Equipment
Nike’s new Engage wedges
Nike’s new line of Engage wedges, which were in Rory McIlroy’s bag at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Thursday, include three different sole grinds that suit three different types of play.
Left to right: Nike’s Engage Toe Sweep, Square Sole and Dual Sole wedges.
Master Craftsman Mike Taylor worked with Nike athletes to develop the three sole grinds — Dual Sole, Toe Sweep and Square Sole — each with Nike’s Modern Muscle technology that optimizes the center of gravity.
Related: Nike’s Vapor iron series
The Dual Sole grind offers two surfaces — one that is utilized when playing square-faced shots and another that comes into play when the clubface is open. The sole design was inspired by grinds that McIlroy and Tiger Woods have used and give golfers more versatility around the greens.
The Engage Toe Sweep is Nike’s second-generation Toe Sweep wedge, which has a sole with wide toe section and narrow heel area. The grind, which was used by McIlroy to win the 2014 BMW PGA Championship, is a help from poor lies, as the narrow heel prevents snagging on shots from the deep rough.
Nike’s Square Sole is designed to work best on full shots, as well as for golfers who mostly play square-faced shots around the green.
Each of the wedges have a raw finish and Nike’s X3X milled grooves, which have more volume and sharper edges than their predecessors.
They come stock with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips, and will be available on April 17 for cost $119.99 each.
Lofts and Bounces
Square Sole: (RH) 50-11, 52-11, 54-9, 56-9, 58-9, 60-9, (LH) 52-11 and 56-9
Toe Sweep: (RH) 54-9, 56-9, 58-9, 60-9
Dual Sole: (RH) 58-13 and 60-13, (LH) 60-13
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
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According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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It seems like the RBC Heritage is full of new gear to be spotted, and you can add TaylorMade’s P-UDI utility irons to that list.
We spotted a 17-degree P-UDI 2-iron in Nick Dunlap’s bag yesterday, and now have some photos of both the 3- and 4-irons. Nick has his P-UDI 2-iron setup with a Project X HZRDUS Black 4th Gen 105g TX shaft.
From what we can tell, this new P-UDI utility iron looks to have some of the usual TaylorMade technology as we can see the Speed Slot on the sole of the club for additional face flexibility. A toe screw is usually used to close off the hollow body design that will probably be filled with a version of TaylorMade’s Speed Foam that is present in the current iron lineup. This hollow body, foam-filled design should offer additional ball speed, soft feel, and sound, as well as an optimized CG for ball flight.
“Forged” is etched into the hosel, so we can assume that either the face, body, or both are forged for a soft and responsive feel. The club looks good from behind and at address, where we can see just a little offset and a topline that I would consider medium thickness. We don’t have the full details on what is under the hood or how many loft options will be available yet.
TaylorMade P-UDI 3-iron – 20°
TaylorMade P-UDI 4-iron – 22°
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
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- Collin Morikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (7-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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Divoteer
Apr 7, 2016 at 8:22 am
If you’re wedge game is lacking, then I highly suggest you take a slice of humble pie and grab a set of these. I am Ping guy but couldn’t swing their wedges and get what I needed. Picked up a set of these used and my wedge game improved instantly. Feel is also extremely good for a Nike wedge. They might look ugly, but I’ll take a superior wedge game over looks any day of the week.
Travis
Aug 9, 2015 at 10:18 pm
I had a set of vokeys 52 and 60s and my clubs were stolen. I loved them and felt like I could shape my shot easy and thoroughly brought my pitching game to another level. I bought a slightly used 56 Nike Engage wedge and I would say I like it more. I’ve only had it for 36 holes and Ive sank the ball in more than the vokeys combined (2years). Every hit feels amazing. I am so impressed with this wedge.
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Tom D.
Feb 3, 2015 at 5:17 am
Maybe these are the reason Tiger can’t hit a decent wedge shot any more!!?!
Dave
Jan 17, 2015 at 5:58 pm
LIES! Rory is using the VR Pro blades & wedges in Abu Dhabi ! Can clearly see on the TV.
Matt
Jan 22, 2015 at 9:34 am
Actually if you go back and watch a clip of his bunker shot on 18 on Sunday that looks like the new wedge. I agree that he still has VR Pro vs vapor for irons.
Steve
Jan 17, 2015 at 9:28 am
Ugggggggly
kess
Jan 16, 2015 at 5:50 pm
Barring the toe sweep, do they look like an angular eye2 wedge to anyone else?
Sam
Jan 16, 2015 at 11:23 am
April release date? That seems pretty far out, as a lot of other companies have already started to release their products for 2015.
I H8
Jan 16, 2015 at 10:49 am
The toe sweep grind is amazing. I have the current gen toe sweep and it almost feels like cheating it’s THAT easy to hit.
8thehardway
Jan 16, 2015 at 9:01 am
That’s the clearest explanation for a particular grind I’ve come across and the Toe Sweep grind looks dramatic enough to actually help people.
Do they come with club covers?
Bruce
Jan 16, 2015 at 3:53 am
Looks like somebody was playing with a 3D printer……fail..
adam
Jan 15, 2015 at 11:53 pm
I like ’em. I wonder how they compare to the forged wedges with X3X
Jon
Jan 15, 2015 at 9:33 pm
Too over the top and trying to be different. I’ll stick with my Miura’s.
Dave S
May 24, 2015 at 11:20 pm
Don’t lie, you don’t have Miuras.
Gogio
Jan 15, 2015 at 7:22 pm
They would have looked so much cleaner without the engage and loft stamped were it is. The Nike icon alone would have looked really nice and not like something I would find at Dunhams for $19.98. No I’m not a hater and i own plenty of Nike golf items.
other paul
Jan 15, 2015 at 8:50 pm
Clean is over rated. If you can’t see it address, why care?
Kurren
Jan 15, 2015 at 7:09 pm
Are they forged or cast?
Billy
Jan 15, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Kurren, they are cast.
bradford
Jan 16, 2015 at 8:24 am
you sure about that? Can you let us know how you know that?
Cwolf
Jan 18, 2015 at 8:10 am
I am also interested in finding out if they are forged. Thanks
austin
Jan 15, 2015 at 6:45 pm
I will stick with vokeys
Matt
Jan 15, 2015 at 6:43 pm
Meh
Don
Jan 15, 2015 at 6:22 pm
I have to admit, these look pretty sweet. But with the options for lefties so limited I feel cheated somehow.