Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) has announced the introduction of its new Callaway Golf forged wedges. The Company’s chief golf club designer, Roger Cleveland – creator of some of the game’s most popular and trusted wedge designs – designed this series of wedges with two finishes and five lofts. The highly anticipated Callaway Golf forged wedges represent Roger Cleveland’s first new traditional wedges to hit the market in more than seven years.
The Callaway Golf Forged Wedges combine Roger Cleveland’s extensive short-game design expertise with Callaway Golf’s technological prowess. As a result, these new wedges have a classic appearance while offering significant performance benefits to golfers of all skill levels. The Callaway Golf forged wedges are a significant departure for the Company; marking the first time it has released a club with a traditional hosel since the 1980s. Shipping to retail accounts will begin this month.
“The inspiration in designing the Callaway Golf forged wedges was to improve upon the classic wedge design. From a design standpoint, a classic wedge shape with a hosel gives you certain options for look and performance that are very beneficial,” Cleveland said. “So I wanted to create a ‘new classic’ wedge design that tour pros and top amateurs would instantly feel comfortable with, but with features that live up to the Callaway Golf standard of being demonstrably superior and pleasingly different for golfers of all skill levels. That’s where we started. What I didn’t want to do was make wedges that were exactly like what I’ve designed in the past. Maybe that would have been the safest and most conventional route, but I wanted to see if we could take wedge design someplace better.”
Roger Cleveland believes using the forging process – rather than the casting process that was employed for most of his previous successful wedge designs – is chief among the advantages built into these new wedges. This gives the Callaway Golf forged wedges the soft, solid feel that many professionals and top amateurs prefer.
“Most of my previous wedge designs have been cast from 8620 carbon steel, mainly because shape and design could be maintained because minimum weight would be removed during the process. Forging at that time was inconsistent. But Callaway Golf’s expertise in club production gave me the opportunity to forge these wedges out of soft 1020 carbon steel,” Cleveland said. “This makes for a unique structural difference that adds to the quality and versatility of these wedges. We start with a red-hot cylinder of 1020 carbon steel and pound it into the shape we want. This process yields a near net shape with minimal weight removal required, therefore, not compromising the design. Then we mill the face and the grooves using a computerized process for the kind of precision you want from clubs you rely upon for scoring and accuracy. Forged carbon steel can also be bent to nearly any specs without breaking. So if golfers want wedges they can truly customize to fit their needs, the Callaway Golf forged wedges will make them very happy.”
Callaway Golf state that every detail of their forged wedges has been carefully engineered to enhance short-game performance. For example, the forged club heads are slightly smaller than most other classic wedges on the market. This smaller club head makes for greater versatility, especially when playing trouble shots from bad lies. The Callaway Golf forged wedges have specially designed, computer-milled U-grooves that channel water, grass and sand away from the ball for cleaner contact and more control – while at the same time, avoiding excessive abrasion to the golf ball cover. The Callaway Golf forged wedges offers the correct bounce and sole design for each loft. This versatility nets out more trailing edge relief at the toe and heel to help get down to the ball and dig it out of bad lies from both sand and rough as well as pick it cleanly from the fairway.
The Callaway Golf forged wedges also feature a proprietary steel shaft developed with True Temper. The True Temper Memphis Tour Steel Shaft has a soft tip and weight to improve feel and feedback during the swing and at impact on delicate short-game shots. The wedges also have a Golf Pride Tour Velvet Less Cord Grip. This grip has a lower cord concentration for soft feel with great traction in all weather conditions. The lower hand area has been built up for better control while gripping down on the club for the delicate short shots.
Roger Cleveland considers the wedges to be the most personal clubs in the bag. Therefore, the Callaway Golf forged wedges are offered in two distinct finishes to allow golfers a choice in how their wedges look. The chrome finish is a durable copper-nickel-chrome with an opaque sheen and a rich lustre, while the vintage finish is designed to wear away over time to reveal the raw carbon steel. This will rust over time, allowing them to acquire a patina that gives the wedges the look of a fine instrument that has aged beautifully.
“Callaway Golf is committed to creating new products that help golfers of all skill levels enjoy the game,” said Ron Drapeau, Callaway Golf’s president, CEO and chairman. “The new Callaway Golf forged wedges have a remarkable combination of beauty and performance that any golfer can appreciate.”
The Callaway Golf forged wedges are available in five lofts for right-handed golfers (52 degrees, 54 degrees, 56 degrees, 58 degrees and 60 degrees), and three lofts for left-handed golfers (52 degrees, 56 degrees, and 60 degrees). The suggested retail price for the Callaway Golf forged wedges is £109 for the Vintage finish and £99 for the Chrome finish.
Callaway Golf www.callawaygolf.com