YOUR QUESTIONS
Q: SEEMS LIKE THE WEDGES TOUR PROS CARRY ARE RUSTED, AND THE ONES THE REST OF US USE LOOK BETTER. WHAT’S THE DEAL? Wedges on tour are almost all raw, meaning the heads are bare carbon steel. Some pros claim this allows a softer feel, but a raw wedge will oxidise and can start rusting right away. Most of the wedges at your local pro shop are plated with chrome, nickel or a PVD coating. That’s why they look like they just came off the assembly line. A plated finish adds a microscopic layer over the face, protecting it and keeping the grooves from degrading. The trade-off is that a finish can slight- ly dull the micro-texture between the grooves on some wedges. Does that reduce friction and spin? We tested it. We soaked a 56-degree raw wedge in a bucket of water for a week until a lay- er of rust coated the face and grooves. Then we pitted it against a plated 56-de- gree on the Golf Laboratories swing ro- bot to see how they stacked up. The clubs produced almost identical spin at about 10 000 rpm. The launch, ball speed and distance were similar, too. Maybe a raw wedge feels softer, but our test suggests it doesn’t spin more. Groove wear is the real spin killer, and a coating can extend the life of grooves. Unless you’re getting free clubs, like tour pros do, coated wedges seem smarter.
BIG DIFFERENCE Birdie machine Stewart Cink prefers an oversize grip.
What a Jumbo Putter Grip Could Do for You Q: Changing the weight of a putter grip can alter feel, but you can counter the effects. If the head feels too light, per- haps add some lead tape. Too heavy? Add weight in the grip or butt end of the shaft. I REALLY LIKE MY PUTTER BUT HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING ON THE GREENS. I’M THINKING ABOUT Oversize has gone from fad to trend to staple. Here’s the lowdown
A THICKER GRIP. THOUGHTS?
It’s an important point because if the weight is off, something is likely to feel awry. That can lead to manipulating the stroke to compensate. Hand placement also plays a role. There’s reverse-overlap, cross-handed, claw, saw, finger down the shaft – all can impact the grip size you need. Then, there’s hand size. A grip that doesn’t fit your hands can affect grip pressure. Luckily, there are many choices. “We came out years ago with large grips that had no taper,” says Arnie Cunningham, PGA Tour rep for Su- perstroke. “Since then, we’ve grown into a full-line company with over 40 options.” Our advice: Give oversize a try. The cost is low, and if you find it’s not for you, it’s easy to go back to a standard grip.
Oversize grips are not a cure-all, but many golfers can benefit from using one. Reducing hand action, which those larger grips promise, and rely- ing on the bigger muscles of the arms and shoulders would help most golfers square the putterface. That would mi- nimise pushes and pulls and improve contact for predictable distance. But it’s not as simple as just swap- ping out your current grip for a jumbo model. It takes a little thinking. “The main thing golfers need to con- sider is the weight of their putter,” says Bruce Miller, putting product manager for Golf Pride, “specifically, what the weight of the head is, what the weight of the shaft is, what the weight of the putter grip is. You need to maintain the correct balance and performance.”
Answers by Golf Digest equipment editors Mike Stachura, E Michael Johnson and Jonathan Wall
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74 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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