Equipment
James Patrick joins Titleist
Wedgemaker James “Patrick” Harrington has announced on his website that he has joined Titleist “to further advance [his] passion and creativity” with wedges.
For years, there has been speculation that Titleist has been looking for a wedgemaker to succeed legendary wedge maker Bob Vokey, for whom the company’s current line of wedges is named. Vokey, 73, has suffered several health problems in recent years, including kidney cancer in 2008.
Harrington, 30, has a reputation as one of the best wedge grinders in the industry. He had a well publicized split with Edel Golf in January 2011, and has since been producing handmade wedges for his own company, James Patrick Golf, which he founded in his home state of Wisconsin.
Harrington did not make clear what role he would take with Titleist, only saying that the company is “providing the resources needed to continue to explore the unending pursuit of creating the world’s finest wedges.”
He thanked his fans for “helping to build the foundation,” and said that move to Titleist is “the next step in the journey of my life’s work.”
Above: Custom wedges created by Harrington for James Patrick Golf.
James Patrick wedges were created one at a time by Harrington, allowing him to make them with custom grinds, finishes and stampings that caught the attention of several golf websites and publications. Even though the wedges had a base price of more than $300, with custom options that could cost customers hundreds more, Harrington struggled to keep pace with demand for his products, which are currently listed as “sold out” on his website.
Harrington ground the handmade wedges from Kyoei forged blanks, and created them with a design that included a thinned out hosel for less resistance on shots from the sand and grass, as well a three tungsten weights in the toe section of the wedges that Harrington said move the center of gravity closer to the wedge’s sweet spot for more consistency.
Prior to starting his own company in 2011, Harrington attended Arizona State University, where he graduated from the PGA Management program. He went on to work as a grinder for leading club fitters Hot Stix and Cool Clubs, and trained under legendary clubmaker Don White in 2008.
According to his website, Harrington has worked with PGA Tour professionals Fulton Allen, Cameron Beckman, Robert Garrigus, Peter Jacobson, Matt Kuchar, Ryan Moore, Kevin Streelman and Aaron Baddeley, for whom he ground a set of irons that Baddeley used to win his first Tour event in 2006.
Click here to read what members are saying about James Patrick’s move in the forums.
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Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Accra TZ Six ST
3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 80 6.5 TX
7-wood: Ping G425 Max (20.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 90 6.5 TX
Irons: Srixon ZX (2, 3) Buy here, Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-9) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 6.5 90, 6.5 100 (2-3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 6 Tour Rack (46-10 Mid, 52-10 Mid, 56-10 Mid, 60-9 Full) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Odyssey Jailbird Versa Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Hybrid: Titleist TSR3 (19 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 9 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4, 5), Titleist 620 CB (6-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.0
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 50-12F, 54-12D, 60)
Shafts: Project X 6.0
Putter: Scotty Cameron P5 prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Ben Kohles’ clubs in the forums.
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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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EZ
Jun 26, 2016 at 11:57 pm
…..And yet….3 YEARS go by without anything….did they just buy him out and make him sign a non-compete for the rest of his life? What a shame.
BigBoy
Jul 30, 2013 at 12:04 am
im going to sprinkle hundreds and thousands all over my Cleveland wedges
Juan
Jul 29, 2013 at 2:11 pm
a good thing gone bad….bring on the mass production
Jack Lives Here
Jul 28, 2013 at 6:30 am
James wedges are beautiful. Van Gough was under capitalized as well. I wish James every success with the new position.
SAMPGA
Jul 27, 2013 at 6:40 am
I’VE GOT WORD FROM THE INSIDE THAT JP WILL BE IN CHARGE OF AN ULTRA HIGH END LINE OF WEDGES FOR JAPAN…Voke will be here forever!
Blanco
Jul 26, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Does this guy ever smile? He needs to a visit to smiley-town. My guess is they don’t go into full on JP-mode for many years (if he stays on that long)– he’s there for more design and tour stuff not marketing. His name doesn’t ring out yet but will one day.
Personally I think his wedges look gaudy with the exception of the unstamped raw steel stuff I’ve seen. I think his grinds are excellent though.
Scott Rose
Jul 26, 2013 at 1:04 am
Hmmm….form or function? I’d rather see an artist stay solo.
Clayton
Jul 25, 2013 at 4:59 pm
“Show me the money!!!” – JP
HBL
Jul 25, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Probably for us, the masses, there will be no change. Almost impossible to get now and, at least, in the near past. In the future, we can expect mass produced wedges with the pros getting the custom work like it is with Vokey.
The Real James
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:49 pm
I wonder how a mass produced JP will look?
Ever try grinding a wedge? It’s pretty easy if you have a good grinding machine, and then 5 swings later all the prettiness is left in the turf.
princeton
Jul 25, 2013 at 12:00 pm
This is the biggest news in the Golf Equipment Business in years!!!! This is huge that Vokey as tapped his heir apparent to take over once he retires fully! Vokey stated yesterday that he is only working two or three days a week and for the every so often special request from a Tour Pro! I wonder how Aaron Dill is feeling today? I am sure that this hurts him a little, as thoughts were that he would be Vokey’s pick for his replacement…?
Jack
Jul 25, 2013 at 2:39 am
Plus, I doubt he is really taking over for Vokey. I think he is more likely to create his own line (much younger and different look), much like he is doing already, but backed by Titleist’s money and marketing power.
Jack
Jul 25, 2013 at 2:17 am
I like the look of the wedges, but not at 300+ before custom options!
RatzA$$
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:45 am
Wow that’s awesome. Someone stamps a sand wedge, quick paint fill of skittles like colors and a “special grind” and presto! Every minute a sucker is born.
Those that can’t dress like Fowler can have clubs that approach his outfits.
BHahahahhaha
Roger
Jul 26, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Ratz i’m still Lovin my Ping Eye 2 BECU wedge!!! Classic great looks and feel …and a great Wedge too !!!
Desmond
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:41 am
“I don’t want to be the big-box retailer,” Harrington said. “I like the roots of where I’m at, me making hand-made stuff. I’m able to offer a unique look because I’m an artist. I don’t want to grow too fast.”
An odd change for a guy who didn’t want to be a big-box retailer, but wanted to be an artist.”
lol.
KCCO
Jul 25, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Confused by this comment…..but anyway JP has always been an artist, and when at his level, each day his work will only progress, with that being said, when the time comes I wonder if he has more of a gamer wedge (meaning no frills on the looks, and just a performer), and be able to dull it down a bit, just a clean wedge and something thats gonna fill the vokey void when that day comes…. curious as to how they much different they would play then the beautiful designer stuff I’ve seen in his galleries history, as most look like collector pieces I would decorate my house with…..not being sarcastic, his work is top notch
J
Jul 24, 2013 at 11:24 pm
His wedges are sick!
Will be curious to see what kind of prices come out of the Titleist custom shop now..
JP wedges and Scotty putters… You could spend 5,000 and walk away with just your wedges and a putter.