Equipment
Vega Looks to Capitalize on Golf’s Ultra-Premium Push
You know when an upscale steakhouse opens in your town, and no one wants to go because it’s too expensive? But then a ritzy Italian restaurant opens next door, and a high-end seafood restaurant opens next to that. Now the area is booming, and the original steakhouse’s prices don’t seem so outrageous anymore. Vega is that steakhouse in the ultra-premium golf equipment world, and it has its sights set on an uptick in reservations thanks to competitors with even higher-priced menus.
Vega got its start as the in-house brand for famed Japanese forging house, Kyoei, which has been manufacturing golf clubs for more than five decades. It was purchased by Professional Golf Europe (PGE) in 2012 with an agreement that PGE continue use the Kyoei factory to manufacture Vega’s one-piece irons. Its reputation is similar to Miura, a fellow Japanese golf equipment manufacturer. While Miura is significantly more popular than Vega in the U.S., it’s similarly perceived among its fans for its quality and attention to detail: particularly its one-piece irons.
“Up until this point, [Vega has] always been perceived as really expensive in the market.” “Now, all of the sudden, we’re half the price of some of the new brands.”
As in the restaurant example above, economics of the golf equipment industry have rapidly shifted in the last two years. Newcomer PXG stunned the industry with irons priced at more than $300 per club, two-to-three times the going rate. Even more stunning was the popularity of the clubs with golfers; PXG became dominant in the ultra-premium space. The industry took notice, and that’s what led things to where they are now. Titleist and Callaway have both made a push into the ultra-premium space with similarly priced products, while historically ultra-premium brand Miura is undergoing a rebrand and retooling its product line to enhance its appeal.
Vega’s new Alcor wedges sell for $260 per club in the U.S.
Despite the increased competition, the shift in the marketplace can be seen as an opportunity for Vega; not at the high end of the ultra-premium market that it once occupied, but in a new “affordable luxury” category that seems to be emerging. “Up until this point, [Vega has] always been perceived as really expensive in the market,” says Peter Lord, Director of Professional Golf Europe, the parent company that owns Vega. “Now, all of the sudden, we’re half the price of some of the new brands.”
Lord’s reference was to PXG, whose new 0311XF irons start at $350 per club, or $2800 for an eight-piece set. Golfers who want them in the company’s special dark finish will pay an extra $150 per club, raising the price to $4000 per set. Vega’s irons sell for around $2000 per set, depending on the model (Vega also sells a full line of metal woods, wedges and putters that the company plans to promote more aggressively going forward).
There are other reasons for Vega’s resurgence, particularly in North America. The first has to do with distribution. In 2016, Jennifer Gard of Eagle Golf Distributors purchased the rights to distribute Vega in North America. Gard, whose company also distributes Veylix shafts, felt that Vega was being undervalued by North American golfers due to a lack of retail presence and chatter. She didn’t see it as a product problem, although she and Lord recognized that there was an opportunity for Vega to add a new page to its menu, so to speak.
“All we’re doing is moving the balance point from old school, hand crafted to more of the tech side.”
Vega’s new Mizar irons and Alcor wedges are the first of the company’s new Star Line, which focuses on improved performance through multi-material constructions. It’s a completely new focus for the company, at least in irons, which had been focused almost entirely on one-piece forged designs.
The Mizar irons ($280 per club) are made from two main pieces: a forged club head that’s merged with a thinner, maraging forged club face. A tungsten weight is also used in the design of each iron to optimize the center of gravity of each club. It’s located inside the sole, and its location varies based on the club. Long irons have the tungsten weight in the heel, mid-irons have the weight in the middle of the club and short irons have the weight on the toe. “With Mizar and all future Star Line (clubs), all we’re doing is moving the balance point from old school, hand crafted to more of the tech side,” Lord says.
Vega will continue to offer what it’s calling its “Classic” VC line of one-piece irons, which are offered in a range of sizes to please traditionalists of all skills levels. They’ll maintain their traditional lofts, which is an area of sensitivity for many golfers.
The Mizar irons take a much more modern approach to distance. The stock pitching wedge loft is 42 degrees, which is 1-degree stronger than the 9-iron loft of Vega’s VM-01 and VM-02 muscleback irons. It’s not a total distance-first approach, however. Whereas many golf equipment manufacturers have focused on making the club faces as thin as possible in their distance-iron models to improve performance, Vega decided to make its Mizar iron faces thicker. They’re 3.5 millimeters in thickness, according to Lord, a design that maintains soft feel Vega is known for across the club face. “It’s less hot, but it still gives it forgiveness on off-center hits,” Lord says.
The Alcor wedges ($260 per club) are a one-piece forged design, but like the Mizar irons they have channels cut into their forged bodies that helped designers alter center of gravity for better performance. With the wedges, the aim was to push the weight higher and toward the center of the club to improve spin and feel.
Lord called Alcor “the first of a long-term strategy with wedges.” He also hinted that Vega will expand the Mizar iron lineup with a both larger and smaller model, although he says golfers shouldn’t expect to see them in stores for at least 18 months.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the Mizar irons and Alcor wedges in our forum.
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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
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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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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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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Francisco
Jul 1, 2017 at 12:39 am
Without doubt, one of the most versatile irons i have ever played. I play 6 hp and my last irons were Bridgestone j15 mb
jc
Jun 19, 2017 at 5:05 pm
how long before they are in the used club rack at roger dunn? in the mean time, I will keep hitting my pings rather than sell my house for a set of irons.
Bert
Jun 17, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Are these as ugly as the PXG irons? Maybe no, they look better to me. I’m not saying I like the look, but better than some club-head with a bunch of set screws.
Who cares if the club-head housing is forged, the face is all that strikes the ball and the face is forged. Ok I guess I’m confused. If the club-head is solid, then forging is great, but if hollow, who cares. I can’t see where being a forged head matters for these designs. Just more marketing gimmicks to lead you to believe these over the top priced irons are great.
Tom54
Jun 16, 2017 at 1:57 pm
The way I look at it go ahead and bring another premium club to the market. Will just be another one that I could care less about. That is one ugly club.
Gorden
Jun 16, 2017 at 8:07 pm
AGREE WITH YOU, IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY SETS OF PXG IRONS ARE FOR SALE ON EBAY, IF THEY ARE ALL THAT WHY WOULD SO MANY BE GETTING RID OF THEM…IF YOUR AN AVERAGE GOLFER EVEN A 15 HANDICAP OR MORE THE ONLY REASON TO EVER BUY NEW CLUBS IS YOU WANT THEM OR YOU WORE YOUR OLD ONES OUT AFTER 10 YEARS.
Duk Koo Kim
Jun 16, 2017 at 4:54 am
They look like golf’s version of the Edsel! Horrendous!
H
Jun 16, 2017 at 3:13 am
They used to be cool, but not any more
RG
Jun 16, 2017 at 2:24 am
Those irons make the Adams XTDs look good! Absolutely hideous clubs! If I see you playing those I am going to point and laugh out loud!
Ibo
Jun 16, 2017 at 10:36 am
Same here, ridiculous! xD
chinchbugs
Jun 15, 2017 at 5:13 pm
I can’t shank them till I have tested them….oh wait! Yes I can! Shank.
jgpl001
Jun 15, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Unbelievably UGLY
I don’t care how exclusive they are I wouldn’t pay one dollar for them
O
Jun 15, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Besotted gearheads must feel so inadequate, impotent, deflated, ashamed of their standard clubs which are being obsoleted semi-annually… and now the best technology is going into the ultra premium clubs. How can they live with themselves and their low class crap clubs?!!
Brandon
Jun 15, 2017 at 12:38 pm
TaylorMade has already ruined the golf industry.
Dat
Jun 15, 2017 at 9:01 am
Hideously bad. This ultra expensive push in the industry is exactly what will make the industry fail.
Cory
Jun 15, 2017 at 10:11 am
You don’t understand economics or how supply and demand work do you?
ROY
Jun 15, 2017 at 11:16 am
WHy will it make the industry fail – that like saying that Ferrari will make the auto industry fail. As long as the ultra priced items supplement the market and do not replace other areas of the market (which is what they are doing) then you should be fine.
Adam Crawford
Jun 15, 2017 at 3:03 pm
Exactly. These brands we’re hearing about that are the “Ultra-Premium” have been around for decades, quietly occupying a small niche market. Zak’s analogy is perfect. Casual golfers didn’t know they existed because the major marketing push has always grouping a few club makers into a category ($1k-1,500 for irons). But the fascinating thing about PXG is that they opened the flood gates and made people realize this market existed. These companies won’t have anything to do with the success or failure of the industry. They operate independently and don’t have to stock the shelves of 500 retailers so they don’t have capital tied up in inventory (which is where a lot of companies struggle with the bottom line), which means they basically produce them on demand.
doesnotno
Jun 15, 2017 at 8:48 am
Mizar irons, $280 each. Sweet.