It has been a very busy year for Vokey Design, the wedge division of Titleist. Back in January, the brand released the SM10 wedge family, but throughout the year, WedgeWorks, the tour-inspired custom division of the Vokey brand has dropped several limited-edition offerings, including the L Grind, A+ Grind and V Grind. Now we can add the K* (pronounced K Star) Grind wedge to that list.
Available only as a 58- and 60-degree lob wedge with True Temper Dynamic Gold S200 shaft and Titleist Universal 360 grip, the K* Grind wedge was developed after tour players approached Aaron Dill, Vokey’s PGA Tour rep, and requested he modify the sole of a standard low-bounce K Grind wedge. Instead of keeping the wide sole smooth, they wanted extra pre-wear on the leading edge and more relief in heel, toe and trailing edge.
The result of Dill’s work and experimentation is a wedge that is ideal for players who like to hit shots with a shallow attack angle and sweep the ball off the turf from a square stance.
However, because the K* Grind has extra material removed in the heel and toe areas, when golfers open the face, skilled players can still slide the leading edge under the ball because the leading edge stays down. At the same time, in bunkers, the overall sole width acts like effective bounce and makes the K* Grind an excellent choice from greenside sand.
With that level of versatility, it should come as no surprise Justin Thomas, Cameron Young, and Ludvig Aberg are among the players who frequently have a K* wedge in their bag.
The WedgeWorks K* wedge, which will cost $225 and come in a raw-steel finish that will rust over time and with exposure to air and moisture, is only available as a right-hand club.
If you are not a Formula One aficionado, the RB20 features advanced aerodynamics, a powerful hybrid power unit and cutting-edge materials that maximize speed, agility and efficiency. Those are also traits that TaylorMade and golf equipment makers strive for when designing gear.
Gear: Callaway Limited-Edition Apex TCB Irons Price:$1,505 (4-10 iron) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115 shafts and Golf Pride Z grips Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with tungsten weight
Who It’s For:
Elite golfers who have a powerful, repeatable swing.
What You Should Know:
These irons are an homage to Xander Schauffele and blend Callaway’s updated 2024 Apex looks with shaping and a size designed to appeal to elite golfers.
The Deep Dive:
After golfers win major championships or accomplish something unique, brands often celebrate by creating social media posts, developing posters for pro shops, and sometimes offering replicas of players’ clubs.
That’s what Callaway is doing with the release of limited-edition Apex TCB irons. These clubs are nearly identical to the set Xander Schauffele used throughout 2024 and had in his bag when he won the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club and the British Open at Royal Troon.
The Apex TCB irons debuted in 2021, and Schauffele has been playing them since that year. Jon Rahm used them to win the 2021 U.S. Open and 2023 Masters, and Sam Burns has been a TCB player for the last few seasons as well. However, the set Schauffele had in his bag this season is different from the clubs used by Rahm and Burns.
Apex TCB: Materials and Tech
Like their predecessors released in 2021, the 2024 limited-edition Apex TCB irons (TCB stands for tour cavity-back) are forged using 1025 carbon steel for a soft feel at impact. However, unlike the 2021 version, these clubs come with a raw steel finish. In addition to being anti-glare, the raw steel will rust and darken in tone over time and with exposure to water. Schauffele has been using raw steel irons for the past several seasons.
Aesthetically, the limited-edition Apex TCBs match the recently released Callaway Apex CB, Apex Ai200, and Apex Ai300. They feature a modest cavity-back design to boost perimeter weighting and provide a small amount of stability. A tungsten weight screwed into the back of each club helps lower the center of gravity while allowing fitters to easily change the swing weight of the Apex TCB based on the length and player preferences. However, the Apex TCB has a shorter blade length, thinner topline, and less offset than the other Apex irons.
In another nod to the 2024 PGA Championship and British Open winner, the limited-edition Apex TCB irons will come standard as a set running from 4-iron to 10-iron. That’s not a typo. Instead of having a club marked as a pitching wedge, Schauffele has been using a 46-degree iron labeled “10 iron,” so that’s how the pitching wedge is labeled in this set.
These irons are clearly built for elite players, and Callaway is calling them limited editions, but they may be a peek at something the company intends to offer in 2025. Cosmetically, the limited-edition Apex TCB fits perfectly with the recently released Apex irons (Apex CB, Apex Ai200, Apex Ai300). So, if Callaway wants to update a three-year-old better player’s iron, we could see something similar to these limited-edition irons next season, but they would almost certainly be released with a chrome finish.
Gear: Scotty Cameron Xperimental GoLo 6.2 LTD putter Price: $800 Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel with a 6061 aluminum sole place and adjustable sole weights. Available: Sept. 27
Who it’s for: Deep-pocketed golfers with a moderate-arc putting stroke who want more forgiveness and a club that stands out from the crowd.
What you should know: The limited-edition Xperimental GoLo 6.2 is a mid-size mallet designed to create moderate toe hang and a solid feel thanks to a higher moment of inertia and a new face milling pattern.
The Deep Dive: Scotty Cameron Xperimental GoLo 6.2 LTD
The first Scotty Cameron Super Select putters were released in early 2023, and they were all blade-style offerings, but a few months later, a line extension brought mid-size mallets, including the Del Mar, Fastback 1.5 and a pair of GoLo 6 putters. Over the last few seasons, more and more pros have become open to the idea of using a mallet putter because they offer two distinct advantages over blades: mallets are almost always more stable on mis-hit putters, and their larger size allows for more extensive, easier-to-use alignment systems.
Many of Scotty Cameron’s putters are created with feedback from PGA and LPGA pros, so after seeing the trends and listening to feedback, Cameron and his team developed the limited edition Xperimental GoLo 6.2 LTD putter, and it should be in select stores in about two weeks.
Based on the shaping of the Super Select GoLo 6.0, the Xperimental GoLo 6.2 LTD is milled from a block of 303 stainless steel and features a semi-circular design with a single black alignment line in the back flange. The putter has moderate toe hang thanks to its plumber’s neck hosel, making it ideal for golfers who have a slightly-arced putting stroke.
Unlike the standard Super Select GoLo 6.0, the Xperimental version has been made with a unique face milling pattern that Cameron refers to as “chain-mill.” In addition to the milling marks created by two passes of the circular milling bit, there is a chain link pattern extending from heel to toe. According to Scotty Cameron, the pattern creates a softer feel associated with his deep-mill patterns but with more consistency.
The Xperimental GoLo 6.2 LTD putter has a gold-tone finish that Cameron refers to as chromatic bronze, and it is created during a proprietary process after the topline and the face are hand-buffed.
A portion of the steel has been removed from the sole and is covered by a 6061 aluminum plate. This shifts more of the overall weight to the heel and toe areas, which boosts the moment of inertia (MOI) and makes the Xperimental GoLo 6.2 LTD more stable on mis-hits.
The sole weights in the heel and toe are designed to allow fitters to increase or decrease the putter’s swing weight based on its length or a golfer’s preferences.
Gear: Scotty Cameron B3 Triple Black Design LTD putters Price: $750 each Specs: Milled 303 stainless steel with adjustable sole weights Available: July 26
Who It’s For: Deep-pocketed golfers who demand a high level of precision and want a stylish, eye-catching putter.
The Skinny: This limited-edition run of Scotty Cameron blade putters blends the dual-milling design and shaping of the Super Select family with a black PVD finish, black shaft and black grip.
The Deep Dive: Scotty Cameron has immersed himself in the cultures of Southern California for decades, finding inspiration for his creations in things like the surf vibes of Encinitas and the American muscle cars that still cruise up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. At his studio in San Marcos, along with industrial sculptures that Cameron has made, you may also catch a glimpse of a vintage, tan Ford F100 that has a patina on the hood wheel wells.
The name of Scotty Cameron’s newest limited-edition putter line, the B3 Triple Black Design, draws inspiration from the world of automobiles, particularly convertibles. Just as a black car with a black interior and black top is often referred to as a triple black, Cameron’s putters come in a striking black PVD finish, with a black shaft and a black grip.
There are four B3 Triple Black Design putters, and all of the shapes will be familiar to blade putter aficionados — the Newport 2, Newport 2 Long Neck, Santa Fe and Catalina.
Each putter starts as a block of 303 stainless steel before it is milled into shape. Adjustable sole weights in the heel and toe allow fitters to modify the swing weight of the clubs easily. If you are looking for a high-contrast alignment system, you won’t find one in the B3 Triple Black Design putters. The single alignment line in the head putter is black. However, instead of the customary red dots on the back of each head (which are often referred to as cherry bombs), the dots are silver-toned in the B3 Triple Black Design putters.
Like the Super Select putters that were released in 2023 and the Phantom mallet putters that dropped in January, the B3 Triple Black Design putters feature a dual-milled face. The first milled creates deep, circular grooves that help the clubs create a deeper, richer sound and feel at impact. The second milling cuts off the sharp peaks produced by the first milling, so more of the hitting area makes contact with the ball for an enhanced feel.
The most familiar-looking putter in the B3 Triple Black Design line is the Newport 2, a classic heel-toe weighted blade with a plumber’s neck hosel. The Newport 2 Long Neck has the same head, but the extended-length hosel makes it face-balanced, so the Newport 2 Long Neck is more suited for players who make a straight-back, straight-through stroke.
The B3 Triple Black Design Santa Fe has a similar shape to the Newport 2, but the edges are more rounded and the lines appear softer when you look down in the address position. Instead of a plumber’s neck hosel, the Santa Fe has a short flared neck. The combination of the Newport-style head and flared neck has previously been a tour-only option.
Finally, the B3 Triple Black Design Catalina blends the Newport shape with an extended-length, single-bend hosel, once again creating a face-balanced design.
Each of the four B3 Triple Black Design putters comes with a black Pistolini Plus grip, a stepless steel shaft that includes a custom B3 Triple Black Design LTD shaft band and a special B3 Triple Black Design LTD headcover.
Below are several images of the new Scotty Cameron B3 Triple Black Design LTD putters
Sneakerheads and golf lovers alike are always excited to see what footwear Nike athletes like Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Tom Kim and others wear at major championships, and at Pinehurst No. 2 this week for the 2024 U.S. Open, they’ll be adorned in plenty of Carolina blue.
Nike has released a limited-edition Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 NRG, Air Pegasus ’89 G NRG and Air Zoom Infinity Tour NRG to celebrate the third men’s major of 2024 and pay homage to Pinehurst No. 2 and North Carolina.
The Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 NRG has a breathable textile on the upper to help golfers’ feet stay cool and comfortable, a Tour Flex Pro Softspikes under the forefoot and Silver Tornado spikes in the lateral and heel to increase stability and traction.
The sky blue, waterproof Air Pegasus ’89 G has a hidden air unit in the heel for extra cushioning, a soft terry cloth tongue and collar lining and a grippy rubber outside.
Finally, the Air Zoom Infinity Tour NRG offers a breathable textile in the upper to your feet stay cool while also providing plenty of lateral support. The Air Zoom unit in the forefoot moves with your feet as you swing, to help create better energy transfer from the ground into your shot.
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Here is a close-up look at the Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 NRG, Air Pegasus ’89 G NRG and Air Zoom Infinity Tour NRG for the 2024 U.S. Open.
Check out Pinehurst-themed bags, balls and head covers.
As it did before the start of the Masters and PGA Championship, TaylorMade has released a limited-edition series of golf balls, headcovers and bags that have a U.S. Open theme on the eve of competition at Pinehurst No. 2.
The Staff Bag ($599.99) has several symbols on it, including the number 1895 on the handle, which is an homage to the year Pinehurst opened,. The anchor above the valuables pocket calls out Pinehurst as the first USGA Anchor Site, and Adirondack chairs adorning the golf ball pocket. Chairs like these are scattered throughout the grounds of the Pinehurst resort and enjoyed by guests. The address for Pinehurst No. 2 (120 Midland Road) has even been added to the base.
The collection also includes a short-course carry bag ($249.99), as well as head covers for drivers ($79.99), fairway woods ($69.99), rescue clubs ($69.99) and putters (79.99)
Commemorative TP5 and TP5x balls adorned with Adirondack chairs are also available for $59.99.
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The Paradym Ai Smoke Tactical drivers have a special green trim, customized shaft and loads of technology.
Looking down in the address position, every Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max driver has the same look that features a black carbon fiber crown and matte black trim. The same thing goes for the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond drivers. Sure, the sole of each of those drivers looks a little bit different because the bottom of each club is made with forged carbon, and as that material is superheated and pressed into shape under high pressure, the bits and pieces of each sole panel create unique patterns.
But for golfers who want the technology designed into the Paradym Ai Smoke Max or Triple Diamond, but thirst for something with a special look, Callaway has dropped limited-edition Tactical versions of each club.
The limited-edition Tactical drivers, which are available for pre-order now on Callaway’s website and should be in stores starting June 14, feature green forged carbon and weights, along with a green Mitsubishi Tensei shaft and a matching Golf Pride MCC grip for $699.
Like the standard Paradym Ai Smoke Max and Triple Diamond drivers, the Tactical editions have been designed with Callaway’s Ai Smart face, a titanium hitting area that was created by having computers use artificial intelligence to study thousands of swings made by real golfers. Using those swings and the data collected from shots, the computers optimized the hitting area of each driver to create the most ball speed and forgiveness possible, effectively producing miniature sweet spots across the hitting area.
The 460cc Paradym Ai Smoke Max has a sliding adjustable weight in the back of the sole to help players and fitters create a draw or fade bias while maintaining a high moment of inertia and stability. The 450cc Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond has adjustable weights in the front and back of the sole to allow players and fitters to fine-tune the spin rate and launch angle.
The Cobra Limit3d irons are 3D printed to create a unique internal shape and enhance performance.
Gear: Cobra Limit3d Irons Price: $2,999.99 (4-PW) with KBS Tour $-Taper shafts Specs: 3D printed 316L stainless steel body and face with internal tungsten weights. Available: June 7
Who It’s For: Golfers with deep pockets who want an iron that looks like a muscleback blade but plays like a game-improvement iron.
The Skinny: By 3D printing the Limit3d irons, Cobra removed a massive amount of weight from the middle of each clubhead, then added tungsten weights to boost perimeter weighting and stability without increasing head size.
The Deep Dive: Every iron you have ever owned or seen in pro shops was made in one of two ways: casting or forging. Casting involves heating metal until it melts, then pouring the liquid metal into molds, allowing it to cool and then breaking open the molds before sanding and polishing the heads. The forging process superheats metal rods before they are pressed under massive pressure into the shape of a club. In most cases, the metal is forged several times to produce the final shape.
Both casting and forging have pros and cons, but with the release of the Limit3d irons, Cobra may be providing a glimpse of the future of golf club manufacturing. The Limit3d irons are 3D printed, and this process opens up a world of designs that would be impossible to create using either casting or forging.
Cobra has used 3D printing to create pieces of putters for a few years and quietly 3D printing wedges for staff players like Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland. However, the 500 sets of Limit3d irons are the brand’s first foray into 3D printing irons.
The shape of the Limit3d irons was based on the forged King Tour irons, the clubs Fowler plays on the PGA Tour. They have a compact blade length, a touch of offset and a thin topline.
To make each Limited iron, a computer controls a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process that applies tiny layers of 316L stainless steel powder. With each pass of the machine, another layer of powdered metal is added on top of the previous layer and bonds to it. In all, there are more than 2,600 layers of stainless steel powder applied to make each head and it takes about 24 hours for the process to be completed. The computer applies the powdered metal in exact locations, adding more layers to some places, less to others, and none where Cobra designers don’t want it.
After studying several different internal structures and options, Cobra engineers decided that an intricate internal lattice structure was ideal because it provided enough strength while reducing the weight of the central area of the club by about 100 grams. Typically, engineers sweat and work to save a few grams here and there, so creating 100 grams of discretionary weight is a massive savings.
Much of that weight was repurposed in the form of three tungsten weights. Each Limit3d iron has a small weight in the hosel, along with massive weights in the heel and toe area that boost the moment of inertia (MOI) and make the Limit3d irons significantly more stable. So, while the Limit3d irons look like the King Tour irons in the address position and are similar in size, they are much more forgiving and stable on mis-hits, like a game-improvement club.
The lattice is encased in a traditional-looking outer layer of 3D-printed 316L stainless steel,-and tungsten weights are covered by 316L 3D-printed caps that help keep them in position and hide them from view. The hitting area, back of each club and body structures are also 3D-printed using 316L stainless steel.
The lattice structure you see on the back of each Limit3d head is cosmetic. While Cobra is eager to show off its technologies, exposing the open lattice would allow water and debris to get inside the clubheads.
According to Cobra, the Limit3d generates about 3 miles per hour more ball speed than the King Tour irons, which translates to about 5 more yards of distance. The Limit3d and King Tour create nearly identical peak heights and descent angles.
With a price of $2,999.99 and with only 500 sets being offered worldwide, the Limit3d irons are not something you are likely to see in person. However, Cobra designers point out that the price of this seven-club set five to seven years ago would have been 10 times more. Like other technologies, the cost of 3D printing metal is coming down, so at some point in the future, it may be affordable to the masses.
So, think of the Limit3d irons like a Formula One car, a demonstration of what Cobra designers and new technologies are capable of doing and what may be on the way to more golfers in the years ahead.
Below are several close-up looks at the Cobra Limit3d irons:
For decades, golf equipment brands have made special bags, headcovers and accessories for staff players to use in major championships to serve two purposes. First, at the most prestigious events, the cool gear makes it easier for companies to showcase how many players use their equipment. Second, if they are creative and appealing enough, the limited-edition items can also be sold to fans online.
This week at Augusta National Golf Club, TaylorMade staff players will be using “Season Opener” bags, headcovers and accessories designed especially for the Masters, and fans can pick up the gear on TaylorMade’s website.
The Staff Bag ($599.99) is covered in symbols, some of which are subtle, like the three gold flags with a halo near the handle that pay homage to Amen Corner (the 11th, 12th and 13th holes), while others like the azalea-patterned TaylorMade logo are easy to understand. The lining of the pockets are covered in a peach pattern.
TaylorMade also designed special-edition TP5 and TP5x Pix balls for the 2024 Masters ($59.99) that are covered in peaches instead of the orange and black diamond pattern found on the standard 2024 version of the Pix balls. According to TaylorMade, Tommy Fleetwood, who uses a TP5x Pix in competition, plans to use the Season Opener edition during this season’s Masters.
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