By Zak Kozuchowski

GolfWRX Managing Editor

Big product releases are usually the draw at the PGA Merchandise Show, but there were a few lesser known products that generated a lot of buzz at this year’s event. Here’s three products you need to know about from the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show.

SCOR

Industry standards for iron lofts have gotten stronger in recent years. Yet wedge loft offerings have stayed nearly the same, leaving golfers with a problem. They don’t have a pitching wedge any more.

“Companies haven’t been making pitching wedges for a long time,” said Terry Koehler, president of SCOR Golf.

For that reason, SCOR produces a line of clubs with lofts from 41 degrees to 61 degrees, which the company hopes will help golfers fill the gap that stronger short irons create in their bags. To make things even easier on golfers, SCOR wedges are offered in only one sole grind, the company’s V Sole.

“We don’t believe in different options on grind,” Koehler said. “We build a low bounce into the main part of the sole so it will work from tight lies, and a very aggressive bounce in the leading edge so that it will perform from soft lies. The idea of custom grinding a sole for the vast variety of lies you could face in any given round of golf to me is pretty hard … your lies change continually. (Wedge designers) talk about fitting your sole to your swing type, well if you’re a really good player you vary your swing type for the kind of shot you’re trying to hit, and if you’re an average to poor player you’re not really sure what your swing type is going to be from swing to swing.”

The custom built golf clubs will be available at select fitting centers across the country, and  start at $149 for an individual wedge.

I hit the 44 degree model (the same loft as my Miura CB-202 9-iron) on the range, and was impressed with the club’s more compact profile and lower trajectory on full shots. On chips and pitches, the V grind proved very versatile, and was definitely an improvement over my 9 iron on smaller shots.

Swiftwick

SwiftWick socks were featured in our GolfWRX last minute holiday gift guide past because of the huge following the sock company gained on the PGA Tour in win 2011. At this year’s PGA Merchandise Show, I finally had the opportunity to don the company’s much hyped socks.

I squeezed my size 12s into Swiftwick’s Vibe Zero sock on Friday for day No. 3 of frantic coverage and the endless walking required from a GolfWRX staff member. The first thing I noticed was how snugly the socks fit around my heel.

All of Swiftwick’s socks are seamless, and constructed at a 200-needle standard, which means they provide compression throughout the entire sock without any friction points. My aching feet were immediately rejuvenated, like I was being given a foot massage as I walked the floor. My feet also felt cooler inside my sweat saturated Ecco Street golf sneakers. Since the fabric wasn’t slipping, my feet felt much more stable inside my shoe, a feeling that later translated into more stability in my golf swing.

The Vibe line is a litter thicker than Swiftwick’s thinnest socks, the Aspire line. And while I’m not usually a fan of thin socks, but I loved the feel of the Vibe and the Aspire, which I later sampled.

It wasn’t long before I returned to the Swiftwick booth for the Aspire 12s, a knee-high length sock that I hoped would give my ankles and calves the same treat mean my feet had just received. While I was there, I also picked up Swiftwick’s Performance Sleeves, which I thought was one of the most thoughtful products at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show.

I wasn’t disappointed by the performance of the Aspire 12s, and during testing days later I found Swiftwick’s sleeves to be perfect for cold weather practice sessions. The sleeves fit snugly from just above the elbow to the wrist, and provided warmth and compression without the straight jacket feeling of multiple layers and compression shirts. Like Swiftwick’s Aspire, Vibe and Performance sock lines, the sleeves are made of Olifin, a naturally moisture wicking fabric, which makes them playable in warmer weather conditions as well.

My personal favorite product from Swiftwick, however, is the company’s Pursuit sock line, which is constructed completely of merino wool. The socks cost a little more than the other models and are the thickest socks the company produces.

Swiftwick gives cotton socks a swift kick in the behind. Prices range from $9.99 a pair to $34.99 for the knee-high 12s. The sleeves are $24.99.

Putting Alley

The Putting Alley training aid is going to make you a better putter.

It works like this.

1. You place your ball in a small depression on one end of the 27-inch training aid.

2. You try to putt the ball down the raised surface without having it fall off.

3. You practice, and miss fewer short putts.

Check out the video below with Putting Alley Vice President of Sales, Tim Maloney. I couldn’t pull out my credit card fast enough to get mine.

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