Equipment
How to create your own custom-stamped wedges
Like so many other readers here on GolfWRX, I eagerly look forward to PGA Tour WITB photos each week. One of the most interesting aspects of Tour bags for me (and especially at the Waste Management Open) has always been the custom-stamped wedges and irons, like Pat Perez wedge pictured above. Custom stamping is no longer just for the Tour, however.
Cleveland, Mizuno and Vokey offer different options as well as initial stamping on their wedges and this year Nike is offering it on its irons. But, like many other at-home projects, it’s just so much more satisfying to do it yourself. Let these pictures be a guide to getting started. It’s easier (and could be cheaper) than you think!
Materials
- Stamping kit: Harbor Freight $9.99, Amazon.com $15 to $100.
- Hammer/Mallet: I have a 4-pound mallet and found that to be the most effective.
- Tape: Double-sided and masking.
- Paint (Optional).
Setup
The goal here is to firmly secure the club face to a hard surface. If you have access to a vise, you are in business as most vises have an anvil. If not, just make sure that the clean club face is firmly secured with double-sided tape. You may need someone to hold the club head securely in place while you swing the mallet, which is not as dangerous as it sounds.
Stamping
Identify the area you want to stamp and cover it with masking tape. This serves three purposes: you are able to draw reference lines with a straight edge to make your stamping neat, the imprint shows better on the tape so you can re-align your stamp for successive strikes and the tape absorbs some of the blow, making it less likely that the stamp will “bounce” and create a second impression on the wedge.
Take note of how far apart you are spacing consecutive letters as most first-time projects end up looking a bit like this: “G O L FW R X”
Let’s face it: some guys are better with a hammer than others. If you can make a confident swing at the stamp and create a deep imprint with just one swing then good for you! If not, it’s OK to take multiple swings. In fact, you’ll see Scotty Cameron doing just that if you watch this video from his website. According to Cameron, deeper strikes look “more finished … thin looks dainty and weak.” From my own experience, I have learned it is best to oscillate the stamping pin so that each successive strike drives the stamp from different angles to ensure that the stamping is symmetrical and deep.
Now bask in the glory of your very own “Tour” golf club! Obviously, this will take a little bit of practice. In the spirit of “measure twice, cut once,” you should probably try making a few practice stamps on an old club first. Keep in mind that forged clubs will be much more receptive to stamping than cast ones. Even with the cheaper Harbor Freight stamping kit, I still have not come across a wedge that is “unstampable” though.
Paint is optional and a great way to further customize your clubs. You can find many posts in the forums detailing different user methods. If nothing else, it most certainly brings a smile to my face when I look down in my bag to grab my DIY custom-stamped golf clubs.
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To supplement our holiday gift guides, we thought we’d give our readers some of our best picks for best golf gifts on Amazon. We’ve included 12 items to help you in your holiday gift selections, with a bonus extra for our friends in the UK!
So whether you’re looking for ideas for gifts you want to give, or even better receive, we have you covered!
Best golf gifts on Amazon
The Golf Father Gift Ceramic Coffee Mug
From the listing: “Do you need a gift idea for Christmas, Valentine’s day, anniversary, birthday, family occasion, or father’s day? This novelty mug will make a great gift for your husband, boyfriend, brother, uncle, grandparents, co-worker or friend.”
Price: $8.45
Titleist Pro V1 Christmas Golf Balls – 3 Pack (Amazon UK)
From the listing: “Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls – 3 Pack – Printed with christmas motifs. Total performance for all golfers with the combination of exceptional distance, the best short game spin and control, and very soft feel. Exceptional Distance | Drop-and-Stop Short Game Control. Very Soft Feel.”
Price: $22.50
Nike Men’s Academy 18 Drill Top
From the listing: “Sweat-wicking Nike Dry-FIT Technology. Half-zip design. 100% Polyester. Machine Wash. Fastening: Zipper. Academy 18 Drill.”
Price: $49
GoSports CHIPSTER Range
From the listing: “Includes 3 Chipping Targets (12 inches, 18 inches, 24 inches) for practicing at varying distances and directions. Targets setup in seconds and neatly store in the included carrying case. Use outdoors with real golf balls or indoor with foam balls.”
Price: $29.99
Titleist Players Men’s Golf Glove
From the listing: “Ultra-thin, for maximum feel and lasting performance. Premium, quality fit means a seamless connection to your club. Utilizes proprietary breathable fabric for comfort and support. Satin reinforcement at cuff and thumb for strength and durability.”
Price: $30
2020 Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Balls
From the listing: “Chrome Soft takes Tour performance to another level; We’ve reengineered every aspect and element in the ball for more speed off the tee, and longer distance off of every club in the bag. A faster, larger Graphene-infused Dual SoftFast Core is designed for increased distance; The significantly larger inner core creates higher launch and lower spin. And the thinner, firmer outer core is reinforced with Graphene for better durability.”
Price: $39.99 (down from $47.99)
TaylorMade TP5 Pix 2.0 Golf Ball
From the listing: “Better visibility: Multi-Color, high contrast graphics. Better alignment: Unique clear path alignments.”
Price: $39.99 (down from $44.99)
Titleist Golf Warmer
From the listing: “Mitten style with micro fleece lining and cinch opening for comfort. Water resistant shell for performance in all weather conditions. Internal hand warmer compartment.”
Price: $44.99
TaylorMade Pro Stand 6.0 Golf Bag
From the listing: “9″ Top stand bag. 7-Way top with a front integrated grab handle and two side grab handles with color co-ordinated air mesh. Light weight high-mount automatic stand system. 4-Point adjustable backpack strap for maximum balance and comfort. Towel loop and umbrella holder.”
Price: $79.99 (down from $129.99)
Garmin Approach S10
From the listing: “Simple, easy-to-use golf watch. Sleek, lightweight and comfortable with a high-resolution, Sunlight-readable display. Provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the Green -as well as Hazards and doglegs -on more than 41, 000 preloaded courses worldwide. Keep Score on the watch for a summary of your round, total distance played and total time.”
Price: $99 (down from $149.99)
Under Armour Men’s Spieth 3 Golf Shoe
From the listing: “Textile and Synthetic. Imported. Synthetic sole. Shaft measures approximately low-top from arch. Breathable, Clarino microfiber upper & a lightweight waterproof membrane keep you cool & dry. Smart woven forefoot panel & heel counter for biomechanically correct foot support & lightweight comfort. Integrated lacing system for a locked in fit.”
Price: $117.21 (down from $200)
Puma Men’s Ignite Pwradapt Caged Stars and Stripes Golf Shoe
From the listing: “100% Synthetic. Synthetic sole. Adaptive Fit System. Ignite Foam. Power cage. Power frame. Power adapt.”
Price: $169.99
Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Fairway Wood
From the listing: “MAVRIK is the longest fairway wood that Callaway has ever made. The new A. I. -optimized Flash Face SS20 is forged from exotic materials, which are uniquely designed for each model and loft to maximize ball speed and performance. We’ve combined our industry-leading technologies to deliver distance, forgiveness and performance from every club.”
Price: $249.99 (down from $299.99)
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Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero Single Diamond (9 degrees, -1/N)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X (45 inches, D3)
3-wood: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X (43 inches, D3)
Utility: Callaway X Forged UT ‘21 (18 degrees)
Shaft: KBS Tour 130 X
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro ’19 Double Dot (4-PW)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Callaway Jaws MD5 (50-10S, 56-10S, 60-10S)
Shafts: Project X 6.0
Putter: Odyssey Toulon Atlanta (Stroke Lab)
Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Midsize
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In our forums, our members have been reacting to an interesting experience WRXer ‘LongJohnPeter’ had when testing out blades for the first time. ‘LongJohnPeter’ writes:
“For reasons unbeknownst to myself, I have been obsessed with playing blades lately. So I took a trip to my local range today and picked out an old Lynx USA 7 iron blade from the rental rack (I don’t own a blade and had never hit one previously). While I did see a reduction in distance (more of a result of EXTREMELY crappy range balls and a 50 degree day), I couldn’t believe how much more consistent my face contact was, compared with my Ping Zing’s I currently use. And even on the few mishits, they weren’t punished nearly as bad as everyone and their mother said they would be, and I knew exactly what had happened and could adjust accordingly.
Anyone have a similar experience? Is this just a honeymoon phase? Or is the golfing elite trying to preserve the sanctity of blade irons?”
And our members have been reacting to the post and sharing their thoughts in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- uglande: “I switched back to blades this year (had not played them in decades), and I will never give them up. They are so pure and consistent and easy to maneuver. I prefer the thinner soles, which give me better turf interaction. Blades will never produce those nuclear shots that go 15 yards longer than you expected. And, yes, GI clubs help retain ball speed on mishits, but I would rather be 10 yards short of the green than in the bunkers or other garbage on either side of the green. And I certainly don’t want to torpedo one (happened frequently with my P790s) that goes over the green, which is always where the worst hazards lie.”
- NotTheGuyOrAmi: “I ’m far from a technical expert, but I have concluded that increased MOI may give some incremental benefit, and of course less loft means clubs with a particular loft might hit father, but the point of most of the “improvement” in-game improvement irons is to allow people who hit the ground before the ball with a slow swing speed to get a better result from a lower center of gravity. This, by the way, is not a good thing.”
- CCTXgolf: “For some people a smaller club makes them concentrate a little harder, and that extra little bit of concentration can certainly help you find the center of the club face more often. Problem is it’s tough to keep that going for 18 holes. Much less day to day. I just went to blades in my short irons (8-P) and don’t really find that much difference in those shorter irons. They sure are pretty though.”
Entire Thread: “My brief blade experience”
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Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero Single Diamond (9 degrees, -1/N) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X (45 inches, D3) 3-wood:...
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Gary
Jun 16, 2015 at 2:14 pm
Instead of using mallet would a impact driver work work?
Kevin
Dec 17, 2014 at 5:18 pm
I used to punch stamp my clubs but the results were not as good as I wanted. So after searching on the internet I found http://www.personaltouchsports.com These guys did amazing work. After going through them I would never punch stamp again!
Corey
Nov 8, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Where can I get that solid dot stamp and what’s the best way to fill in the stamps with paint
nik dallos
Feb 7, 2014 at 10:41 pm
I am embarrassed someone even had to give this tutorial. Next tip, how to tie laces on your shoes. And how to put new grips on your clubs! Man im a negative nantz. Feel free to swear at me and put me down.
melrosegod
Feb 7, 2014 at 4:31 pm
I have stamped a few wedges and I like the “not so clean look”. That said, layer 4 or 5 strips of masking tape to develop an indentation when you stamp. It will help you keep your die in place for multiple hits.
Tony
Feb 7, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Anyone tried this on Ping wedges? Specifically the Tour S’s.
Thx
Jon Deerman
Feb 6, 2014 at 12:43 pm
As a metal worker with stamping experience, I would suggest to practice your technique on an old club or scrap piece of metal. Many first timers (including myself at the beginning) will not place the stamp correctly, causing uneven stamps or even damage to the material itself. (This means you must take a grinder and remove material to take the “bad” stamp away, which could change the feel of your club) As all things with golf it comes with practice, so if you keep at it success will come. Just remember… don’t make your first stamp an attempt to do it on those new Vokey’s or Fourteens.
Eric Johnson
Feb 6, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Jon – good reminder. It was my experience that the spacing of the pins was difficult at first (instinctively I placed the stamps too far apart) and that the depth of the stamp was not uniform. It was when I struck the stamp from several different angles that I saw the best results. Any other suggestions from your experience?
Jon Deerman
Feb 6, 2014 at 2:37 pm
Don’t be afraid to swing the hammer harder then you think, it is steel and most of the time this is a problem leading to a dreaded double hit. (Same stamp, same location but slightly off) On ease of use, there are metal stamp holders which allow a number of pins(They very from size to price, ebay being the best source), will allow you to stamp it in one swing. You may have to go over a few of the stamps but it will be quicker. If there is a missed hit, rock the pin until it settles in the previous stamp, and rock it slightly to the unmarked area hitting it with the hammer. On spacing it is good to have a lined up one after the other method. The gaps between the pins are usually what size it is (1/8″ Stamp should have 1/8″ between letters). A cost effective approach is to put a light coat of removable metal paint marker (around $5) on the bottom of your pins, placing them where you would like to see them on your clubs. This should create a template for better spacing.
zack
Feb 5, 2014 at 6:03 pm
I have cleveland cg14 wedges and find them to be un-stampable. I was wondering if anybody has stamped a cg14 wedge before and can give me any tips
Eric Johnson
Feb 5, 2014 at 7:44 pm
Zack –
CG14 are the same wedges I use and have had success stamping them all (I have 5!). I would guess that your wedges are not set firmly enough in place or your hammer/mallet is not heavy enough.
Mark
Feb 5, 2014 at 4:34 pm
What size stamp should I buy? 1/8″ ?
Eric Johnson
Feb 5, 2014 at 5:58 pm
Yes 1/8″ is the size you normally see
John Moriarty
Feb 5, 2014 at 3:55 pm
You do not ruin the finish when you stamp into it. Also instead of masking tape us double sided tape where you are going to stamp. You can press the stamp in by hand first and it leaves a mark of the letter. It allows you to plan out a bit better. Also when you hammer away the stamp won’t slip since it’s held down by the tape.
Roberat Upton
Feb 5, 2014 at 2:52 pm
Frankly, that cheap square font on those punches looks amateurish, cheap and nasty to me ? Why would you want to de-value a relatively expensive club like that ?
Jack
Feb 6, 2014 at 3:09 am
Roberat, tons of golf pros have it done, so maybe we just want to be like them? I’ve not done it personally since it does affect the resale value.
Nate
Feb 7, 2014 at 4:16 pm
When I did mine I purchased a Comic Sans set of stamps instead of the block font (believe its Courier). There are also some design stamps people might find interesting, like a bird or clover. My vokeys get a clover for each chip-in or hole-out.
Monster
Mar 30, 2014 at 8:59 am
Roberat, It is meant to look that way. Its personal, A wedge is to be used until the grooves are gone. They are not for real sale. Next time you’re working on the game, Put your driver down and Go practice some wedges.
Chris
Feb 5, 2014 at 2:50 pm
I always love the phrase “it is not as dangerous as you would think”
Kevin Hefner
Feb 5, 2014 at 2:33 pm
What happens to the plating on the wedge, if it is chrome plated or a black wedge?
Eric Johnson
Feb 5, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Kevin – I have had no wear issues stamping chrome plated and raw clubs. I personally have not stamped any darker finished clubs but cannot foresee any danger to the club’s integrity. If you’re worried about rust then I’d be sure to fill in your stamps with paint. Good luck with your “wedged” haha