JDM wedge triumvirate

[Blader-X]

Well after bagging only the TourStage X-wedge 901's 53° and 59° for the past couple seasons, it was time to change it up and go back to 3 wedges. So new to the bag this year will be SkyDreamJump DP2010 51°/7°, Royal Collection DB Forged 56°/13° and the Fourteen MT28 V5 T.S. 62°/6°. Why go to this set up? I feel these three wedges will give me more flexibility and diversity to my short game. At the moment these wedges are off getting KBS Black nickel shafts as well as flatter lies, but I'll be sure to review each and everyone. For now, I've included pics for those who are interested.

Topline comparison

SkyDreamJump DP2010 51°/7°. This club will be the go to wedge for full shots in the 110-120 yard range as well chip and runs. Small head, very thin topline allows for a very clean setup to the ball. This wedge is not forged but you could never tell from its feel. Awesome feel.

Royal Collection DB Forged 56°/13°. The new dedicated sand wedge. I really feel the grind on this club will benefit my sand game which is the weakest part of my short game. In playing around with it at home, I can even open the face wide and hit high lobs. Very versatile grind, heavy head. Topline doesn't matter due to the loft. By the way, this club has probably the best feel of the three. Its very, very solid. Larger head than the SDJ and similar in size to the Fourteen.

Fourteen MT28 V5 T.S. 62°/6° A pure lob wedge. Head seems lighter than the DB but should be heavy enough after being reshafted with the KBS at an inch longer. Another solid club and should provide all manner of short game shots and I'm thinking 75 yard full shots, but will see what the numbers come out at.

I'm very excited about all three of these wedges and feel that the short game will be a lot of fun this year.

Once the clubs get the "Good package" I'll be sure to put a lot of range/round time for review. Until then here's another pic to enjoy:

[FatMan]

They look good! Were you able to notice the spin on these? I have my eye on the RC & SDJs.

[rb2235]

Love the sole on the SKY. Nice pics.

[Blader-X]

They look good! Were you able to notice the spin on these? I have my eye on the RC & SDJs.

Hit full shots with the SDJ and spin is on par with my old TourStage however I really can't comment until these come back with my shafts and specs and then I'll be able to really relay how they spin.

[jamnguy1]

I believe SDJ non-conforming, while the other two are.

[Above_Beyond]

Those are beautiful. I tried a blend of wedges before, but for me its like having an iron set. I need consistency in feel throughout the "class" of club. But as always - w/e works for you.

They certainly are gorgeous!

Cheers!

[supo]

what a great post.

techical info and fantastic visuals

those wedges look great \

,there looks to me to be a consistancey in shape as well.

the RC is fabulous looking i havnt seen that anywhere, im gona take a look around, i love the look of that one

hope u kill it with them , thsoe kbs black shafts look terrific

great build

[gocchin]

I love RC wedges, to me they are always one of the softest feeling and best shapes around. They always have been.

This years model especially since they are forged by Endo. There is no doubt they should be the best feeling of the three.

Great post B!

[FatMan]

I love RC wedges, to me they are always one of the softest feeling and best shapes around. They always have been.

This years model especially since they are forged by Endo. There is no doubt they should be the best feeling of the three.

Great post B!

T, What's the difference between the regular DBs & the protos?

[Above_Beyond]

Gocchin have you thought about moving into the endo factory floor, or just marrying an endo employee, or getting endo tattooed on your forhead in big letters :)

its a love affair ;P

Edited April 8, 2011 by Above_Beyond

[+TourSpecGolfer]

I need one of those tattoo's also

[idrive]

How did you get them to split up the Fourteens?? Thought they came as a set only??

Ever since bagging the SDJ wedges... nothing else even comes close.

Nice set up B

[gocchin]

How did you get them to split up the Fourteens?? Thought they came as a set only??

Ever since bagging the SDJ wedges... nothing else even comes close.

Nice set up B

You can buy the Fourteens individually this time around... but they are ultra limited. Very very few in stock.

T

[Blader-X]

Love the sole on the SKY. Nice pics.

The sole is killer. Thing about also is that even though its basically a gap wedge, you can still open up the face if need be w/ no problem of the bounce getting in the way.

what a great post.

techical info and fantastic visuals

those wedges look great \

,there looks to me to be a consistancey in shape as well.

the RC is fabulous looking i havnt seen that anywhere, im gona take a look around, i love the look of that one

hope u kill it with them , thsoe kbs black shafts look terrific

great build

Yes, the RC is fabulous! Probably my personal favorite so far. Just needed them to make a 61 or 62 degree and then most likely I don't go with the Fourteen.

How did you get them to split up the Fourteens?? Thought they came as a set only??

Ever since bagging the SDJ wedges... nothing else even comes close.

Nice set up B

Might you be referring to the RC DB's? There is a set of the proto's in 52/58 and then there's the individual sets coming in either black or satin.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

The Fourteen's are solid! The 62* was a great addition to their line up.

Also the 58 thru 60 are available in M & H grinds.

Most PGA tour players are rocking these at D4/D5.5 which is a hair lighter than the stock D6 swing swing weight.

Most popular shaft is DGS400 on tour.

[Spoon]

i was totally happy with my 50 56 combo after seeing this thread my wedge set up is in chaos and got a

3 wedge combo 52,56,60 and unsure wether to bend to 50 55 60. will see. cant wait!

[JGalls]

The Fourteen's are solid! The 62* was a great addition to their line up.

Also the 58 thru 60 are available in M & H grinds.

Most PGA tour players are rocking these at D4/D5.5 which is a hair lighter than the stock D6 swing swing weight.

Most popular shaft is DGS400 on tour.

Can you give some info on the M vs H grinds. Maybe which is better for what type of player/shots/conditions?

Can the black finish be removed (raw)?

[stalemate]

Great wedge set up! I have never thought of using diiferent brands. Was there any reason you chose those particular loft with the brand? Do you notice any differences in spin, accuracy and feel?

[Blader-X]

Great wedge set up! I have never thought of using diiferent brands. Was there any reason you chose those particular loft with the brand? Do you notice any differences in spin, accuracy and feel?

Okay, because I know there's interest let me delve into my thinking on this wedge setup. Mind you, they're in the process of getting spec'd out for me. That entails installing KBS shafts at basically about 1" over standard; the lies will be flattened 2-3 degrees depending upon each club; the grips are built up and pure/flo. Once I have them back I will be hitting many, many shots with them in a short time so I will definitely give lots of feedback. For now here's my thoughts. I tend to run long so forgive me if this becomes boring.

First off why three different brands? Well... because there's just too much JDM out there to limit to just one company!! But lets go back a little. Several years back I used a 52/56/60 wedge system. I had the old model Epon copper wedges. They were great but they're all basically the same club. However, when the TourStage X-blade 901's came out I decided to go with X-wedge 901's in 53/59. This has served me mostly well the past couple years. However both of those wedges have 9 degrees of bounce and are basically the same wedge. I also have the TourStage X-blade PW but that club is mainly full shots and chips so I won't be discussing it here in this thread. Mind you it will stay in the bag. So jump foward to this year's Japan Golf show and I was blown away with the new wedges coming out, and, also I had been looking at the SkyDreamJumps for awhile as well. I started thinking, having every club look the same works well in a set of irons. It also works well in wedges but what if one had three different wedges of different grinds to handle many different short game shots? Irons are basically full shots. Well I do mess around with knockdowns, controls, sometimes long chips but for the most part irons are full shots. You want consistency in the set so you can deal with certain yardages. Now, the short game however has many variations. Too numerous to list but you all golf so you know what I'm talking about.

For these three wedges it all started with the SDJ. My current PW is 47 bent to 46, so I wanted the SDJ at 51 degrees. This would be a perfect gap wedge as its 2 degrees stronger than the TourStage 53. Also, it has an ultra-thin topline which is perfect to look at address (for me). Secondly, when I had one range session with it, the grind on that particular wedge allows for it to be opened up so you can play high lofted shots with it as well. Its very easy to chip with. With the KBS I expect this wedge to be used on full shots at anywhere between 105-125 yards depending upon conditions. Lastly the bounce is only 7 degrees so its much better on full shots than the 9 degrees on the TourStage. And one more thought, why 51? Well its my son's jersey number in baseball which he chose because of Ichiro.

The next wedge I really liked was the Fourteen, why, because I loved the 62 degree model made for Kuch. The grind looked awesome to me and I really wanted his particular wedge. However being its made only for him I had to settle for the retail product which is very close to what he's playing. I love the black look to it. This of course replaces the 59 I have. I like that the club is 62 degrees as it will allow me to take full swings at yardages of 75-85 yards. Also the increase in loft will allow me to hit higher lofted shots when I open it up. The design of the head I really like because while its 62 degrees its designed to hit the ball lower due to the higher COG. I need this as I tend to hit my wedges a little too high for my liking at times. Having a high lofted club that's design to stay lower is ideal for me. This club will hit so many variety of short game shots. It'll just depend upon what I'm thinking at that particular time as to how I will use the club. This club has 6 degrees of bounce which makes it better at super tight lies than the current 59.

So now, I've got a 51 and a 62. Now I need something to bridge the gap in the middle. The decision was easy. I fell for the RC dent back right away. It too offers the higher COG just like the Fourteen. Its forged at Endo, can't get better than that. Looking at the grind, I thought that it would be perfect for bunker shots. I like my short game and practice it quite a bit. I really love to create lots of different shots. However, my sand game isn't up to the level of the rest. I'm thinking that this grind combined with the 13 degrees of bounce will suit me much better coming from the beach. Of course this remains to be seen but I'm optimistic and hopeful. I did hit this club just a little before I sent it off to be reworked. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to open the face and the bounce doesn't get in the way. I know that this club will be not only good from sand, but absolutely great from fluffy grass and soft lies. Again we'll see how it goes.

Why go back from basically a two-wedge system to a three? Versatility and creativity. In my game I'm very much a feel player. While I know in general my yardages, every day varies due to feel. I like being able to create shots and play around with shots. Not only in the short game but long game too. While I've read Pelz and his clock system, I'm not that kind of player. Yes I've worked things like that to get better, but I play my best when I imagine shots and work at "creating" them. The past couple of years my wedge game had been a little uninspiring. It was okay but not what I wanted. These three wedges I'm hoping that the creativity will grow and through that my game will continue to improve. While there was a time I played competetively those days are for the most part over. Now its just about having fun and hitting shots. The score will take care of itself. I just want to hit all kinds of shots and see how much fun I can have in doing that. While I will tell you that the only way to get better is play actual rounds, I can easily spend 6-7 hours hitting balls and creating all kinds of shots. I can seemingly never get enough. I don't get to play as much as I did due to having other commitments (kids!) so I really treasure the time I can spend. I had a lot of down time last year due to injury and I coming back strong this year and I'm very excited about the game and the new clubs. I'll stop for now because I know I probably put some people to sleep but I'm hoping that I was also able to shed some light on these clubs and why I'm taking such an unorthodox approach in going with this system. Time will tell if everything I've talked about here comes to fruition but I'll be sure to report about it.

Until then, makeruna Japan!

[gocchin]

For many of us now a three wedge set has to be considered seriously especially with many JDM irons sporting very strong lofts. What this does is leave huge gaps when your PW is say 44* which mine is.

I have been carrying a 52 and 58 Rupas but I've decided to change that in favor of a 50 56 62 setup for more vesatility.

The 50 and 56 are RC DB Wedges and the 62 like B here is the Fourteen.

There was a huge gap between my 44* and 52*, 8* to be exact making me take a lot of 3/4 PW shots which I don't mind doing but sometimes you need to take a full swing.

[Petethepilot]

Hi Chris,

will the DB forged 56* black head be available with that grind thru TSG. Love the look!

Pete

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Can you give some info on the M vs H grinds. Maybe which is better for what type of player/shots/conditions?

Can the black finish be removed (raw)?

The 58* and 60 degree wedges are available in two distinct sole grinds, H-Grind and M-Grind. The H-Grind has been engineered for variety and control its entire sole portion is flat with a slight heel and toe relief to enable better shot management. For a low bounce just open the club face and for a high bounce close it up. The M-Grind is professionally inspired and features and features a slight ridge on the bottom center of the sole. When you open the club face it utilizes the back portion of the sole while closing it uses the front. This is basically in hand adjustability or manipulation, The M will allow you to be more creative in shot selection along with being able to optimize bounce at will.

You can remove the black finish with some sort of liquid and scrubbing to make it bare metal raw. I would actually suggest leaving it on and letting it go raw in impact areas with use and wear.

Hi Chris,

will the DB forged 56* black head be available with that grind thru TSG. Love the look!

Pete

The DB Forged wedges br RC are only available in the grinds you see listed in the proshop. RC isn't offering custom grind.

[supo]

especially with many JDM irons sporting very strong lofts. What this does is leave huge gaps when your PW is say 44* which mine is.

wow...............................!!

that is news to me.

wholly schmokes

44* PW.. thats not a pw thats a 8/12 iron!

what ,, why,,who,,

is doing that so a 5 iro is like 22* or something?

i must be living in the dark ages, my PW is 48* or at a huge stretch 47*

seriosuly this has prob been touched on a bilin times but i havnt read it.

why?????????????????

is it to take the 3-4 out of play i guess?

[jamnguy1]

There was no such thing as a gap wedge at one time.

Manufacturers have been making clubs with stronger lofts with the claim that there clubs were longer.

Its the same reason why we have drivers with 46" shafts.

That said, 3 wedge set up is a good idea. I play 52/58, the former with low bounce and latter with high bounce

With the right grind can open the 52 up and 58 of course i can always close the face. But with tight lies, its hard to use the 58 or open it up. May be someone can help me with the right grind for that. Of course, the easiest solution is to get a 60 or 62 with low bounce.

especially with many JDM irons sporting very strong lofts. What this does is leave huge gaps when your PW is say 44* which mine is.

wow...............................!!

that is news to me.

wholly schmokes

44* PW.. thats not a pw thats a 8/12 iron!

what ,, why,,who,,

is doing that so a 5 iro is like 22* or something?

i must be living in the dark ages, my PW is 48* or at a huge stretch 47*

seriosuly this has prob been touched on a bilin times but i havnt read it.

why?????????????????

is it to take the 3-4 out of play i guess?

[Blader-X]

UPDATE: THE REVIEWS ARE IN!!

Every once in awhile I hit a homerun and with these three wedges I not only went yard, I won the derby. These three wedges are all simply outstanding and I couldn't be any more thrilled. My short game as so much more versatility to it than ever before. I'll get into each wedge:

SkyDreamJump DP 2010 51°/7° - The perfect gap wedge. Shots from 115 and in and can get a little more if I jump on it. This club is very easy to hit and very easy to line up. Its the smallest of the three with a very thin topline which I like on full shots as far as the setup. At 51° you still notice the topline. The other two not so much due to the higher loft. Trajectory is pretty tight on this one, not at all high with plenty of spin. The other place this wedge is really good is on chip shots and run ups. Also if need be, due to the grind on this wedge it can be opened up for finesse pitch shots in which you want a bit more carry than the 56 could provide but still want that low trajectory allowing for a bit of run. This wedge is very easy to use. With the KBS shaft at 1" over the swingweight came out to E2 which for wedges is right in my wheelhouse.

Royal Collection DB Forged Proto 56°/13° - This is an ideal sand wedge which is probably the most versatile of the three. This club is my first choice in the bunker for sure. Grind and bounce combo make sand shots much easier for me than they had in the past. Also, from heavy rough this club cuts through very well and gets the ball up quickly. However what has surprised me the most about this wedge is how easy one can open it up and hit from tight lies as well. No joke, this baby can hit out of tight lies with the best of them. As for the spin, this club spins the most out of the three for sure as well. Full shots I'm hitting right at about 95 yards. I thought it would be a little more and I may get it to 105 once I really have it dialed in but 95 is the comfortable distance at the moment. Swingweight on this club came out to E2.5. The only bad thing if you could say is that the finish (black) will not last past one giant range session. Now this is basically a raw club with a black finish which will wear but most all the finish is off the lower two-thirds of the face. When I get time later I'll post pics. If this is a problem for you I would suggest the satin finish. That is the only drawback to a very, very good wedge. I would highly suggest this one.

Fourteen MT28 V5 Tour Limited 62°/6° - I didn't know how much I missed a low bounce wedge until I started hitting this puppy. Tight lies; no problema!! In a practice session today I was hitting high lobs off of tight lies with the face opened up on this club. Very easy to club to hit, good deal of spin. Club came out at D3.25 swingweight and hits full shots right at about 80-85 yards. However I can hit up to 95 easily by manipulating face angle a bit. In fact its easier to get this club to that distance than getting the DB up to 105. But given that, this club really isn't for full shots as it is for flops, chips and pitches around the greens which this club does very easily. In comparing spin while it does spin well, the DB Proto has the best spin of the three. What this Fourteen doesn't do as well is fluffy lies but I would attribute that to the 62° of loft and not so much to the design of the club. It does a little rough but heavier, fluffier stuff is best left to the DB. As for this club its a similar black finish and it seems to be holding only a little better than the DB. Its wear mark is all in the middle of the face where ball meets club. This actually looks really cool and I'm finding is really helpful in alignment. The DB well, the whole face is worn and I know I haven't hit all over the face so that finish is wearing more than the Fourteen.

Well that's about it for the review. I welcome all questions should anyone have any. Oh, one last thing. Feel is paramount to me when it comes to clubs and all three have these have far exceeded my old TourStage X-blades in terms of feel. Just a supreme joy to hit and because of that I do believe it adds to their usefulness. I would highly recommended any of these wedges to anyone looking for new ones this year.