Equipment
Vokey opens its Tour Department to the public
Call it WedgeWorks on steroids.
Titleist has announced that the custom wedge grinding services it offers to its tour players will be available to the public starting June 19.
Titleist calls the program “WedgeWorks Hand Ground,” and it will allow consumers to order 58- or 60-degree wedges in custom grinds that have previously only been available to tour players.
The wedges will retail for $350, and will be hand ground by the same master craftsman on the same grinding wheels as those made for Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, Adam Scott, Jason Dufner and many other PGA Tour winners.
The Hand Ground wedges will be available in the following tour-only grinds:
- V Grind (left): Its crescent-shaped sole has plenty of bounce in the front to prevent digging. But it has a narrow sole and minimal camber that allows versatility around the greens. According to Vokey.com, the V Grind is great for players with steep angles of attack, or those who play in soft conditions.
- E Grind (middle): Its medium-width sole has a straight relieved trailing edge. It also has a slight heel camber that allows it to be played in the opened position, and additional heel relief can be added by request. Its forgiving sole is great for medium-to-steep angles of attack, and is most effective in soft conditions.
- T Grind (right): The T Grind was inspired by Champions Tour player Tom Pernice. Its crescent-shaped, thin flat sole has ample relief in the heel, toe and trailing edge sections. It also has a narrow forward bounce section and a medium amount of camber that plays well in tight, firm conditions, and is great for players with shallower angles of attack.
Vokey’s M Grind, which is available on Vokey retail models 54-11, 56-11, 58-12 and 60-10, is another option through the Hand Ground program. It’s one of Vokey’s most versatile soles, with a medium amount of camber and bounce and ample relief in the heel, toe and trailing edge areas.
More exclusives
Each hand ground wedge will come in a tour-only raw finish, which allows wedges to be shaped in nearly any way. Golfers can choose to have their wedges made with a square toe, straighter leading edge, beveled top line, pre-worn leading edge, or a pro-groove — a subtle channel in the center of the sole that is used by Webb Simpson on his 58-degree Vokey TVD-M wedge.
According to Vokey, the pro-groove moves the contact point of the wedge slightly forward, which allows golfers to more easily use the bounce on short pitches to prevent digging.
Like Vokey’s WedgeWorks program, golfers can choose to have their wedges customized with different stampings — eight different letter/number combinations in “straight,” “freestyle,” “staircase” or “snow” — and 12 different paintfill colors. All the shafts, grips, ferrules, weight porting and shaft bands offered through Vokey’s WedgeWorks program will also be available.
Golfers will also have the choice of the following WedgeWorks Hand Ground exclusive stamps: “Prototype 2013,” “Hand Ground, “Special Grind” and “BVHG” (Bob Vokey Hand Ground). They can also choose “Spin Milled,” the name for the high-friction grooves that are milled into each Vokey wedge.
Wedges that are ordered through the Hand Ground program will have a hand-stamped hosel code, and the grinder’s initials will be stamped on the wedges as well. For example, wedges ground by Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill will be stamped “AD,” while wedges ground by Vokey himself will be stamped “BV.”
According to David Neville, Vokey marketing manager, the company will call every customer who makes an order through WedgeWorks Hand Ground to make sure they know exactly what wedge grinds they’ve ordered and confirm that it will work for them.
Titleist expects that turnaround time on orders to be between two and three weeks.
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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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Dino
May 30, 2013 at 2:22 pm
They’ll just be grinding up tour reject heads…Titleist left out the most important factor. Quality of metal tour players get versus what these heads will be made of. I have a couple tour wedges that have amazing feel and the outside looks like everyday chrome…well the chrome flaked away and underneath is pure copper. Hmmm
Ben
May 31, 2013 at 11:15 am
pics?
jb
May 29, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Well what is so different about these wedges then the Scotty Camreon putters? Aren’t those the same people Titleist is targeting now? I think they’ll sell more than enough!
Curt
May 29, 2013 at 9:03 pm
Putters can last a lifetime, wedges last one or two seasons depending on play, so not a good comparison.
J
May 29, 2013 at 5:07 pm
JP Wedges cost that much and you definately get a unique wedge for that much
Todd
May 29, 2013 at 3:57 pm
The best part is that for $350 Vokey may or may not grind it himself. Hell, for this price you may as well just charge $800 for him to do it and $350 for the other guy nobody knows. Anyone crazy enough to pay $350 is willing to pay $800.
Ben
May 29, 2013 at 11:29 am
Miura Golf is holding on line 1…
Bob
May 29, 2013 at 11:26 am
I bought 3 Vokey’s custom 1 inch longer and 3 up. Swing weight as received, E-5. They would not adjust swing weight. I sent them to Hot Stix to be adjusted. For what these cost, custom work should be better, easier and less expensive.
danny
May 29, 2013 at 3:55 pm
But Bob Vokey might walk by while your club is getting worked on here, that’s a great experience that your club will have for a lifetime. He might event touch it which will give you 3 extra hole outs over an off the rack Vokey.
Mick J
May 29, 2013 at 4:36 pm
You must be 8′ tall
danny
May 29, 2013 at 10:54 am
For the record, I have 3 Vokey wedges in my bag, but I see no value in having to pay $350 for Bob Vokey (or maybe his dude) to possibly grind my wedge.
Mike D.
May 29, 2013 at 9:56 am
Or serving a niche market segment, who feel the $350 is justified….
Kevin
May 29, 2013 at 10:48 am
Great move. There is definitely a market for this.
Danny
May 29, 2013 at 12:14 am
Lol $350. They have to be joking or arrogant
Curt
May 29, 2013 at 9:15 am
+1 – that is rediculous, unless they give an “up and down” guarantee along with it! Sorry, no need to overpay, just to over feed my ego!!
Dave
May 29, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Definitely just paying for the experience so you can say “these were hand ground”. I’m sure people will jump all over it though. I’d rather have them done at a custom shop though.