TaylorMade ATV Wedges Review - Forum Testing

[TripleBogieTim]

OG is going to be your boy here. I tried opening it up a few times on hard pan and didn't have real good results. Trailing edge and a rocket right. Maybe I was a bit skittish and didn't trust the wedge, I don't know, but it's just something I am going to have to work on really super hard to trust and get down. From fluffier lies, I love it and have no difficulty whatsoever.


Gregory Hines. Tapping.

Great question tim, I had a similar experience to Jeff's In hard pan bunkers, I seemed to either hit the ball dead on hitting it over the green (user issue probably) or I never got under the ball or hit it low to the right and kept it in the bunker, I'll try again tomorrow haha.

Thanks guys....that's kinda the same issue I end up with my my wedges.....I end up bouncing the leading edge into the ball and get that low rocket over the green. Maybe OG is having better results at the goat track...LOL

 

[InHartWeTrust]

Good thoughts there, Jeff. Congrats on the hole out, sounds like that was pretty exciting for you (making longer shots, practice or not, is always fun). I can't wait to get out and practice tomorrow. I'm gonna have to dedicate time to my entire game, but I'll make plenty of time for the ATV too...I plan on being there for a while.

Super pumped and hoping I will have plenty of thoughts. The weather really killed tonight for me.

So those of you testing these wedges....what has been your experiences on Hard pan lies?? Playing today I had several wedge shots off of hard pan and it's really tough to "open" the wedge up with too much bounce on it.

Just wondered how the ATV sole handles that type of lie.

The bunker I was practicing in for my initial short game write-up is what I would consider a "hard bunker". It didn't have much sand in it, and it handled that beautifully with the face pretty opened up.

As stated previously, OG is your boy for this, and I am sure he will advise when he sees your post. I will have my fair share of super dry, hard dirt like lies on some of the courses I play...but the ranges I tend to go to are pretty plush. There is one newer range without a great water system that gets pretty dry out by my girlfriends place...I will probably be out there once or more next week to hit balls...once I get out there, I'll get some thoughts up on performance from hardpan.

 

[Ole Gray]

So those of you testing these wedges....what has been your experiences on Hard pan lies?? Playing today I had several wedge shots off of hard pan and it's really tough to "open" the wedge up with too much bounce on it.

Just wondered how the ATV sole handles that type of lie.

OG is going to be your boy here. I tried opening it up a few times on hard pan and didn't have real good results. Trailing edge and a rocket right. Maybe I was a bit skittish and didn't trust the wedge, I don't know, but it's just something I am going to have to work on really super hard to trust and get down. From fluffier lies, I love it and have no difficulty whatsoever.


Gregory Hines. Tapping.

Thanks guys....that's kinda the same issue I end up with my my wedges.....I end up bouncing the leading edge into the ball and get that low rocket over the green. Maybe OG is having better results at the goat track...LOL

I had a shot out of a pack fairway bunker yesterday. One foot out and one foot down with very awkward stance I just put a good swing through the ball and she flew out onto the fringe of the green. Just wanted to note this sand experience as I was super hyped about another great shot I hit yesterday.

Hard pan lies are very plentiful at our golf course. KellyBo, DawgDaddy, T0AD, Chewie, & a few others can attest to this. The only thought I have off the hard pan fairway/greenside shots is driving through the ball. I do not open the face but keep it square. Do NOT try to chip it off the tight hard lies with this or any wedge. You will hit the ball thin. You have to hit the ball first and by all means do not decelerate through the shot. You got to spank it like a red headed step child. If you don't chicken out, the ball will come out firm and have a ton of spin when it hits the green. Out of packed bunkers I just aim my body left, the club head square to my target, slightly open the face and accelerate through the ball. My take away is steep and I then accelerate through the packed sand just behind the ball. I think off the tight hard lies around the greens most of us try to pick the ball which ends up with a skulled or thin shot. The ATV wedge will drive through the hard pan if you trust it to. It's not scared of those lies so you don't need to be either.

 

[ovalballs86]

Right had my first range session today with the ATV 60*, and all I can say is WOW!

Having only ever used a PW and an SW, I was curious to see exactly what I could do with this club that I couldnt with the others. My first few shots were mis hits, mainly down to me being a little excited and looking to see where my amazing shots had gone, only to see them fly off to the right! Once I had settled down, the club was amazing. The feel I have with this club is like nothing else I have played with. I could pick a spot on the 50 yard green on the range, and drop it on within about 10 foot (which for my short game is unheard of). I was even generating a little bit of backspin!!!(again unheard of for a hack like me).

With a new found confidence in my new baby, I decided to play a local 9 hole municipal with the idea that anything within 60 yards was ATV territory. On the first hole I played a 20 yard chip which kicked once then sat 8 feet short of the hole......I was amazed! Most of my short game involves the ball pitching up and rolling past the hole. But the ATV seems to be generating so much stop on the ball that I can almost pick a spot on the green, and as long as I make a good contact, it will stop wherever it lands. I even found myself attacking pins from short range that I would usually play safe. Im not saying every shot I hit was amazing. on the 8th I did get a bit excited and looked up before making contact with the ball. This led to a terrible stop shot that went half the distance required.

Overall I have to say this club is a very welcome addition to my bag. After just one round it has given me the confidence to trust my swing. When previously using my SW for the same shots, I was always very conscious that I could overhit the shot. This led to me always underhitting it, thus losing at least 6-7 shots per round from underhit chips. However today I can safely say this club has saved me at least 3 shots (including the 1 it cost me), purely because I knew I had the control I needed.

So there it is, a hacks review. Do with it what you will

 

[DawgDaddy]

What OG says is true, hardpan lies are the rule rather than the exception at Lake Jonesco, he will be your "expert" on this type of lie through out the testing. All of you guys are rocking it with your reviews and I want to let ya'll know how much I appreciate your hard work. I have got to get over to Jonesco this coming week and try out the ATV myself, it sounds like TMaG really has a winner with this offering.

 

[Kmac]

Right had my first range session today with the ATV 60*, and all I can say is WOW!

Having only ever used a PW and an SW, I was curious to see exactly what I could do with this club that I couldnt with the others. My first few shots were mis hits, mainly down to me being a little excited and looking to see where my amazing shots had gone, only to see them fly off to the right! Once I had settled down, the club was amazing. The feel I have with this club is like nothing else I have played with. I could pick a spot on the 50 yard green on the range, and drop it on within about 10 foot (which for my short game is unheard of). I was even generating a little bit of backspin!!!(again unheard of for a hack like me).

With a new found confidence in my new baby, I decided to play a local 9 hole municipal with the idea that anything within 60 yards was ATV territory. On the first hole I played a 20 yard chip which kicked once then sat 8 feet short of the hole......I was amazed! Most of my short game involves the ball pitching up and rolling past the hole. But the ATV seems to be generating so much stop on the ball that I can almost pick a spot on the green, and as long as I make a good contact, it will stop wherever it lands. I even found myself attacking pins from short range that I would usually play safe. Im not saying every shot I hit was amazing. on the 8th I did get a bit excited and looked up before making contact with the ball. This led to a terrible stop shot that went half the distance required.

Overall I have to say this club is a very welcome addition to my bag. After just one round it has given me the confidence to trust my swing. When previously using my SW for the same shots, I was always very conscious that I could overhit the shot. This led to me always underhitting it, thus losing at least 6-7 shots per round from underhit chips. However today I can safely say this club has saved me at least 3 shots (including the 1 it cost me), purely because I knew I had the control I needed.

So there it is, a hacks review. Do with it what you will

Thanks for sharing that and welcome to THP. Are you thinking of adding the 56* ATV too?

 

[ovalballs86]

Thanks for sharing that and welcome to THP. Are you thinking of adding the 56* ATV too?

Yes definately! The contact I am having with this ATV is immense. Whether its down to the club itself, or me just concentrating a little more on the ATV shots, im not sure. But Im sure a 56* would be a lovely addition for the 80-100 yard shots

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I had a shot out of a pack fairway bunker yesterday. One foot out and one foot down with very awkward stance I just put a good swing through the ball and she flew out onto the fringe of the green. Just wanted to note this sand experience as I was super hyped about another great shot I hit yesterday.

Hard pan lies are very plentiful at our golf course. KellyBo, DawgDaddy, T0AD, Chewie, & a few others can attest to this. The only thought I have off the hard pan fairway/greenside shots is driving through the ball. I do not open the face but keep it square. Do NOT try to chip it off the tight hard lies with this or any wedge. You will hit the ball thin. You have to hit the ball first and by all means do not decelerate through the shot. You got to spank it like a red headed step child. If you don't chicken out, the ball will come out firm and have a ton of spin when it hits the green. Out of packed bunkers I just aim my body left, the club head square to my target, slightly open the face and accelerate through the ball. My take away is steep and I then accelerate through the packed sand just behind the ball. I think off the tight hard lies around the greens most of us try to pick the ball which ends up with a skulled or thin shot. The ATV wedge will drive through the hard pan if you trust it to. It's not scared of those lies so you don't need to be either.

Thanks OG....we get lots of that hard pad stuff in Texas ya know...LOL

I ended up with several yesterday and a couple of them cost me a stroke or 2.

 

[Darren K.]

So those of you testing these wedges....what has been your experiences on Hard pan lies?? Playing today I had several wedge shots off of hard pan and it's really tough to "open" the wedge up with too much bounce on it.

Just wondered how the ATV sole handles that type of lie.

The few good shots I did hit last night were off of harder lies -- hardpan, dirt, one near a tree trunk -- and the wedge definitely helps with the harder lies. I just feel like I can grab the ball with the club a lot better than with my CG14's.

And bunkers. I was 2/2 with bunker saves for par.

 

[InHartWeTrust]

I had a shot out of a pack fairway bunker yesterday. One foot out and one foot down with very awkward stance I just put a good swing through the ball and she flew out onto the fringe of the green. Just wanted to note this sand experience as I was super hyped about another great shot I hit yesterday.

Hard pan lies are very plentiful at our golf course. KellyBo, DawgDaddy, T0AD, Chewie, & a few others can attest to this. The only thought I have off the hard pan fairway/greenside shots is driving through the ball. I do not open the face but keep it square. Do NOT try to chip it off the tight hard lies with this or any wedge. You will hit the ball thin. You have to hit the ball first and by all means do not decelerate through the shot. You got to spank it like a red headed step child. If you don't chicken out, the ball will come out firm and have a ton of spin when it hits the green. Out of packed bunkers I just aim my body left, the club head square to my target, slightly open the face and accelerate through the ball. My take away is steep and I then accelerate through the packed sand just behind the ball. I think off the tight hard lies around the greens most of us try to pick the ball which ends up with a skulled or thin shot. The ATV wedge will drive through the hard pan if you trust it to. It's not scared of those lies so you don't need to be either.

The only way to handle hardpan is like you said, to be aggressive with it and make sure you hit the ball first. I don't think there can be a club designed that would change that...if you hit the ground before the ball, the club is going to kick off the ground and into the ball. Any shot would optimally be ball first, but, the with hardpan it is a requirement. Seems like it's giving you the confidence you need to get it done on these lies, so that is great.

Right had my first range session today with the ATV 60*, and all I can say is WOW!

Having only ever used a PW and an SW, I was curious to see exactly what I could do with this club that I couldnt with the others. My first few shots were mis hits, mainly down to me being a little excited and looking to see where my amazing shots had gone, only to see them fly off to the right! Once I had settled down, the club was amazing. The feel I have with this club is like nothing else I have played with. I could pick a spot on the 50 yard green on the range, and drop it on within about 10 foot (which for my short game is unheard of). I was even generating a little bit of backspin!!!(again unheard of for a hack like me).

With a new found confidence in my new baby, I decided to play a local 9 hole municipal with the idea that anything within 60 yards was ATV territory. On the first hole I played a 20 yard chip which kicked once then sat 8 feet short of the hole......I was amazed! Most of my short game involves the ball pitching up and rolling past the hole. But the ATV seems to be generating so much stop on the ball that I can almost pick a spot on the green, and as long as I make a good contact, it will stop wherever it lands. I even found myself attacking pins from short range that I would usually play safe. Im not saying every shot I hit was amazing. on the 8th I did get a bit excited and looked up before making contact with the ball. This led to a terrible stop shot that went half the distance required.

Overall I have to say this club is a very welcome addition to my bag. After just one round it has given me the confidence to trust my swing. When previously using my SW for the same shots, I was always very conscious that I could overhit the shot. This led to me always underhitting it, thus losing at least 6-7 shots per round from underhit chips. However today I can safely say this club has saved me at least 3 shots (including the 1 it cost me), purely because I knew I had the control I needed.

So there it is, a hacks review. Do with it what you will

First off, welcome to THP. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the wedge man, that is great that it is already inspiring some confidence inside of you. With a wedge, that is probably the biggest asset it can offer...well, confidence, and turf interaction (IMO). Hope you continue to have success with it, and please keep up posted how things progress with it.

What OG says is true, hardpan lies are the rule rather than the exception at Lake Jonesco, he will be your "expert" on this type of lie through out the testing. All of you guys are rocking it with your reviews and I want to let ya'll know how much I appreciate your hard work. I have got to get over to Jonesco this coming week and try out the ATV myself, it sounds like TMaG really has a winner with this offering.

Give it a shot for sure, DD. Hell, maybe you can find it on a daily deal somewhere if you like it :blob:

The few good shots I did hit last night were off of harder lies -- hardpan, dirt, one near a tree trunk -- and the wedge definitely helps with the harder lies. I just feel like I can grab the ball with the club a lot better than with my CG14's.

And bunkers. I was 2/2 with bunker saves for par.

I really like this thing so far from the sand...well, like isn't the word, love is more appropriate.

 

[Darren K.]

I really like this thing so far from the sand...well, like isn't the word, love is more appropriate.

I'm with you there, buddy. I've always been a pretty good bunker player (solely due to technique), but this wedge has really made me confident from the sand.

 

[DawgDaddy]

The only way to handle hardpan is like you said, to be aggressive with it and make sure you hit the ball first. I don't think there can be a club designed that would change that...if you hit the ground before the ball, the club is going to kick off the ground and into the ball. Any shot would optimally be ball first, but, the with hardpan it is a requirement. Seems like it's giving you the confidence you need to get it done on these lies, so that is great.



First off, welcome to THP. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the wedge man, that is great that it is already inspiring some confidence inside of you. With a wedge, that is probably the biggest asset it can offer...well, confidence, and turf interaction (IMO). Hope you continue to have success with it, and please keep up posted how things progress with it.



Give it a shot for sure, DD. Hell, maybe you can find it on a daily deal somewhere if you like it :blob:



I really like this thing so far from the sand...well, like isn't the word, love is more appropriate.

That made me lol, don't you think that I won't be looking hard at those deals for this puppy.

 

[Mr. Satchmo]

I'm thinking of pulling an Ole Gray today and using my Burner AW (instead of my xFT)and use the ATV as the only wedge haha. I will be playing my first round this week with my ATV, I'll document everything that I can!

 

[TripleBogieTim]

The few good shots I did hit last night were off of harder lies -- hardpan, dirt, one near a tree trunk -- and the wedge definitely helps with the harder lies. I just feel like I can grab the ball with the club a lot better than with my CG14's.

And bunkers. I was 2/2 with bunker saves for par.

Thanks Darren, I appreciate it.

 

[InHartWeTrust]

At the range as I type this, after the exhibition I just put on with the 56 on the range, I can safely say I really like this club. I've never done anything like what I just did...not with that much confidence and having that much fun doing it. I honestly thought to myself "If I always out it this close with a smooth wedge, I'd have no issues taking my game anywhere I want to take it."

About to head to the short game area for a few hours then head home ad get my thought typed up.


Just tap it in, just tap it in. Give it a little tap tap tappy. Tap tap tap-a-roo via Tapatalk.

 

[bmwnola]

Here are my thoughts from yesterday's range session.

I decided to return to the grass range where I initially started my review. I wanted to be fair to myself, the ATV wedge, and the forum members. My goal was to confirm my initial thoughts and look for flaws that others may have had.

I started off like my first day aiming for the 100yd marker and felt likr I was throwing darts. I would say that 80% of my wedge shots were within a couple of yds from the marker which is very impressive for me. The ball just shoots off the club face which has a higher trajectory than my xFTs. I tried using the dots as a guideline to open the face and it help me with being consistent. (thanks to thedue for the tip). Opening the club face allow me to target the 75yd marker with precision. Thats a huge plus since I use the flop shot often. I knocked down about 100 balls and concluded my range session.

On to the chipping green. Greenside chipping is one of my weakest points in my game as I used flops more but tend to be inconsistent. Ive started working on my chipping seriously about 2 months ago. This was the highlight of my day. I decided to try out my new TP5 balls that TM gave us. I spent about 30 mins and hit about 50 balls from different lies and pins. I had the opportunity to sink 3 balls!! Im just so ecstatic with the performance greenside. All my other shots landed inside 5 feet. This includes fluffy and tightlies during chipping. Im so much more confident in my chipping now with the ATV.

Now to some of the flaws. As some guys have pointed out, flop shot on a tightlie is very difficult to execute. This is a big part of my game which I will have to adjust to more of a chip whereas I would normally flop. When I open the face to flop, its gonna be a thin shot thats a line-drive. Ive noticed a couple of fat shots on a few full shots on a sandy lie. I dont know if thats my fault but I will confirm later on.

Overall, im very please with my results esp with chipping. Im really a believer in this multi-sole and the added head weight helps get through the rough with ease. I will be playing a full round tomorrow and looking to see how the ball will stop on full shots and greenside bunkers.

At this point, I will grade this club a B+ based upon what ive seen. So far im highly considering swapping my xFTs with the ATVs but I dont want to jump to conclusions just yet. I will report back tomorrow with more thoughts after my first full round.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Darren K.]

Just made a tee time for tomorrow again. Taking the day off today to attend graduation parties for 2 family members. Hope to be able to to get some better info for everyone.

 

[InHartWeTrust]

Spent about 2 hours chipping after the hour on the range, again, the ATV performed beautifully. I need to cool down and relax for a bit, then I will get some thoughts up.

 

[10YardDraw]

Great update BMW and nice on range update IHWT.

 

[LEFTY57]

I got my atv wedges this week a 54 & 58 , great out of the bunkers and flop shots are good. but just not getting on with them otherwise , so I am going to part with them , so if there is lefty looking for a some, let me know.
gb

 

[InHartWeTrust]

MY ATV REVIEW POSTING INDEX:
INTRO POST/ABOUT ME: Click HERE
INITIAL IN HANDS/LOOKS THOUGHTS: Click HERE
INITIAL LONG RANGE THOUGHTS: Click HERE
SECOND RANGE/SHORT GAME SESSION THOUGHTS: Click HERE

PENDING REQUESTS: (for my reference so I can keep track of them)

Spoiler

InHart, give this wedge the full treatment of shot choices. Tight lie pitches and flops, soft and then REALLY soft conditions (think step there and you feel the ground move under your feet) doing the same thing. Sand of course, but then also go to the top of the lip and give yourself that lie of sand and grass that makes you go, "what the heck am I going to do here and how is this going to even come out?"

Spoiler

Hart, I'd love to hear your comments on the different abilities of your 50 and 56 wedges. So maybe if you could do a side by side comparison of the 50 and 56 as far as their ability to execute certain shot types, that would be awesome.

Test Date: 06/30/2012
Comparison Club: Tour Vokey 60.04°
Ball Used: Crappy range balls
Environment: 95°, a little breeze here and there...but way too damn hot.
Duration: One large bucket on the range (125 balls total, 70+ balls with the 56°); 2.5 hours on the chipping green.

Again, truly a phenomenal day on the range. I LOVE this wedge on full shots...absolutely love it. Why? It is solely due to the turf interaction the club is showing me. Something I have always thought is that in the grand scheme of things, a golf club is a golf club. Noble, I know. What I mean is this...most of the “top tier” clubs are pretty similar to one another. The Callaway Forged series is good. The 588's are good. The Vokey's are good. All of these are so good that I could not pull the trigger when trying to decide between them. They were all good clubs...but none would do something for me that made me say “Damn, finally!! This one is the winner, I can finally order new wedges.” They were all just as good as the other.

For me to make a purchase, and moreso a commitment to a club to change my current set up, the clubs needs to be great and stand above the rest. It needs to flat out do something better than all of it's competitors do. I would love to be a clue ho, I really would...but 1) I just graduated in the recent years so money isn't indispensable to me just yet, and 2) I don't like to change clubs often. I get a club I love, I get comfortable with it, and that is that...we bond, and we have a long-term relationship. My previous wedge set up was: Cleveland 900 Series 54° that I had since I was 15 (I am now 26), and a Vokey I've had for probably 6 or 7 years. They were worn out, but nothing ever “wow'd” me enough to make me want to change...and believe me I tried to find something to take their spot. The candidates were good, just not great. Put it this way, I'd let 'em intern for me, maybe even give 'em an entry level job...but I dunno if I would hire one on as my right hand man.

For me, with the ATV, what makes it stand out is it's turf interaction. In time I feel like I will find a way to put it into words to express to all of the readers considering this wedge how/why exactly the turf interaction is so great, but for now I am struggling to find the words I'm looking for. The best way I can think to describe the feeling is this" when the club is coming into impact and through the ball, it feels like I am “throwing the divot out low” an the ball is launching high. The club just melts through the turf like a slice of butter on top of a nice stack of flapjacks. Other wedges get through the turf just fine for me, I hit down on the all and basically destroy any driving range I go to with my divots, but this clubs gives me “clean” divots, and impact feels great. It's not a digging to the core of the earth divot, it's just a nice healthy one...basically perfect. Clean and crisp contact, and a strong ball flight.

FULL SWINGS
Today is a day I really wish I had a camera man with me. I picked up the Jumbo bucket, about 125 balls in total according to the little fat kid who sold it to me. I began the range session hitting wedges (10-15), then moved on to my normal rotation of other clubs. When I was down to about 40-50 balls left, I wanted to work on grooving my shots from this range with my ATV. I have said it before, but this is where I need the most work...it is the area that has ALWAYS held me back from being a stand out player instead of being an average good/scratch player I was hitting to a flag that was probably 110 away, slight breeze behind me...just a smooth 75% shot for me, but a yardage I would love to master and try to position myself to with course management. Just like earlier this week, I was throwing absolute DARTS at the flag. We are talking within a 2 yard radius on quite a few shots...a lot of times I stood there watching it to see if one was going to fall. The green I was hitting to was small. The shape of it was a perfect circle, and the radius from the flag to the edge was no more than 15-20 feet. I didn't miss this tiny green more than two or three times (I can only remember missing once, but I might have forgotten a time or two?)...the miss came when I made a not-so-perfect (read: terrible) swing. As I stated in my post earlier today from the range, in full on excited mode, if I could hit my wedges like this all the time I could seriously consider trying to take my game places. It was an unbelievable feeling to constantly be leaving myself within 10 feet from over 100 yards out. Now I am not going to give all the credit to the club, it took me putting the swing on it, but the club helped me in doing what I have always done. It might simply just be a case of the club being a perfect match for ME, personally, as a golfer. We will see how things progress with me, and how the club works for other guys as well.

The shot: I opened the face marginally, just ever so slightly. I played it about a ball inside of my right (i.e back) foot, and just gave it a smooth swing thinking “follow through low”. As I stated in my initial thoughts earlier this week, I use the dots to gauge the clubface angle...for this shot, I had the dots just marginally to the right of center. When I can have the girlfriend play camera man for me sometime, I will try to give a video tutorial of the shot I am speaking of and get some videos of it up.

If you all have any questions about specific aspects of the fuller swings, please let me know. Past what I have stated above, I can't think of what else to write. It was a great day for me. The club either performs or it doesn't, this one does...and it does so gloriously. I hope all of the other testers are experiencing the type of turf interaction I am, as it is something to behold. This club and it's ability to execute shots thus far has me truly excited for my game going forward...I have never had this much confidence in from this yardage.

SHORT GAME PRACTICE:
2.5 hours of chipping in the 95° heat. It was brutal, but I did it for the love of the game, my love of THP, and my duty to test the $h!t out of this club. I had the same method to my madness this time as the last...fill a large bucket, pick a spot, and hit the entire thing from that spot.

The Short Stuff - See above, the turf interaction is phenomenal. I was hitting shots up to 40 yards or so I would say, and I was doing it well. Pick a spot, make the swing, and let the club do the rest. The biggest thing across the board for me is that I have a TON of confidence in this club. I can move it just off my left (i.e front) foot and hit it high, or off my right (i.e back) foot and get it to come in a little lower with a bit more roll out.

I'll be honest, I don't think I ever set a wedge square on a chip shot, it's always either opened or closed. I set it open off the front foot and hit some nice soft flops. I set it as open as I possibly could and again had no issue picking it perfectly with solid contact...this actually impressed me how easy it was to do considering how crazy open the club was. I closed the face a bit off my back foot and hit low runners. I did these things from long and shot range on the practice area. I played it from the middle of my stance (a narrow stance for chipping) with both open and closed faces, for less or more roll, respectively; and the club did it's thing. I stated in my intro the club would have it's hand full with me as I am a bit of a mad scientist with my wedge shots, and it has held it's own. I haven't been able to find a shot it can't handle with ease, or where I feel a bit apprehensive to try it because I think the club might do something funny.

Today I was much better with my adjustment to the 56° versus my 60°.

The Beach – Scroll up, direct your attention to the link for my initial short game thoughts, and read what I said about the wedges performance from the sand (i.e my extreme wedge love for it from the sand). That held true again today...it is outstanding. As I stated previously, we had huge storms here with a lot of rain, so the sand was wet and heavy...a bit different than how dry it was last time, so it was nice to get to test this out. The wedge had no problem with this, at all. I just played it like I normally would for a wet bunker (i.e. less explosion, more roll out). I can't think of anything else to say other than this is the best wedge, hands down, I have ever used from the bunker.

The Long Stuff – This is where I still need to adjust a bit. The wedge is doing it's job, I just still need to adjust to it. The rough I am hitting from is long and pretty thick, so if the ball sits up, it is almost like the sole does too good of a job at getting down and through the ball...I kept having grass marks near the top of the face. This isn't the clubs fault, technically it is doing it's job wonderfully, I just need to learn to adjust a little knowing it is going to handle any lie. When I buried the ball (as pictured below), the wedge performed wonderfully. It got down, got the ball up and out. When I put the right swing on the club from the rough, it gave me fantastic results. As I said above, I feel like the sole is almost too good in handling the rough...so much so that I am having to relearn how to play my chip shots from it. The closer I am to the hole, the more deadly I am. It is just the longer swings (or the ones where I have to open the face more and swing a little longer) that I need to adjust to. When I just had some 10 yard chips to the front pin about 5 yards on, I put them all to tap in or easily make-able range. Just when I get a bit further away and have a few more variables to account for, I don't always do it properly simply because I don't have enough rapport with the wedge just yet.

Again the short toed-down runner was on point for me.

Spoiler

Picture looks funny, it's actually just one ball...there is just a weird ghost ball reflection. This buried lie was handled VERY well by the ATV. The sole has no problem getting down through the rough to the bottom when the ball it sitting down.

 

[10YardDraw]

Fantastic update IHWT! Sounds like this wedge could take your game to the next level which could be a scary thing considering your already a scratch player, keep up the great work dude!

 

[coolbreeze]

WOW, great update IHWT you are really doing a great job with the testing. I have to admit from the moment these wedges were released I wanted to try them and you guys are confiming that I need to spend some time with these on the range.

 

[InHartWeTrust]

Fantastic update IHWT! Sounds like this wedge could take your game to the next level which could be a scary thing considering your already a scratch player, keep up the great work dude!

Thank you, TYD. It is giving me the confidence I need and getting the job done for me in a major weak area of mine (~100 and in), so I am nothing but happy with it thus far.

The fact is that alone makes me love it. It is a part of my game that that long held me back, and I am eager to see if this will allow me to push past that plateau. I have an opportunity to utilize this shot on basically 95% of par 4's, so I'm digging it. Plus, it is elevating my bunker game (my other weak spot) as well, and performing very well with my "creativity" around the greens, so I think I might have a winner here. Only time will tell!

WOW, great update IHWT you are really doing a great job with the testing. I have to admit from the moment these wedges were released I wanted to try them and you guys are confiming that I need to spend some time with these on the range.

Thanks dude! I really appreciate the kind words, means a lot.

I think you should find somewhere to test them out for yourself, the turf interaction is really something I think everyone needs to feel for themselves to fully appreciate.

 

[under80]

Hat, gave you some rep, what a great review, done to the nitty gritty. I had a feeling these ATV would be great for the average player but hearing a plus handy caper is really getting a good shot out of them is amazing! can't wait to hear more.