The importance of the short game in golf cannot be overlooked. If you’re serious about improving your golf, improving in this area is a must. While golfers have been conditioned to consider wedge spin to the exclusion of nearly everything else, we always recommended looking at more than that. The spinniest wedge is not always going to be your best wedge. And if you’re like me, you’ve been trying to replicate that since you first started playing the game. And maybe some of you can do it. In the golfing world, the terms “illegal” or “non-conforming” are used to describe equipment that does not meet the stringent standards set by the sport’s governing bodies. Indi Golf calls it TractionFace. The entire face of the club has what are called box grooves. Those grooves are what grab the ball and increase the spin.

To determine the Most Wanted Wedge, we collect performance metrics with Foresight GCQuad launch monitors. For wedge testing, we use an “out of 100” scoring system. Points are awarded based on performance for each of our metrics: accuracy, consistency, and spin. The rationale behind these stringent rules is to maintain a level playing field and uphold the skill-based nature of the game. In essence, while these non-conforming wedges can improve performance, they are seen as undermining the game’s traditional challenges, thus they are not permitted in official tournaments and competitions. The Impact of Using Illegal WedgesAnother point of contention is the face texture. Some non-conforming wedges utilize unique face textures or materials designed to maximize grip on the golf ball, thereby enhancing spin and control. Nike answered my questions about this by releasing the Air Zoom Infinity Tour NEXT% Shield weatherized golf shoes, geared toward protecting your feet from the elements. In my initial impressions, I thought of them as more of a baseball or football cleat than a golf shoe, but after wearing them, it is obvious they will be in the rotation for my colder rounds this Fall and Winter: Your wedges will take a beating from the various elements on the golf course. A test completed by Titleist shows that, after about 75 rounds of golf, the groove wear becomes significant enough to affect performance. remaining rounds played locally were the first time playing that course this season, so the basis for comparison (10/12 rounds) is a difficult one vs previous gamers For this Member Testing Opportunity we are looking for 4 Forum Members to test, keep and review a set of Indi Golf Wedges. Included in this test is a full virtual fitting with @indigolf!

Keep reading and we will shine some light on the interesting world of illegal golf wedges. What Are Illegal Golf Wedges?

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At a shot level around the green, only 2/7 previous rounds with the 60* resulted in positive Strokes Gained totals with that club vs my benchmark. Of these 7 rounds, they were all played on different courses in 2 different provinces and in Florida across multiple golf trips. If you play in soft conditions, wedges with high bounce are useful. On the other hand, if you play in firm conditions, look for low bounce. While a mid-bounce option is typically a safe play, mixing a variety of bounce options across your wedge set will give you the versatility to hit any shot the course presents. Utilize the Data The best way to determine which wedges are best for your game is to have a professional fitting. Ideally, an outdoor fitting. If you don’t have access to professional fitting, use this as a guide to help narrow down your demo list. Analyze Your Game When testing was all finished we had our testers grade and state whether or not these wedges would replace their current set. With scores of 83,85,89 and 90 out of 100 it is safe to say they performed well overall for the group. Three of the four testers without question are keeping these as their new gamers and the fourth will have these in rotation with his other wedges.

Now, before we get too excited. There is a caveat. The Indi Golf Stingrays are classified as non-conforming clubs. So you wouldn’t be able to use them in competitive or tournament play. However, Indi Golf has just released a conforming version of their wedges called the Stingray TT. Which we’ll get to soon enough. We’ll also talk about how the Stingrays can be used as a type of training device, too. Indi Golf uses the tagline of “Kings of Spin” and offers wedges with both conforming and non-conforming grooves.There are two performance elements that I was impressed by and found even more important than the spin. The first is the ATK Grind on the sole. These wedges have substantial amounts of bounce, but that’s offset by significant relief in the heel, toe, and trailing edge. The result is a club that’s easy to open up and also fights digging. I really enjoyed the turf interaction of these wedges and could easily put them in my bag for that reason.