Equipment

The Wedge Guy: What are the best golf club innovations?

Published

9 months ago

Sep 5, 2025

With over 40 years of experience in the golf equipment industry, I have naturally paid close attention to the evolution of golf equipment throughout its modern history. While I’ve never gotten into the collecting side of golf equipment, I have accumulated a few dozen clubs that represent some of the evolution and revolution in various categories. Obviously, as a club designer myself, I ponder developments and changes to the way clubs are designed to try to understand what the goals a designer might have had and how well he achieved those goals.

Regular questions from readers about this innovation or that got me thinking about my own “hot list” of the most impactful innovations in equipment over my lifetime – the past 60 years or so — so let me offer this analysis up to all of you for review, critique, and argument.

Woods

I would have to say that the two innovations in woods that made the most impact on the way the game is played are the introduction of the modern metal wood by TaylorMade back in the 1980s and the advent of the oversized wood, pioneered by Callaway’s Big Bertha in the 1990s. Since then, the category has been more about evolution than revolution, in my opinion.

Irons

Once you get past the innovation in the 1920s to create matched sets of irons, numbered 1 through 10 or “P”, I think there are two major innovations that have improved the playability of irons for recreational golfers. The first is the introduction of offset to help the average golfer keep his or her ball flight from straying right. (But if you naturally draw the ball, this is NOT your feature.) The second would be the introduction of perimeter weighting, which made the lower lofted irons so much easier for less skilled golfers to get airborne. Again, just about everything since then has been tweaking, rather than re-inventing.

Putters

This is probably the most design-intensive and diverse in the entire equipment industry. Thousands of designs and looks in the endless pursuit of that magic wand. The first most impactful innovation has to be the Ping Anser putter, which has been copied by nearly every company that has even thought about being in the putter business. Moving the shaft toward the center of the head, at the same time, green speeds were increasing and technique was moving toward a more arms-and-shoulders method, which changed the face of putting forever. I actually cannot think of another innovation of that scale in the category, but lie angle balancing might prove me wrong, as it is certainly the “real deal.”

Wedges

Very simply, there hasn’t been much revolution in this category. The “wedges” on the racks today are almost identical to those in my collection dating back to a hickory shafted Hillerich and Bradsby LoSkore model from the late 1930s, to a Spalding Dynamiter from the 50s, Wilson DynaPower from the 70s and so on. The closest thing would be the proliferation of specialized grinds and the advances in CNC-milling that allow almost perfect grooves.

Shafts

Hands down, the most powerful innovation is the creation of the carbon fiber (graphite) shaft. After fruitless ventures into aluminum and fiberglass, this direction has improved the performance of golf clubs across the board. You haven’t seen a steel-shafted driver in a decade or more, and irons are rapidly being converted. Personally, I can’t see ever playing a steel shaft again in any club – even my putter! Behind that, I’d have to say the concepts of frequency-matching and “spining” shafts made it possible to achieve near perfection in building golf clubs for any golfer.

Wild Card

This has to go to the invention of the hybrid. After decades of trying to find a way to make clubs with 18-24 degrees of loft play easier, the application of every possible perimeter-weighted iron concept and smaller fairway wood head concept has finally been figured out by Sonartec and Adams. As a result, every golf club brand has now adopted this concept. Golfers of all skill levels are benefiting, as this is just a better way to get optimum performance out of clubs of that loft and length.

So, there’s my review of a lifetime of golf club engineering. What can you all add to this? What do you think I missed? I hope to see lots of conversation on this one.

Related Topics:featured

Up Next

Graphite Design launches new Tour AD FI “Flight Intelligence” wood shaft

Don't Miss

Callaway expands Apex lineup with new Apex UT, Apex UW, and Apex Ti Super Hybrid

Terry Koehler

Terry Koehler is a fourth generation Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. Over his 40-year career in the golf industry, he has created over 100 putter designs and dozens of wedges. In 2014, he put together the team that reintroduced the Ben Hogan brand to the golf equipment industry with his TK 15 wedges and Ft. Worth 15 iron designs. Since receiving a U.S. Patent for his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” in the wedge category. In addition to inspiring multiple companies to emulate this sole technology, the performance of his wedge designs have stimulated all other companies to reposition some mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges. Terry is retired from his role as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf, and remains active in the industry as an independent designer and consultant. But his most compelling work is in the wedge category. Since he first patented his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” reflected in ‘tour design’ wedges. The performance of his wedge designs have stimulated other companies to move slightly more mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges, but none approach the dramatic design of his Edison Forged wedges, which have been robotically proven to significantly raise the bar for wedge performance. Terry serves as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf – check it out at www.EdisonWedges.com.

9 Comments

Prime21

Sep 21, 2025 at 12:19 am

I think referring to the hybrid as a “Wild Card” is a total understatement. I would certainly say hands down it was one of the most important “revolutions” of the technology era. Higher, straighter & more forgiving than its counterpart, the long iron, it certainly revolutionized the top of the golf bag. If one was forced to carry a 3 iron over a 3 hybrid, their stats would definitively suffer the consequences. The 2000’s changed the way we look at the 190-240 yard barrier.

Reply Report comment
Richard

Sep 9, 2025 at 2:40 am

Wedges:

Sand Wedge by Sarazen, duh.

Lob Wedge (largely) by Tom Kite.

Reply Report comment
MIKE Gorton

Sep 8, 2025 at 7:27 pm

I would also say the Yonex Adx Driver would be up there. It was the 1st over sized head and 45″ was the standard length. In fact the Big Burtha was copied from this but instead of a graphite head it was a metal head.

Reply Report comment
Michael C Sims

Sep 8, 2025 at 11:04 am

Karsten was so ahead of his time. The Anser alone changed the game but couple that with eye2 irons and don’t forget his hoofer bags. Oh, made Scotty Cameron rich too.

Reply Report comment
geo

Sep 7, 2025 at 8:38 pm

The Nunchuk graphite shaft (Trizonal: stiff, counter balanced butt, flexible mid section and very stiff tip) utilized different wrapping techniques to achieve the exact amount of flex in the exact position of the shaft required.
Although heavier(dead weight) in the hands than many other graphite shafts; one shaft flex has been used successfully by youth, women and men, both am and pros.
Many shafts since patent expired, utilize the same techniques to customize stiffness and to counter balance.
Congratulations to the original patent holder, Gerry Hogan, author of
The Hogan Manual of Human Performance: GOLF, 1991.

Reply Report comment
Scott

Sep 7, 2025 at 12:54 pm

I’d say the two ball putter is pretty revolutionary in that it introduced a totally different way to line up the putter, and spurred the introduction or the mallet.

The sand wedge as invented by sarazen was truly revolutionary

Reply Report comment
Craig Gardner

Sep 6, 2025 at 7:06 pm

Ping Eyr 2 L wedge changed the game:)

Reply Report comment
mg

Sep 6, 2025 at 6:49 am

2004 – Todd Hamilton and sonartec. I bought 3 of those and loved them.

Reply Report comment
Brent

Sep 5, 2025 at 3:46 pm

Wedges did have some innovation with grinds and degrees of bounce, that’s something you wouldn’t see 20 years ago.

Reply Report comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Whats in the Bag

Christiaan Maas WITB 2026 (June)

Published

13 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold X100

Wedges: TaylorMade Prototype (50-SB09), TaylorMade MG5 (56-HB12, 60-LV07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400

Putter: TaylorMade TP Juno

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Check out more in-hand photos of Christiaan Maas’ clubs here.

Equipment

TaylorMade MySpider Tour and Tour X: More customizable build options now available

Published

13 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

TaylorMade Golf’s MySpider program underwent a substantial overhaul over the last month. Firstly, the company launched the option to customize the Spider ZT model, and now the program has returned with the MySpider Tour and MySpider Tour X.

The revamped page now gives golfers complete control over every visual and functional detail of their putter on the popular Tour and Tour X head, with every cosmetic idea thought of. In MySpider Tour, golfers can choose from four head finishes, 16 paint fill colors, nine Surlyn face insert colors, three aluminum insert options, six sightline configurations, and four hosel options — L-neck, small slant, double bend, center shaft. Six sightline options are available in MySpider Tour, including the optically engineered True Path alignment system. MySpider Tour X gives builders the option of four head finishes, four hosel configurations, and five sightline options, also including True Path alignment.

One of the more interesting features of the new MySpider program is the availability of three distinct face insert options. Along with the usual Surlyn Pure Roll insert trusted by Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, which can be customized from nine colors, golfers can now also select firmer options. Two are offered with the black aluminum Pure Roll insert, slightly firmer than the traditional insert, or for the firmest feel, golfers can choose from two colors of milled aluminum inserts.

Another fun addition to the MySpider Tour is the ability to use the “Tommy Sightline.” The custom alignment aid design, which was first drawn onto Tommy Fleetwood’s putter by PGA Tour Rep James Holley, is based on the milled sightline on his Spider ZT head. There are five shorter lines on the left and right of a longer central line serving as the traditional short line alignment aid.

See below for the full specifications sheet for MySpider Tour and Tour X:

MySpider Tour

MySpider Tour X

Equipment

Then and now: Comparing Rory McIlroy’s current setup to his record-breaking 2019 Canadian Open victory

Published

16 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

In Rory McIlroy’s first appearance at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, he crushed the record books to earn his 16th PGA Tour title in dominating fashion, winning by seven shots over Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson.

McIlroy’s score of 22-under-par 258 is the lowest 72-hole score to date at the Canadian Open, and his closing 61 is also the best final-round score in the history of one of golf’s oldest tournaments. Finally, with his win in 2019, McIlroy became only the sixth player to win the career Triple Crown, adding to his victories at the U.S. Open in 2011 and The Open Championship in 2014, joining Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods in a coveted list.

So, with that, why not compare his current setup to the clubs he used to break all the records?

Driver

2019: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees @8), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X (45 5/8 inches)

McIroy led the Tour in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in 2019; he’s doing the same in 2026. Between now and then, McIlroy has switched from the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX (a shaft with slightly more feeling in the tip) to the original Fujikura Ventus Black 7X, having just made the change to the heavier version from playing the 60X.

What’s interesting about McIlroy’s 2019 setup is that the weighting on his driver is actually set in the high-draw setting, using the T-Track weighting system, whereas in the Qi4D, he’s currently using a heavily rear-weighted setup. (Two 13-gram weights in the rear and only two 4-gram front weights.)

The TaylorMade M5 driver he played in during his Canadian Open win was the company’s first head that they claimed to design to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit, and then injected with tuning resin to bring it back in bounds.

Fairway woods

2019: TaylorMade M6 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX; TaylorMade M5 5-wood (19 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8X; TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood (18 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9X

The TaylorMade M6 fairway wood that McIlroy was using during the 2019 season is still in the bag of some of the best golfers on Tour in 2026. Just check out Justin Rose’s winning setup from the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. This year, though, McIlroy has still been searching for his top-end-of-the-bag setup, having played both the new Qi4D and the Qi10, which he won the Masters with.

The same shaft swap can be seen in the fairway woods as the driver, along with slightly less loft on the 5-wood.

Irons

2019: TaylorMade P750 (4) Buy here, TaylorMade P730 (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
2026: TaylorMade P760 (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0

The biggest difference between McIlroy’s custom set and the stock P730s is the groove design. While the P730s were constructed with 14 MX-9 grooves on their milled faces, McIlroy’s proto heads instead use the higher-spinning, 16-groove layout of the TW2 grooves. Other big differences between the sets are that McIlroy’s 7- and 8-irons have thinner toplines, are 1 degree stronger in loft, and are 1/4 inch longer than the original P730 builds.

With McIlroy’s 4-iron, the switch from P750 to P760 sees a transition to a two-piece construction with Speed Foam in it, which allows McIlroy to launch the ball slightly higher, with more workability.

Wedges

2019: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48-09SB), TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09SB, 56-09SB, 60-LB09), Shafts: Project X Rifle 6.5
2026: TaylorMade MG5 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB, 60-08LB @61), Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)

Between 2019 and 2026, McIlroy’s focus on his short game has been much more apparent. It was the reason why he switched back to the TP5 golf ball, to help with launch, spin and control with his wedges leading up to his career Grand Slam victory in 2025. The most apparent changes to McIlroy’s wedge setup are his lofts and bounce. He’s slowly delofted his pitching to a sand wedge, but has increased the loft on the lob wedge, bending his current 60-degree to 61. With that, adding more loft to his lob wedge also slightly increases the bounce and leading-edge sit point, so, as a result, he plays a lower-bounce lob wedge compared to 2019. The MG5 wedges are also softer than the first Milled Grind option from 2019. McIlroy also no longer plays the full-face grooves found on the Hi-Toe.

Putter

2019: TaylorMade Spider X
2026: TaylorMade Spider Tour X

Notice anything similar. Yes, the copper finish on Rory McIlroy’s Spider X putter in 2019 is a slightly more reflective finish than the recently released torched PVD finish. McIlroy was using the True Path alignment system, but now uses only a single white sightline.

Ball

2019: 2019 TaylorMade TP5 (#22)
2026: 2025 TaylorMade TP5 (RORS)

As mentioned above, McIlroy had transitioned from the TP5 to TP5x golf ball since his victory in Canada in 2019, but now is black with the same style of golf ball as his victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

Grips

2019: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
2026: Golf Pride MCC

Interesting, McIlroy actually used Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Cord grips during his victory in 2019 (it was during a 2+ year switch to the corded TV) as opposed to his usual MCC grips, which he has played for most of his career.