The Year of the Wedge

[bobblehead]

Been seening Cleveland "the year of the wedge" ads about getting or stocking up on the lastest wedge before they stoping making them due to the groove change. Then while waiting for my girlfiend to get ready this morning...saw an infomercial with Dave Pelz promoting the Jesse Ortiz wedge and saying the same thing...stock up on these wedges before we stoping making them.

Is anyone listening to them?

I have to admit i did pick up a used CG14 wedge this year and i do notice a difference the zip grooves over my old V groove wedges. I assume the price of these square groove wedges will be coming down next year.

[LobWedge]

I wouldn't be too concerned about it. You'll probably see prices come down as they clear out 2009 stock, but if you've ever received a GT Leaderboard email, you know that happens like clockwork anyway.

Based on what I've seen so far, there's very little difference in performance between the old grooves and the new ones from less-than-perfect lies. And I challenge anyone to show me proof, with the naked eye, of any perceptable difference between the two when a ball is struck from a clean lie.

Where the rubber may meet the road is in the US Open where the rough is usually fertilized with a mix of HGH and KY, and the greens are replaced with painted concrete. Other than that, it should be status quo.

A year or less from now, this whole "situation" will be viewed as a tempest in a tea pot.

[SGH]

I agree that the difference is nominal, and likely mostly mental.

However, why are manufacturers not allowed to produce the wedges after this year? I could be wrong, but aren't they conforming for amateurs until 2024 (or something like that). Regardless of the exact specifics, they're legal, yet they won't be available to buy? I'm sure I'm missing something.

[Ruskie]

It's very difficult to measure the difference for us hackers, since we already produce an unpredictable range of shots from the same lie. As I understand it, the new grooves just make that range even greater on shots from the rough.

Weather or not it makes a real difference for the average golfer is debatable, but I'd think it would increase the occurrence of those inexplicable shots that feel solid but produce unexpected results.

I for one wouldn't go out of my way to get the old grooves, but it would be a consideration when buying clubs.

[Hearzy]

I love my CG12. I am looking to get myself the 60* here soon. I dont really notice too much of a difference from the 60* I have now and that for spin and such, I can make them both pretty much stop on a good shot without much roll, but the CG12 just feels so sweet with a good contact.

[davevandyk]

Ya it's not a massive difference from the fairway, maybe 5-10% loss in spin. The real differences are in the rough where it's upwards of 40% difference. I am def gonna buy the XFT TM wedge and a couple extra face plates. It's an amazing feeling wedge and instead of buying 2-3 wedges as $120-130, buy one at $150, then a couple replacement faces at $50.