zippers can be fully unzipped, the entire bag opens for easy stacking and packing. I’ve never fit this much into a duffle with minimal effort.

As far as my user experience in the airport, it was almost too big to fit in the overhead space on my small CRJ 900 flight but it did fit. The carry strap could have more padding (it can feel a little stiff after time). I also would have loved one more external pocket, either on the front or back of the bag. All in all, though, the Ultimate Garment Bag is a beast of a carry-on bag.

SPECS:

• Retails for $328
• Two-in-one duffle bag that converts into a garment bag
• Two external magnetic pockets
• Large inner compartment with elastic shoe pockets
• Completely unzips for easy access to all of your goods

Dopp Kit

Perhaps the most overlooked item in Stitch Golf’s travel repertoire is the Dopp Kit. I’ve never owned a nice toiletry kit before (I’ve used a $5 clear toiletry bag from Walmart for the past six years) but now I can finally see what I’ve been missing.

The two separate zippered pouches are genius. It allowed me to split my toiletries as I saw fit. Pills and medicine in one side, deodorant and other toiletry items in the other. This little guy holds a lot, too. I had plenty of room for all of my stuff. My favorite part? It’s the perfect size to slide into the Birdie Bag. (It’s like they were designed to be used together!)

Don’t overlook the Dopp Kit. I’m telling you, it’s nice!

SPECS:

• Retails for $98
• Two separate zippered pouches
• Integrated carry handle
• Lays flat when open for easy access to toiletry items

Stitch Golf Travel Gear: Functional and Fashionable

Stitch Golf makes extremely functional travel gear. Each item I had the pleasure of traveling with made my experience better in some little way. That is the mark of a well-designed product. While I haven’t touched much on looks, let’s just say Stitch knows their way around premium materials and aesthetics. This you already know if you’ve seen their golf bags.

If you’re in need of extremely functional travel gear with an elevated sense of style, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fault with Stitch Golf’s comprehensive travel bag lineup.

The post Stitch Golf Travel Gear Review appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

An investigation is underway in Taiwan into this weekend’s tragic fire that killed ten people at the Launch Technologies golf ball factory in Pingtung City.

Launch Technologies is one of the largest golf ball manufacturers in the world, producing approximately 20 percent of the world’s golf ball supply. Launch Tech works closely with Callaway, notably producing the ERC Soft and SuperSoft balls. The company also makes all the balls for Topgolf. Additionally, Launch Tech supplies other OEMs with two-piece balls, including TaylorMade, Bridgestone, Mizuno and Wilson. It also services many direct-to-consumer companies.

Its customer list includes OnCore, Odin, Sugar, Seed and Penfold.

More Than 100 Injured

The fire started Friday and was followed by two separate explosions that caused portions of the building to collapse. While the cause of the fire is under investigation, the Associated Press is reporting that Launch Tech has already been fined $75,000 and could face criminal charges for public endangerment and negligent manslaughter.

Specifically, the AP is reporting that Launch Tech had more than 3,000 tons of organic peroxides stored at its factory. That’s far more than the 100 tons that are permitted.

Organic peroxide is used to manufacture golf ball cores and is highly flammable. Taiwanese law requires organic peroxide to be stored in a separate warehouse. But Launch Tech kept the material on the first floor of its factory, according to the AP report.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor is launching an occupational safety investigation. The Launch Tech factory had previously been fined for other safety violations.

In addition to the ten people killed, more than 100 suffered injuries, including firefighters and other first responders.

Callaway Statement

Callaway released the following statement over the weekend:

We are aware of the fire that occurred on Friday at the Pingtung City golf ball factory and are working directly with Launch Tech and local authorities to gather more information. Our thoughts are with all the first responders, employees and families of those who have been affected.

Launch Tech has become the go-to supplier of golf balls for many smaller Direct-to-Consumer brands. The company is listed on the Taipei Stock Exchange and shipped over 260 million golf balls last year. Roughly 80 percent of its business is in the United States.

One source has told MyGolfSpy that the factory will likely be out of commission for up to a year, leaving them with no supplier for golf balls.

MyGolfSpy is monitoring the story and will have more information as it becomes available.

The post Fire at Launch Technologies Golf Ball Factory Kills 10 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

What should we make of the new Mizuno ST-G 240 driver?

Is it a line extension of the ST 230 driver lineup released this past February? Or is it a preview of Mizuno’s next driver lineup that, if Mizuno holds to its two-year driver lifecycle commitment, won’t hit the streets until 2025?

We do know it’s an on-time replacement for the two-year-old ST-G 220. But from there, the numerology gets a little fuzzy.

Mizuno’s ST 220 metalwood line came out in 2021. The ST 230 line followed in 2023 but without an ST-G. Today, we get a G but it’s the 240.

As Michael Keaton sorta-kinda once said: 230, 240 … whatever it takes.

Let’s dig into this Mizzy and see if we can’t figure out just where it fits.

Mizuno ST-G 240 Driver

Mizuno has been on a one-year driver lifecycle since 2018 and the original ST180. The lineup has morphed a bit to include ST-Z, ST-X and ST-G models. In Mizuno-speak, the -X model tends to have a more rounded shape and be a tad draw-biased while the -Z model tends to have a more rearward CG and higher MOI.

The -G series has featured sliding sole weights and has been decidedly low-spinning.

So far, so good. But this is where it gets interesting.

When Mizuno was on its one-year product cycle, the ST-G model would come out this time of year while the -X and -Z models would come out the following January. By that cadence, an ST-G 230 should have come out last fall but it didn’t. The new ST-X 230 and ST-Z 230 drivers arrived on time this past January but Mizuno skipped a new -G altogether.

And now we have the ST-G 240 with enough significant changes over the ST-230 line that it’s obviously a precursor to an -X and -Z 240, due in January.

Only Mizuno has said it’s not going to do that.

In the big picture, unless you’re a release cadence cop, it really doesn’t matter.

What’s New?

 Compared to the ST-G 220, there’s plenty. And, compared to the ST 230 drivers, there’s enough new to whet your appetite for the ST-X and -Z 240s.

In keeping with tradition, the Mizuno ST-G 240 features sliding sole weights that are the hallmark of the -G series. But breaking with tradition, the new ST-G 240 is 440 cubic centimeters (previous ST-G models were 460). The new ST-G 240 has a seriously deep face made from a completely new material for Mizuno: forged Beta Rich Ti-LFS.

Beta Rich Ti-LFS replaces the SAT 2041 beta titanium used in the ST 230 models. While the metallurgy is unclear, Mizuno does say the Beta Rich Ti-LFS face is seven-percent lighter and 15-percent stiffer than SAT 2041 while having nine-percent more tensile strength. This, friends, is all in the name of more ball speed.

The new Mizuno ST-G 240 driver also features Mizuno’s CORTECH Chamber technology. It’s a small steel beam suspended in a TPU material on the sole right behind the face. The net effect is twofold. First, the steel/TPU mix allows the face to flex more, especially on low-face strikes. Second, at impact, the material in the CORTECH Chamber theoretically comes out of compression faster than the face. That delivers what can be described as an acceleration effect. Both of these are also done in the name of more ball speed.

Crowns and Weights

Any driver designer will tell you that weight savings is the Holy Grail. Any time you can save weight in one spot where it doesn’t do you any good allows you to reposition it someplace else where it will do some good. For the ST-G 240 driver, Mizuno has developed what it’s calling a “wrap-around” composite crown. It extends over the toe’s edge and takes the place of the heavier material that makes up the rest of the body.

The new crown weighs 16 grams. For comparison, that’s about what a compact disc weighs.

And speaking of weight, the signature feature of Mizuno’s ST-G driver line is sliding sole weights. The previous ST-G 220 included two relatively short sliding weight tracks (one near the toe, one near the heel) plus a spot in the rear in case you wanted to put one or both weights there to boost launch and MOI.

The new ST-G 240 is a complete sole redesign with two longer tracks that meet at the very back. This allows for endless configuration options to add or reduce spin and trajectory, add bias for fade or draw and boost MOI if needed. The sole weights weigh seven grams each which should make the ST-G 240 a fitter’s delight.

The State of Mizuno Drivers

Mizuno’s decision to go with a two-year driver lifecycle makes sense. Meaningful improvements take time and if MyGolfSpy’s 2023 Most Wanted Driver testing tells us anything, Mizuno could use some meaningful improvement.

The ST-Z and ST-X 230 drivers were, to put it kindly, meh performers. Both finished in the lower half overall with the ST-X finishing near the bottom. Neither rated well with our testers on sound and feel. Mizuno feels they’ve addressed that in the ST-G 240 with reinforced internal ribs to mute the sound.

With the new ST-G 240 serving as the new baseline, we can probably expect the next ST-Z and ST-X drivers to feature the new forged Beta Rich Ti-LFS face design as well as the new wrap-around composite crown and internal rib structure. But if the cadence holds, we won’t see either until 2025.

The Mizuno ST-G 240, at 440 cc with a deep face, does offer promise for golfers looking for low spin and willing to sacrifice some forgiveness to get it.

Mizuno ST-G 240 Driver: Specs, Price and Availability

The Mizuno ST-G 240 will be available in 9.5- and 10.5-degree lofts for righties but only in 9.5-degrees for lefties. Each model is loft-adjustable up or down two degrees. The stock length is 45.25 inches.

Mizuno is offering two stock shafts for the ST-G 240. The mid-launch, mid-spin Mitsubishi Kai’ Li Blue 60 is available in regular and stiff. The low-launch, low-spin HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 60 is available in stiff and X-stiff.

The Lamkin Crossline Genesis Full Cord is the stock grip. As always, Mizuno offers an impressive array of no-upcharge shaft and grip options.The new Mizuno ST-G 240 retails for $599.95. It’ll hit retail Oct. 5.

For more information, visit the Mizuno website.

The post New: Mizuno ST-G 240 Drivers appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

The new Mizuno ST-G Titanium Fairway Wood wants to say one word to you. Just one word.

Titanium.

If you gleaned anything from the name, that shouldn’t be any kind of a surprise. The new ST-G Titanium fairway wood is a graduate-level dissertation on titanium.

But can all that titanium change the fortunes of Mizuno’s fairway woods? Mizuno has finished near the bottom in MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted fairway wood testing dating back to at least 2018. For a company investing heavily in metalwood performance, it’s an unfortunate trend, to say the least.

Mizuno thinks there’s a great future in titanium and hopes you’ll think about it.

Will you think about it?

Mizuno ST-G Titanium Fairway Wood

The new Mizuno ST-G Titanium fairway wood isn’t replacing anything in the Mizuno lineup. The ST-Z 230 and ST-X 220 remain but the ST-G Titanium brings something a little different to the table.

And go to the head of the graduate class if you guessed the obvious. After all, it’s in the name.

The body itself is made from Ti-811 with a waffle crown that’s anywhere from 0.45 to 0.55 mm thin. The face is made from Mizuno’s SAT 2041 Beta Titanium, the same material used in Mizuno’s ST-Z and ST-X 230 drivers. Mizuno’s new ST-G 240 driver uses a new Beta Rich Ti-LFS material in its face but that’s a different story.

The only thing that isn’t titanium is an 80-gram stainless steel sole plate and the eight-gram stainless steel screw used to hold it in place. The lightweight body combined with the heavy sole plate drives the ST-G 240 CG and sweet spot to levels that are damned near subterranean-low. That’s the recipe for high launch and low spin.

By comparison, Mizuno’s ST-X 220 3-wood features the same all-titanium construction but without the stainless-steel sole plate. That line’s 5- and 7-woods feature titanium heads with maraging steel faces. The ST-Z 230 fairway wood series features a carbon composite crown and a maraging steel face, again without the stainless-steel sole plate.

CORTECH Chamber

Mizuno introduced the CORTECH Chamber in its ST-230 metal wood series and the technology is included in the new ST-G Titanium fairway woods. The CORTECH Chamber is a channel on the sole, right behind the face to allow for more face flex, particularly on low-face strikes. What makes Mizuno’s tech somewhat unique is a 3.6-gram stainless steel bar suspended in a TPU material. The stainless-steel bar adds more mass low and forward which, when added to the 80-gram sole plate, is a recipe for potentially ridiculous spin reduction. Additionally, the CORTECH Chamber is designed to come out of compression faster than the face which adds what can be described as an acceleration effect, a recipe for ball speed.

Put them all together and you should have a fairway wood that launches high, doesn’t spin very much but has plenty of ball speed. Add those up and you should get some serious distance. Our testing shows previous Mizuno fairways haven’t been able to crack that code yet.

Who Is It For?

The compact head shape indicates the new Mizuno ST-G Titanium is designed for the better player. And the low-spin characteristics indicate it’s best used in the hands of a golfer with some swing speed.

In terms of comps, the ST-G Titanium’s closest kin appears to be the PING G430 LST, an all-titanium, low-spinning fairway wood. The G430 LST finished third overall in this year’s Most Wanted Fairway testing, earning top-10 scores for distance, forgiveness and accuracy.

Construction-wise, the PING and Mizuno are strikingly similar. Both have a 2041 Ti face and an 811-Ti body and both feature 80-gram sole weights to bring CG down for high launch. The biggest difference is that PING features a carbon composite crown while Mizuno’s crown is 811-Ti, albeit very thin.

Both fairways are designed for ultra-low spin with high launch. Low spin isn’t for everyone so a good fitting is obviously recommended.

Mizuno ST-G Titanium Fairway Woods: Specs, Price and Availability

The Mizuno ST-G Titanium fairway wood is available in 15- and 18-degree models for right-handers but only in 15 degrees for left-handers. The heads are adjustable up or down two degrees in loft and up or down a degree-and-a-half in lie angle.

As with its new ST-G 240 driver, Mizuno is offering two stock shaft options for righties. The mid-launch, mid-spin Mitsubishi Kai’ Li Blue 60 is the stock regular flex shaft while the Kai’ Lie Blue 70 is one of two choices in stiff flex. The other choice is the low-launch, low-spin HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 70. Righties can also choose the HZRDUS in X-stiff.

The only stock offering for lefties is the Kai’ Li Blue 70 in stiff. As always, however, Mizuno does have a full range of no-upcharge shafts available through custom order.

The Lamkin Crossline Genesis Full Cord is the stock grip.

As one might expect with all-titanium construction, the Mizuno ST-G Titanium fairway comes at a premium. It will retail for $399.95. It hits stores Oct. 5.

For more information, visit the Mizuno website.

The post Mizuno ST-G Titanium Fairway Wood appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Testers Wanted: Edison Wedges 

The results for Most Wanted Wedges will be released soon and it just so happens we have one of the contestants in line for member testing! We are very excited to be looking for four testers to test, review, compare and keep two Edison 2.0 wedges. 

For those of you who have not heard of Edison, here is some information about the company. 

“Edison Golf was founded by two golf industry veterans with a combined 75+ years of experience in the industry.

Chairman Terry Koehler, better known as “The Wedge Guy” from his popular blog, has spent more than 40 years designing golf clubs, the past 30 of them focused on wedges. Complementing Koehler’s creativity in wedge design is Edison Golf COO Trace MacDougall.

The small but potent team at Edison Golf craft and ship every custom-built Edison Forged wedge from the company’s headquarters in Rockport, Texas.”

What about their wedges?

Edison makes some bold claims with their Edison 2.0 wedge, claiming the “Koehler Sole” is the most versatile sole in the category offering a “high bounce angle in the front of the sole with a low bounce angle on the rear portion.” 

They also claim to be forgiving and better suited to the amateur golfer.

 “Instead of catering to the needs of tour pros, the EDISON 2.0 wedges were designed around the way you play the game. They have the most efficient distribution of clubhead mass in the category to deliver unmatched distance control and forgiveness for any level golfer – with added spin and more penetrating trajectories a likely bonus.”

Bottom line: Edison feels their wedges “deliver more forgiveness, improved distance control and enhanced spin, all without compromising precision, feel, or versatility.”

We want you to put these claims to the test to let us know how these wedges not only perform over the testing period but also how they perform against your current wedges. 

The Edison 2.0 wedges are offered in lofts from 45 to 60 degrees with the option to have the lie angle adjusted to best fit your swing. Edison offers two shafts (KBS 120S and 110R) as stock options. The Lamkin Crossline in standard or midsize is their stock grip. 

SIGN UP HERE 

*This test is open to U.S. residents only.
*Only open to rIght-handed golfers
*Selected testers will be required to through Edison’s WedgeFit form
*Registration closes Sept. 27. Testers will be announced on the forum Oct. 5.

The post Testers Wanted: Edison Wedges appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Each week on Golf Smarter we aim to improve your golf game in 3 minutes or less, because improving your game doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. So let’s get to it.

Golf Smarter: Fix Your Slice

Fighting a Slice?

You may not need to spend money to fix your slice.

Assuming your driver is adjustable (and whose isn’t these days?), here are 3 things to try:

◉ Adjust the head to the most upright position.

◉ Add loft. This will close the face and promote straighter flight.

◉ Move the heaviest weight to the heel.

If your driver isn’t heel-toe adjustable, the back position is typically the most draw-biased alternative.

Dive Deeper

Looking for a driver that can fix a slice? You’re going to want to read all about the PING G430 SFT vs G425 SFT. And since we’ve got drivers on the mind, don’t forget to see who reigned supreme in our data-packed Best Drivers of 2023 article.

The post Golf Smarter: Fix Your Slice appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Did you know that stroke play, match play, best ball and scramble are not the only formats golfers can play? In fact, if you are an avid golfer, you may be interested in getting involved in some formats that are entirely different.

One of the most fun is the Stableford scoring system.

I’ll show you what Stableford is, how to keep track of your score and a few tips for winning your next Stableford event.

How Does the Stableford Scoring System Work?

Stableford scoring is a point system. Instead of counting your total number of strokes for a round of golf, you will convert your score on each hole into Stableford points.

Stableford points correlate to how well you play. The better you play, the more points you get.

The number of points assigned to each hole in a Stableford event is up to the tournament committee. A common or standard Stableford point value would be:

• Double Eagle (Albatross): 5 points
• Eagle: 4 points
• Birdie: 3 points
• Par: 2 points
• Bogey: 1 point
• Double Bogey: 0 points

What Is A Modified Stableford?

A modified Stableford will take into consideration the strength of the field and assign the point values accordingly. A modified Stableford can be a good option for golfers with higher handicaps. In this format, a bogey can be worth two points if the tournament committee decides that suits the needs of the field.

With a modified Stableford you may also run into a situation where bogeys and double bogeys count as negative points. This is what we see with PGA Tour players and fields with low handicap players.

To read more about the Stableford format, check out rule 21 in the USGA rule book.

Net Versus Gross Stableford

A Stableford format can be gross or net. The net scores incorporate a player’s course handicap into this process.

Let’s say you are a 15 handicap and you are playing a Stableford event. This means on the 15 hardest holes on the course, you are going to get a stroke. (Keep in mind handicaps are often adjusted to 95% for Stableford events)

At the end of your hole, record your gross score and your adjusted score and calculate the points accordingly.

This is one of those scoring formats where your scorecard is going to be loaded with numbers by the end of the round.

One of the best benefits of a Stableford format is the ability to pick up if you are not going to make double bogey or better. If you are no longer going to be able to make a point for that hole, pick up your golf ball and move on.

Can Stableford be Played as A Team Event?

A Stableford tournament can be played as a team event where only the best score is counted on each hole. The Stableford team event will usually include both a gross and net winner and have divisions based on players’ handicaps.

How Do You Calculate Stableford Points?

To calculate, you need to look at the scoring provided to you at the start of the event. Play each hole as you normally would, and at the end, use the Stableford system to determine the number of points you get.

How To Play Well In A Stableford Tournament?

• Analyze the format closely to see if you are punished for bad holes. If you are not, you can play more aggressively than in traditional stroke play. 
• Approach shots to the green should be more aggressive.
• Look at the handicap rating for each hole. Find the easiest holes and plan to go low on those holes.
• Keep your mindset positive, even if you have a bad hole. It can be easier to recover in a Stableford format than in stroke play.

How is Stableford different than stroke play?

A Stableford tournament still requires you to play a standard stroke-play round. However, at the end of every hole, your scores are converted into Stableford points.

Does Stableford count towards handicap?

Since you are playing a standard round of golf (i.e., not a scramble, alternate shot, etc.), you can post your round. Post your traditional score, not the adjusted Stableford scoring.

What is a good Stableford score?

If you follow the traditional Stableford format, where par is worth two points, a score of 36 would be a solid round of golf. A good score for a Stableford round will be largely dependent on a player’s handicap. However, scores in the 25 and up range are quite good.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes, it’s good to challenge yourself and think a bit outside the box when on the golf course. The Stableford is a classic golf format that has been around since 1898; get out there and see if this format helps you be more aggressive than the traditional stroke play.

The post Stableford Scoring System (How Does It Work?) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Can you see it? Can you feel it? Golf style is slowly evolving. Golf shoes, golf shirts—heck, even golf gloves—are no longer offered in only boring, plain white.

RIPIT saw the traditional golf grip as the next blank canvas with which to express their own sense of style and art. The results are objectively awesome.

Let’s take a closer look at the budding “art” company that’s putting their loud (and sometimes brash) spin on the golf grip.

Need to Know

• Available for purchase as singular grips or in a series of different package sets
• Over 20 grip styles and patterns
• Made of multi-compound rubber for tack and feel
• Relaxed taper from butt to tail

Pretty or Performance?

As mentioned, RIPIT’s grips are objectively awesome in style. But if they can’t do their job, they’re useless.

I immediately threw The Squiggle grip on my favorite wedge and pitted it against a stalwart in the world of grips: the Lamkin Crossline.

The RIPIT grip provided excellent grip and tack. It’s on the firmer side but has a little less of that “chalky feel” that I associate with the Lamkin Crossline.

My favorite thing about The Squiggle is the larger grooves baked into the design and artwork. I found that, especially when wet, these larger, deeper grooves enhanced my ability to hold fast to the club. Whether intentional or not, I really do think the different RIPIT patterns have the potential to provide solid performance benefits overall.

One thing I’ll note is that the seams of the grips (where the two halves of the grip meet during the molding process) are pretty noticeable. You can’t feel the seam but it is visible. Just an observation; nothing too serious here.

I’ll also mention I haven’t tried all the RIPIT golf grip designs. Therefore, I should issue a warning: Different patterns and styles may not perform exactly how The Squiggle did for me. That said, the rubber compound and larger grooves seem to be consistent across the lineup.I’m willing to bet the other styles offer the same performance benefits.

In short, RIPIT golf grips aren’t just pretty. They hold up on the performance side of things, too.

Choose Your Fighter

The toughest thing about RIPIT’s grip lineup? Choosing the design that’s right for you. With 20-plus styles and even a few putter grips at your disposal, it’s never been more fun to regrip your clubs.

RIPIT says it best: “Golf clubs are an extension of your body so why shouldn’t they be an extension of your style?”

Amen to that.

The post RIPIT Golf Grips appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Welcome, friends, to another edition of History’s Mysteries. Today, MyGolfSpy dives into the fascinating back story of the Solheim Cup.

The concept that would become the Solheim Cup was conceived in the late 1980s by the leaders of the LPGA and Women’s European Tour (now the Ladies’ European Tour or LET). But it was the backing of PING and the Solheim family that made the women’s version of the Ryder Cup a reality.

Make no mistake. It doesn’t happen without the support and financial backing from Karsten, John and Louise Solheim.

Especially Louise.

The Solheim Cup: Decades in the Making

The Ryder Cup dates to 1927. British merchant Samuel Ryder donated a trophy for a bi-annual match play tournament between the U.S. and Great Britain. Since 1979, it’s been the U.S. versus Europe.

The Solheim Cup originated in 1988. Leaders of the LPGA and the Women Professional Golfers’ European Tour kicked around the idea of a Ryder Cup for women but it remained just an idea. But LPGA commissioner Bill Blue resurrected the idea two years later with two people he knew might be interested.

Karsten and Louise Solheim.

“Bill Blue asked for a meeting with Karsten and Louise,” PING company historian Rob Griffin tells MyGolfSpy. “Louise was concerned about the meeting. She didn’t know what it was about and was worried the LPGA was going to ban the Eye 2 clubs just like the PGA TOUR had.”

Then, as now, PING was a major supporter of the women’s game. In 1975, PING sponsored the first Karsten PING Open in Phoenix with a $70,000 purse. At the time, it was the second-largest purse on the LPGA Tour. The event wound up losing money but Karsten covered the losses and made sure the players were paid in full. Karsten increased the purse to $80,000 a year later. The event lost money and once again, Karsten covered the losses.

“PING sponsorship on the LPGA went on for another 30 years,” says Griffin. “Karsten and Louise were committed to women’s golf. They didn’t see a difference between men and women professional golfers. From a business point of view, it was good business to support both.”

About That Meeting …

Blue, of course, knew all this when he asked Karsten and Louise to meet with him. Karsten’s son, John, who would take over for his father in 1995, was also there when Blue pitched the idea for PING to sponsor a U.S.-Europe Ryder Cup event for women. The timing, he believed, was right. The Ryder Cup had become considerably more competitive during the ‘80s with the inclusion of players from continental Europe. Europe had won three straight Ryder Cups going into 1990.

“The LPGA was looking for help with the first two events,” says Griffin. “John actually motioned to Karsten and said, ‘Let’s talk alone for a second.’”

They got up and went to one side of the room to talk and Louise joined them. After a couple of minutes, the Solheims came back with a counterproposal.

“When they came back, they said PING would sponsor the first 10 events,” says Griffin. “They made a 20-year commitment on the spot.”

It was John who told Karsten they needed to sponsor more than just the first two events. But it was Louise who proposed the 20-year commitment. Additionally, she insisted the event not be used to showcase PING equipment. Instead, the focus was to be on the competition.

“I’ve said this many times,” says Griffin. “But if Karsten had married a different young lady instead of Louise, we probably wouldn’t be standing where we’re standing. Karsten might still be in a garage somewhere tinkering with a putter or an iron. But PING would not be here without her.”

The First Solheim Cup

That meeting was held in January of 1990 and the first Solheim Cup competition was held nine months later, in mid-November at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla.

“They didn’t have a whole lot of time to prepare and it wasn’t well attended,” says Griffin. A crowd of maybe 100 people witnessed the opening tee shots. The American team, captained by Kathy Whitworth, featured five future Hall of Famers including Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Beth Daniel, Betsy King and Patty Sheehan. Rosie Jones and Dottie Pepper were also on the team. The European team featured Laura Davies, Helen Alfredsson, Trish Johnson and Liselotte Neumann.

The U.S. won 11.5-4.5.

There were fears the series would be one-sided. Those fears were put to rest in 1992 at Dalmahoy in Scotland. The European team won 11.5-6.5. The game was on.

The 1994 match put the Solheim Cup on the map. It was the first match to be shown on network television with Karsten buying all the TV ad time to ensure that it would be on. He resold as much of that airtime as he could but he wound up footing the bill to the tune of more than $2 million.

“The Solheim Cup matches have taken our sport to another level,” said European captain Mickey Walker at the ’94 opening ceremonies. “Women’s golf around the world is stronger today because of Karsten and Louise Solheim.”

PING and the Women’s Game

“Karsten and Louise were both committed to women’s golf,” says Griffin. “They really didn’t see a difference. They saw both men and women as professional golfers. It was good business to support both.”

LPGA pro Susie Maxwell won PING’s first major in 1965. PING’s first victory overall, however, was by Gloria Armstrong in a mixed foursome event in 1960. Armstrong, teamimg with PGA TOUR pro Jim Turnesa, won the tournament by sinking a 15-footer with her PING 4A putter in a playoff. In 1989, Armstrong sent the putter back to Karsten with a note explaining she had used it to win PING’s first professional tournament.

A few weeks later, Armstrong received a letter back from Karsten. At the time, she was teaching golf, struggling to make ends meet and worrying about paying her utility bill. Thinking the letter was a thank-you note, she opened it and a check fell out.

“She picked up the check, took a quick look at it and said, ‘How nice. Karsten sent me a check for $250,’” says Griffin. “She looked at it again. It was for $25,000. I don’t know if Karsten knew she was struggling. He just wanted to thank her.”

Twenty years later, John Solheim heard the story and had a gold-plated PING 4A made (PING didn’t start making gold-plated putters for tournament winners until 1978). PING LPGA player Pat Hurst, who would captain the 2021 Solheim Cup team, and her husband Jeff (a PING sales rep) presented the putter to Armstrong.

“It turns out Gloria was Pat’s teacher,” says Griffin.

And Armstrong’s original 4A is the only non-gold-plated putter in PING’s vault.

History’s Mysteries: The Solheim Cup

Since both Karsten and Louise were instrumental in establishing the Solheim Cup, I had to ask Griffin a simple question: Which Solheim is the cup named after? Karsten or Louise?

“I’d say it’s Karsten. Although John suggested three names for the event: the Karsten Cup, the PING Cup and the Solheim Cup. The LPGA didn’t want it to appear commercial so they chose the Solheim Cup. I think that’s nice because it includes both Louise and Karsten and the rest of the family.”

In 2002, two years after Karsten’s death, John Solheim established the PING Junior Solheim Cup for female amateurs aged 18 and under.

“Down the hall, we have pictures of Junior Solheim Cup teams along with regular Solheim Cup teams,” says Griffin. “If you look at some of the junior teams, you’ll see players like Paula Creamer and others who’ve gone on to have success on the LPGA Tour.”

The PING Junior Solheim Cup was played earlier this week in Benahavis, Spain. The regular Solheim Cup is being played now, in Malaga, Spain.

“Karsten and Louise were the first people Bill Blue and the LPGA talked to about this event,” says Griffin. “They didn’t go to somebody else first. They came here. And that speaks to the previous support Karsten and Louise had given to women’s golf. And I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t have, but thank goodness Karsten, Louise and John saw the importance of it, and that the women deserved this.”

The post History’s Mysteries: The Solheim Cup Story appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Earlier this year, six awesome members of the MyGolfSpy forum were given the chance to choose and test a L.A.B. putter of their choice, and put it through the paces.  Here’s what they found.

Some background for those of you unfamiliar with L.A.B.  The brainchild of Bill Presse IV, L.A.B. was born from a frustration that he was constantly battling the torque of his putter. He invented the “Revealer,” a device that simply and easily shows the effect that torque has on a putter when allowed to swing freely. 

Whether face-balanced, toe-balanced, heel-balanced, off-balance – it didn’t matter: every putter he tried, when allowed to swing freely (without hands manipulating the face of the putter) did just that – swung wildly in reaction to torque.  His goal was to invent a putter that, when placed on the ground behind the ball, would allow the putter to STAY balanced throughout the stroke.  

And so the DF 2.1 was born.  

It may look strange, but once you swing it and the putter doesn’t fight you, well…it’s love at first swing.

Or at least, that’s the promise.  Whether or not this is TRUE, well, that’s what our group of testers were tasked with finding out.

WHY THIS PUTTER

Of our six testers, two went with the DF 2.1 (large mallet), two went with the Mezz Max (fang style), and two went with the Link.1 (Anser/blade style)

For tester @TSauer, choosing the Link.1 was simple: he’d been playing a Scotty, and he truly wanted to see if the claims were true. Mainly, “IF the Link.1 face remains square throughout my stroke, THEN I will drop more putts and make the L.A.B. putter my primary, BECAUSE we all love one putts.”  Simple enough. 

Likewise, also choosing the Link.1, was @Syks7, who says “I’m curious as to whether a LAB putter will help with enough strokes to get me over the hump into a single-digit handicap, but to be honest if it helps me feel more confident standing over a 6 footer to save par, that’s almost as good as holing putts.”

Those picking the Mezz.1 Max included @Splatt, a 20+ handicapper who stated “A glaringly obvious shortfall in my game for a long time has been putting. 3-putts have been as common in my game as water-balls, chunked chip shots, and swear words. To stay in the bag after the testing period I’d want to see some improvement (putts per round dropping, less 3-putts, leaving longer putts closer etc), but more importantly I’m going to need to trust it.” 

@McGolf, a professional club-builder and fitter, also opted for the Mezz.1 Max, because he wanted the most MOI (Moment of Inertia (forgiveness)) possible in a form-factor that still appealed to him.  

And for the DF 2.1, which is the most forgiving putter that L.A.B. makes (in the spirit of full disclosure, the author of this piece is an owner of the DF 2.1, and a firm believer that there’s never been a weirder, more beautiful putter ever built – fight me), tester @RoverRick wanted to answer three questions:  “1. Can the size and shape of the DF2.1 reduce my mishits?, 2. Have I been fighting with my putter all this time? 3. Can Lie Angle Balanced Putters take my putting to the next level?”  

And our final tester, @Pozzit, who also went with the DF2.1, wanted to lower his average putts-per-round from 36 and so chose the more forgiving of the L.A.B. options to see if that would help.  He also brought the putter (with his wife’s permission) into the labor and delivery room while his second was working her way out  – let’s all take a moment and salute his wife for being so absolutely cool. 

ONLINE FITTING

One of the things that makes L.A.B. unique, as a company, is that they do not offer in-person fittings (unless you happen to be in Eugene, OR, where they’re headquartered). Instead, they’ve perfected the art of remote fitting. they have you film yourself. For proper fitting you should be in your golf shoes in front of a wall with an obvious 90-degree angle behind you (like a door jamb or corner). Take a 3-5 second video and email it to the L.A.B. team. Within 48 hours you’ll have a fitting recommendation.

Using proprietary software, they send you back an email with your exact specifications as measured from the video.  While this might seem like a leap of faith for those of us used to going to a big-box retailer and hitting every putter until we find one that works, our testers found that the L.A.B virtual fitting really does work.  

@RoverRick went to a store to get a traditional fitting before submitting his video, curious to see how the results would differ. His in-store fitting set him up with a 35” putter, set at 70(degrees). His L.A.B. video fit: 35”, 70 degrees.  

Two of our testers @TSauer (pictured above before/after) and @Pozzit, after submitting their videos, got responses from L.A.B. telling them that their set-up was actually not conducive to a great strike, along with some pointers.

Both ended up with putters dialed in to their proper settings, and have taken the new positions into their games – this is the kind of customer service that wowed our testers.

@Syks7 sums it up pretty simply: “The only thing I will say is that it was excellent.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

@Pozzit – “After much anticipation, I got the DF2.1 in hands and man this thing is built with premium materials and craftsmanship. From the soft leather of the headcover to etched in alignment marks it is clear this is a premium product.”

@Splatt – “I was stunned by how the putter looked and felt when I first took it out of the box…this is a seriously good looking putter”

@Syks7 – “The shape, satin finish, milling, and graphics are just flat out sharp.”

@RoverRick – “When I removed the cover it was a heart-stoping ‘Kiss My @$$’ red. It definitely grabs people’s attention.”

@TSauer – “Right out of the gate, the thing is a beautiful piece of art.”

One side note – the testers universally praised the headcovers. The quality and craftsmanship was noted by each tester as an added bonus and the attention to detail (quality of stitching, magnet closures, softness of leather, etc.).  Just a really nice added bonus to an already well-made putter.

L.A.B. Putters On the Course

While some putter reviews tend to focus on feel, our reviewers tried to get as much data as possible to compare and contrast against their gamers.

Here are some highlights:

Tester @McGolf took the Mezz.Max on a golf vacation to Myrtle Beach as the final step in his review period, simply stated “The putter performance could only have been better if I one putted everything.” 

@TSauer had an indoor set-up, as well as headed over to a local putting green, and compared the Link.1 against two other putters in his stable. His results speak for themselves, so we’ll just post them below – 

As I mentioned above, the amount of data collected for this test by several of our reviewers is just staggering, so do yourself a favor and go check out the full review that @Syks7 put together.  He hit over 500 tracked putts with three different putters (the Link.1 vs. two others), and, to sum it up, he states: “The link was just better than the other putters. This is true in all three of the tests I ran and in my on-course metrics.”  

For @Splatt, while pace control wasn’t always 100% on-point (especially from longer-range), he saw the first round after getting the L.A.B. drop from 43 to 36 putts.  He says, “When I used to get to the green I used to take a deep breath and whisper a prayer that the worst is only a 3-putt, now I breathe a sigh of relief when it’s time to get the putter out of the bag.”

Not everything was smooth-sailing for everyone, however.  For @Pozzit, while he saw his 5-feet-and-in numbers dropped from 1.19 to 0.94 (average putts per hole), beyond 15 feet and out he struggled to find distance control. We’ll be sure to check back in with him over the next few months, as he stated that in the last two weeks of his review period, he was starting to really get along with the DF2.1. 

THE FINAL VERDICT

For all of our tests at MyGolfSpy, we ask our forum members to give a final rating, out of 100, and then ask the ultimate question: Play it or Trade it? Above all else, the goal of the review is honest feedback, and we’re so grateful that our testers did not shy away from not just uniformly saying “this is perfect, buy it.”  I genuinely believe we have the best testing pool in golf, because our members understand that this is a big responsibility and the truth, above all else, is what will help someone else make a buying decision.  

Here’s how our testers responded.

@RoverRick: “100% playing this putter. I may even sell all my other putters, and I’ve only sold 1 putter in my life. The good: it does everything it is advertised to do. The bad is that it could sound better and it takes up a lot of space in the bag. These are the only drawbacks that I have with this putter.” Final Score, 93/100.

@Splatt “I honestly cannot imagine another putter coming along that would knock the L.A.B. outta my bag. The LAB Mezz 1 MAX is a uniquely beautiful putter that does what it says in the marketing hype.” Final Score, 94/100

@Pozzit, who gave the DF2.1 a final score of 84/100, and who isn’t 100% sure the putter will stay in the bag, said, “While the putter is an incredibly well-built putter customized to help you align and provide a more consistent delivery (with less) effort to the ball…I struggled with pace control. I don’t know if it was the difference in feel, weight, or personal inconsistencies. I would encourage everyone to give it a try (if possible) and see what works for you.  There is a learning curve, but if you can adapt your speed well I believe this can help you start the ball off on the right direction.” 

@McGolf said “This is the perfect example of ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover.’ The feel is solid, the feedback is true. The performance is even better than expected. The putter is a complete package if you are looking for a low torque / zero-torque concept of a putter.” Final Score, 96/100.

@Syks7 states, “While I wasn’t opposed to writing a glowing review, I wasn’t quite expecting to write one like this.  I did my level best to remain objective and really test it right up until the point I started going through the data and it echoed what I’d been experiencing on course.  Link was just better.” Final Score, 97/100.

@TSauer concluded, “Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, I will be playing this. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with the yips, I cannot urge you enough to give one of the putters from the L.A.B. lineup a chance.” Final Score, 98/100

So there you have it.  5 average golfers, 5 reviews discussing the good, the bad, the in-between.  One thing I’d like to note, and most of the reviewers noted this as well – the price.  This is not a cheap putter.  In a world where drivers are averaging over $500, spending that much on a putter (for some) might seem ridiculous.

For others, spending money on the club you use the most is the best investment you can make.  Only you can decide if the investment is for you.  The overwhelming take of our testers that, while expensive, the putter was worth it.  “It’s a premium piece of equipment and the price reflects that. I say this as a believer in the equipment that thinks it’s worth every penny.” –@Syks7.  

The testers will continue to post updates throughout the rest of the year on their journey with these putters, including round highlights and whether or not the putters will ultimately stay in the bag on a permanent basis.  

What do you think?  As always, we’d love to hear from you, and value your feedback.

If you’d like to read all our testers’ full reviews, you can find them right here!  

What is Forum Member Testing?

MyGolfSpy offers all its community members a unique opportunity to test, review and keep a variety of different golf equipment, apps, apparel and more. Successful candidates are selected by forum staff. 

Members who are selected interact, engage and write a review on the specific product while enjoying the fun of trying new gear!

Member testing is vital because it gets gear in the hands of you, the golfer. Our members give honest feedback on how any product or service works for a variety of handicaps and abilities to ensure our readers are even more informed when making purchasing decisions. 

To learn more about how testers are selected, head here: Want to be a forum tester?

The Testing Opportunity  

What’s your most personal club?  Ask any golfer, and 9 out of 10 dentists, and they’ll all agree: the putter.  Whether it’s the way it looks, the way it gets you out of trouble, the way you know you can count on it above all other clubs in your bag to rescue you when you’ve managed to leave yourself 30 feet for par after driving it 11 yards off the green – the putter is the one club in the bag that most golfers have the hardest time replacing.  My mother said it best: you date a set of irons; you have a fling with a driver (which always ends badly, let’s be honest); but you marry your putter.

The post Forum Member Reviews: L.A.B. Putters appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

One brand that never fails to innovate within the shoe space is adidas.

Take, for example, 4D. Introduced in 2017 and later receiving a whole mainstream release, adidas 4D technology is objectively one of the bigger innovations in footwear in the last decade.

Once reserved for running and training shoes, 4D has made its way to a golf shoe. What the heck is 4D and why should I care if it’s on my golf shoe?

That’s why I’m here. Let’s take a deeper dive into this brand new model (and technology) courtesy of the Brand with Three Stripes.

Release Details

• Available starting Sept. 21 at adidas.
• 4D midsole cushioning
• Built on gender-neutral last
• Spikeless outsole
• Removeable Kiltie

Foreword to 4D

Admittedly, adidas 4D technology is much more intricate than I can understand. But there are a few key points you need to know about adidas 4D. It is, after all, a heck of a technological advancement, in my opinion.

Adidas 4D is essentially a 3D-printed midsole. A deeper dive reveals the actual midsole printing process is done using light and oxygen in what’s called Digital Light Synthesis. The biggest advantage of this new manufacturing process is the ability to create delicate and intricate lattices, the basis for adidas 4D midsole design.

Why should you care? As someone who’s tried the technology firsthand, I can say it’s very lightweight and exceptionally comfortable. The goal of the overall lattice design is to provide maximum energy return. Using Digital Light Synthesis allowed adidas to fine-tune this pattern to absorb pressure at every angle and return that energy back into your step, so to speak.

About the MC87 4D

The real technology story is the 4D. As mentioned, this is the first time adidas has ever featured 4D in a golf shoe. They’ve paired that 4D midsole with a blast from the past: an upper inspired by the adidas Tiverton shoe (circa 1987). Call that a paradox!

The slick, water-resistant leather upper has a classic wingtip design. The spikeless outsole features the same tooling as the adidas Ultraboost Golf, one of my personal favorites.

All of this is to say, adidas has pulled from its archives and its technology triumphs to bring the new MC87 4D to life.

Timeless

Major props to adidas for pushing the needle here. Again and again, the Brand with Three Stripes shows their willingness to try something new. Does it always work? You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. As for my thoughts, I’m already a huge fan of this shoe. While I’ll wait to get it in person to pass further judgement, for my money the adidas MC87 4D is the coolest thing I’ve seen in shoes this year and could be a strong contender for the next round of best golf shoes testing.

adidas MC87 4D Golf Shoes: Release Details

• Available starting Sept. 21 at adidas.
• 4D midsole cushioning
• Built on gender-neutral last
• Spikeless outsole
• Removeable Kiltie

The post Limited Release: adidas MC87 4D Golf Shoes appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Tour Edge is updating their Template Series of putters with four new models and updated versions of three of the originals. The seven models will be available in black PVD and silver PVD finishes. Overall, the new Template Series includes a broad range of shapes, both classic and unique. Each putter is named after a template golf hole.

Key Takeaways:

• Tour Edge is releasing seven new Template Series putter models.
• All models are available in black or silver PVD finishes.
• Named after template golf course architectural designs.
• At shops Nov.1 for $129.99

What is a template hole?

For those of us not familiar with the elements of golf course design, a template hole is an iconic hole design that is often incorporated into new courses. Writing that out, it makes sense. Imagine that you had a plastic template for drawing circles. With that template, you could draw the same circle over and over, wherever you wished to draw it.

The template concept gets tweaked a bit when you talk about golf holes. Unlike the circle example above, the golf hole still needs to fit into the landscape. As such, the original template must be modified for a specific course while maintaining the key elements of the original template. The most famous template hole is likely the Road Hole at St Andrews. Versions of the Road Hole exist at other courses, modified as needed for the location.

After learning this, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’ve played on any of these template holes. There are more than 20 of them, after all. As it turns out, I played a whole bunch of template holes when I played the Old Macdonald course at Bandon Dunes.

Appropriately, that course was named after and designed to honor Charles Blair Macdonald, the course architect who brought inspiration from iconic holes from around the world to his design of the Chicago Golf Club in 1896.

OK, enough history. I’m starting to sound like Barba. Back to the putters.

The Tour Edge Template Putter Template

Having the putter names represent iconic golf hole designs is a cool idea but what about the designs of the actual putters? The Tour Edge Template Series putters feature the following design elements.

Specifications: Tour Edge Template Series Putters

• Material: 304 stainless steel
• Construction: Cast, then the faces are CNC-milled
• Finish: Black PVD or silver PVD
• Heads: Seven (Narrows also comes center-shafted)
• Lengths: 34”/35”
• Alignment: Contrast Technology Alignment aid
• Loft: 3°
• Lie: 71°
• Lefties: Eden and Narrows
• Grip: Lamkin Deep Etched Pistol
• MSRP: $129.99

Tour Edge Template Putter Technologies

Though the Tour Edge Template Series putters come in at the lower end of the putter price range, that does not mean they don’t include some helpful technologies. The first is their Contrast Technology Alignment aid. At the center of all of the Template putters you will find a white aiming line surrounded by a black background. Tour Edge says this design helps increase contrast between the putter and the green, allowing the golfer to aim more accurately

Tour Edge Template Series putters also feature Tour Edge’s Micro-Groove face milling. This new milling is 20-percent deeper and wider than previous Template models and should, when combined with the 304 stainless steel construction, make the impact feeling softer.

All of the Tour Edge Template putters will be available in black and silver versions. That’s not really a “technology”, but the alignment scheme definitely looks different on the two colors. You may find one is more suited to your eye than the other.

Tour Edge Template Series Putter Models

Alps

Longer wings on the Alps make it a conventional mallet putter with a higher MOI, while the double bend hosel provides greater accuracy for a pendulum straight back and through stroke. Face balanced stability with less twisting in the face is the calling card of this design.

-Tour Edge

Original Template Hole: Prestwick (Hole #17)

Notables: Fishers Island (Hole #4), National Golf Links of America (Hole #3), Gibson Island (Hole#4) The Greenbrier- Old White (Hole#13), Yale (Hole #12)

The Alps is the long-fanged model in the Template series. As with all fang designs, the positioning of the material at the edge of the putter head helps boost MOI. Tour Edge’s interpretation is interesting in that the fangs are very flat. This positions the center of gravity very low to the ground. This should also help improve stability.

Biarritz

The high MOI mallet design of the Biarritz provides extreme forgiveness, while the double bend face-balanced hosel is designed for a pendulum straight back, straight through putting stroke due to the face of the putter rotating less during the putting stroke.

-Tour Edge

Original Template Hole: Golf de Biarritz (Hole #3)

Notables: Chicago GC – (Hole #8), Camargo (Hole #13), Mid Ocean Club (Hole #13), Fox Chapel (Hole #13)

The Template Series Biarritz reminds me of the old Rife Barbados. Obviously, it is not exactly the same shape but the designs share elements. Of the three putters I was able to review, the Biarritz was easily the most stable. Pretty accurate, too. Though round, the long central alignment channel provides excellent linear aiming assistance.

I also found the Biarritz to be the most balanced feeling of the models I tested. This was a little surprising as it was significantly bulkier than the other two. Regardless, I would give this one a Must Try rating for players who like traditional-feeling larger mallets.

Eden

The lone blade putter in the series, the Eden features a classic design with a plumber’s neck that suits players with an arc-straight stroke. 

-Tour Edge

Original Template Hole: Old Course at St. Andrews (Hole #11)

Notables: Fishers Island Club (Hole #11), Essex County CC (Hole #11, Camargo Club (Hole #5), St. Louis CC (Hole #3), Old Macdonald (Hole #2)

The Tour Edge Template Series Eden is the classic “Anser” blade in the bunch. It’s a heel-toe weighted blade. You know lots about this design and probably know if this is the head for you. Reasons to give Tour Edge’s version a shot are threefold: feel, alignment system and price.

Maiden

The mid-mallet design features a forgiving plumber’s neck hosel that helps players square up the putter face. It matches extremely well with an arc-straight style stroke and is suited for a player who tends to leave their putter face open at impact.

-Tour Edge

Original Template Hole: Royal St. George’s Golf Club (Hole #6)

Notables: Essex County CC (Hole #12), Southampton Golf Club (Hole #3), CC of Charleston (Hole #7), Yeamans Hall Club (Hole #11)

The Tour Edge Template Series Maiden was the one that initially caught my eye. It piqued my curiosity. I want to get one in my hands so I can truly know its size. I see it is a wide blade but it is a little difficult to estimate the dimensions from the stock photos. Is it compact, like a deck of cards, or massive like a skateboard deck? All in all, it’s cool to see such an interesting head in a putter line that costs $130.

Narrows

A winged mid-mallet design that features a slant neck with a mid-toe hang that is ideal for a putting stroke with a slight arc, where the closing angle on the forward stroke is moderate and compensates against hitting pulls as your hands will naturally be set up in front of the ball. 

-Tour Edge

Narrows CS

The winged mid-mallet design is coupled with a center shaft in the Narrows CS model that creates an alignment-oriented face-balanced putter suited for players who keeps their eyes directly above the ball and takes the club straight back and swings straight through the ball. 

-Tour Edge

Original Template Hole: Muirfield (Hole #15)

Notables: National Golf Links of America (Hole# 15), Metairie Country Club (Hole #6), Forsgate Country Club (Hole #2)

The Tour Edge Template Narrows is the budget-friendly version of PING’s Prime Tyne 4. Both feature squared-off, flat rear wings and slant necks. I actually had the same thought with the Narrows that I had with the Prime Tyne 4: “This is the putter I want to  putt with.” Unfortunately, like the Prime Tyne 4, the Narrows does not suit my eye or stroke. That’s too bad because I love its looks.

Punchbowl

A rounded full mallet with a forgiveness- and accuracy-enhancing high MOI and plumber’s neck hosel, an ideal choice for arc-straight style strokes that tend to push putts to the right for a right-handed golfer.

-Tour Edge

Original Template Holes: Royal Liverpool – Hoylake (Hole #9) and Royal Cinque Ports (Hole #3)

Notables: National Golf Links of America (Hole #16), Creek Club – (Hole #6), Chicago GC (Hole #12), Sleepy Hollow (Hole #15), Streamsong Black (Hole # 9)

Initially, I assumed this putter was named after the Punchbowl at Bandon Dunes, possibly my favorite place on Earth. There have been trips there where I was willing to skip the afternoon 18 just to spend more time putting at The Punchbowl. Nope, the putter is named after the Punchbowl template hole. (The Punchbowl at Bandon is probably named after the template now that I think about it.)

Jon Rahm would dig the Template Punchbowl. It’s a small rounded mallet with a short flow neck. This putter will gate open and closed as you swing the club. For some of you with stronger arcs, it should mesh nicely with your natural stroke.

Valley

The mid-mallet design features a forgiving plumber’s neck hosel that helps players square up the putter face. It matches extremely well with an arc-straight style stroke and is suited for a player who tends to leave their putter face open at impact.

-Tour Edge

Original Template Hole: National Golf Links of America (Hole #1)

Notables: Mid Ocean (Hole #8), Blue Mound Golf and CC (Hole #6), Friar’s Head (Hole #1)

The Valley is another interesting head design. A mid-mallet with a plumber’s neck would be noteworthy but Tour Edge also made the plumber’s neck a slant version. Not to keep focusing on the price of these but can you imagine what a mid-slant plumber’s neck half-mallet would cost you if it came from Cameron or Bettinardi?

I use those two companies as examples because that is who I would expect to make this head, not Tour Edge. I’d also expect it to be “Tour Only”, not something you’d find at retail.

Final Thoughts on the 2023 Tour Edge Template Signature Putter Line

Bang for your buck, the Tour Edge Template Series putters are solid. Ignoring the price, they check off a lot of boxes. They feel good, have helpful putting technologies and have a mixture of classic and exotic head shapes. No, they are not fully milled. We can see that they are cast in the photos. The post-casting face milling does its job, though. These feel much softer than a purely cast putter.

It’s worth noting that the Tour Edge Template Series putters all come with a Tour Edge-branded Lamkin Deep Etched Pistol putter grip. This is the same grip on much more expensive putters. The headcover quality is on the lower end but getting a headcover at this price point is a plus.

If you are in the market for a new putter and don’t want to spend a bunch of money, go roll the Tour Edge Template Series putters.

Find out more about the 2023 Tour Edge Template Signature Putter Line at TourEdge.com

FAQ: Tour Edge Template Series Putter Line

The post Tour Edge Template Series Putters appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

TaylorMade announced the new Spider Tour Series putters today, based on their popular Spider Tour and Spider Tour X mallet putter models. The series will include new versions of those popular mallets as well as completely new Spider Tour V and Spider Tour Z putters.

What You Need to Know

• TaylorMade is releasing a new series of putters based upon their iconic Spider Tour mallet.
• The line features two classic head shapes and three new models.
•  All Spider Tour Series putters feature new and classic TaylorMade putter technologies.
• At shops Oct. 27 for $349.99

There will even be one more in the series: the Spider Tour Series S, arriving next spring.

Rereleasing an old, popular putter model is a dicey scenario. On one hand, you are providing customers with an updated version of a putter they love. When you grab one of these and roll it in the shop, it’s like reconnecting with an old friend.

On the other hand, re-releasing old putters has potential pitfalls. First, you can’t just roll out exactly the same old model. You need to tweak the design enough to make it seem new but not so much that it loses the flavor of the original.

The other danger is that, if you keep rolling out the same model year after year, you run the risk of being branded by the consumer as lazy. Giving it a new paint scheme will not be enough.

Does this new Spider Tour Series line have that right mixture of nostalgia and next level?  Let’s see how TaylorMade balances the old with the new, the classic with the innovative.

The 2023 TaylorMade Spider’s Keeper Technologies

“All these pitches to choose from. Maybe I ought to try something different this time.”-Jake Taylor, Major League (1989)

So many great lines in that movie; Bob Uecker’s announcing is the stuff of legend. That quote jumped into my head when thinking about the Spider Tour Series. We have seen quite a few permutations of the Spider in recent years. Many of them included pretty cool ideas like the sliding weights in the Spider GT Max and the more wing-like design of the Spider GTX.

Perhaps a company does not always need to roll out the next big thing. Sometimes they need to forget about the curveball and throw the heater.

TaylorMade Spider Tour Series:  Pure Roll Face

What are the aspects of the original Spider Tour that TaylorMade has incorporated into the new Spider Tour Series? First on the list is the Pure Roll insert. No, I did not actually mean the more recent Pure Roll2. The putters in this new line will feature the soft, Surlyn insert in the original Spider Tour putter.

I wonder if consumer and tour player requests drove this decision. We’ve seen it before. Remember when Odyssey got tired of people asking if they could bring back the White Hot insert? I like the softer feel of the Pure Roll insert versus the firmer PureRoll2.

TaylorMade Spider Tour Series True Path Alignment

These new Spider Tour Series putters feature TaylorMade’s patented True Path alignment system. Of course, this high-contrast alignment system was not present in the original Spider Tour. It first appeared in the Spider Tour X line.

Regardless, the True Path system is a classic Spider design. If you are going to bring back the best Spider elements, True Path’s inclusion is a no-brainer.

TaylorMade 2023 Spider Tour Series Putters: The Hole Story

Another significant design element with all of the Spider Tour Series putters is probably the one that many people will overlook. When you compare the Spider Tour Series designs to the most recent Spider putters, it is nigh impossible to ignore the return of holes in the body.

Cut-out designs are a Spider staple. The holes only went away when TaylorMade experimented with the fang-shaped spiders. As recently as 2021, all of the TaylorMade Spider models were full of holes. We just lost them for the past few cycles when TaylorMade shifted to a wing with a turtle-shell plan for the Spider GT and Spider GTX.

The holes are back. Did you ever think about the purpose of the holes? If you said that the holes affect the distribution of weight in the head, you win the prize!

Improving MOI (moment of inertia) is a baseline goal for many putter smiths. If you can make the perimeter of the putter heavier than the center, the MOI and the stability of the head increase. Last time I checked, empty space is pretty light, especially compared to steel.

The goal of the hole-y quest is to incorporate the empty spaces into the design so they mesh with the aesthetics, not overpower it. PING’s IN Series of putters had lots of holes, and probably better MOI because of it, but they looked pretty awful.

As a long-time Spider Tour player, the holes never bothered me. I noticed them but didn’t ever focus on them. TaylorMade did a great job of integrating the negative spaces into the designs.

Now that we’ve looked at the key historical elements, let’s see what is new with the Spider Tour Series putters.

The TaylorMade Spider Tour Weighting Schemes

When you look at the bottom of the putters, you see two very different weighting plans. For the Spider Tour and Tour X, the weights are in the classic rear positions. I believe this positioning is the reason that the Spider Tour felt so familiar.

The new models, the Spider Tour V and Spider Tour Z, have weights up front. TaylorMade has offered this configuration before in the Spider FCG but never as a “pure” Spider shape. By moving the weights forward, the center of gravity shifts forward as well. This gives the mallet more of a blade-weight scheme. It’s not a blade but it will feel more like one than the mallets with the weights at the rear.

Test it out. Roll the new Spider Tour X (rear weights) with the similarly shaped Spider Tour Z (front weights). That is the best way to see the effect. Those of you that goofed around with the weight positions with the Spider GT Max last year likely know what I am talking about.

How important was weight position in the Spider Tour Series to TaylorMade? So important that they included center-of-gravity position measurements in the promotion of the line. I’ve seen lots of MOI values published over the years but I don’t recall seeing specific CG numbers.

Center of Gravity Position: TaylorMade Spider Tour Series Putters

• Spider Tour T: 35mm from face
• Spider Tour X: 33mm from face
• Spider Tour V: 27mm from face
• Spider Tour Z: 29mm from face

The other new design element that you can’t see is that there is a HYBAR Echo Damper behind the face. This is the same type of vibration-dampening that TaylorMade puts in their game-improvement Stealth irons. Its purpose is to remove unwanted vibrations and improve the sound at impact.

TaylorMade Spider Tour Series Putter Models

Spider Tour

Spider Tour is one of the most recognizable shapes in the putting world, accounting for dozens of victories on professional tours across the globe. TaylorMade is breathing new life into the company’s most popular creations with enhanced materials, a new color and refined weight distribution.

-TaylorMade Golf

The Spider Tour is the putter that brought all of the others to the party. This beautifully boxy beast is exactly what you expect it to be. It sits like a sleek brick behind the ball. When you swing it, you feel the rearward weights propel the head through impact.

To me, the Spider Tour is an iconic mallet. With this redo, TaylorMade hit the balance of old and new dead on. I’m still not sure that I like the True Path more than my old parallel-line alignment scheme but I don’t hate it. Overall, the True Path blends in nicely with the original Spider Tour body shape.

One more item of note about the Spider Tour: There will be a counterbalanced version available. I believe that this 38-inch Spider Tour will be one of many counterbalanced mallets we will see in manufacturers’ upcoming putter offerings. Thanks, Ricky!

Spider Tour Series X

Made popular as the putter of choice for Rory McIlroy, the Spider X shape has been one of the most sought-after in the franchise. It was originally designed to convert players who loved blade putters into mallets, using a compact shape and modern look to deliver a more blade-like feel with the added benefits of alignment and forgiveness that are incumbent to Spider putters.

-TaylorMade Golf

The “Rory Spider” is another natural inclusion in the Spider Tour Series line-up. The Spider X is a Tour and amateur staple. Rory is the one whomTaylorMade will mention but you probably remember the 66-foot bomb Jon Rahm dropped with a Spider X to beat DJ in a playoff at the 2020 BMW.

The Spider X design is Tour-proven and then some.

This Spider Tour Series version of the Spider X is not quite the same putter. Sure, it has the same, more rounded, rear profile and is a little more compact overall. That’s all the same. But when you flip it over, you see a big change.

The weights have moved.

Previous Spider X models had weights at the rear corners—little black rectangles bolted to the back edges. With the new Spider Tour Series X, those corners are weight-free. The weights have crept forward a bit, bringing the center of gravity more forward.

What does moving the weights/CG accomplish? It should make this Spider X feel more like a blade. It will rotate a bit more and not feel as rear-pushed as the Spider Tour. This weight position change seems minor but this may be the Princess and the Pea factor that steers original Spider X players away from the new version.

Or they will just love it even more …

Spider Tour Series V

Spider Tour V eliminates the wing structure and creates a more modern streamlined look. It is the smallest putter in shape and size in the lineup, providing the most rotation of the bunch.

-TaylorMade Golf

TaylorMade says that the Spider Tour Series V is the smallest Spider in the Tour Series line. Yes, it is smaller than the other mallets but it is not really a petite mallet. It is missing all of the rear edge material so that makes it look smaller. Also, this little ramp of a mallet is the one with the most forward CG, making it  feel the most blade-like of the bunch.

The weights are all the way forward and those pesky rear bulges have been shaved off. I am curious to see if that is the model that can truly act as the gateway Spider for players who traditionally game blade putters.

Spider Tour Series Z

Spider Tour Z is one of two new shapes in this lineup, paying homage to the Spider Tour with a wing shaped back. The perimeter of this putter sits low in the ground to provide a comfortable feeling at address and help frame the golf ball for easy alignment. TSS weights on this model are placed very far forward to encourage more face rotation and a blade-like feel. 

-TaylorMade Golf

The Spider Tour Series Z has me the most curious. The overall shape looks a lot like the Spider X—until you look at it from the side. From that angle, you can see that the perimeter ring has been squashed flat.

I do like how the Spider Z looks at address. Everything lines up nicely in the middle of the putter at address, maybe flattening the edges steers the eyes to the middle. I initially had concerns that the looks were going to make me expect a rear-weighted mallet feeling, but the weights are in the front so it will feel like a blade.

This amalgamation of blade and mallet, squared and squished works. My eyes are drawn to the center and the front of the putter. The back edges almost disappear into the turf. This is an interesting spin on the Spider design for sure.

BONUS COVERAGE: Spider Tour Series S (Coming in 2024)

The Spider Tour S is a larger version of the original Spider. The putter head is 3mm longer and 8mm wider in comparison. Spider Tour S is constructed at a heavier head weight and only offered at 35” and 38” lengths, with both featuring counterbalance grips for maximum stability. 

-TaylorMade Golf

Unfortunately, I do not have any photos of this one. Just imagine it looking like a larger Spider Tour.

How hot are counterbalanced mallets these days? Hot enough that TaylorMade is rolling out two new counterbalanced Spiders. The Spider Tour version will be a standard head with counterbalanced modifications. The Spider Tour S, on the other hand, is a whole new head. Or at least a new larger head.

The Spider Tour S looks like the Spider Tour but longer and wider. I wish they had brought back the Daddy Long Legs name. Such a perfect nom de plume for a big Spider. I think this head is large enough for the DDL Tour name to fit.

Anyway, you will need to wait until next spring for the Spider Tour S. It still needs a couple of additional molts before it is large enough to be released to the wild.

Final Thoughts on the 2023 TaylorMade Spider Tour Putter Line

I’m always curious to know what you think about the new putter lines. What is your initial impression of the TaylorMade Spider Tour Series? Are you ordering immediately, waiting to roll at the end of October or offended TaylorMade would release new versions of their classics? Will the Spider V and Spider Z become classics like the others in the line?

My first impression is that these will be a hit with Spider players, likely more than the Spider GT lines. Those putters carried the Spider name but looked unfamiliar. These new putters once again capture the look of a TaylorMade Spider.

More importantly for me, and likely more importantly for sales, I was impressed at how much the new Spider Tour felt like my old Spider Tour. Customers and Tour players will gravitate to these new models because they look familiar and then put them in the bag because they feel familiar.

Find out more about the 2023 TaylorMade Spider Tour Putter Line at TaylorMadeGolf.com

FAQ: 2023 TaylorMade Spider Tour Putters

The post TaylorMade 2023 Spider Tour Series Putters appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Have you ever put a new grip on your golf club and felt an instant difference? Maybe you felt more comfortable, had an easier time releasing the club or felt more confident you could go after the ball with extra speed?

These things can happen with the right golf grip. 

Read on about how to choose the right grip for your game, the information that plays into this decision, when to change your grips and whether you can do it yourself. 

How Do You Choose The Right Golf Grip For Your Game? 

To choose the right golf grip for your game, you have to consider the size and the material of the grip. The proper grip sizing ensures your hands have enough control over the golf club and that you can release the golf club correctly through impact. 

Proper grip material helps with things like traction, comfort and even confidence. 

Different Grip Materials 

Golf grip materials vary from one manufacturer to another. The most common grip is the rubber grip. However, cord and synthetic grips are quite popular. 

Rubber Grips 

Rubber grips are your standard Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. The rubber is tacky and firm but not overly sticky. If you are a range rat and like to practice, the rubber grips are durable and hold their texture well. 

Top rubber golf grips include: 

• GolfPride Tour Velvet
• SuperStroke S-Tech Rubber

Cord Grips 

Cord grips combine rubber and cord (or string-like material) that helps increase the traction you have in your hands. Regardless of the conditions, cord grips are usually great for holding the club in place.

Many great players use cord grips because they want better control and feel without using a glove. 

A few top cord grips include: 

• Golf Pride Tour Velvet Full Cord
• Golf Pride MCC Grips  (Partial Cord) 
• Lamkin Utx Solid Cord 

Synthetic Grips 

Synthetic grips offer both durability and feedback. Companies like SuperStroke, Winn and Lamkin are known for their synthetic grip technology. Many golfers who have pain in their wrists or arthritis in their fingers like the shock absorption of synthetic grips. 

Top synthetic grips include: 

• SuperStroke Cross Comfort 
• Winn Dri-Tac

Grip Sizing 

The larger your hands, the larger grips you need. Golfers with the smaller hands need undersized grips and those with larger hands need a larger golf grip size. 

Grips come in junior, undersized, standard, midsize and jumbo sizes. 

If you want something between a standard and a midsize, you can use extra wraps of tape under the grip to customize the size. 

Measuring your hand will tell you what grip size you need. Measure from the tip of your middle finger to the base of the palm where the hand meets the wrist. 

• 5″- 6.5″ – Undersize golf grips 
• 6.5″ – 7.5″ – Standard golf grips 
• 7.5″ – 9″ – Midsize golf grips 
• 9+ inches – Jumbo golf grips 

Personal preference will also play into grip selection. Some players have less grip pressure if they use a slightly larger grip. 

Golf Club Grips Versus Putter Grips 

Golf club grips and putter grips are different. Most putter grips are not circular (although there are exceptions) and they have a flattened side to help keep the hands and wrists more stable during the putting stroke. 

A putter grip with a flat side cannot be used on a golf club other than the putter, according to Rules of Golf. 

Finding the right grip size for your putter is more about feel and consistency than it is about measuring your hands. Even those with a smaller hand size may use a jumbo grip for extra control on the putting greens. 

When To Change Golf Grips 

How do you know it’s time to change your golf grip? Of course, there are times when sweat, dirt, sand and that sandwich at the turn will have deteriorated your golf grip. However, there are a few less obvious signs that it is time for a new grip. 

• You feel you have to grip the club extra-tight just to establish control through impact.
• The grip’s texture has deteriorated, making it slippery, especially in a humid climate. 
• Your trail hand (right for a right-handed golfer) has too much involvement in the swing and a grip with less or no taper could eliminate this swing flaw. 
• You aren’t in control of the club through impact, especially without a golf glove on, resulting in a hook or a slice. 
• There is no tackiness left on the grip.

Can I Change My Own Golf Grips? 

If you play a lot, changing your own golf grips is something that will make a lot of sense. Regripping golf clubs is not hard. You need a vice, a hook blade, double-sided tape, mineral spirits, a towel and new grips. 

When paying to replace your grips, you pay for the grips and the labor so regripping your golf clubs yourself can save you a lot of money. Purchase the grips all at once, get a discount and then change them as needed. 

Can You Test Golf Grips? 

Finding the right grip is one of the most important features of any golf fitting. With the wrong grip size, you will have a hard time controlling the clubface and gaining power through impact. 

When you go for a golf club fitting, make sure you test different grips. Check the grip’s texture to see if it gives you confidence and comfort.

Should All My Clubs Have The Same Grip?

When you look at the majority of professional golfers’ WITB (What’s In The Bag), you will see they list one grip for all of their clubs. The putter grip is usually different but all woods, wedges and irons have the same grip. 

We have enough inconsistencies and irregularities to deal with in a round of golf so don’t let the grip selection be one of them. 

I don’t know about you but if I had a Winn Dri Tac on my 7-iron and a Lamkin Crossline on my 8-iron, it could drive me crazy! 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Final Thoughts 

At this point, you have the info you need to ensure you have the right golf grips on your clubs. 

Want to know the No. 1  mistake golfers make when it comes to grips? Not changing them often enough! If you are a serious golfer, get those grips changed at least once a year.

The post Golf Grips: How to Choose the Right Grip for Your Game  appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.

What We Tried:

G/FORE G.112 golf shoes—the newest golf shoe from the luxury golf shoe brand which prides itself on their disruptive designs.

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I believe golf is better with a pair of cool shoes and comfortable joggers. I’ve never worn a pair of G/FORE golf shoes so there’s no time like the present!

The Deets

• New for 2023
• Retail at $225
• Available for both men and women (points for inclusivity)
• Polyurethane leather construction
• Massaging cushioned insole

G/FORE’s Disruptive Design

It’s been years since G/FORE has come out with a new silhouette. And, man, did the G.112 make quite an entrance. Between advertisements featuring the G.112 next to nude models (seriously) and captivating spikeless design, the G.112 has had my attention from the jump.

I just had to try this one.

Based on my findings, I’m fairly confident the G/FORE G.112 will be the top performer in the brand’s golf shoe lineup.

Intrigued? You should be. Here’s my full review of the G/FORE G.112 golf shoes.

Spikeless Traction That’s Full of Spikes

Let’s start off with a paradox! While the G.112 is considered a spikeless golf shoe in the traditional sense, its traction pattern is essentially a plethora of miniature spikes. No, not golf spikes, actual spikes … pointy, pokey things that feel like they could do some damage.

Besides looking absolutely ridiculous (I’ll let you decide if that’s said in a positive or negative light), the traction holds up very, very well. In both dry and wet conditions, the G/FORE G.112 provided excellent traction.

No joke, the spikeless spikes did their job.

Comfortable(ish)

A good golf shoe has to be comfortable. Between the plush P.U. leather upper and the EVA foam midsole, the G.112 provides a comfortable walking experience. That said, there’s one thing about the G.112 that you’re either going to love or hate: the massaging insole.

This unique, wavy insole is extremely cushioned but also extremely unnatural when walking. The thing is, you’re either going to love how it feels or it’s going to annoy you to the point where you can’t wear them anymore. I fell somewhere in between. At first, the feeling was very weird, almost unnatural. But after some time, I can see why a golfer would like such an insole.

Luckily, if you pick up a pair of the G.112 golf shoes and can’t stand the insole, you can always swap it out for your favorite orthotics.

Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em

The theme of the G/FORE G.112? Love ‘em or hate ‘em. In every design choice and performance aspect of the shoe, you’re either going to really like them or want to stay far away from them.

A shoe this polarizing in form and function is surely disruptive. I’ll consider that a win for G/FORE’s goal to be an intersection of “modern design, youthful energy and rich tradition”.

As for me and my thoughts, I’m on the former side. I think the design is unique (and sorta cool) and I loved the traction and comfort of the G/FORE G.112.

The post G/FORE G.112 Review appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

Testers Wanted!

In recent years MyGolfSpy has seen many smaller brands and start-up companies hit not only the golf club market but also the golf apparel market. It can be hard to break through and separate from the field. To do that, they need to make high-quality clothing that fits well, feels good and lasts. 

Founded by Henry McGannon, RealGolfers’ mission is to make the best golf shirts in the world accessible and affordable for everyone. 

RealGolfers separate themselves by limiting restocking, stating “at RealGolfers, we like to limit restocking and prioritize frequent small product releases. This allows us to maintain a fresh and unique selection of designs, ensuring that our golfers always have access to uncommon and distinctive products”

With three current collections—A Tribe Called Golf (polo), Muni Collection (T-shirt) and Golf Hoodie—they offer options for on and off the course. 

For this testing opportunity, we want four golfers to test, review and keep a RealGolfers golf polo and hoodie. We want to know all the honest details of how these items fit, feel and perform.

Want to be a tester for RealGolfers apparel?

SIGN UP HERE

*This testing opportunity is open to U.S. and Canadian residents
*Registration closes Sept 20. Testers will be announced Sept 26.

The post Testers Wanted: RealGolfers Apparel appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

TaylorMade just released two Limited Edition drivers with eye-catching designs. If you’re a Ryder Cup fan, you’re going to want to check these out.

The Bottom Line

This is the same Stealth 2 Plus Driver you know and love. It offers up the same winning design that won the award for the best driver of 2023, in two fun, limited-run looks. In celebration of the Ryder Cup you can score a Team USA or Team Europe design.

Price

The Teams Edition Stealth 2 Plus Drivers retail for $600.

What You Need To Know

CARBON REINFORCED COMPOSITE RING

The Carbon Reinforced Composite Ring unites the driver head into a singular force and frees up additional mass that has been strategically placed to deliver more forgiveness.

NEW 60X CARBON TWIST FACE

Building on the speed-producing success of the original 60X Carbon Twist Face that optimized energy transfer for fast ball speeds, the new face design in Stealth 2 features an advanced version of Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) to help maintain ball speed on off-center strikes and increase forgiveness.

It weighs 24g (2g lighter than the original Stealth face) and is designed to have an expanded COR area for a larger sweet spot and boosted performance across the entire face.

DESIGNED FOR SPEED AND FORGIVENESS

The corrective tendencies of Twist FaceTM combined with advanced ICT help maintain ball speed and accuracy on off-center strikes. A lightweight full-carbon body allows engineers to harvest mass and strategically place weight for optimal launch and forgiveness.

SOUND AND FEEL

Our testing pool ranks the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver highly for sound and feel. It ranked above average for looks and likelihood of purchase as well.

Who Is It For?

• Players needing to generate more spin
• Golfers looking for a more fade-biased club
• Someone wanting to optimize launch and trajectory
• Those who want to represent Team USA or Team Europe for this year’s Ryder Cup

The post USA vs Europe: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus Drivers appeared first on MyGolfSpy.

If you are puzzled by what the loft of a pitching wedge is, what it should be and whether yours is suited for your short game, read on to find out how knowing the answers to these questions can lower your scores.

What Degree Is a Pitching Wedge?

Generally,  the loft of a pitching wedge will range in from 43 to 48 degrees. However, the degree of loft will vary based on the type of golf club. For example, game-improvement pitching wedges have lower lofts to help promote greater distance. Blade-style pitching wedges will have a higher loft to encourage higher ball flight on approach shots and a greater ability in controlling and stopping the ball.

Why Does Pitching Wedge Loft Matter?

Does it really matter if your pitching wedge is 43 degrees or 46 degrees? 

Yes. 

The pitching wedge is often the last club in an iron set for an average golfer. The loft of that pitching wedge will then need to be used to determine the lofts in the gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. 

Without knowing your pitching wedge loft, you can leave yourself with a large distance gap in the bag.

How To Determine My Pitching Wedge Loft?

Searching for the specs on your golf wedges takes just a few seconds. Enter the name of your golf club into an internet search engine and put the word “specs” after it. You will quickly find the lofts of your wedge set. 

There is only one issue you can run across here.  Sometimes, if your pitching wedge was a custom order or you bought it from someone who adjusted the lie and loft, your lofts could be a little off. In this scenario, you can stop by a local golf club fitter and check your lie and loft to ensure that they are what you think they are.

What Is The Perfect Pitching Wedge Loft?

There is no “perfect” loft for a pitching wedge. In fact, if you look at some of the top irons on the market, you can see that the pitching wedge loft varies widely. 

• TaylorMade Stealth Irons – 43 degrees
• Srixon ZX5 MK II – 45
• COBRA AEROJET – 41.5 
• Mizuno JPX 923 Tour – 46 
• Srixon ZX7 MK II – 46
• Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal – 42.5 
• Srixon ZX4 MKII – 43

The key is to find a pitching wedge loft that allows you to get the distances you need. You have to look at the loft of your approach wedge and even your 9-iron to determine if your pitching wedge is the right choice. 

You should have around four to six degrees of loft gapping between each of your wedges. If your pitching wedge is 46 degrees, your gap wedge is 52 and your sand wedge is 56, you are doing quite well. 

However, if you find out that your pitching wedge has a really low loft like the COBRA AEROJET at 41.5 and your gap or approach wedge is 52 degrees, you have a huge gap in your bag. 

This gap will make certain pitch shots, chip shots and even bunker shots more difficult to figure out. It’s not just the full shot where loft gapping becomes an issue. Proper loft gapping could change your entire short game.

Is My Pitching Wedge Loft Right For My Game?

If you can get past the distance factor in your wedge game and focus more on loft gapping (as opposed to total distance), you will benefit. 

For example, if you can hit your pitching wedge 140 yards but your next club in your bag is the gap wedge which only travels about 100, you aren’t doing yourself any favors. 

Here is how to decide if your pitching wedge is the right loft for your game.

Use a Launch Monitor

Try to find access to a launch monitor where you can record some chips and full swings with your wedges. 

Pay very close attention to the carry distance for each wedge. 

Do some of them have the same carry distance? Some golfers have a 60-degree wedge in their bag; they consider a lob and a sand wedge with 58 degrees. This should be a wider loft gap. 

Using the launch monitor, you can narrow the yardage you hit each shot and see how well that transitions into your 9-iron.

Check Your Distance Gaps

Now that you have this data from the launch monitor, you can evaluate the gaps in distance that you may have. By alternating the type of wedge you are using and the degree of loft of the club, you can narrow those distance gaps. 

Ideally, if every club in your bag has about 10 yards of distance between them, you will have an easier time managing the golf course and making accurate decisions.

Consistency, Accuracy and Feel

As much as we love technology and data, when it comes to playing great golf, you have to respect the feel aspect. 

How good are you at working with your pitching wedge? 

I can tell you that my pitching wedge is a little stronger than I would like it to be. The gap between my pitching wedge and gap wedge is two degrees wider than I would like. 

However, when I’m on the golf course, if I need to take a little off of my pitching wedge on an approach from the fairway, I don’t struggle to do that. 

In addition, my gap wedge full-swing distance is exactly where I want it to be with the loft angle it has. These types of exceptions happen all the time, as they should. 

However, plenty of beginners are out there playing with a 46-degree pitching wedge and the only other club in their bag is a 56-degree sand wedge. Another wedge between these two would be a smart decision.

When To Change The Pitching Wedge?

As loft jacking has become more popular, the concept of the iron set stopping at the pitching wedge and moving to the wedge set has started to disappear. Now, a common set of irons will likely include the gap wedge or approach wedge. 

If you have found a large loft gap between your pitching wedge and 9-iron or pitching wedge and approach wedge, it is time to change the pitching wedge. 

Many manufacturers such as Titleist, Cleveland and Callaway make wedges with as little as 48 degrees of loft to help golfers fill in their gaps and get a solid set of wedges.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 56-degree wedge called?

Generally, a 56-degree wedge is called a sand wedge. The 56-degree wedge is great for high-lofted shots around the green that require the ball to stop quickly.

What is a 60-degree wedge called?

A 60-degree wedge is called a lob wedge. The lob wedge is often the highest-lofted club in the bag. It is known for stopping quickly on the greens and it is a strong choice when hitting shots out of the bunker.

Is a 52-degree wedge the same as a pitching wedge?

A 52-degree wedge is not the same as a pitching wedge. With 52 degrees of loft, the wedge is going to be more of a gap or approach wedge. A standard pitching wedge loft will be closer to 43 to 46 degrees of loft.

Are a “wedge” and a pitching wedge the same?

Many golfers refer to their pitching wedge as their “wedge” but many golfers carry four wedges: pitching, gap (or approach), sand and lob. The pitching wedge is the lowest-lofted wedge.

Recap- The Right Pitching Wedge Loft

As you can see, the game of golf managed to complicate things once again. Years ago, a pitching wedge was a 48-degree golf club. Today, we have lofts just above 40 extending into the upper 40s. 

Golf technology has changed, making pitching wedges more forgiving and lowering their center of gravity. When this happened, the lofts could go down without disrupting forgiveness and accuracy. 

The bottom line: There is no perfect pitching wedge loft but you need to dial in your wedge lofts to match your game, your distances and your typical shot selections.

The post You Asked: What Degree Is A Pitching Wedge? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.