When most people consider new wedges the first brands that come to mind are generally Vokey's from Titleist or Cleveland golf, rarely would you may consider the latest Nike has to offer. And why not? Even brands like Mizuno, Cobra and to some extent Taylormade get more consideration than Nike. If you recently walked pass these VR Forged Wedges without a second thought, you might want to change you might after this review;
Overview:
Since the changes to the grooves was first implemented in 2010 clubs companies have scrambled to find ways to offer wedges that's still have high spin rates within the rules. Enter Nike's High Frequency X3X grooves, I was unsure if more grooves and the X pattern between them could do everything that was advertised. Which unlike other companies that promise more spin from smaller grooves. Nike claimed to have less spin then the previous versions of the VR wedges, but improved control, feel and forgiveness. Could all of this be possible while still offering a forged feel, these are the questions I attempted to answer.
When it comes to bounce and sole grinds we've all heard terms like dual sole, from Cleveland it's the dot system and from Titliest and Vokey we get names like M & K grinds. Nike however is offering three different grinds Standard, Dual Narrow and Dual Wide. Standard- with average bounce and heal relive should work for the majority of players and playing conditions. Dual Narrow- has high bounce options for the steeper angles of attack or a digger, better from tight lies and firm playing conditions. While the Dual Wide- is designed for the sweeper with a shallow attack with low bounce options, and ideal for wet and softer conditions.
Looks:
First appearances good a long way in relationships and its no different in golf clubs. IMO Nike got it right with these wedges, the graphics aren't over whelming and blend seamlessly with the chrome and in the black seem to pop, a traditional pear shape and all three grind options have a similar look at address, even without swinging one I wanted to them in the bag. The chrome has a subdued colour which seems to help with glare you might expect from a chrome wedge, but I still prefer the Oxide black myself.
Performance:
The first thing I noticed when picking up the club was the weight of the head it felt heavier than my current wedges, which seems to promote an easier more controlled tempo. even with the weight difference through the swing all of the wedges felt great, maybe that's the advantage to forged over cast wedges. But as someone who has used other forged wedges in the past the Nike Forged feel just as soft when you make a solid strike. As for the advantages of the bounce options that maybe very individual for most golfers based on their swing as a digger, I tend to attack from a steep angle taking large divots. So the Dual Narrow grind worked very well and the added bounce and heel relief seemed to get through the turf very easily without causing me to chuck the ball. And as expected the Dual Wide with the low profile wasn't the best fit for my swing path (confirmed by thinned shoot running through the practice green), but in the hands of someone with a shallow attack angle they would be able to get maximum amount of grooves on to the ball and produced the results they're looking for.
Final Thoughts:
Well Nike first released the VR line up in 2011 they have managed to improve the products each year, most notably the drivers with the VR Covert red becoming very popular this summer. As I said the top if you haven't given the forged wedge a try when looking for the perfect wedge this season, you may want to reconsider that decision. With all the options from loft, bounce and grinds Nike has a wedge that can help you hit it close.
-The.Frozen.Golfer
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