Equipment

Products you need to know from the 2012 PGA Show

Published

12 years ago

Jan 30, 2012

Zak Kozuchowski

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.

Click here for more discussion in the forums

Want to write for GolfWRX? Click here for more information.

Your Reaction?

LIKE0
LEGIT0
WOW0
LOL0
IDHT0
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK0

Equipment

Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.

TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.

TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.

Can you see where this is going?

Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

TaylorMade PUDI

TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)

Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.

In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.

TaylorMade PDHY

TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).

Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.

Club Junkie’s take

Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.

For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.

PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?

TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:

PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family

Pricing, specs, and availability

Price: $249.99

At retail: Now

Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)

Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)

PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed

PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed

Your Reaction?

LIKE2
LEGIT0
WOW0
LOL0
IDHT0
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK0

Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Gianni Magliocco

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 Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

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

Your Reaction?

LIKE1
LEGIT0
WOW0
LOL0
IDHT0
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK0

Whats in the Bag

Richy Werenski WITB 2024 (May)

Published

20 hours ago

May 2, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Richy Werenski what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Houston Open.

Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist TSR2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 8 X

Check out more in-hand photos of Richy Werenski’s clubs in the forums.

Hybrid: Titleist TSR3 (19 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Hybrid 90 TX

Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 S

Check out more in-hand photos of Richy Werenski’s clubs in the forums.

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (54-M, 58-L @60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 Onyx (46-50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 Onyx (54-60)