Equipment
Spotted: TaylorMade Milled Grind wedges
GolfWRX spotted new TaylorMade wedges on the range at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. The wedges appear to be named “Milled Grind,” which seems to refer to the milled surface of their soles (see below).
A TaylorMade move to milled wedge soles would be significant, and to explain why let’s quickly dive into an overview of wedge manufacturing.
Generally, wedges are produced by a forging or casting process, which gives them their general head shape. Most wedges do undergo a finishing process that includes milling, but it’s generally their club faces and grooves that are milled, not their soles.
The milling process is used on wedge club faces because of its precision. It can ensure a flat club face, highly specific groove geometries and friction patterns that maximize consistency and spin around the green.
Most wedge soles, on the other hand, are finished by hand. A wedge’s sole is known as a “grind” for that reason; it’s often ground by hand. Equipment manufacturers have improved their casting and forging processes in recent years and reduced the amount of hand grinding necessary, but there is always some hand shaping required.
A move to a 100-percent milled wedge sole could help eliminate the inconsistencies of hand grinding, giving golfers confidence they are purchasing an identical grind each time they buy a new wedge. It could also automate the wedge-replacement process for PGA Tour players, most of whom replace their high-lofted wedges at least every few months. Once a Tour player’s favorite grind was created by a craftsman, its shaping could be digital rendered and produced again and again by a milling machine.
PXG is currently producing 100-percent milled wedges for Tour players Ryan Moore, Chris Kirk and others. The wedges are called the 0311T, and they’re shaped entirely by a milling machine. It’s similar to the way high-end putter manufacturers create their putters to ensure exact weighting and precise shaping, which is a very expensive way to make wedges. Bruce Sizemore is also in the process of releasing a fully milled, multi-piece adjustable wedge that will sell for about $400.
See the milling marks? Ryan Moore’s PXG 0311T wedge is 100 percent milled.
To keep costs down, it’s likely that TaylorMade will cast its wedges from carbon steel as it has previous models, and then simply mill the wedge soles.
It’s unclear from our photos whether the new TaylorMade wedges use the EF Grooves featured on the company’s current Tour Preferred EF wedges, which are part of an insert formed by a chemical process called electroforming. TaylorMade says its EF grooves are consistently sharper and more durable than those made from carbon steel.
Related: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about TaylorMade’s new wedges in our forum.
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- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
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TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Chuck
Jan 7, 2017 at 2:48 pm
The spot seen on the heel is of course not a real “bore-through.” Bore-through always referred to the shaft bore going all the way through to the sole.
The old Wilson Fluid Feels were not bore-throughs. The filled hole in the heel is just a relief hole. Intended to move weight out of the heel so that the weight can be move elsewhere. The plastic that fills the hole is much lighter that the steel that is removed.
Sort of surprised that the original story did not devote more attention to that issue. Personally, I feel as though I can always (even as a hobbyist) bend and grind my own wedges as I wish as long as the OEM’s give me enough material/bounce to begin with. But I could never do the kind of deep heel relief we see in these wedges, or like the Fluid Feels.
The reasons for TM doing this would be very interesting to read about.
Gary
Nov 3, 2016 at 1:58 am
The new Taylor Made wedges look good,but they are a copy of the old Wilson wedges.
The colour of the red circle on the heel of the shaft is even the same.
The golf industry goes round iin circles,these are Wilson wedges from the 70 s.
Taylor Made is a great company but their wedges don’t match up to the rest of the clubs.
Thought they could come up with something original.
Rimjob
Nov 3, 2016 at 3:07 am
The EF wedges are the best wedges ever made in the history of golf.
Mad-Mex
Nov 2, 2016 at 11:47 pm
They look like Wilson Fluid Feel
rymail00
Nov 2, 2016 at 9:13 am
They do look pretty good from the pics, and little no offset.
Dave r
Nov 1, 2016 at 6:35 pm
R & D costs lots so does the material and don’t forget pay to pros for playing them . And then there’s advertising . But. I agree the costs of all products are almost out of reach for the average guy. But what I can’t understand how is the younger generation going to get into the game . Where I play it is mostly seniors and I mean old guys no young ones at all . If the game is to grow the market has to be affordable what with green fees, golf clubs ,golf balls it has to end somewhere.
Barry Weller
Nov 1, 2016 at 4:07 pm
I’ve around this game for 30 yrs and I really feel that the equipment that’s out there is so closely made and has improved my game greatly. But iam sorry I really can’t believe that because this man has got a name and the money. But that being said I don’t care if he brings God in to make those clubs for him I don’t feel there worth the money he’s asking regardless of what there made of or who uses them.
FNM
Nov 2, 2016 at 2:35 am
Had one too many, mate? Because you’re blethering nothings and making no sense