It’s not until that you see the results from not having enough friction between a golf club face and a golf ball that you begin the understand its importance.
When golfers are faced with challenges on the golf course, like rough, or dew, that interferes between club and ball contact, and they watch their shots knuckle ball with little spin, or launch excessively high, some are confused. The educated realize why it is happening and wonder how to mitigate it.
That’s where manufacturers of golf clubs can step in. Realizing all golfers will face these situations at some point, they continually work to find solutions that can minimize these risks.
A number of companies have introduced designs and technologies to help players create more consistent spin, and as a result, more consistent ball flights, and TaylorMade is now jumping in with something of their own.
The company calls in “Spin Tread” technology and they have incorporated it into their new Milled Grind 4 wedges.
“This is a major step forward in the progression of the Milled Grind family. With MG4 we have evolved our approach to wet spin and developed an all-new Spin Tread technology. We use a laser etching treatment to create face roughness, which translates to better friction and moisture channeling for optimal ball control, especially on partial shots,” says Bill Price, Senior Director of Product Creation, Putter & Wedge, for TaylorMade Golf.
TaylorMade has been working hard to make in-roads in the competitive wedge market and this latest development is a positive step in the process.
Laser etching on the club surface between the grooves, act like extra grooves. They take on the same role of helping keep material and moisture away from the face where it impedes the friction creating at collision between the golf ball and club. While remaining legal for use, is effectively increases overall “groove” volume. A raw face also helps this process and keeps chrome from “filling up” groove volume.
For those not familiar, this process is much like a tire wear treads act as spaces where moisture can go and stay away from the tire surface itself, helping traction through friction.
In addition to the “Spin-Tread”, with the MG4 TaylorMade says they have enhanced club feel through weight redistribution and enhanced the look through a slight darker finish.
“The feel component is a significant factor”, says Greg Cesario from the TalorMade Wedge Design Team. “By replacing the chrome-plated face with raw finishes early in the Milled Grind evolution, we were able to influence spin and also enhance the overall feel of the wedge. Adding our reconstructed backbar, with more weight positioned directly behind the strike zone, allows us to help players achieve their desired shot trajectories and spin rates with premium feel and confidence.”
In keeping with a plan to progress their wedge products, TaylorMade has a wider range of sole grinds and bounces for the MG4 models. There are low, standard, and high bounce options with two variations in each to suit different types of players.
There are is also the Tiger Woods Grind (TW Grind) offered in 56° and 60° lofts.
The MG4 wedges will be offered at retail as of September 4 with a Canadian MSRP of $239.99.
Standard available lofts include 46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°. 56°, 58° and 60°. The 46° and 48° lofts are only available in Standard Bounce options. The wedges come equipped with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 115g Wedge shaft and Lamkin Crossline 360 Black/Silver/Green Round grip.
For those looking for something a little more personal. For $299.99 (CAD) and available through TaylorMadeGolf.ca, golfers can participate in the MyMG4 program.
MyMG4 allows golfers to personalize their wedge with a variety of finishes, paint fills and engraved text or logo options. The four finishes include: black, chrome, aged copper and raw, in which the entire clubhead will rust over time. MyMG4 also offers further personalization by selecting from more than 50 logos and a variety of placement options, as well as utilizing dancing text to spell out a seven-character phrase with an adjoining logo. Golfers may also choose to position repeating initials diagonally along the toe.
There are 15 different paint fill options (White, Black, Tour Red, Silver, Gold, Pink, Yellow, Green, Orange, Purple, Lime Green, Blue, Light Blue, Midnight Blue, and Golf Ball Yellow).
