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Nike’s new Engage wedges

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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.

Screen Shot 2015-01-18 at 10.27.35 AM

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

Screen Shot 2015-01-18 at 10.31.02 AM

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.

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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.

Screen Shot 2015-01-18 at 10.30.55 AM

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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He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

24 Comments

24 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Pingback: How to Grind on In-Line Skates | Rollerblading

  4. Tom D.

    Feb 3, 2015 at 5:17 am

    Maybe these are the reason Tiger can’t hit a decent wedge shot any more!!?!

  5. 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.

  6. Steve

    Jan 17, 2015 at 9:28 am

    Ugggggggly

  7. kess

    Jan 16, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    Barring the toe sweep, do they look like an angular eye2 wedge to anyone else?

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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?

  11. Bruce

    Jan 16, 2015 at 3:53 am

    Looks like somebody was playing with a 3D printer……fail..

  12. adam

    Jan 15, 2015 at 11:53 pm

    I like ’em. I wonder how they compare to the forged wedges with X3X

  13. Jon

    Jan 15, 2015 at 9:33 pm

    Too over the top and trying to be different. I’ll stick with my Miura’s.

  14. 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?

  15. 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

  16. austin

    Jan 15, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    I will stick with vokeys

  17. Matt

    Jan 15, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    Meh

  18. 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.

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

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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 Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.

From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.

Specs/ Additional Details

-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)

-Original Anser Design

-PING PP58 Grip

-Putter is built to standard specs.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

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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Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes

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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.

The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.

On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.

Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.

At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.

“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.

Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.

“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.

“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.” 

In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.

On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.

“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.” 

See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here. 

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Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage

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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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