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What is the best Sand Wedge Ever? (Green side bunker shots only)


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On 11/18/2018 at 6:09 PM, revkev said:

The best sand iron is the one you practice with.  As in you need to practice to be a good sand player regardless of the wedge that you use.  No "magic" about it.

 

Good luck

Bingo. The wedges like the Cleveland smart sole and the ones on informercials will make it easier but the one that fits a swing and is used to practice the shots will give the best results 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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3 hours ago, fozcycle said:

Just saw these Harry Taylor Wedges from MGGOlf.com.....

https://www.mggolf.com/golf-wedges/


Has anyone tried them?

 

... The dimple design is marketing at it's best. The super wide sole however, does help poor sand players hit better bunker shots. The problem I have as a good sand player is I have to basically  make a poor swing to get these to work. I built one for my wife (Snake Eyes wide sole) because she takes a normal swing in the bunker, not a sand specific swing and it works pretty well for her. I tend to bounce the wide sole thru the sand with a normal bunker swing so it doesn't work for me. Fwiw, I do have 2 Harry Taylor standard wedges and they are as good as any wedge I have played. Slightly crisper feeling then say Vokey's or a forged wedge but the performance is there. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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I can't get anybody to bite on my implied question.

 

Would a club designed to be sand specific outperform a full function wedge in the sand,

even in the hands of a skilled player?

 

I claim yes, and I also claim that despite the sole being the most discussed factor,

it's in fact the curved leading edge that makes a true sand club superior for greenside bunker play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I have been through a few sand wedges recently, going so far as buying a Worx sand wedge to experiment as my bunker play was garbage.

 

Well, all it really took was practice and my sand game has improved immensely, but the sand wedge that has really won me over, and Nifty will like this, is a 1970’s Hogan Sand Iron with a curved leading edge.

 

I like my Hogan TK Wedges but actually didn’t like having so many. The Sand Iron is incredibly easy to hit from the sand and the rough. And, except for chipping, it is really the only club I use around the green.

 

The magic of the club is how easy it is to open up for higher flop shots. I don’t know what the grind is, but it just lays wide open and hits the ball straight up if you need to. It also came with a jumbo grip, which I’d never play on my other clubs, but feels great on green side shots.

 

Like others have said, the best wedge is the one you are confident hitting. My $18 sand wedge seems to have some magic in it. I put my 55,59, and 63 away and stuck this guy in the bag. Simple and effective.

 

IMG_0375.jpg

 

IMG_0376.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

WITB:

Stan Thompson “Reactionizer” persimmon woods 1-4

Spalding Tour Edition 3-PW

Spalding Top-Flite E.V.A. Sand Club

Rife Legend Z Putter

 

 

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I think maybe, and this is just my opinion, that before, sand wedges were thought of as merely specialty clubs and were designed to function better from specific lies, I.e. sand, heavy rough.

Now, sand wedges are used for full swings from the fairway many times as the modern game has become driver/wedge, so they made sand wedges more of an 11 or 12 iron as opposed to a specialized club.


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WITB:

Stan Thompson “Reactionizer” persimmon woods 1-4

Spalding Tour Edition 3-PW

Spalding Top-Flite E.V.A. Sand Club

Rife Legend Z Putter

 

 

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16 minutes ago, NiftyNiblick said:

I can't get anybody to bite on my implied question.

Would a club designed to be sand specific outperform a full function wedge in the sand,

even in the hands of a skilled player?

I claim yes, and I also claim that despite the sole being the most discussed factor,

it's in fact the curved leading edge that makes a true sand club superior for greenside bunker play.

 

... You can claim all you want Nifty but unfortunately it just isn't true. Now, it certainly may be true for you but that is just a personal preference. I never liked a round leading edge because it does not fit my eye when opening the club face. A straight leading edge just gives me a better feel for how much I want to open the face to produce a given shot. And I like dead straight with no curve at all because I learned my sand and green side game using a Tommy Armor 845 W4 and it had a dead straight leading edge. The theme in this thread is the leading edge is irrelevant with a standard bunker shot because it never touches the sand. The sand curls underneath the leading edge because the bounce is what is moving the sand, not the leading edge or face. 

... And utilizing Occum's Razor, if an old time rounded leading edge were superior there would certainly be OEM's offering them. I can see where a rounded sole under the leading edge could cause shots to go a little off line if making contact with the sand toward the toe or heel, but imagine that would be minimal. That said, there certainly are times I think I can hole a bunker shot and I would defiantly want a straight leading edge on those shots.  I think it just comes down to personal preference, at least from the sand but onset from a rounded leading edge on chips and pitches is something most better players would not find optimal and poor players should avoid at all costs. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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.
Would a club designed to be sand specific outperform a full function wedge in the sand,
even in the hands of a skilled player?


My question back would be how
many would a player have to bag. Fluffy lies, fried egg lies, buried lies, compacted sand, etc. a specialty sand wedge may be best for one condition but not
all on the course.

Also I think current players use their wedges both in and out of the sand and just having one would be too limiting.

Driver:  :ping-small: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven
Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
                :titelist-small: 915H  24*  w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype        
Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
Wedge:  :titleist-small: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite
Putter:   :taylormade-small:TM-180

Testing:   SPGC_logo.jpg

Backups:  :odyssey-small: Milled Collection RSX 2, :seemore-small: mFGP2, :cameron-small: Futura 5W

Member:  MGS Hitsquad since 2017697979773_DSCN2368(Custom).JPG.a1a25f5e430d9eebae93c5d652cbd4b9.JPG

 

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My sand wedge is a Titleist 52degree with a 10 bounce.   I don't know what the grind may be, but if there is such a thing as a regular or standard grind, I must assume it to be such.   The singular reason that I have this wedge is because that is what my instructor ordered for me.   I assume it is a Titleist because my instructor's bag is totally Titleist.   Regarding the degree and bounce, I can only assume that my instructor perceives it to be the best configuration for someone that does not know how to routinely get out of a sand bunker probably caused by a mental block, well me.

Edited by TheWahoo
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Seve learned and played with irons from the bunker so it’s not even necessary to use a wedge let alone a sand wedge or specialty wedge. 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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3 hours ago, chisag said:

 I think it just comes down to personal preference, at least from the sand but onset from a rounded leading edge on chips and pitches is something most better players would not find optimal and poor players should avoid at all costs. 

But if it were a sand dedicated club,  chips and pitches wouldn't be a consideration.

Again, I refer to the rooster tail of sand being displaced (as opposed to a giant cloud) because of an onset curved edge.

You can see that rooster tail on sand shots in ancient, sepia colored film.

But chisag is definitely right in that even seeing it with my own eyes and experiencing it in over fifty years of golf,

I'm still talking about my own game, not his far superior one.

 

I always included the sand iron with the driver, driving iron, and putter---shot specific  or "one-trick-pony" utility clubs not included in the set's overall linear loft progression.  I didn't play a chipper or run-up iron, but that could go into that group as well.

 

But what I really get out of this is that,  despite having silver hair,  chisag learned to play in the sand with a Tommy Armour 845 W4!

To me, that club falls into the "modern club" category,  so that's how old I am.

The 845 was one of those "tumble finish" clubs popular at the time.  It was a huge seller.

I remember  that guys with Eye 2s and Wilson 1200GEs added an 845 lob wedge to their bags because they cosmetically matched as far as finish and didn't have excessive offset for a lob wedge (as Ping's did once they offered one).

They later came out with a more conventional finish toward the end of their long run.

The Tommy Armour brand was a renaming of the old "PGA" brand of clubs

which itself was historically named "Victor,"  I believe.

For a short time, they were owned by the same company that owned Ram.

They somehow acquired the Tommy Armour brand from MacGregor which had made it famous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I know this is out of left field but for my money and purely out of bunkers, the old Pure Spin diamond face wedges were money.  Not my favorite anywhere else though.  

  • Driver:  Cobra LTDx Max
  • 5 wood, 7 wood:  Cobra Speedzone
  • 5 hybrid: Callaway Forged CB 24*
  • Irons: Sub 70 699 (6), 659MB Raw (7-PW)
  • Wedges: Sub70 286 50*, Edel 55*, 60*
  • Putter:  PXG Bat Attack

Hail Southern and no place else!!  

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I use a Wilson Sandy Andy. I’ve had this club for quite a while. It’s actually the third one I’ve owned and used. This is a 64 degree loft (stamped on the sole) with 4 degree bounce (also stamped on the sole). The club has a curved leading edge that really fits my eye. This is a club designed for sand, probably green side more so than anything else. If I really try and catch the ball pure from a fairway lie, I can get 60 yards tops, which is fine by me. I love hitting this club in green side bunkers because I know what to expect. I practice in my basement during the winter hitting little lofted chips at a target. This has resulted in me being able to pop a short sided shot over a bunker to a cup 6 feet on the green with no fear. It’s a result of the Sandy Andy and practice. Take dead aim.


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  • 1 month later...

Cleveland Smart Sole S. It's like magic. Absolutely worthless for pretty much any other shot, but amazing in the sand.

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

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  • 4 months later...

One of these...

usually the 54°/12°, but sometimes the 58/10 for those steep deep walls to a close pin. Or even the 50/10 for a longer throw. That’s probably not the way a “pro” would do it, but I don’t know any better...

sub70’s wedges have really been good 

02306248-7D16-4FE5-82BC-9D44D0F7146B.jpeg

 

:titleist-small: TSr2 on tensi blue stiff

:cobra-small: Speedzone 3-wood on Tensi blue S

:callaway-logo-1: Epic Max 5 and 7 woods on HZRDUS  Reg flex

:callaway-logo-1: Paradym 9 wood on HZRDUS reg flex

:taylormade-small: P770 / P790 combo set on Ventus R-6 shafts 6-AW

:mizuno-small:  T22 Denim Copper 54°, 58° on Kinetic X Trajectory 

:EVNROLL: ER3 or,

:edel-golf-1: E.A.S. #4   (“Fang” or “Adele”)
 

:titelist-small: ProV1x, or, Maxfli Tour X

:callaway-small: .Org 14 cart bag

Adidas Tour 360 , or Sketcher shoes

 

 

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On 11/17/2018 at 6:58 PM, tony@CIC said:

Ping Eye 2 for me emoji106.png

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

 

Oh sure, the one I opted not to buy with the set. Honestly I cannot recall why I didn't include that wedge but it may have been sticker shock - PE2's weren't exactly cheap at that time.  When my Dad passed away in 97, I began using his McGregor SW - what I was using prior to that I don't remember.  Yikes, it's starting 😱.

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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On 11/21/2018 at 9:19 AM, deejaid said:

I think maybe, and this is just my opinion, that before, sand wedges were thought of as merely specialty clubs and were designed to function better from specific lies, I.e. sand, heavy rough.

Now, sand wedges are used for full swings from the fairway many times as the modern game has become driver/wedge, so they made sand wedges more of an 11 or 12 iron as opposed to a specialized club.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Interesting.  I alway wondered what made a SW and SW.  Was there something unique to their design that made them better in sand than turf?  For instance, does the "SW" in a G410 series of wedge have a special geometry that makes it less playable on turf?

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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Use to just use the general purpose club marked SW for just getting out of bunkers because that's what it says it's for but it seems a waste just using a club for bunker shots which for me is maybe 1 shot a round. I evolved long ago to using a 56' wedge which has a bounce of 14'. This in most cases is enough to get me out of the bunker successfully. It is also a 100yd full shot, 60yd half shot and I use it to chip around the green. Open the face for a flop as well. I'm currently using Cleveland RTX 3.0 

WIMB

Driver Callaway Epic 10.5' Fujikura Stiff

3W Callaway Epic 15' Fujikura Stiff

3-AW Srixon Z565 Nippon Stiff

52', 56' Cleveland RTX 585 Wedges

Putter Taylormade Rosa Daytona

Bags 2017 Callaway Org14 Cart bag or 2018 Srixon Z start Carry bag 

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  • 1 month later...

The Tommy Armour Over n Out in 62* has been pretty spectacular for me so far- slightly curved leading edge, a bit of a v-sole, and with good heel and toe relief. It's surprisingly versatile as well- I've never been quite able to teach my sweetie my patented flop shot, but with this, she really doesn't need it.

WITB: 

Adams 9064LS 9.5* (until I cracked the face)

Adams Super LS 17*

Adams XTD Ti 23*

Wilson Staff Ci7 4-PW

Adams wedges: 52/7 56/13 60/7

Wilson Staff Infinite Southside putter/Odyssey DualForce 660 putter

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Best SW EVER?

Is there any other option than the Wilson Sarazen R20?  That was on of the best clubs ever made (and had the retail life to prove it) and would be one that I would still be bagging if they still made them. I think they even did a copper head model at a few different points in history that gave an even softer feel to an already soft design. The only issue with them is that they tended to bend a bit if you used them too long, so you'd have to have the lofts and lies checked every season or two if you were really worried about that sort of thing back then.

In The Bag:

:wilson-small: Cortex Driver - 9° - Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 7 X-Flex Shaft - Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip
:wilson-small: Staff Model Blades - 3-PW - KBS C-Taper 130 X Flex Shafts - Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip
:wilson-small: PMP RAW Wedges - 50°, 54° & 58° - KBS C-Taper 130 X Flex Shafts - Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Grip
:odyssey-small: Tri-Hot #3 (2002) Putter - Super Stroke Flatso 2.0 Grip

:titelist-small: AVX Balls  +  :wilson-small: Exo Bag  +  :footjoy-small: shoes

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For me it has to be the Nike vr x3x toe sweep!

Unique grind (although inspire I'm certan from Ping Eye 2) that is versatile outside the bunker and yet super easy to use the sand. Not even necessary to open the face. Ball pops right out!

Plus they can still be found new and for cheap!

Any Driver I can currently hit...

Taylor Made Mini 14*

Adams Idea Pro 3&4

Cobra S3 5-PW

Cleveland 588 RTX 52* & 56*

Cleveland T-Line putter

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  • 1 month later...

Ping Eye2 (drops mike and walks off stage)

 

 

The best out a trap ever

:callaway-small: Mavrik Max, 9* 
:taylormade-small:Stealth 15* / 18*
:callaway-small: Rogue 4H, 21*
:callaway-small: Steelhead XR 5-AW 
:cleveland-small: RTX ZipCore 52* / 56*
:odyssey-small: White Hot Versa Seven S , 35"
Many other putters in the bullpen waiting for call

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15 hours ago, gregh729 said:

Ping Eye2 (drops mike and walks off stage)

 

 

The best out a trap ever

I loved my PE2+ sand wedge, which is why I opted for the Callaway 2019 PM Grind wedge.  Similar design in a modern club.  Just amazing!!

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I know back when this thread started some 2 years ago I said Cleveland 588---- But I have changed some--- I found a Ping Zing LW in the scrap pile a few months back. Liked the way it sat at address and the sole grind--- It is one ugly SOB but it is money out of a trap any trap and money for the high grass chop pop shot. Now out of a tight fairway and over 50 yards it is not as effective but that is what I carry my 56* Mizuno for

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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The TM hi-toe 60 has recently edged out my Epon wedge. It really is good.

Driver: th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg Proto X 9° - Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6S

Fairways: th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg0341X Gen 2 13° - Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 6S; 0341X Gen 2 15° - VA Drago 65 S

1&2 iron: th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg 0311X - Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 95 X (1) S (2)

Hybrid: th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg 0317X Gen 2 19° - Accra Tour Z Xtreme Hybrid M4

Irons:  th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg 0311X Gen 1 4; 0311T Gen 2 4-PW - Oban CT115 S

Wedges:th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg Sugar Daddy Gen 2 - 50°, 54°, 58°- Oban CT 115 S; KBS Hi-rev 2.0

Putter:  1500419358_LABlogo-horizontal-black.png.141fcb5fd7603f7f248f3821f51a6797.png  Directed Force 2.1 35" with lagp.png.7ad0cf3ac148827f3723a9f69a948244.png 135 shaft

Ball: :taylormade-small: TP5 Pix

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On ‎7‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 10:06 AM, Waazzupppp said:

Best SW EVER?

Is there any other option than the Wilson Sarazen R20?  That was on of the best clubs ever made (and had the retail life to prove it) and would be one that I would still be bagging if they still made them. I think they even did a copper head model at a few different points in history that gave an even softer feel to an already soft design. The only issue with them is that they tended to bend a bit if you used them too long, so you'd have to have the lofts and lies checked every season or two if you were really worried about that sort of thing back then.

Now the old R 20 and R 90s were some good wedges if you got the older forged ones--- Even the remake R-90 with the fake wood grain shaft made in the 80s were good. I have seen some remake horrible feeling cast R-20s sold in Wal Mart and such. Also there are some horrible cast Wilson Harmonized that mimic the old reliable JPs of the 70s and 80s 

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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