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Wedges: Now it’s personal

Titleist Vokey Design Spin Mill TVD wedges

Titleist Vokey Design Spin Mill TVD wedges

James Achenbach

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Several Titleist staff pros favor vivid paintfill colors on their irons and wedges. Rickie Fowler, for example, likes Cowboy Orange because of his days at Oklahoma State.

It didn’t take long for the general public to ask for personalized clubs, and Titleist has responded with new wedges under the WedgeWorks banner. Consumers will be able to choose from four toe engravings with 10 color combinations, eight grips, five shafts and four shaft bands, in addition to personalized and hand-stamped names or nicknames with 20 paintfill colors.

It isn’t all cosmetic. One of Vokey’s favorite grinds, called TVD (Tour Van Design), will be featured in this new WedgeWorks series. It will be available in lofts of 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 degrees.

photo

Bob Vokey grinds a wedge.

“This is something I have wanted to do for a long time,” Vokey said. “I’ve spent the last few years training some very talented people. We use them in our tour department, and now we will use them for these WedgeWorks TVD wedges.”

For the remainder of 2010, these wedges will be manufactured with a choice of two groove configurations – the larger aggressive grooves (chrome finish only) or the smaller condition-of-competition grooves (chrome or Oil Can Zero finish).

Beginning Jan. 1, all manufacturers will be prohibited from making the larger grooves, although retailers will be allowed to sell their remaining stock.

The new TVD wedges are part of the evolution of WedgeWorks, which was started by Titleist in 2008. At first, the company released special WedgeWorks editions of Vokey wedges, usually from 150 to 300 pieces, and usually they sold out quickly.

Now comes the extended program of customized options.

• • •

Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled TVD wedges

The skinny: The TVD grind is a first cousin of Vokey’s famous M grind. Avid golfers should note that the distinctive Oil Can Zero finish can be bent up to 2 degrees for loft and lie as opposed to 1 degree for chrome (because chrome plating can crack if bent too vigorously).

Cost: $150 for base wedge with Dynamic Gold shaft (upcharges from $15 to $25 for other shafts); additional $25 personalization package includes four stamped characters, manufacturer’s shaft band, eight grip options; additional $50 personalization package includes eight stamped characters, choice of four toe engravings, four shaft band options, eight grip choices.

Available: Immediate for larger aggressive grooves (chrome finish); late September or early October for smaller condition-of-competition grooves (chrome or Oil Can Zero finish).

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