Born from years of research and development as well as extensive player testing, TaylorMade Golf is proud to introduce the ATV (All-Terrain Versatility), a wedge created to offer golfers a simple choice to handle the multitude of shots and course conditions. With its strategically designed sole geometries, the ATV is the most versatile wedge in golf.

“Prior to the introduction of the ATV, the wedge is a piece of equipment that traditionally forces a player to sacrifice a certain shot type,” said Brian Bazzel, product creation manager for irons, putters and wedges. “The ATV wedge is engineered to perform beautifully on a multitude of different types of shots, including chips, pitches, sand shots, full shots from fairway, out of the rough, off hardpan, flop shots and bump-and-runs.”

The ATV’s sole design was designed with every curve, angle and edge serving a purpose to make the club more versatile. Significant relief at the toe, heel and trailing edge reduces resistance and changes how the sole reacts with turf and sand, depending on how the club is positioned at address and how much the face is opened. Each ATV sole is slightly different, depending on the loft.

Bazzel added: “You won’t find a bounce number etched anywhere into the ATV clubhead because the sole takes on different bounces depending on how you position the club for the type of shot you’re hitting, including where your hands are positioned in relation to the clubhead and depending on whether the face is square or to what degree it’s open.”

New Groove Design
The ATV wedge incorporates a new groove design created by the company’s R&D department that generates nearly as much spin as its previous highest spinning groove ever, the Z, outlawed in high-level competitions starting last year when the USGA reformed its definition of acceptable groove design. In addition, the flat areas between the grooves of the ATV wedge clubface incorporate a micro-texture that helps hold the ball to impart backspin.

www.taylormadegolf.com

Nike Golf is capitalizing on the success of its VR Pro forged wedges with the introduction of the highly crafted Nike VR Pro Forged Dual-Sole (DS) wedge.

Available on November 1, 2011, the Nike VR Pro Forged DS wedge is developed with a precise forging process, resulting in a wedge that offers accurate shot-shaping performance and a greater propensity for low scoring. Built for Nike Golf Tour athletes, the VR Pro Forged DS wedge features a Dual-Sole grind, ensuring ideal set-up from sand, fringe, fairway or deep rough.

The Dual-Sole provides two distinct benefits:

For normal square addressed shots, the sole has added leading edge bounce, but the trailing edge is relieved. This allows for utilization of the bounce, which helps to eliminate digging but reduces the contact area so the club glides through the turf. The Dual-Sole also prevents bladed shots.

For open faced shots, a unique relieved heel design comes into play when the face is in an open position. This allows the leading edge to sit low to the ball, especially on short flop shots.

The VR Pro Forged DS wedge features Nike’s high-frequency X3X grooves with a precision laser crosshatch pattern that is applied to the land area between the grooves. This pattern adds three times the surface texture versus conventionally finished faces, creating more spin in all conditions. With Nike’s X3X grooves, there are more grooves (20) that are closer together and deeper on the clubface, which provides more control and consistency in all conditions off of the clubface, while conforming to the USGA and R&A rules.

Availability: November 1, 2011
Finish Options: Satin Chrome; Oxide (NEW); Platinum (NEW)
Loft/Bounce Options: 56/16 dual; 54/24 dual; 60/13 dual (Available in RH)
MAP: $119.99

www.nikegolf.com

Titleist Vokey Design SM4 Wedges are the next generation of Spin Milled wedges from Bob Vokey, which made their PGA Tour debut at The Barclays. Recently, we caught up with Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill (Vokey’s right-hand man) at the BMW Championship to learn about out what’s new in the next generation of SM4 wedges, features, and much more. The Vokey SM4 wedges will be available at retailers in mid-November 2011.

www.titleist.com

[View with PicLens]

Nike Golf continues to lead in innovation with the addition of the new Nike VR Pro wedge to Nike’s successful VR Pro line.  The VR Pro wedges are developed out of a precise forging process resulting in a wedge that offers accurate shot-shaping performance.  The face of the VR Pro wedge is the most exact wedge face Nike has ever created.  From materials, to design, to construction, the VR Pro wedge is developed with true craftsmanship to eliminate variance and enhance control.

Each wedge face features more grooves, resulting in cleaner, more consistent ball flight and spin while still conforming to the new USGA and R&A rules.  With more grooves closer together and deeper on the clubface, the VR Pro wedge ensures more control and consistency in all conditions off of the clubface.  A precision laser crosshatch pattern is applied to the land area between the grooves.  This pattern adds three times the surface texture versus conventionally finished faces, creating more spin in all conditions.

Crafted for consistency that Nike Golf Tour Athletes demand, the VR Pro wedge utilizes a new precision-forging technique that immediately delivers the club to a near-finished level.  This precision-forging technique eliminates most hand work and ensures consistency and maximum performance throughout the set.  First, each iron face is milled to a perfectly flat surface.  The face is then carefully die-stamped, pressing grooves to exact specifications for extremely low variance and shot-making consistency.

The VR Pro wedge is already in the bags of Nike Athletes on the PGA Tour, including Stewart Cink, Anthony Kim, Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods.

Availability: April 1, 2011

Finish Options: Satin Chrome or Brushed Oxide RAW

Loft/Bounce Options:  48/10, 50/10, 52/10, 54/12, 56/10, 56/14, 58/6, 58/10, 60/6, 60/10 (Available in RH) 52/10, 56/14, 60/10 (Available in LH)

Nike VR Pro Wedge $119.99

The 2010 Open Championship seems like a distant memory, because it was won decisively by South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen. One of the reasons for Oosthuizen dominance was his short game and his Ping Tour-S wedges. We wanted to find out if Tour-S Rustique wedges lived up to their promise of control and feel, in the hands of an average golfer.

[View with PicLens]

Look and Feel
The Tour-S Rustique wedges have a nice vintage looking matte bronze finish, which will wear off over use, as it tarnishes naturally and rust over time, giving it a non-glare appearance. At address the both the 52 and 56 degree wedges setup nicely, but look more lofted than they are, which confused me at at first. The 52 setup more like a 56 degree, and the 56 degree setup more like a 60 degree wedge.

Made of 8620 steel the machined face of the Ping Tour-S wedges feature conforming groves and a single alignment line. The sole of the Tour-S wedges have been re-shaped to allow for more versatility in your shot selection, and making ability. The Custom Tuning Port (CTP) has been redesigned, which angles towards the back to expand the perimeter weighting for added forgiveness, and better feel at impact.

True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shafts and Ping ID8 grips round out the Tour-S Rustique wedges, which also come in a traditional steel finish. Overall, they are a  nice looking set of wedges.

Performance
According to USGA research, the average golfer hits the green in regulation 13 percent of the time from the rough. With such a low success rate from the rough, spin, control, and feel are very important in your wedges.

What I found from playing both the 52 and 56 degree Ping Tour-S Rustique wedges, is how much more you can feel your shots. I really liked how soft the Tour-S wedges felt on those chip shots and pitches around the green, providing immediate feedback. You can easily tell the difference from a well hit versus poorly hit shot.

Distance control and shot making ability are where the Ping Tour-S wedges shine. The 8620 steel machined face and conforming grooves produced a lot of spin on my shots from the rough and fairway. I also liked how well the Tour-S wedges glided through the sand and rough, with its re-shaped sole. The re-shaped sole made it very easy to utilize the bounce built into the wedges for hitting it out of the sand or deep rough.

Even if you don’t hit your shot flush with the Tour-S wedges, the CPT is angled back to expand the perimeter weighting for more forgiveness on those mishits, with less twisting.

Overall, the Ping Tour-S wedges are great set of wedges that provide excellent feel, shot making ability, and distance control. Even, if you don’t have the skills of Louis Oosthuizen, you can at least increase your percentages of hitting the greens in regulation.

Specs: 52 /12 degrees of bounce & 56/12 degrees of bounce

Ping Tour-S Wedge $119

Paula Creamer kissing U.S. Women's Open Trophy-Gene J. Puskar/AP

At famed Oakmont Country Club last weekend, LPGA superstar Paula Creamer teamed with Bridgestone Golf to capture the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open, her first career major despite battling a sore thumb and a golf course that yielded only a single under-par scorecard. Paula’s victory was also the first major victory for Bridgestone’s B330-RX the only golf ball designed for Tour performance on and around the greens, yet optimized for moderate swing speeds off the tee for better distance and accuracy.

Creamer used a deft touch and laser-like iron approaches down the stretch on Sunday to secure the title in convincing fashion, besting her nearest competitor by four shots with a tournament total 281 (3-under par. As a result of a rain-delayed second round, Creamer put her injured thumb through a rigorous endurance test, playing 23 holes on Sunday and a total of 52 holes over the weekend. For the week, Creamer hit an impressive 75% of fairways-in-regulation, ranking near the top of the field in that category. Further demonstrating the improved accuracy of the B330-RX, Paula managed 72% greens-in-regulation at Oakmont, which also put her in the top 10 of that category.

“Earlier this year we put Paula through an extensive ball-fitting,” said Dan Murphy, Vice President of Marketing Bridgestone Golf, Inc. “During the fitting we found that Paula was producing excess driver spin with firmer golf balls that actually limited her distance off the tee. We also discovered her swing was ideal for the softer new B330-RX. She began testing it and absolutely fell in love with it. Paula was a little disappointed that we didn’t have her trademark Sunday pink B330-RX but considering the results this past Sunday she might have a new tradition! We are really excited for Paula because we know how much this championship means to her. Having the first major championship title for the B330-RX is incredible for our brand, as well. The ball has had a great reception at retail since we launched it in March and this win will help continue that momentum.”

Low Am Also Relies on B330-RX Golf Ball

In addition to Creamer, Bridgestone Golf had 11 players in the field trusting its golf balls. In fact, the low amateur finisher at the event also relied on the consistent performance of the B330-RX golf ball in her T41st finish at Oakmont.

2010 B330-RX family of balls feature a street price of $42.99 per dozen

www.bridgestonegolf.com

Phil Mickelson: Secrets of the Short Game

Phil Mickelson is considered to have the best short game and known for making incredible golf shots from within 100 yards.  If you decided not buy the $49.95 two-disc DVD set Secrets of the Short Game, your in luck, because you have a chance to watch it on pay-per-view and on demand for the entire month of July for $19.99

About the Program

In this program the three-time Masters champion and winner of 34 PGA Tour events, including four major championships, reveals his unique philosophy on the short game, and provides detailed instruction in a variety of areas including: chipping, flop shots, bunker play and specialty shots. He also shares his most memorable short game moments and behind-the-scenes footage.

Phil Mickelson: Secrets of the Short Game will premiere Thursday, July 1 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT on pay-per-view via cable systems and satellite providers. The two-hour program was recorded in High Definition and will be closed-captioned (where available) and available throughout the summer. It will also be available on video on demand on many cable systems. The suggested retail price is $19.99.

“My ideas about the short game are very different from a lot of the instruction I see out there,” said Mickelson, “so it was a lot of fun to put this together with Terry and I’m very pleased with the way it turned out. The goal here is help golfers build a foundation so that their practice time directly correlates to improved scoring on the golf course.”

Commenting on two outdated chipping tips; that “the club should go back and through the same distance” or, that there should be “no wrist” in the swing: Mickelson states, “If anybody teaches you one of those two methods, go somewhere else. There is one great way to chip and it is a method that I call “hinge and hold.” There has never been a good chipper who does not conform to this technique.” The program focuses on all shots from 50 yards in, and includes sections on chipping, sand shots, and the flop shot Mickelson popularized soon after he joined the PGA Tour in 1992.

“This is the first time ever that PPV and VOD cable television customers will be able to access such high level instruction from a person of Mickelson’s caliber,” said iN DEMAND’s President & CEO, Bob Benya. “This step-by step tutorial provides the viewer with an unmatched bounty of valuable, in-depth instruction and analysis from Mickelson.”

I don’t know about you, but $19.99 seems like an attractive price for a 2 hour pay-per-view program in HD. Will you buy Phil Mickelson: Secrets of the Short Game pay-per-view next month?

Contact your local cable or satellite company for availability.

Japanese golf-club manufacturer Miura Golf-which has been making the world’s highest-quality forged irons for 44 years-announces the K Grind wedge.

Miura Golf K Grind Wedge

“We are very excited about the release of the K Grind wedge”, says Bill Holowaty, the VP of North American Operations for Miura Golf. “The unique sole design (each wedge grinded by hand) delivers uncompromised performance to your short game.”

The international golfing press has always used the words “from the hands of god” to describe Katsuhiro Miura’s forged irons. Could it be that the inspiration for his newest wedge came from his own hands? The sole of the new K Grind wedge is “fluted” which bears a striking resemblance to finger-tip impressions, or even human knuckles. These three channels reduce the resistance against the wedge in sand, thick rough, and even the fairway. The sole of the wedge moves with the grass instead of against it. The channels move around the sand instead of colliding with it. It allows the wedge to accelerate thru the ball with less effort in every condition to improve the odds of hitting a good shot.

Characteristics of the K Grind Wedge:

• Better results out of wet sand.
• Reduces the odds of “catching it heavy” on long bunker shots.
• Better acceleration on ½ and ¼ swings around the green.
• Digs it out of deep rough.
• Works great in normal conditions.

In addition to the K Grind wedges, Miura Golf’s product line also includes the CB-501 Cavity Back Model, Tournament Blade; MC-102 (Mid-Size Cavity Model); CB-202 (Cavity Back Model): CB-301 (Cavity Back Model); Wedges (Wedge Series and Black Wedge Series, each available in six lofts); Series 1957 Small Blade Irons; Y and C Grind Wedges; Blade and Classic putters (two models); Precious Edition Driver, Fairway Wood and Utility Wood.

Miura Golf’s corporate office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia and Miura Golf clubs are sold at the finest custom-fitting shops in North America. The Miura brand is marketed exclusively by Miura Golf Inc., in the United States and North America. More information on Miura products can be found at www.miuragolf.com.

Let’s face it, practicing your short game (wedges) in the winter is not an option for most golfers unless you live in a part of the country where you can golf year-round or have access to a golf dome. The key to any good short game is practice and ingraining the proper feel and feedback of your shots. How can you do this indoors without damaging anything inside your home or annoying your wife?

The Floppy-Indoor Golf Ball

The answer to this problem is a product I stumbled upon at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show called the Floppy, which is an indoor practice golf ball specifically designed for the practice of your short game, indoors.

How it Works
The Floppy is meant to be hit off a plush carpet or golf mat indoors. This might be a challenge for homes with hardwood flooring throughout the entire home. The unique Patent Pending design of The Floppy® gives the golfer realistic feedback. Because The Floppy® feels, rolls and spins like a golf ball. Each Floppy ball is hand-made and built to last through thousands of hits.

The Floppy® feels and reacts like a real golf ball but is safe enough to hit into a window or a wall. It offers realistic feedback and keeps your short game tuned when you are away from the course. Now you can have the freedom to practice your golf game when ever and where ever you like.

My Thoughts on the Floppy
My initial reaction to seeing the Floppy is it looked a lot like a hacky sack and I was bit skeptical about how good of a substitute it would make for a golf ball. Once, you get over the fear of hitting the Floppy into a wall or patio door, you’ll enjoy using it to sharpen your shot game. What I liked about the Floppy is the immediate feedback it gives you just like a regular golf ball, but without the risk of breaking anything indoors. If you skull your shot, the Floppy just flies across the ground.

The one thing missing from the Floppy is the sound and feel only a real golf ball will make hit perfectly in the sweet spot, but that’s a trade-off most golfers would be willing to make to practice their short game year-round indoors. Priced at $19.95 for 4 Floppy golf balls may put some people off, but that’s a lot cheaper than paying to fix a broken window or damaged wall.

Are you willing to give the Floppy a try?

www.thefloppy.com

Heavy Putter is known for its putters that feature a higher center of gravity and weighted shaft in the butt-end of the club,  that forces you to use your larger muscles in your putting stroke.

[View with PicLens]

At the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show, Boccieri Golf introduced its new control series of wedges, called the Heavy Wedge.

Why a Heavy Wedge?
Your short game is one area that you always need to practice to lower your golf score and so many things can go wrong. Taking the same principles of the Heavy Putter, by adding weight in strategic areas and manipulating the balance point  that will improve your wedge game.

The Technology of the Heavy Wedge
The Heavy Wedge, just like the putters feature a Back Weighting system installed in the grip end of the shaft. The 250 gram weight makes the head of the Heavy Wedge only slightly heavier than a conventional wedge. By making the head slightly heavier, you use your larger muscles in your swing for a more consistent and smoother swing.

This also raises the balance point by 37% on the Heavy Wedge, versus a standard wedge which is much closer to the hosel. The higher balance point produced by the back weighting system is the key to improving your body mechanics affecting the swing’s plane, tempo, transition, impact, and balance. The goal is better control and closer shots with your wedges.

Swinging the Heavy Wedge, I didn’t notice the increased head wieght. What I did notice, is how easily it allowed me to set my hands quickly on the takeaway and retained my angle of retention on the downswing and at impact. It would be kind of hard to flip your hands using the Heavy Wedge or break the triangle when chipping. I’d like to see how the Heavy Wedge performs in real course conditions and if it improves my short game in terms of contact and consistency.

The Heavy Wedge is available in the following Lofts/Bounce combinations: 52/08, 56/11, 60/04, 60/07 and come with FST Hi REV tapered stepless design 120 gram wedge flex shaft.

Would you buy a Heavy Wedge?

Heavy Wedge $109.95 available March 1, 2010