Equipment
Ping Glide Wedges
Different golfers need different wedges, but they’re all searching for the same thing.
“When you have a wedge that’s just right for you, it doesn’t dig and it doesn’t bounce,” says Marty Jertson, Ping’s director of product development. “It just glides through the turf.”
Ping has tweaked nearly every aspect of its new wedge line, aptly named “Glide.” Some changes, such as the improved grooves and sole grinds could be expected, while others take a more outside-the-box approach to help golfers improve their wedge games.
An example? Hydrophobicity, the physical property of repelling water. Hydrophobic surfaces make water bead – think of Teflon-coated pans or windshields treated with Rain-X. Hydrophilic objects, such as paper, absorb water.
Ping studies found that chrome-plated wedges are more hydrophobic than wedges without chrome finishes, which means that they move more water away from the wedge face at impact. That improves consistency, and is why the Glide wedges have satin, chrome-plated finishes. According to Ping, the finish is 220 percent more consistent in wet grass and 35 percent more consistent in dry grass than the “dark blast” finish Ping used on its previous wedge line, the Tour Gorge.
The Glide wedges are also cast from a 431 stainless steel that’s softer than the 17-4 stainless steel used on the Tour Gorge wedges. The softer metal, combined with Ping’s new elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP), creates a noticeably softer feel at impact.
The Glide wedges also have new grooves that are different in lower lofts than they are in higher lofts.
The lower-lofted wedges (47, 50 and 52) have deeper grooves with 16-degree sidewalls that offer more consistency on full shots. The soles of the wedges were also given more bounce and made slightly wider compared to the Tour Gorge wedges, a change that will make the clubs easier to hit for most golfers.
The higher lofted wedges (54, 56, 58 and 60) have shallower, wider grooves with 24-degree sidewalls. That gives them sharper edges to help golfers create more spin on open-face shots.
The Glide wedges come in three different sole grinds that are considerably different, but there are a few commonalities. Compared to the Tour Gorge wedges, the new models have more bounce and more rounded leading edges to help them better glide through the turf. For improved versatility, they also have more heel relief and a steeper trailing edge.
Choosing the Right Grind
Thin Sole (TS) wedges work best for golfers who have moderate-to-shallow angles of attack and/or those who play golf courses with firm conditions.
- Lofts available: 58TS (20 degrees of bounce), 60TS (19 degrees of bounce)
Wide Sole (WS) wedges are better for golfers who have moderate-to-steep angles of attack, and/or those who play golf courses with soft conditions.
- Lofts available: 54WS (14 degrees of bounce), 56WS (14 degrees of bounce), 58WS (13 degrees of bounce), 60WS (13 degrees of bounce)
Standard Sole (SS) wedges take the middle ground, and work for the widest range of golfers and course conditions.
- Lofts available: 47SS (12 degrees of bounce), 50SS (12 degrees of bounce), 52SS (12 degrees of bounce), 54SS (13 degrees of bounce), 56SS (13 degrees of bounce), 58SS (12 degrees of bounce), 60SS (12 degrees of bounce)
See more comparison photos of the grinds in the gallery below.
Shaft and Grip
The Glide wedges have Ping’s new CFS wedge shafts, which use a single flex and 118-gram weight to deliver a low trajectory and stable feel.
They also have Ping’s new Dylawedge grip, which is 0.75 inches longer than the company’s standard grip to encourage golfers to grip down on the club for more control. There are markings on the bottom of the grip at 1.375-inch intervals to create three reference points if golfers wish to use shaft length to alter trajectory and distance.
At Address: Ping’s Gorge wedge (left) and new Glide wedge.
The grips have a larger outside diameter on their bottom half, which creates a more consistent feel regardless of where golfers position their hands on the grip.
“The great pitchers and chippers of the world grip down on the club around the green,” says Jertson. “It lightens the club up and gets the heel up in the air. When you give someone a longer grip, without telling them around the greens they’ll almost automatically do it.”
The shaft and grip changes further “lighten” the clubs. While the wedges have a slightly increased total weight of 13 grams, they have a lighter swing weight in the higher lofts. The Gorge wedges had a swing weight of D6 in the 58- and 60-degree models, while the Glide wedges have a stock swing weight that is a much more manageable D4.
Ping Glide Specs
Bubba Watson, who won the WGC-HSBC Champions in November with three Ping Glide wedges, uses a lob wedge with a swing weight of D1 to give him more control over delicate shots (click here to see all the clubs in Watson’s bag).
The Glide wedges ($140 steel, $160 graphite) are available for pre-order and will be in stores in mid February.
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the Glide wedges in our forum.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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shabby
Jun 3, 2015 at 12:58 am
The sound is terrible and so is the feel. Worst wedge I have ever played and the shaft options are a joke! All ping club heads may be ok but none of the shafts are worth a shot o p!
THONG
Mar 7, 2015 at 4:42 pm
I like them light but that’s me, I am thong!
jj
Mar 6, 2015 at 2:45 pm
Well, I’m starting to loose faith in Ping. Turning what was once real innovation to just sales gimmicks. This 60* TS glide looks ok but seriously lacks performance in spin and distance. What is worse is the stock shaft weight is so light it’s ridiculous as is with an upgraded shaft. I put a KBS TOUR in at 120 grams and it still feels like nothing. I will have to go back to DG S-300 to see what’s up but at this time I am ZERO impressed by this wedge. Stay tuned.
jj
Feb 24, 2015 at 1:38 am
I just bought a Ping 60 TS Glide wedge. First, my 60 is one of the most used in my bag and one of the most important in my scoring game. I have been through four 60* Gorge wedges and instead of a 5th I went for the Glide. I didn’t hit it in the practice bay, I can’t get a dam thing out of that with a wedge.
On the range I instantly found that the club was minimal on feel. I also found that on full shots, getting even 90 yards was impossible. I usually max out at around 107+ w/ my 60*.
For one, the club is WAY to light, at least for me. I never understand how Ping can offer only one shaft option and a 118 g at that. I guess high handicap’s may like it, but it’s just a dead feel with no feedback with the weak shaft.
I usually install a DG S-300 .25 over and 1* to 1.5* flat in my wedges and that extra weight is perfect. Iron shafts have gotten lighter and I went to a KBS Tour V in my irons from a previous S-300 because of left elbow problems, they feel very good with the cushion insert. They are still a little light at 110 grams, 115 with the cushion but very happy with the feel.
I returned the club at RD and ordered another direct from Ping with my preferred specs. I will know what’s really up when I get it back in a week or so.
Zedsded
Feb 17, 2015 at 11:59 am
How do you know what bounce you need? When every manufacturer makes a 10* bounce yet none of them are similar, how do you know what you really have (or need)? Seems like it’s pretty easy to figure out this system…
We look at bounce angles too much, cause bounce location has more to do with how a wedge feels/performs than the actual number. Numbers therefore are misleading. If you have a 10* bounce and the location is 3/4″ away from the lead edge vs. one that is 1/8″ away from the lead edge, those two wedges are going to play completely different, yet they are both 10* bounce? Archaic
Two things that don’t happen enough…fitting for wedges and putters.
B.Goodman
Jan 31, 2015 at 3:37 pm
How do they compare to the Ping Anser forged wedges?
B.
Jim
Jan 16, 2015 at 12:04 am
Any idea if Ping is going to offer customer stamping/engravings? Because that is a whole lot of blank surface on the back side of those wedges…
RocketShankz
Jan 14, 2015 at 11:00 pm
It may seem a petty complaint, but I just don’t understand why they insist on making the bottom groove a different color. Less is more.
nick
Jan 14, 2015 at 11:20 pm
they do this for the lie and loft machine it reads the white bottom line. so i was told by ping
JohnnyB
Jan 14, 2015 at 5:23 pm
Why is a D4 swingweight “more manageable” than D6? Why do most of the Ping staff pros carrying wedges with “less manageable” D6-D8 in the wedges?
Same thing with Ping’s irons. The I25 comes stock with a D0 swingweight while most other manufacturers comparable products come with D2.
Chip
Jan 13, 2015 at 10:30 pm
Some low bounce options would be nice….. PING seems to have never heard of them. Come on PING, I’ve been waiting for years!
Gary
Jan 13, 2015 at 11:12 am
Looks like a pretty good over all improvement over the Tour Gorge. The lighter swing weight sounds good. Nice looking Satin finish and I like the over all design better than the Tour Gorge. Hopefully the new groove design will increase the spin around the greens. I am pretty well settled into the Mack Daddy 2 wedges but this one would be worth looking at probably.
Shallowface
Jan 13, 2015 at 7:35 am
Karsten Solheim could have sold a lot more clubs in those early years if he had chrome plated them, but he didn’t believe it was necessary or beneficial. Of course, he was right.
But now, his “descendants” claim it adds playability.
Sheesh.
I am familiar with the term Hydrophobic. I’ve sat next to him on the bus.
Mike
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Does anyone on this site really believe they can tell the difference between 431 and 17-4 stainless steel when they hit a golf ball?
I believe this is pure B.S.
“The Glide wedges are also cast from a 431 stainless steel that’s softer than the 17-4 stainless steel used on the Tour Gorge wedges. The softer metal, combined with Ping’s new elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP), creates a noticeably softer feel at impact. “
Zak Kozuchowski
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Yes, they’re less clicky.
Patrick
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Zak, Mike may have a point that you’re missing. I would be surprised to hear that Marty Jertsen said there would be a big sound difference due to the metal. What are you hearing these metals do? Is 431 being deformed more than 17-4 on a chip shot? Is it deforming the golf ball differently? I would be shocked if 431 vs. 17-4, cast vs. forged, 1020 vs. 1025 has a noticeable effect on sound. The design of the tuning port, club structure, cg location, point of impact, golf ball choice, your surroundings, and the amount of wax in your ears would probably have more impact on sound.
Patrick
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:02 pm
*Jertson. Sorry Marty.
Shallowface
Jan 13, 2015 at 7:38 am
The ability to engage in “Suspension of Disbelief” is a major quality one needs in order to be able to enjoy golf equipment, especially today.
It’s the same quality that allows one to enjoy a movie. Or believe that Santa Claus or Professional Wrestling is real.
Mikec
Jan 12, 2015 at 5:46 pm
YOU CAN WHEN YOU PUT IT IN A LOFT LIE MACHINE — That accounts for a lot
Myron miller
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:26 pm
One major issue for me. I like my 60 degree to have very low bounce. I play a lot of tight lies from the fairway and like to use my 60 when I’m less than 75 yards. having the low bounce makes it very easy. With only 13 degree bounce that’s an issue (in fact that’s higher than my 56 SW at 12 degrees).
M
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:24 pm
Myron – Just try the TS – it will play very similar to other low bounce options from the other manufacturers.
Bounce numbers don’t tell the entire story as how the club will play.
Mnmlist Golfr
Jan 12, 2015 at 2:12 pm
“Water on the clubface, bro…”
Garbage
Jan 12, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Did they copy the grooves from Mizuno?
Gary
Jan 13, 2015 at 11:03 am
Seems like at least a couple companies (Callaway and Titleist for 2) liked the Mizuno idea of different groove designs for the higher lofts vs. the lower lofts to try to increase the spin on the higher lofts and not to have too much spin on the lower lofts.
Jim
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Great looking wedges. Much improved over the Gorge wedges. Intriguing design with multiple bounces and groove patterns too. Not sure they’ll get me away from my Vokeys but if they’re as good as other Ping clubs they might be worth a try.
Tom Noel
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Funny how much they look like a Gene Sarazen R-20?
Tom Noel
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Funny how much they look like a Gene Sarazen R-20 Wedge?
chuck stone
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:46 am
These pro line club prices are crazy. Its because the manufactures pay the pros too much to play them, may also be why golf is retracting..
JEFF
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:25 am
GLIDE??? SERIOUSLY???? How bout monkey nuts? GEEEEESH!!!
bradford
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Focus groups didn’t respond well to monkey nuts.
Jimmy s
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Well they could have painted them white put sldrs on them slots too oh dont forget lofting up and then called them SANDBURNER . No seriously ping never really uses hip names its always something different and understated it seems but the reason most people play thier stuff is that it just works function over form who cares what the name is as long as they go where you aim them right they look good cant wait to see what they feel like i own the tour gorges i like them about as much as i liked my cg15’s they replaced. Hopefully they are sandburner-ier or something like that lol