Golfweek

By JAMES ACHENBACH
Senior Writer

OAKMONT, Pa. – Vijay Singh, known for sticking new wedges in his bag before each major championship to take advantage of fresh grooves, was a trendsetter.

The reality of 2007: Many touring pros are doing the same thing.

Singh, who uses Cleveland wedges, has become even more of a wedge-aholic. He now replaces his wedges every two or three weeks during the season.

At the U.S. Open, equipment companies were busy building wedges for many other players.

“We are doing an awful lot of new wedges,” said Roger Cleveland, the chief wedge designer for Callaway Golf.

Popular among the Callaway players were X-Forged wedges, a new line that will be introduced to consumers in the fall. As part of the X-Forged line, Callaway will offer a standard 64-degree wedge for the first time.

“There is a lot of wedge activity this week,” said Bob Vokey, designer of the Titleist wedges that carry his name. “It’s typical for a major championship. Guys want more spin. I’ve also taken some bounce off quite a few wedges (to confront tight lies around the greens).”

Keith Sharbaro, vice president of tour operations for TaylorMade, agreed: “Wedges were by far the busiest thing for us.”

This wedge-hopping trend will persist for 2007 and 2008. A major change, however,
is expected in 2009 on the PGA Tour when groove legislation proposed by the U.S. Golf Association includes a provision for an important, if somewhat overlooked, condition of competition. Any tournament or sanctioning body will be able to enforce new USGA groove restrictions that are expected to be aimed at square grooves and sharp groove edges.

With the expected restrictions, new wedges will no longer provide a big spin advantage
over used wedges.

Looking into the Golfweek crystal ball, here is what probably will happen leading to the Jan. 1, 2009, condition of competition for grooves:

• The USGA will accept comments on its proposed groove legislation until Aug. 1.

• Sometime later this year, the USGA will announce its final decision on grooves. The clubface surface area occupied by grooves will be reduced so that today’s configuration of full U grooves won’t be permitted, and sharpness of groove edges will be limited.

• Current wedges will be grandfathered for everyday use and tournament play for 10 years, although the condition of competition will allow tournaments for “elite players” to require the new wedges in 2009. That’s what the PGA Tour is expected to do.

Because of the grandfather period, amateur golfers may flock to golf shops and retailers to horde the old wedges. The USGA will require manufacturers to switch to the new regulations on Jan. 1, 2010.

Wedges today can be made entirely with full U grooves, or box grooves. The new wedges, because of restrictions, will contain modified U grooves or even a combination of U grooves and V grooves.

V grooves take up roughly half the area of U grooves. USGA studies have shown that U grooves provide more spin out of the rough and wet grass, and this is the essence of the groove legislation – that skill, not equipment, should be the predominant factor in golf competition.

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A surge in hybrids: Many players at the U.S. Open were experimenting with or changing hybrid clubs.

“We have never been this busy,” said Josh Trivett, director of tour operations for Nickent Golf. “We went through our entire stock. We have nothing left.

“I’ve never taken this many 4-irons out of play. It’s like going to Bob’s Muni – all these sets start with a 5-iron.”

Said Ken Duke about his 20-degree hybrid: “Guys like the hybrids because they can hit them a little higher. I feel more comfortable, particularly on a course like this where you need to hit the club off the tee on some of the par 4s.”

Michael Block, playing in his first U.S. Open, used three hybrids: 15.5, 18.5 and 23 degrees.

Bob Gotfredson, vice president of sales for Sonartec, observed how much the hybrid trend has expanded since Todd Hamilton used a Sonartec Md hybrid in winning the 2004 British Open.

“Easier to use, more versatile,” Gotfredson said.

Sonartec soon will introduce a line of hybrids, with rails on the sole, to supplement the 4-year-old Md model.

• •  •

James Achenbach is a Golfweek senior writer. To reach him e-mail jachenbach@golfweek.com.



Posted: 6/24/2007

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