TaylorMade Wins USGA Appeal on Wedge Face Plates

TaylorMade's new TP wedges with xFT (Exchangeable Face Technology) allow golfers to unscrew a face plate that contains the club's grooves and replace it with a new plate in about a minute.

TaylorMade had planned to sell face plates separately so golfers could play with fresh grooves more often, but the USGA informed TaylorMade in October that it could not sell face plates with the company's Z grooves—which will soon become non-conforming for professionals—in 2010. However, TaylorMade could sell a whole TP wedge with  Z grooves and face plates with a conforming groove.

TaylorMade appealed the ruling, and on Wednesday the USGA reversed itself, saying that TaylorMade will be able to separately sell Z-groove face plates, which will cost about $45, in 2010.

Dick Rugge, the USGA's senior technical director, refused to comment on the case on Friday morning.

Before the ruling was announced, Benoit Vincent, TaylorMade's chief technical director, said the root of the USGA's initial dispute wasn't with the interchangeable face technology. In his mind, the real question the USGA had was, "Are the additional faces that might be sold in 2010 a threat to the clean-up goal that the rules [and deadlines for implementation] intrinsically have?"

According to Vincent, the USGA is hoping that wedges and other clubs with U grooves will naturally start coming out of amateur golfers' bags as they get worn out. By the time weekend players need to start using the conforming V grooves in 2024, it is hoped that the vast majority would already be replaced with equipment that conforms to the new guidelines.The interchangeable face plates, presumably, would make it possible for golfers to stockpile non-conforming grooves.

TaylorMade will not be able to sell or ship wedges or face plates that contain non-conforming grooves after December 31, 2010. However, pro shops and retailers will be able to sell their remaining inventories until they are depleted.

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Ask the Expert: Roger Cleveland Answers Your Questions

Roger Cleveland, Callaway Golf's resident wedge expert, is the man behind the company's Mac Daddy grooves and X Series wedges. He also makes the short-game tools of choice for staff players like Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.

In the first interview in our new Ask the Expert series, you get to be the reporter. Submit your questions for Roger Cleveland in the comments area below and check back with The Shop over the next few days to read his answers.

If you'd like to see a video of Cleveland explaining what makes the new Callaway X Series JAWS wedges unique, click here.

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Titleist Releasing New Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C Wedges

Looking down in the address position, the new Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C wedges appear virtually identical to the Spin Milled wedges that have been on the market for the past several seasons. The photo on the right shows a 56° Spin Milled C-C wedge on the right, and a 56° Spin Milled wedge on the left.

However, new C-C  models have been created to conform to the USGA's new grooves regulations. Hence the C-C, which stands for "Condition of Competition."

In 2010, Titleist plans to sell both the larger, sharper-grooved Spin Mill wedges that are currently available, as well as the new C-C version. Where the big-groove version features a red saw-blade design on the toe, the new C-C wedges have a gold saw blade and a "C-C" on the hosel.

Spin Milled C-C wedges will come with a sticker on the face that says, "This Vokey Design wedge conforms to the new 2010 USGA/R&A groove rule and can be used in events that adopt the new rule as a Condition of Competition."

The company says that, in general, the new Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C wedges will produce higher launch, less spin and more run-out than previous generations of Spin Milled grooves.

The Spin Milled C-C wedges are made from soft 8620 carbon steel. With CNC-machined faces, each wedge has grooves that are precisely cut to the new USGA specifications. Then a series of milled micro edges are cut into the face—just like on the previously-released Spin Milled wedges—to create more friction.

"In reaction to the new groove rules we improved our Spin Milled process," Dan Stone, vice president of research and development for Titleist golf clubs, said in a statement. "We created a new cutting tool that allowed us to tighten our groove manufacturing tolerances by more than 40 percent.  With the new rules calling for a reduced edge radius and effectively less groove volume, we improved our process to get as close to the limits as possible."

The Spin Milled C-C wedges will be available in lofts between 48° and 64°, with several bounce options, for $125.

Looming Wedge Rules Create Key Dates for Golfers

Readers of The Shop know that the USGA has recently made some sweeping changes to the rules governing grooves in clubs with a loft of 25° or more. In a nutshell, the governing body of the game in the United States, Canada and Mexico has decided that the grooves on these clubs must be made smaller in volume and have edges that are less sharp.

(If you are interested in reading the USGA's announcement regarding the rule changes, click here.)

However, the rules kick in for different players at different times. Here are the keys dates:

JANUARY 1, 2010
All products submitted to the USGA for approval must contain the new, conforming grooves.

PGA Tour players, and golfers who try to qualify for PGA Tour events, will need to use equipment that has the new grooves starting on this date. Golfers who compete in the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open will need to use clubs with the new grooves as well. However, the USGA has ruled that golfers may use the older, non-conforming grooves at local qualifying tournaments for these events. At the sectional qualifying level, the new conforming grooves must be used.

JANUARY 1, 2011
This is a key date for weekend players because manufacturers will have to stop making and shipping clubs that contain the larger, sharper grooves.

This is why we've been reporting on so many new wedges recently; companies are scrambling to get high-spin clubs into the marketplace while they still can. Still, it's important to note that retailers will be able to sell any clubs they have in stock, even those with nonconforming grooves.

Amateur players who value spin may want to stock up before this date. Once supplies are gone, that's it.

JANUARY 1, 2014
All USGA and R&A championships will require competitors to use the newer, conforming grooves.

JANUARY 1, 2020
The USGA has said that it will evaluate the effects of the groove rules no sooner than this date.

JANUARY 1, 2024
As things stand now, this is the date when the vast majority of the world's golfers will have to start using the new grooves. Before this date, golfers will be free to play with the older, larger grooves, even in rounds used for handicap purposes.

TaylorMade Releasing Interchangeable-Face TP Wedges

Most golfers buy new wedges when the grooves in their old wedges have worn out, producing inconsistent results and making it tough to stop the ball quickly.

TaylorMade will soon offer an easier, and less expensive, way to get new-groove performance. Known for its adjustable r7 and R9 woods, the company's new TP wedges with xFT, short for  Exchangeable Face Technology, offer a new innovation in the market: replaceable face plates.

By using a torque wrench that is identical to the one that comes with the R9 driver, players can remove the face plate and screw in a new one with fresh grooves. Presto! In effect, you have a new wedge. The whole procedure can be done in about 60 seconds.

For professionals and amateurs who have custom grinds on the heels or toes of their wedges, being able to replace just the grooves could mean less time tweaking new wedges.

The new TP wedge will also offer an elegant solution to new USGA groove regulations. They will come with a Z groove plate that offers maximum spin and can be used by most golfers until 2024. A ZTP groove plate, which conforms to the new USGA regulations that go into effect Jan. 1, 2010, will be sold separately. The faces will cost $39 each.

Available in even-numbered lofts between 50° and 60° (as well as 64°), the TP wedges have a classic teardrop shape, several bounce options and come standard with KBS High-Rev shafts.

The new TaylorMade TP wedges will be available in October for $129.

Callaway Releasing New X Series JAWS Wedges

Roger Cleveland, Callaway Golf's wedge designer, wants to put as much spin into your short game as possible.

To do that, Callaway is set to release the new X Series JAWS wedge in early November.

Like previous X Forged wedges, the JAWS models will feature Phil Mickelson-inspired Mac Daddy grooves, which Cleveland says are as large and sharp as USGA rules allow.

"The capacity of the grooves, the width, is the max," Cleveland said. That helps to wick away moisture and debris, which should help the groove edges bite into the ball more effectively for increased spin.

Professional golfers and elite amateurs who attempt to qualify for events like the U.S. Open will not be allowed to use wedges with Mac Daddy or other high-spin groove patterns starting on Jan. 1, 2010. Weekend players, however, can use wedges like the Callaway X Series JAWS until 2024, even during rounds played for handicap purposes.

The new JAWS wedges, like their predecessor X Forged wedges, come standard with a C grind along the sole. This means that some of the bounce (the flange that dips below the level of the leading edge) in the heel and toe areas has been removed to create a C-shape along the bottom of the club. This process makes it easier to open the face and use the clubs effectively from tight lies.

The new JAWS wedges will be available in both a chrome finish and a darker "vintage" tone that will naturally wear in spots where shots are often struck. The wedges will be available with steel shafts and 85- or 95-gram graphite wedge shafts made by Fujikura.

Below is a video of Cleveland talking about the new X Series JAWS wedges, which will retail for $119.

The Most Important Golf Club in Your Bag

During the PGA Championship, I wrote about the new Nike Method family of putters and the new Scotty Cameron California line of putters. Several readers wrote that $250 or $300 is too much money for a putter. Others pointed out that during a typical round, an amateur player might use his or her putter 28-35 times per round.

I e-mailed several GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teachers and asked them the following question: What is the most important/valuable club in a weekend player’s bag? 

Here's what they wrote:

Brian Mogg, coach of Y.E. Yang and director of the Brian Mogg Performance Center at Golden Bear Golf Club at Keene's Point in Windermere, Fla.
The putter is the most important/valuable club in the bag. However, the actual cost to the manufacturer to build a putter is much less than a large-headed driver with a graphite shaft. Your putter is vital and important and worth every penny if it works, but proportional to what it costs to make it should also be looked at.  This is why $250 seems high-priced for a putter.

Mike Bender, coach of Zach Johnson and master instructor at the Mike Bender Golf Academy at Timacuan Golf Club in Lake Mary, Fla.
Without a doubt, the most important club in the bag is the driver.  Have you ever heard of a golfer incurring a penalty on a putter? If the average amateur golfer hit to his typical distance, but you put him in the middle of every fairway, he'd better his handicap by a mile.

When I was playing the PGA Tour, officials had just started to keep detailed stats, and the No. 1 putter was Morris Hatalsky. For being the best putter, he was nowhere near the top of the money list. But guys like Greg Norman, Tom Kite, Bruce Litsky, Nick Faldo, and Mark O'Meara were, and none of them could be considered great putter like Ben Crenshaw, Lorin Roberts and Brad Faxon.

The saying should be putt for show and drive for dough.

John Elliot, director of golf instruction at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in Ocala, Fla.
The question can be answered a couple of different ways depending on the word valuable. Valuable can mean most expensive, which would be your driver, or most valuable can mean the club that has the most influence on your score, which is your putter.

Mike Perpich, River Pines Golf Club in Alpharetta, Ga.
"For the weekend golfer, the wedges are the most important clubs. The 52°, 56°, and 60°. Stats show that even the best putters in the world only make about 15% of their putts from 15 feet, so pitching and chipping the ball closer when you miss the green is a big deal. Since most club players are only going to hit four to six greens per round, pitching and chipping the ball well is absolutely critical."

Steve Bosdosh, The Members Club at Four Streams in Beallsville, Md.
A 24° hybrid is the answer for average golfers. They will putt about the same regardless of putter and slice drives with a $500 titanium driver or an old persimmon model. But get them to use a 24° hybrid in place of fairway woods and long irons and most golfers will get down the fairway faster and near the green in fewer strokes. All else being equal, that will help them shoot lower scores.

So as you can see, while no one disputes the importance of good putting, there is plenty of debate over which club is the most important in your bag, even among the experts. So what's your view? What is the single most important golf club to you? Write your answer in the comments area below.

A crafty and legal plan to handle new groove rules

In the August issue of Golf Magazine, Rob Sauerhaft, Managing Editor (Equipment), gave a simple explanation of the upcoming groove rule changes:

"The cross-sectional area must have a smaller width and depth, and groove-edge sharpness must be rounder than current U-grooves."

Notice that Rob did not say that grooves must be V-shaped. Many manufacturers will likely continue to make U-shaped grooves in clubs with more than 25 degrees of loft, but the "new" U-grooves will simply be smaller with edges that are less sharp.

Rob went on to explain that starting in 2011, companies will only be able to make clubs with the new grooves. Companies can continue to sell wedges with current grooves through the end of 2010 as long as the wedge was introduced to the market by the end of 2009. For this reason, several brands are expected to hurry and get new wedges — with the larger, sharper groves — to the marketplace by the end of this model year so they can continue to sell them in 2010.

Rob offered several options for casual players: "Stick with your current wedges; stock up on wedges that feature existing U-grooves; or switch to wedges with new-for-2010 grooves that produce less 'bite' on shots from the rough."

I can use all the help I can get around the greens, so I plan to test lots of different wedges in the coming months. I'm going to ask friends what they like, go through a wedge fitting on a launch monitor ... everything! Then, while the selection should still be good, I'll buy two new gap, sand and lob wedges and stash all six clubs in a closet.

Money is tight for everyone (trust me, my wife and I just celebrated the arrival of our second child, I know), but I figure with relatively new wedges in my bag now, and two sets of back-ups, I'll be set with big-grooved, sharp wedges until 2012 or 2013.

Are you planning to buy a few wedges before the rule changes go into effect? Let me know in the comments area below.

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Bob Vokey on wedges and water at Bethpage

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — I had a chance to chat briefly with Bob Vokey, Titleist's wedge designer, Monday afternoon at Bethpage. With rain in the forecast for later this week, I asked him how water affects the performance of wedges in the rough. Play the video below to see his answer.

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High-Spinning Davis Love weighs in on grooves issues

It's always interesting to talk with a Tour player who relies on older, battle-tested equipment. Davis Love is that kind of player.

"I'm trying to hit it lower, and with less spin, on everything," he told me recently.

For that reason, Love uses a classic muscle-back blade, the Titleist Forged 680. The old-school clubs are about as forgiving as a Rottweiler, but they give the pure-hitting Love the ability to shape shots and control his ball flight effectively.

"I test stuff for [Titleist] all the time because they want my feedback," he said. "But the guys are honest, and don't say to me, 'Hey Davis, we could sell more AP2s if you would play them.'"

Like every other pro on Tour, the looming rule changes on grooves are on Love's mind these days. He has started testing clubs to see how his game will be affected, but the winner of the 1997 PGA Championship is in a unique situation. 

"I'm going to lose less [spin] than a lot of other guys," he said. "I don't play with the Vokey Spin Milled wedges, I play the regular wedges. And in fact, Vokey grinds mine down to make the edges less sharp. My wedges produce about 20% less spin than in most guys'."

For this reason, Love will not have to make as large an adjustment as lower-spinning players who have relied on U-grooves to help them.

"It'll be like when I first came out, when everybody had V-grooves," he said. "It's hard for the USGA to look back, but what we're doing is going back about 20 years."

Because Love spins the ball so much, it might seem odd that he chooses to carry a 17° hybrid club. Hybrids and rescue clubs typically launch shots higher than irons. But Love said that his Titleist 909H is the first hybrid that he can hit either high or low, so it has earned a spot in his bag.

Here is a complete list of Davis Love's golf clubs:

DRIVER: Titleist 909D3 (8.5°) with UST ProForce V2 X 76 shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist F305 Prototype (13°) with UST ProForce V2 X 86 shaft
HYBRID: Titleist 909H (17°) with UST ProForce V2 Hybrid X 104 shaft
IRONS: Titleist Forged 680 (3-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X-100 shafts
WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design (55°, 60°)
PUTTER: Scotty Cameron for Titleist 009 Newport
BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

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