Jjmorris
Will Post for Thanks
Awesome work fella that was a great review IHWT.
CB, I've been waiting for some 588 and ATV matxhup
CB, I've been waiting for some 588 and ATV matxhup
TaylorMade ATV Wedges Review - Forum Testing
Mark
Active member
I do not know how to take that. My xft's are out, so yes you have a point. The ATV's are getting a great workout. I observed that yes the bag chatter dings the xfts up, but the everyday wear shows pretty quick on the ATV. That is fine by me, I want them to look really used on that face, probably means they are doing what their supposed to. Yes I am nitpicking, it is hard to find a reason to look at new wedges. I feel so empty not yurning golf clubs.
Mr. Satchmo
urielsatchmoortegaMR.Jinx
I do not know how to take that. My xft's are out, so yes you have a point. The ATV's are getting a great workout. I observed that yes the bag chatter dings the xfts up, but the everyday wear shows pretty quick on the ATV. That is fine by me, I want them to look really used on that face, probably means they are doing what their supposed to. Yes I am nitpicking, it is hard to find a reason to look at new wedges. I feel so empty not yurning golf clubs.
What I noticed was that i had the xFTs almost new for about a month and i used them at least twice a week and during normal play I didn't see too much wear, I notice that the xFTs are much softer and get banged up much easier and faster from bag chatter but on the course, they don't dent really easily-strange-Now the ATV-I've had it for maybe 3 weeks and I have significant face and sole wear as well as nicks in the leading edge. which is all from normal play about twice a week, but in the bag, they have not seen many dents from bag chatter, I found this really weird but like a fellow tester said above, satin finishes tend to show more scratches and the xFTs are a little more shiny on the face and sole from what I see at least and the ATV has more damage and looks uglier after the same amount of rounds, but it gets the job done even when it's wounded.
So im looking at buying these tomorrow but have a question. My current set up is 50, 54, 58. With a 45 PW. I see everyone talking about the 56. Is there a secret to the 56 as opposed to a 54 and 58, or is it mainly just preference.
Dan
DL
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 using tapatalk 2
Dan
DL
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 using tapatalk 2
Ole Gray
Mayor of the Woodshed
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2008
- Messages
- 31,292
- Reaction score
- 100
- Location
- Watkinsville, Georgia
- Handicap
- Average
All the testers got the 56 wedge for reviewing so that is what the 56 love is about. I actually prefer the 50, 54, & 58 setup however for testing purposes, I will stay with the 56 until we are finished.
INHWT -- Man you are hotter than a two dollar pistol with your reviews. I loved looking at the videos and you definitely are showing the forum how well the ATV wedge works from various positions. I usually take my videos with our flip cam however it would be cool to do it with an Iphone as well. I'm just not sure how you would position it without someone assisting you. I guess you could set it on top of a golf cart or something. Anyways great work partner!
You beat me to it, the videos come out a lot better that way.
INWT, I enjoyed reading that and watching the videos. I'd kill to strike it like you. Love the simple versatility you are getting from the wedge just with some subtle changes in each shot. It's no wonder you want to add another one to your arsenal.
Pure character. They are tools
The XFTs did stand up to wear quite well and you always had the face swapping that could be done if the grooves wore down.
Is it something visually you can see on the face.
To the testers...
1. How is the glare on the face when the sun catches it just right?
2. If you could have another finish on them, what would you go with, or are you happy with the finish?
Ole Gray
Mayor of the Woodshed
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2008
- Messages
- 31,292
- Reaction score
- 100
- Location
- Watkinsville, Georgia
- Handicap
- Average
Pure character. They are tools
The XFTs did stand up to wear quite well and you always had the face swapping that could be done if the grooves wore down.
Is it something visually you can see on the face.
To the testers...
1. How is the glare on the face when the sun catches it just right?
2. If you could have another finish on them, what would you go with, or are you happy with the finish?
Biggsy --
(1) I personally don't notice any glare but I am about half blind anyway. I am sure the chrome could have a reflection but it's not a problem for me.
(2) I think these wedges would look really good in an all satin finish! They would match up very well with my RBZ irons
Pure character. They are tools
The XFTs did stand up to wear quite well and you always had the face swapping that could be done if the grooves wore down.
Is it something visually you can see on the face.
To the testers...
1. How is the glare on the face when the sun catches it just right?
2. If you could have another finish on them, what would you go with, or are you happy with the finish?
Biggsy, the face has a satin finish on it so there is no glare issues at all. And it seems we were the one market that got chrome for some reason while most others got a darker charcoal type finish. It looks awesome and 1000x better IMO. With all the darker finishes being so popular I'm not sure why we got chrome but id pick a darker finish all day.
Darren K.
Pittsburgh Panther
Definitely keep the satin finish only. I think it's such a crisp, clean look for wedges. I got my CG14's in black, and immediately regretted it. I like these much better in terms of aesthetics, especially.Pure character. They are tools
The XFTs did stand up to wear quite well and you always had the face swapping that could be done if the grooves wore down.
Is it something visually you can see on the face.
To the testers...
1. How is the glare on the face when the sun catches it just right?
I see everyone else saying they have no glare issues, but I most definitely had them. First day out I was telling my friend how much glare I was getting as the day went on. It's not a huge issue though, because I don't need to keep my eyes on the club the whole time.
2. If you could have another finish on them, what would you go with, or are you happy with the finish?
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
Biggsy, I'm plenty happy with the combination chrome/satin finish at this point. Yet to see any glare issues here and wear patterns seem pretty even and natural, I'm not a fan of the darker wedge finish generally.
InHartWeTrust
Ball Go Far.
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2012
- Messages
- 3,721
- Reaction score
- 23
- Handicap
- 4-5ish
Thanks for the pointers on the videos, gents. I will def be doing vidoes that way going forward....these vid's looked AWESOME on my phone, but pretty weak when I got home and uploaded them to YouTube. An hour and 20 points to make/type up/organize the post, and the thing I took away from it all was the fact I was disappointed in the videos haha.
Also, thanks for the props on the post. Glad you all are enjoying following along.
1. There is none at all, the satin takes care of this.
2. I would go with black, but only because I've never had black and it's what I was leaning towards before I caught wind of the ATV's and ultimately fell in love with them. That said, I really do love the look of this wedge...it is the best mix of bag appeal (chrome) and functionality (satin at address) IMO. If they had black as an option though, I probably would've went with that just for something new.
Also, thanks for the props on the post. Glad you all are enjoying following along.
Pure character. They are tools
The XFTs did stand up to wear quite well and you always had the face swapping that could be done if the grooves wore down.
Is it something visually you can see on the face.
To the testers...
1. How is the glare on the face when the sun catches it just right?
2. If you could have another finish on them, what would you go with, or are you happy with the finish?
1. There is none at all, the satin takes care of this.
2. I would go with black, but only because I've never had black and it's what I was leaning towards before I caught wind of the ATV's and ultimately fell in love with them. That said, I really do love the look of this wedge...it is the best mix of bag appeal (chrome) and functionality (satin at address) IMO. If they had black as an option though, I probably would've went with that just for something new.
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
ATV Wedge Testing
July 11th, 2012
Grand Island, Ne
Temps mid 80's 15 mph winds
Well the testing continues, although things have progressed into more of a competition to see which wedge will stay in my bag after the process ends. I'm seeing lot's of great attributes to the ATV wedge and very few negatives for my game, however my previous wedges were fully capable of doing many of the same things. To be honest I see areas where both 56* wedges dominate over the other, so figuring out which of the two fit more of the shot types I like to play and which of the two can simply help carve the most strokes off my score card is a bit daunting in a good way.
Over the last 3 times out I have attempted to narrow the lines between these two in several ways such as playing 9 holes with one and switching to the other, playing both alternating which one was hit first and spending extra time with the ATV on those shots I struggle with in an attempt to bring those shots around. While, like everyone, I love the latest and greatest piece of equipment on the market, my real goal is to shoot the lowest score possible and I MUST play the clubs that fit me the best to accomplish that. So the shoot out begins and so far the results have been pretty enlightening to me at this point.
ATV Pro's
1. Looks: Great looking design that stand out in my bag. I'm kind of a sucker for chrome but not crazy about the glare. The ATV has just the right amount of chrome and satin to look good while giving me confidence with its professional color scheme.
2. Feel: Slightly heavier wedges were never my thing, however I've become very comfortable with these. The grip just is soft enough without feeling almost mushy and the extra length is perfect for my low handed grip. I've felt all along that these were no where near as soft as my previous wedges, but looking back I'm thinking that was more of the dampening feel incorporated into my older wedges. This may be the hardest part for me to get used to, time will tell.
3. Sound: I'm pretty deaf to tell the truth yet I am picking up a nice audible click in a higher pitched tone than my previous 56* in most mid to longer shots. The tone changes quickly the farther my ball moves out towards the toe telling me exactly where I hit the ball every time. This was not the case with my other wedge.
4. Shot Types: I feel very confident with this club inside of 95 yards. Several things really stand out such as the sharp leading edge and extra weighting here. I felt just as comfortable with my previous 56* up to 100 yards, however I struggle with distance control dropping down to shorter ranges and opted for my 60*. from 30 to 50 yards has always been the hardest shot for me to pull off and I can't exactly put my finger on why the ATV is getting it done, possibly turf interaction or confidence, but this thing rocks on the short pitches. The ATV does handle the partial swing much better for me. Flop shots are a no brainer with this thing. Huge surprise here as I considered myself solid here with my old wedge, but the ATV opens up a whole new realm here, literally. Mid to long B&R shots are pretty average to be honest, but should be noted that I see similar performance here to my other wedge. Heavy rough is a huge stand out for this club and something that might push this wedge over the top for me. Face closed or open, I have a ton of confidence getting this ball out of the deep stuff.
ATV Con's
1. Shot Types: Short distance bump and runs are just tough with this heavier product. I really feel the face here as if its firmer and a touch harder to control the speed from short range. I will point out that I seem to be getting slowly better at this with the ATV, but that's an extremely important shot for me, one I've never had an issue with before.
2. Forgiveness: I may fall into the minority here, but this wedge is not as forgiving as my other wedge. As I get out towards the toe too far on the mid distance shot it really show's up in my ball flight. I'm notorious at catching the ball a smidge out there and have always been surprised by the flight of my other wedge on miss hits. The ATV goes where you hit it, not where you aim, if that makes any sense.
There you go, just a few things that separate the two and food for thought as I continue my battle. A few other things I'm seeing that don't really fit in a pro/con setting are a lower ball flight and slightly shorter distance on full shots. Neither difference makes a real big deal to me as I can easily adjust for them. Versatility should likely be inserted in the pro side of the list as well as this club opens for some what shorter range, however I don't do that a whole lot in preference for simply half/partial swings instead. Sand is not something I get to play out of often and when I do it's generally hard packed, so I'll leave that one to those who play from it more often.
July 11th, 2012
Grand Island, Ne
Temps mid 80's 15 mph winds
Well the testing continues, although things have progressed into more of a competition to see which wedge will stay in my bag after the process ends. I'm seeing lot's of great attributes to the ATV wedge and very few negatives for my game, however my previous wedges were fully capable of doing many of the same things. To be honest I see areas where both 56* wedges dominate over the other, so figuring out which of the two fit more of the shot types I like to play and which of the two can simply help carve the most strokes off my score card is a bit daunting in a good way.
Over the last 3 times out I have attempted to narrow the lines between these two in several ways such as playing 9 holes with one and switching to the other, playing both alternating which one was hit first and spending extra time with the ATV on those shots I struggle with in an attempt to bring those shots around. While, like everyone, I love the latest and greatest piece of equipment on the market, my real goal is to shoot the lowest score possible and I MUST play the clubs that fit me the best to accomplish that. So the shoot out begins and so far the results have been pretty enlightening to me at this point.
ATV Pro's
1. Looks: Great looking design that stand out in my bag. I'm kind of a sucker for chrome but not crazy about the glare. The ATV has just the right amount of chrome and satin to look good while giving me confidence with its professional color scheme.
2. Feel: Slightly heavier wedges were never my thing, however I've become very comfortable with these. The grip just is soft enough without feeling almost mushy and the extra length is perfect for my low handed grip. I've felt all along that these were no where near as soft as my previous wedges, but looking back I'm thinking that was more of the dampening feel incorporated into my older wedges. This may be the hardest part for me to get used to, time will tell.
3. Sound: I'm pretty deaf to tell the truth yet I am picking up a nice audible click in a higher pitched tone than my previous 56* in most mid to longer shots. The tone changes quickly the farther my ball moves out towards the toe telling me exactly where I hit the ball every time. This was not the case with my other wedge.
4. Shot Types: I feel very confident with this club inside of 95 yards. Several things really stand out such as the sharp leading edge and extra weighting here. I felt just as comfortable with my previous 56* up to 100 yards, however I struggle with distance control dropping down to shorter ranges and opted for my 60*. from 30 to 50 yards has always been the hardest shot for me to pull off and I can't exactly put my finger on why the ATV is getting it done, possibly turf interaction or confidence, but this thing rocks on the short pitches. The ATV does handle the partial swing much better for me. Flop shots are a no brainer with this thing. Huge surprise here as I considered myself solid here with my old wedge, but the ATV opens up a whole new realm here, literally. Mid to long B&R shots are pretty average to be honest, but should be noted that I see similar performance here to my other wedge. Heavy rough is a huge stand out for this club and something that might push this wedge over the top for me. Face closed or open, I have a ton of confidence getting this ball out of the deep stuff.
ATV Con's
1. Shot Types: Short distance bump and runs are just tough with this heavier product. I really feel the face here as if its firmer and a touch harder to control the speed from short range. I will point out that I seem to be getting slowly better at this with the ATV, but that's an extremely important shot for me, one I've never had an issue with before.
2. Forgiveness: I may fall into the minority here, but this wedge is not as forgiving as my other wedge. As I get out towards the toe too far on the mid distance shot it really show's up in my ball flight. I'm notorious at catching the ball a smidge out there and have always been surprised by the flight of my other wedge on miss hits. The ATV goes where you hit it, not where you aim, if that makes any sense.
There you go, just a few things that separate the two and food for thought as I continue my battle. A few other things I'm seeing that don't really fit in a pro/con setting are a lower ball flight and slightly shorter distance on full shots. Neither difference makes a real big deal to me as I can easily adjust for them. Versatility should likely be inserted in the pro side of the list as well as this club opens for some what shorter range, however I don't do that a whole lot in preference for simply half/partial swings instead. Sand is not something I get to play out of often and when I do it's generally hard packed, so I'll leave that one to those who play from it more often.
Doug the lefty
Can't knock the hustle...
Due,
Nice update. When you say you do not feel the ATV is as forgiving as your previous wedge, are you referring to the CG14 or 15 in your sig?
Nice update. When you say you do not feel the ATV is as forgiving as your previous wedge, are you referring to the CG14 or 15 in your sig?
Hanks
On the Fringe
Great write-up Due....like your thoughts around the forgiveness aspect of these
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
Thanks guys! Doug, both really. The my 52* CG15 seems more forgiving as well, however I noted the same thing with my new Mizuno 56* MP-R12.
JeffReedMO
Banned
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2012
- Messages
- 13,895
- Reaction score
- 58
Playing in a round in an hour. Will either have my thoughts up tonight or tomorrow.
Gregory Hines. Tapping.
Gregory Hines. Tapping.
Doug the lefty
Can't knock the hustle...
Thanks for the follow up. That's is interesting because I feel like my 56 ATV is significantly more forgiving that my CG15 56*/12 bounce, but, I am guessing that is simply due to the sole design.
Hanks
On the Fringe
That was going to be my next question for you....how do the ATV compare to the MP-R12's
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
Completely different, imho. Not as sharp of leading edge, not as much feedback and the trajectory was lower with the 12, but the spinner shaft should do that. I liked it fine and similar forgiving to the ATV, but not like the CG's.
InHartWeTrust
Ball Go Far.
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2012
- Messages
- 3,721
- Reaction score
- 23
- Handicap
- 4-5ish
Re: Forgiveness
Hell, earlier in the thread someone told me they were surprised I liked it because it was said to be more of a "GI wedge". I'm not sure myself on this one; I think it's forgiving, but I'm not really sure I'm the best judge of forgiveness for most people. To me, it seems like it has an auto correct aspect to it...similar to the i20's, if you have any experience with them?
Toe comes back in a little, about 5 yards short.
Thin flies lower, but about the same distance, and tends to still grab a good amount.
Fat flies shorter, but release more than normal.
and so on....
To me, it seems very easy to hit. To others it obviously doesn't, so I am trying to steer my way clear of the forgiveness discussion...this is all I will say in regards to that.
Hell, earlier in the thread someone told me they were surprised I liked it because it was said to be more of a "GI wedge". I'm not sure myself on this one; I think it's forgiving, but I'm not really sure I'm the best judge of forgiveness for most people. To me, it seems like it has an auto correct aspect to it...similar to the i20's, if you have any experience with them?
Toe comes back in a little, about 5 yards short.
Thin flies lower, but about the same distance, and tends to still grab a good amount.
Fat flies shorter, but release more than normal.
and so on....
To me, it seems very easy to hit. To others it obviously doesn't, so I am trying to steer my way clear of the forgiveness discussion...this is all I will say in regards to that.
Ole Gray
Mayor of the Woodshed
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2008
- Messages
- 31,292
- Reaction score
- 100
- Location
- Watkinsville, Georgia
- Handicap
- Average
I went out to the course to video some sand shots today. I knew with the Thunder Storms we had the last three nights it was going to be tough. Water & mud in the traps today so sorry guys. Our traps are already hard packed so it was a no go. Unless these storms give us a break, it may be a few days before I can video but hey, we got nothing but time to test this puppy!
Hanks
On the Fringe
Mr. Satchmo
urielsatchmoortegaMR.Jinx
It's crazy isn't' it? Even when I was releasing the club instead of holding the wrist hinge, I was still somehow able to land it on the green, sure it flew lower and released more but it corrected it for me. I can't wait to go the range and film what I've been practicing from your tips. I bet the performance will be better but I must admit, it sure masks the thin and fat shots really well.
For a mid handicapper, it really complements my game!
That sucks Ole Gray, We've had a few thunderstorms this whole week which has really made course conditions crazy and even in my first video, the sand I tried out was hard as a dry river bed, then the next week the sand was so thick and muddy yuck. But for some reason I have been able to hit it out solidly every time-thanks ATV!
good luck Ole Gray, I hope there is an opening between the thunderstorms so you can continue to play with the wedge!
thedue
Another Day in Paradise
I would guess some see it as a GI wedge because of the rather large sole mostly. The CG 14's are just an extremely forgiving wedges and any negative feedback is hidden from the cavity back design as well as the plastic dampner inside that cavity.
This is not a knock on the ATV by any stretch, just my observation. As I pointed out, this wedge has a ton going for it, but has to earn its spot.