Equipment

Custom wedge company Hopkins Golf opens it doors

Published

11 years ago

Jun 26, 2013

For most amateur golfers, the ultimate goal is to play like a pro and shoot as close to par as possible. Most will never get there, but players can now customize their clubs like tour pros at a “better value” in hopes of lowering their score.

Hopkins Golf officially launched its website this week with the goal of providing golfers with “tour authentic, custom-built equipment factory direct at a fair price.”

“This is a banner day for us,” said Greg Hopkins, CEO of Hopkins Golf who has more than 30 years of experience in the golf business. “For a long time, we’ve been preparing to be able to get golfers custom wedges just like Tour players get. We can’t wait to hear their reactions when they receive the true tour experience for themselves.”

By heading to its website, golfers can customize their wedges the way the pros do in eight steps or less. The wedges are available for men and women, in six different lofts and seven different grinds. The price of the wedge runs about $100 each, with some additional fees for extra features such as custom engraving, stamping, paint fill, ferrules, grips and shafts.

Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., Hopkins Golf has partnered with UPS and placed its club assembly inside UPS facilities. UPS will handle shipping for the company and will allow for less overhead cost for the company, leading to a lower cost for the consumer. The typical golf company takes five steps before his or her clubs are delivered to the player, the company said in a press release. Hopkins Golf golf takes three.

Chart courtesy of Hopkins Golf.

Hopkins Golf was founded earlier this year when Greg Hopkins left his position as CEO of Cleveland Golf to start his own company.

According to its website, professional players who use Hopkins include Don Pooley Jr., who won the 2002 U.S. Senior Open and the 1985 Vardon Trophy, John Huston, who has seven PGA Tour wins, and Danny Pohl, a member of the 1987 Ryder Cup Team.

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David Cheng

David Cheng is a former ESPN Production Assistant. He is currently pursuing his master's from Villanova's School of Communication and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism with a marketing minor from Emerson College.

26 Comments

Taylor Made

Dec 12, 2013 at 3:00 pm

They dont offer different bounce. So much for “custom”. LOL

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Taylor Made

Dec 12, 2013 at 2:57 pm

Who cares if their assembly is inside UPS?? The savings is not passed on to the consumer. It goes in Hopkins pocket. This whole operation sucks. Can get better clubs off the rack.

Reply Report comment
Brock Libby

Sep 25, 2013 at 12:44 pm

Intrigued by these, but the graphic implies that some UPS worker is the one building the wedges.

Reply Report comment
Kyoung

Jul 19, 2013 at 12:41 pm

Anybody test out these in the field?
Does anybody know the bounce? Forgive me if i should know.
I ordered a 56 Heel/Toe Grind, and 52 helf Grind
Wanna know how the 56 compares to a Cleveland 56 14 bounce i’ve played for 3 yrs

I couldn’t pass on the custom club with some grind options.
It does add up when you start customizing, but i was in abut 165 for custom color, grip, grind options.
Personally i dont think its that bad considering some of the new Clevelands with the “milled face” are 120. I dont really buy into the more spin with the milling on the face. Especially if youre a hi80’s/90 hitter like me.
Thanks and please let me know if you’ve tested these out on the course!

Reply Report comment
Karl

Jul 9, 2013 at 11:29 am

I bought a 56* wedge fully customized with engraving, paint fill, and a free shelf grind promotion, added a colored lamkin midsize grip, and colored ferrule for $136 shipped. +1″ shaft, with 3* upright lie for no extra charge. I got the wedge in about 6 days and I could not be more pleased. It’s absolutely perfect and feels amazing! I will be ordering a 52* and a 60* soon.

Reply Report comment
- Karl
  
  Jul 9, 2013 at 11:43 am
  
  You just cannot get that level of customization off the shelf. Thank you Hopkins Golf!
  
  Reply Report comment
- Kyoung
  
  Jul 19, 2013 at 1:00 pm
  
  Hi,
  Just ordered a 52 Shelf Grind, and 56 Heel Toe Grind.
  Did u get to use these on the course?
  I used a Cleveland 56 14 bounce for years and wanna know how the 2 compare.
  Thanks.
  
  Reply Report comment
Randy

Jul 3, 2013 at 12:29 pm

Hey, marketing guy at Hopkins Golf here. I have to say that I’m really surprised by the cast vs. forged discussion. I’ve toured the factories and worked out on the tours and I thought that argument was put to bed. Heat treating changed the game. Cast 8620 that when heat treated properly is the best of all worlds; the consistency of casting and the feel of forging. If tour players can’t tell the difference in feel, why are amateurs so concerned about it?

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- Steven
  
  Sep 23, 2013 at 4:24 pm
  
  hey randy,
  since you work at hopkins golf can you tell me why their phone numbers are not in service and their email is essentially the same. i have been trying to return my wedges which rusted in a matter of two days back and i finally called five days ago and got a woman on the phone who was nice and said i would be receiving the free shipping label via email. im no computer wiz but emails go through in a matter of minutes, not a week. i am very displeased with the quality of the wedges, the price, and the customer service. i just bought two vokey design wedges for $227 compared to the $246 i spent on hopkins wedges just to have a four leaf clover… dumbest decision i have made in a long time. all i want to do is get my money back and be done with hopkins golf. worst experience of my life. if your a serious golfer. go to cleveland or titliest, bottom line.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Taylor Made
    
    Dec 12, 2013 at 2:51 pm
    
    It says right on the site that the wedges will rust.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - David Smith
    
    Dec 12, 2013 at 8:53 pm
    
    They’re meant to rust… dumbest decision you say? perhaps you should read what you’re buying before making arrogant remarks.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - john
    
    Jan 27, 2014 at 1:43 pm
    
    hey goof-ball they are meant to rust.
    
    Reply Report comment
Joe

Jul 2, 2013 at 11:11 am

Sic Golf has custom handmade wedges forged in japan for the same price as these… lol

Reply Report comment
Eve

Jun 27, 2013 at 3:08 am

CAST. Nuff said.

Reply Report comment
- Liam
  
  Jun 27, 2013 at 3:37 am
  
  Hey Eve
  
  Where did you read that they were cast, I’ve been trying to find out for the past hour haha.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Eve
    
    Jun 29, 2013 at 12:27 pm
    
    It says so right on their website. It’s 8630 steel, which is not forged.
    https://www.hopkinsgolf.com/select-product.php?product_id=1&reset_order=true#/select-set
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Eve
      
      Jun 29, 2013 at 12:28 pm
      
      Sorry, my typo, 8620. I typed too quick
      haha
      
      Reply Report comment
- neil
  
  Jun 28, 2013 at 1:02 pm
  
  hard to custom grind forged wedges without replating etc?
  
  Reply Report comment
Jimmy

Jun 26, 2013 at 10:52 pm

Overpriced and nothing really “custom” about them, so you can get some stamps and engravings, wow, who cares? Everything else you can get at any reputable golf store like grips, shaft, etc. They can keep them. I doubt it outperforms my Cleveland 588 RTX wedges that I got for 40$ a piece brand new.

Reply Report comment
- J
  
  Jun 28, 2013 at 10:32 am
  
  What about the custom grinds, loft, lie? The grind is very important, and not something you just get off the shelf… Looks good to me
  
  Reply Report comment
G

Jun 26, 2013 at 3:10 pm

$166 isn’t bad for custom wedges. Maybe you should cut back on all the unecessary stampings/paint fill/colored grip and only concentrate on what you need to PLAY the game

Reply Report comment
- J
  
  Jun 26, 2013 at 9:01 pm
  
  I didn’t do anything other than standard paintfill and ZERO stampings…
  
  Purely for a grip ai could tolerate and the grinds I want…
  
  The point is… A brand new company charging those prices is a bit pretentious..
  
  I will be able to get my choice of grips and grind from Callaway when the MD2’s come out for about the same or less… And besides that… I just said no thanks. I didn’t actually say it was out of one or criticize… Maybe the two of you should learn how to read and stop making assumptions…
  
  I said what I did and said no thanks. Was a pretty simple statement.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Adam
    
    Jun 26, 2013 at 11:05 pm
    
    I just went through the process with one wedge and it came out to $130.99 with spinner shaft, upgraded grip and colored ferrule.
    
    Not to bad for a semi custom wedge (no stampings or paint fill).
    
    Maybe there was an option that you had in there by accident???
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Jake
    
    Jun 28, 2013 at 10:30 am
    
    I just did it for three wedges, without custom stamping or engraving, with the black steel shaft, lamkin grip, custom grinds, and it was $367 for my three wedges! I think that’s a phenomenal deal. Maybe their was some glitch on the page or something like that, b/c I’m not sure how it could get to $500.?
    
    Reply Report comment
Ryan

Jun 26, 2013 at 11:29 am

So you want custom wedges for off the rack prices then? $166 each seems reasonable…

Reply Report comment
J

Jun 26, 2013 at 10:56 am

After one trip through the customization program I was over 500.00 with Hi-Rev shafts… Lamkin grips and grinds on 3 wedges… 500.00

No thanks.

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

3 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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