When Layne Savoie and Dr. Rob Neal presented their Short Game Experience at Titleist’s Manchester Lane test facility, they revealed that the ability to generate high spin is a crucial ingredient in hitting tour-caliber wedge shots. But many golfers don’t even give themselves a fighting chance, because they’re missing 2/3 of the spin equation - they play the wrong golf ball and they use worn-out wedges.
Premium performance golf balls like Titleist Pro V1, Pro V1x and AVX offer a measurable advantage over lesser balls due to their cover material, urethane elastomer, which is soft, pliable and allows for greater friction between ball and club face at impact.
How much more? WedgeCraft’s research showed that on a 75-yard shot with a new Vokey SM6 (58°), the Pro V1 came off the face of the wedge with 8,300 rpm of spin. Under the same exact conditions, a top-selling Surlyn-covered 2-piece ball had only 5,600 rpm of spin. Because of that additional friction, the Pro V1 also launched significantly lower (26° vs. 31°), which is a key hallmark in the way that tour players play full wedge shots.
The wedge itself is obviously important, as well, and Doc and Layne came to the clinic armed with a full array of brand new Vokey SM7 wedges. In their testing, Doc and Layne compared experienced wedges (70 rounds played) to new wedges. In perfectly dry conditions, off an artificial mat, the Pro V1 launched a degree higher, but still spun more than 8,000 rpm. In contrast, the two-piece Surlyn ball launched four degrees higher and only had 3,000 rpm of spin on the full, 75-yard shot. If any moisture were to get between the club face and the ball (as you'd experience on the golf course), the numbers would be dramatically worse.
As Layne details in this video excerpt from the event, there’s good news for those looking to improve their short games. You can solve 2/3 of the spin equation simply by playing Pro V1 and upgrading to new wedges when your grooves start to show wear.
Want to take a closer look inside the Team Titleist WedgeCraft Short Game Experience? Click here for a full recap of all the action.
And to learn more about Layne and Doc and the wealth of wedge play knowledge they’ve assembled, please visit WedgeCraft.com.