Who Is Next? The Best Golfers Without A PGA Tour Victory

Make no mistake about it, America is obsessed with winning. No matter how skilled or consistent you are, you will forever be judged by whether or not you succeeded in finishing first. Sure, you can be recognized for your high level performance over time, but unless you win, you will always be associated with a "but...".

In golf, this demand is no different. Until you win a tournament on the PGA Tour, your reputation is always followed by the "but...". Then, even after you've won a tournament, you are judged on whether you have won a major or not. Is this a fair way to assess a player's skill? That is arguable. Take Lee Westwood or Luke Donald, for example. Both are world class golfers who in the past year alone have been ranked #1 in the world, yet neither has won a major. Does this make them less of a golfer than, say, Ben Curtis, Y.E. Yang, Lucas Glover, Michael Campbell, Shaun Micheel, and others of that ilk? Some would actually argue yes.

Regardless of how you feel about the necessity of a golfer winning a Major Championship to be considered among the greatest, it is hard to argue that one need not even win a PGA Tournament of any kind to be considered one of the best. This becomes especially harder to argue when you review the long list of golfers who have won tournaments. For example, I felt compelled to write this post after watching John Huh win the Mayacoba Classic down in Mexico for his first PGA Tour victory in only his fifth PGA Tournament. John was playing in a tournament that did not feature any of at least the top 65 golfers in the world as they were all playing in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship the same weekend. While that might take a little of the shine off the win, young Mr. Huh still had to hold off a proven PGA Tour winner, Robert Allenby, by making Par on all of the eight playoff holes it took to resolve the tournament.

So, one question to ask is, where does the win place John Huh among the rest of the golfing universe? Well, winning 20% of the tournaments that you enter would be an incredible, likely Hall of Fame career, if that kind of expectation of the man was anywhere near realistic. He could just as easily never win a tournament on tour again. Perhaps that leads us the a more compelling question to ponder. Who is the best golfer in the world without a victory on the PGA Tour?

This has been written about many times before, so obviously I am not looking to be original with this, but I believe that we are witnessing a bit of a golden age of golf right now, one which features young golfers who have grown up being classically trained in the game and having been afforded the greatest technological aids that any golfers have ever known to help them hone their craft. I think it was Byron Nelson (I could be wrong), who when asked what was the greatest technological advancement in golf, responded with "the lawn mower". With these advancements in this potential golden age comes an incredibly diverse group of competitors with the skills and desire to win on the most prestigious level in the sport. In 2011 alone, we saw 13 different golfers win their first PGA Tournament. One of those, Charl Schwartzel, won The Masters, and another, Keegan Bradley, went on to win the PGA Championship later that season. Already in 2012 we have seen both the aforementioned John Huh, and Kyle Stanley win their first PGA Tournaments, Stanley in storybook fashion storming back from an 8-stroke deficit entering the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open after blowing the same sized lead the previous week, but that is another story.

So, who are the best golfers without a PGA Tour victory, and will 2012 be their year to break through? Here is my list, but please share your own thoughts - I love a good sports argument!

1. Rickie Fowler - The talented So Cal native and 2011 PGA Rookie of the Year has played in only 65 events, and has already been the bridesmaid 4 times, but has yet to break through with an official PGA Tour win. He has made the cut in nearly 75% of the events he has entered, and has finished in the Top 25 37% of the time. Most people probably believe that it is only a matter of time before he wins, and wins often, but there are no guarantees, just ask...
2. Jeff Overton - Jeff has played in 164 events, and has finished 2nd four times as well, most notably losing to Stuart Appleby's improbably final round 59 at The Greenbrier last season. Jeff has made the cut in 68% of his events, and finished in the Top 25 26% of the time. Perhaps with Jeff it is only a matter of time as well, but do you think we could be saying this same thing about Rickie still 100 tournaments from now?
3. Steve Marino - Perhaps an improbable name on any "best of" golfers lists, but Steve has proven his mettle with 4 2nd place finishes in his 144 events, most recently at the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational. Steve has made the cut in 73% of the tournaments he has played in, and finished in the Top 25 38% of the time. If you hadn't been paying attention, perhaps it is time to put Steve on your list of probable winners in 2012?
4. Jason Dufner - Oh, so close to not being eligible for this list with his final three hole mini-meltdown at last year's PGA, losing to Keegan Bradley in a playoff. Jason has finished 2nd 3 times in his 158 events. Jason has made the cut in 59% of the events he has entered, but finished in the Top 25 22% of the time. My guess is the Jason has that legendary "fear of winning", and will need to break through just one time before we see him hoisting trophies with some regularity.
5. Briny Baird - What? Briny Baird, seriously? The king of the second rate events? While it is hard to make an argument for Briny Baird being named among the all time greats, it is hard to keep him off a list of potential tournament winners. Briny has actually chalked up 5 2nd place finishes in his PGA career that has spanned 354 events! Briny has made the cut in a respectable 65% of the events he has played in and finished in the Top 25 25% of the time. How can you not root for this guy to just get that coveted first win? Don't weep openly for old Briny, however, as he has raked in almost $12.6 Million in his under-the-radar career.
6. Robert Karlsson - No stranger to success on the world stage, this talented Swede plays infrequently on the PGA Tour, but is still overdue for a first place finish. Robert has played in 87 PGA Tour events over the years, and his finished second twice. He has made the cut in 71% of his events, and finished in the Top 25 28% of the time.Look for Robert to have success at the FedEx St. Jude tournament where he placed second last season.
7. Tommy Gainey - C'mon, really? Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey of Big Break fame seen most recently knocking golf balls from rooftop-to-rooftop in the dry Las Vegas air? Sure, why not? Tommy plays A LOT, 34 events in 2011 alone! Tommy does have a second place finish among his 80 events played, and has made the cut in 41% of those (50% last season). Tommy has placed in the Top 25 only 15% of the time, so his opportunities are few and far between, but based on the sheer number of tournaments he enters, and his propensity to "get hot", I would not put winning a tournament beyond his reach.
8. Ricky Barnes - Son of an NFL Football player, and master of an odd swing, Ricky has been close before on the big stage, finishing 2nd in the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black along with 9 other top 10s, including 2 3rd place finishes in his 104 events played. Ricky has made the cut in 60% of his starts, but finished in the Top 25 only 17% of the time. Got to work on that consistency, Ricky - some would argue that consistency will always evade him with that swing, we'll see.
9. Ryo Ishikawa - This 20 year old Japanese sensation has done some spectacular things. In 2010 he won The Crowns tournament on the Japan Golf Tour by five strokes after shooting a 12-under 58 in the final round! In his 30 events on the PGA Tour, Ryo has only 2 Top 10s, his best being a 4th at the WGC Bridgestone in 2010, and has made the cut only 53% of the time, finishing Top 25 17% of the time. I would argue that despite his age, that his PGA Tour results thus far have been disappointing, but he is obviously incredibly skilled, so could easily turn it all around in 2012.
10. Spencer Levin - Last on this list, but far from the only other golfer that could have taken up residence here, Spencer has recently suffered some heartbreak blowing up in the final round of the 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open, blowing a big lead on Sunday to finish 3rd. Spencer has one 2nd place finish in his 106 career events, but has held the lead after more than a large handful of rounds. Spencer has made the cut in 71% of the events he has played, and finished Top 25 28% of the time. Spencer is known to have a frothy temper, and a penchant for late tournament collapses, but is still young, and getting close.

Others considered for this list include: Nick O'Hern, Kevin Streelman, and Michael Thompson, but lists of 10 just feel proper to me, so we'll leave it at that.

Let me hear what you think...

Fairways and Greens!

Get Your Sligo - On Sale now!

Though I have never been one to shy away from wearing a brightly colored shirt, my style on the course has, for years been one involving a khaki-colored pair of shorts which grew longer and baggier over the years with a solid colored polo which gradually moved from 100% cotton to today's more technical synthetic fabrics. On occasion, I might have strayed into a muted plaid short or a shirt with some color accents around the shoulders or down the sides, but aside from the spectrum of solid colors I might wear, my wardrobe was somewhat vanilla.

With the advent of the BeaverGolf.com store, I suddenly had a fashion fog lifted, and became aware of a wide variety of fresh fashion brands each of whom claim to want to bring more fun to the game through the use of newer, flashier design to go with the most modern advancements in fabric technology. I was so impressed by a handful of these brands, that I made the decision to feature them on BeaverGolf.com, in some cases despite their relative anonymity in the golf industry.

One of these brands stood out from the rest at the first PGA Merchandise show I attended, and it was Sligo. Founded in 2004 by a group of four golfing chums in Canada, Sligo set forth to create high quality golf apparel that combined the most cutting edge materials with "ahead-of-the-curve" trend setting style. As they set about doing that, Sligo was approached about four years ago by PGA Tour Pro Brian Gay to sign on the wear the Sligo brand on tour. The pairing was perfect, and Brian went on to win three times in 2008-2009 wearing Sligo at each event.

The Sligo Fall 2011 Collection was one of their best yet in my opinion, and featured in it one of my favorite shirts ever, the O'Brien. Available in nine bold colors, the O'Brien pops with a pattern of contrasting colored diamonds draped from the front to the back of the shirt over the left shoulder. The fabric features the Sligo Mag Cool treatment which creates the moisture wicking and quick drying material you have come to expect, but also has anti-microbial properties to keep it smelling fresher for longer. The O'Brien is shown here in the attention-grabbing Sligo Green color. Right now, the O'Brien is available for less than $50.00, a savings of almost 30% at BeaverGolf.com. While there, be sure to browse the Tommy Polo and the Gator Polo as well.

Sligo doesn't limit their creative juices to their shirts, though. In fact, I don't know if I have ever been drawn to an original design in pants such as displayed in the Sligo Digitile Pants and Digitile Shorts. These groundbreaking pants feature an original Sligo design inspired by 14th Century Moroccan tile, and the Sligo interpretation looks stunning. Pair these bad boys with a solid colored shirt for a look that will draw the gaze of onlookers, and might even gather a small gallery around your foursome! The polyester/lycra blend provides lightweight moisture-wicking performance with some stretch for comfort. The flat front and straight cut provide an athletic, yet upscale look to your wardrobe. Both the long pants and the shorts are more than 20% off now at BeaverGolf.com. Also, check out the Plaid Performance Pants, Plaid Performance Shorts, and Solid White Performance Pants also on sale now!

To complement your Sligo outfits, we also offer several Sligo hats on sale now, including the Sligo Tour Cap, Sligo Cadet (Painter or Military style) Hat, Sligo Adjustable Visor, and Sligo Toque Beanie. The most original in the hat designs, however, is the Sligo Reversible Rain Bucket Hat. OK, so maybe bucket hats are traditionally reserved for the older crowd and Jeff Triplett, but I believe that we are about to see a trend here. The bucket hat not only keeps the rain off your head and from dripping down your ears and neck, but it also offers better protection against the sun, one of the golfer's worst enemies. Sligo's interpretation offers style with a choice as well, bringing their Digitile design to one side while the other features the Sligo logo across a solid black hat. This is a bucket hat you can be proud to wear during any round.

So, 2012 is a new year, and high time you do like me, and update your golf wardrobe with some fashion forward styles that show that you care enough to look your best...and HAVE SOME FUN! Take advantage of these great deals on Sligo while supplies last. Most colors and sizes have no more than 1 left, so shop early and often to get the ones you like the most.

Fairways and Greens!

40th Birthday Coupon Code!

This Sunday, June 5th at 2:15 in the afternoon marks the 40th anniversary of my triumphant arrival on Earth. Sure, it lacked the fanfare of the Ryder Cup and the tradition of The Masters, but we only get one arrival, and this was mine.

A great month to be born June is, in my opinion. We get lots of sunlight, the most welcome of warmth before it becomes tiresome through the summer, and it marks the beginning of the season when children become free from the shackles of school, and adults spent a good amount of time pretending to work while they too plan their mini escapes.

Gemini is also a great sign. We are the communicators...bright, energetic, though perhaps a bit lazy and unfocused. Though we may be difficult to get to know well, we are generally pretty well liked by most.

As I consider what I have done with my 40 years thus far, I am mostly pleased. Perhaps my only regret to this point being that I didn't let this great game take a hold of me until after I completed college. In my 20s, I set a goal of playing in a Champions Tour event after age 50, meaning that I would need to be at least a scratch golfer by then. I have since taken my handicap from the mid 20s down to as low as a 6.7 a couple years back, and an 8 right now. Good progress, but I know these last 8 strokes will be immensely more difficult to shave than the first 20 were. I just have to keep playing, practicing, staying fit, and enjoying the game then let circumstance take care of the rest.

I am also the proud owner of BeaverGolf.com, and consider it already one of my greatest accomplishments having built it from scratch in late 2009-early 2010. I realize, however, that no matter how hard I work at it, my store will not be a success without the support of my loyal customers, and being discovered by new ones as well.

So, from now, Wednesday, 6/1 through Sunday, June 5th at 11:59 PM CST enter the coupon code BGTURNS40 at checkout to receive 10% off any order of $75 or more, plus FREE SHIPPING. This code can not be used in conjunction with your Beaver Rewards points, so use whichever gets you the most discount.

Thank you all for your support, come and shop a lot this week, and please pass it on!

Fairways and Greens!

Sunice Is Getting Some Recognition

In our lives, there exists an entire category of items that are readily available to purchase, but that we may rarely, if ever, need to actually use. This category is populated with things ranging from a living will and auto insurance down to sunglasses and fingernail clippers. It is a category bloated with frustration, first with having to buy them at all, then with not having them when the need arises. Depending on where you live, an amusing sight is of hoards of commuters racing from office to car, or train to home through a driving storm with nothing but a tattered newspaper over their heads, and a lack of dignity as they awkwardly sprint over, around, and through the collecting pools of water. It is ever more amusing when you spot that one prepared smarty-pants who thought to bring their umbrella with them that day, casually strolling their way in what appears to be slow motion as the crazies race willy-nilly around them.

I put golf outerwear in this category. It is something that many (and possibly most) golfers take for granted. Some are wise enough to own a wind jacket or fleece. A smaller subset actually thinks to bring it along on days when the weather is iffy. Still fewer spend the time and money needed to buy and wear stuff that will actually perform specifically with golf in mind.

Until I began researching what the market had to offer for myself, I was somewhere between the first and second subset. Sure, I owned a windshirt as well as the ubiquitous Polartec fleece, but even when I had them with me, I was often left unsatisfied with the protection they provided, and always felt like their presence negatively impacted my game. Then, I discovered Sunice.

Yes, I do sell Sunice products on my website BeaverGolf.com. I also sell very good products from Straight Down, Puma, and Antigua among others. For the most complete and thorough line of products designed to keep the weather at bay, however, I think Sunice has got it covered. Sunice makes use of several innovative fabrics and coatings ranging from hard core Gore-Tex to FlexVent, SiXT, WxTECH, Windstopper, Protek 3L, DuoTech, and X20 among others, to create specific groups of options to suit almost every condition you might face on the course. They have won awards from Gore-Tex for best use of their fabrics, and that is high praise. I wear several Sunice products myself now, and have never been given any for free...I am a believer.

I am not the only believer, and last Fall was joined by the Women's 2011 and 2013 Solheim Cup teams, who have chosen Sunice as the official designer, manufacturer, and provider of the outerwear that will be worn by the players on both teams should the need arise. Now, on January 12th, the PGA of America announced that Sunice is an official licensed product partner for the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, the 2012 PGA Championship at The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, and the Ryder Cup being played right here in Chicagoland at Medinah Country Club in September 2012.

After the well-publicized flap that occurred over in Ireland during the last Ryder Cup when the American teams' outerwear actually failed during the opening round causing the team to have to resort to outerwear purchased in the merchandising tents, this was an important decision to get right. I believe that both the LPGA and PGA of America have now realized what so many of us have failed to do. If you want to take the weather out of the equation on the golf course, you need to get the best, and Sunice embodies the best in golf outerwear.

So, come on over to BeaverGolf.com and have a look around. If you want to jump straight to Sunice, click right here and click through the pages. If you want any help, shoot me an e-mail at beavergolf1@gmail.com, or you can even call me (when I'm not golfing) at (888) 650-2870. I would be more than happy to listen to what kind of weather plagues you, and help you choose the right gear to get you through it.

Just keep this in mind when you are deciding between Sunice and the clearance rack at your local shop...do you want to be the player casually hitting great shots through the weather, or that soaked and shivering player with a hood flapping in their face while being limited to a 3/4 swing all day long? Your call.

NEW PRODUCT: Sunice Elliott Gore-Tex Paclite Pullover

In the 1980's hit film E.T., all that cute, yet homely little alien wanted to do was go home, right? You remember..."phone home, phone home, blah, blah, blah". Well, who was there to help little E.T.? Elliott was there to help, wasn't he? That's right, it was Elliott.

You may also have recently noticed the brouhaha during the 2010 Ryder Cup over there in rainy Wales, that the U.S. Team got stuck with some less than effective raingear made by Sun Mountain. Yup, sure enough, when the rains came, the players got wet, and assistants were sent scurrying to the merchandise tents to buy better gear. Having played in the rain while wearing it, I can tell you that they should have chosen Sunice, just as the 2011 U.S. Women's Solheim Cup team already has for their tournament being contested next year in Ireland. 

What, may I ask, is the state of your current raingear? Do you even have raingear? Don't tell me that you're one of those scampering off the links at the first sign of precipitation! Didn't you see Caddyshack? Seriously, the Bishop would never have been able to play the greatest round of his life, nor find a truer calling, if he had run for the clubhouse when the rains came. Imagine how much better he might have shot if he were wearing a stylish and snugly fitting Gore-Tex jacket complete with stretch inserts at the shoulder blades so as not to restrict his natural swing. Seriously, he shot that round wearing a hefty bag with a hood on it for heaven's sake! 

Given your current raingear, I'll bet when the clouds let loose during your round, going home, just like little E.T. is indeed all you want to do. But, how many chances do you get to play golf anyway? Like most of us, you get out at best once a weekend, and if that round is rained out, it is another week of the 9 to 5 grind before you can smell the sweet smell of closely mown grass again.

Don't let the weather spoil your time on the course! Go to BeaverGolf.com and get yourself the brand new, already on sale Sunice Elliott Gore-Tex® Paclite® Pullover, and stay in the game. Golf was invented for this weather, so don't shy away. This rainy day friend is ultra lightweight, yet is completely waterproof - and even comes with a LIFETIME WATERPROOF GUARANTEE! With such rain fighting features as wrist rain channels to keep water from running down to your hands and waterproof YKK zippers to prevent water from finding those weak points in the zippers, this jacket will keep you dry even in a heavy persistent rain. 

Staying dry isn't all that's important though. Ask Mrs. Corey Pavin who has taken more than a fair share of heat for her idea of style on the U.S. Ryder Cuppers. A close-to-the-body fit and stretch inserts at the shoulder blades provide ultimate freedom of movement, keeping your swing easy and on plane all while keeping you warm and dry. 

So, next time it rains during your round, don't go home - just pickup this Sunice pullover and rely on the Elliott to see you through.

Fairways and Greens!

Bless Me Beavers, For I Have Sinned...

By Beaver Golf Contributor: Don Moorhead

As you can tell by the clever title, I have a confession to make. I have an excuse, but still. See, I gave up golf.

I can explain, if you'll just put down those pitchforks and douse the torches for a minute. I've been unemployed. The details are not important, just I was a midlevel marketing guy who suddenly and involuntarily became a former midlevel marketing guy in February of 2009. Come last spring, I had what some would consider an ideal situation, golf-wise. I had nowhere to go during the day, and a golf-obsessed roommate who was also unemployed. We had an impromptu range in the back yard, littering ours and the neighbor's yards with those little foam practice balls. Every week or so, we headed out for 18, or at least a quick 9. My game improved. I was putting pretty well, and I was even hitting it somewhat straight off the tee, believe it or not. I started slow, every round. I'd put a monster number up on 1 or 2, or maybe 3, then settle into a rhythm. The blow-up was weird, but I didn't think too much about it.

Then, in August, it happened. The blow-up became the round. I couldn't hit it straight, couldn't put it anywhere close, and couldn't make a putt if you put a funnel in front of the hole. The range in the back yard was useless. The actual range was a house of horrors.

Took me a while, and a couple of rounds, to figure it out. I wasn't able to let go. The whole time I was out there on the course I was thinking about the $37.50 (or the $59 or the $25) I had paid for the round. Every lost Nike one-piece was another buck down the drain. But it was more than the money. Remember that feeling you had in college, especially around exam week, when you felt like you were never done? You could always spend another hour studying, and any time you spent doing anything else was time taken away from that. Job searching for a living is a lot like that, especially during the day, which coincidentally is also when you play golf, um...mostly. No matter how much you do in a day, you're never done. Granted, that doesn't apply to weekends as much, but do you really think I'm going to ask the wife, who by the way, works 50 hours a week most of the time, to babysit the 5 year old while I go play golf? If you answered yes to that, then you're not married, now, are you?

It's the classic conundrum; when you're working, you have no time to play. Then, when you have time, you a) don't have the money, and b) you really don't have nearly as much time as you think. So, why am I telling you this? Because I'm here to help. Because statistically speaking, somewhere between 9.7% and 11.2% of you are unemployed. And I don't want you to suffer like I suffered. Here's what you do.

1. Make a plan. Your household will need to have a budget anyway, but here's the thing. Include a line item on that budget for golf. It's ballsy, pardon the semi-pun. But now, more than ever, you're going to need to play.

2. You will, however, want to economize. Twilight rates are there for a reason. Don't look down your nose at the local muni, even if you're used to fancier digs. Eat before you play. I would never suggest that you sneak beverages onto a course that prohibits them, but there's a reason those Gatorade bottles fit so well in the side pocket of a carry bag.

3. Don't hide it from your spouse. Bargain if you can, beg if you must, but this is one of those times when you need to be up front. You won't enjoy yourself if you're sneaking around and hiding the scorecard. If you need to get permission, suck it up and get it.

4. This is the most important one. Give yourself permission. Take the time off, just like you would if you were working. Hit the job search hard the day before, and again before you play. You won't feel done, but you'll feel like it's OK to go. It's a well-known fact that most HR professionals take Friday afternoons off. That's not even remotely true, but it was my experience that I rarely got calls on a Friday afternoon. If you just can't stand being out of contact, check your messages at the turn. Not every hole, not every shot, but once.

Do this right, and you'll make it through. The game is an awesome way to put the real world off for a while. It won't be the same, it'll still feel weird. But here's why you have to try. I got a job. And, given the wacky nature of the modern economy, I interviewed on a Thursday, came back for a 2nd on Monday, accepted their offer on Tuesday, and started the following Monday. And a couple of those days in between, it rained. I didn't get a celebratory round in, and now, guess what? I don't have time to play again.

GOLF EQUIPMENT REVIEW: Scratch Golf 1018 Wedge

We've all heard the phrase "Drive for Show, Putt for Dough", and chances are we've all uttered it at some point during our rounds. It is both easy to relate to and entirely misleading all at once. The truth is that every shot during a round is as important as the next. Bad drives can not only change your entire approach to a hole, but can also cost you stroke and distance if those dreaded white stakes are stationed near your errant shot. Good putting can definitely save you strokes, especially if you are making everything inside 6 feet, but putting for dough is reliant upon both good ball-striking with the irons, and perhaps even more so upon deadly accurate wedge play.

For me, scoring well seems to be most dependent on good ball-striking and hitting lots of greens in regulation. This takes pressure off of my putter and wedges, helping me gain confidence in the rest of my game. I play to an 8 handicap, which means that I am capable of playing any hole very well and generally strike the ball well, but also means that I still suffer through bouts of inconsistency when I will miss bunches of greens during a round. Regardless of whether I am hitting a lot of greens or not, one club I hit as often as any other is my 58 degree wedge. I feel very comfortable with this club, and hit it from all kinds of lies be it sand, deep rough, chips to tight pins, pitches from 75 yards in, and full shots inside 100 yards. I love to manipulate the openness of the face to achieve different results depending on what the shot calls for.

For the last 14 years I have played exclusively Cleveland wedges in various styles and loft combinations. Most recently I settled on my trusty Cleveland CG10s. For a few years I used a 52/56/60 combination, but wanting to get an additional hybrid in my bag, I decided to switch to a 52/58 combo in addition to my Mizuno MP-32 P-Wedge back in 2007. In early 2008, I received a Cleveland CG14 as a gift, and after putting it in my bag for 5-6 rounds, the CG10 quickly reclaimed its spot where it has remained until three weeks ago. The problem for me with the CG14 was the "over-engineering" in it. I have grown to love the feel of a simple and solid forged clubhead, and with the vibration dampening inserts and different sole grind, I just never felt comfortable with the CG14.

So, as much as I love my CG10s, they were beginning to suffer a loss of spin as I had hit 1000s of balls with each. I had been coveting the new Cleveland CG15s, but had been more than a bit infatuated with Scratch Wedges since "discovering" them late last year, then meeting their team at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show where I got my first face-to-face hands on look at their beautifully spartan designs. I was impressed that corporate sponsorship averse Ryan Moore not only chose to play Scratch clubs without being paid to do so, but also was sporting their logo cap while playing on tour. Of course, a highlight of this year for Ryan was his ace on #16 at Augusta National during the 2010 Masters using his Scratch SB-1 Irons. I decided with some trepidation to give the guys at Scratch a call, and get myself a couple of new wedges. At least, I thought, I could write a legitimate review of them if I put them in play for a while, and if they played well, it would be great to get a few of you to come buy them from BeaverGolf.com on my recommendation.

So, while I did get the wedges at a discount, I did purchase the clubs with my own money, lest you think I am simply a shill for Scratch Golf. I bought the 8620 model in 53 degrees bent to 52 degrees in the Driver/Slider TNC Grind. I  also bought the 1018 model in 58 degrees with the Driver/Slider EGG Grind, and this is the club I'll be reviewing today. I use the 58 degree club at least 3 times as often as I use the 52 degree, so have already gained a great deal of experience hitting the 58, thus a better review. Also, the 8620s are not available until mid-September due to higher than expected demand.

The special thing that Scratch Golf does is create clubs that are shaped and ground to better match your current swing and shot preferences. While they do offer a full fitting experience which requires you to visit their facilities down in Nashville, TN, they have plenty of options available in their standard line of wedges to fit most of our swings. The first thing one needs to determine before shopping for their new Scratch wedge is to determine what they use their wedges for most, and what the most common results of good shots and bad shots are in terms of divot size and fat versus thin contact. The steepness of your attack angle when swinging from various lies generally determines the characteristics of your wedge play that need to be better accommodated by a custom grind.

Here are the short explanations of the three swing types as defined by Scratch Golf:

Digger / Driver: Players in this swing profile tend to be very “steep and deep” with the club at impact. Their aggressive angle of attack causes the club head to dig into the ground requiring greater bounce angles to get the club head back out of the ground and maintain contact between the face and golf ball. Miss-hits for this profile are commonly fat.

Driver / Slider: This swing type encompasses a vast majority of golfers. These players will try and trap the ball between the clubface and ground, taking a shallow, even divot. Driver/Slider’s moderate angle of attack requires a mid-bounce angle providing assistance in maintaining the club head’s path through the turf and ensuring crisp, clean contact. Driver/Sliders tend to miss both thin and fat.

Sweeper/Slider: Often a favorite of course superintendents, Sweeper/Sliders have a very shallow angle of attack and take little to no divot at all. This swing profile requires a low bounce angle, which helps combat the thin miss-hit for Sweeper/Sliders.


Chances are that you can accurately fit yourself into one of these three types of swings, but that isn't where they stop. In each of the three swing type categories are two different grinds for the lower and higher of the wedge lofts. As I mentioned above, I am a Driver/Slider, so got a grind that fits my swing tendencies and allows me to open up the face of my 58 degree with the leading edge remaining closer to the ground.

So, on to the point of the review...how has the club performed? Well, the first shot I hit with it during an actual round was a 35 yard pitch on a long Par 5 after my decent drive and excellent 3-wood finished there. Good swing, solid contact, flew to the front edge of the green, bounced twice, then rolled out about 20 feet downhill and directly into the hole for an eagle! OK, great start, I thought, but that was just luck. Well, no more eagles over the next five rounds, but this club is staying in my bag for a long time.

It took me about 9-10 shots to get used to the extra feedback this club gives me with its forged head and KBS Tour shafts, but now that I have, I love it. I have been able to hit both tight fairway shots as well as from the deep rough with spin from all kinds of distances inside 100 yards. My favorite shots with it have been from 60-75 yards when I just open the face slightly and take about a 90% swing. The ball lands, bounces twice, then checks up...awesome! The sound off the face is solid and confidence-building.

 
If I have a knock on this club at all, it might be out of greenside bunkers. It is likely that is due more to my sand game than the club because the last couple of years I have been dreadful in the sand, but it is possible that I sacrificed too much bounce in opting for the ability to open the face more. I am going to work on it and give it a few more rounds, but I might need to grab a 56 degree with more bounce to use out of the sand. I also may try hitting the 52 degree more often out of the sand to see if that helps. My guess is that the customized grind will assist most players with their bunker shots despite my troubles.

The Scratch 1018 forged wedges are on sale right now at BeaverGolf.com for $149.99. That is a savings of $20 off the $169.95 MSRP! Of course, with a single wedge exceeding our $75 shipping threshold, you will not pay a penny for shipping on these wedges either. While there, make sure to check out their irons and Hybrid clubs as well. Ladies, they haven't forgotten you either with specially designed grinds in both the wedges and irons as well.

Wedges are a very personal thing, and I play with lots of people who have been using their same wedges for a very long time because they have developed a comfort level with how it performs. While I can understand and relate to that, I think for most people, a wedge with new grooves and better matched to your own swing can only help your scoring...and closer wedge play means you'll make more putts. So, instead of "putt for dough", shouldn't it be "wedge for dough"?

Fairways and Greens!