We all know the importance of a solid short game in golf, as it is generally responsible for more than half of all the shots you record in a round. So gaining confidence around the greens is paramount to helping shave shots off your scorecard.
For many golfers, sand shots and chips/pitches are among the most difficult short game shots to master. And many times, this can be solely due to the type of club you are using, whether you have too much (or too little) bounce on your club, etc.
The new PNP RAKE Sand and Lob Wedges, from PNP Golf, help take the mystery out of the short game, with clubs that are designed specifically to help you get the ball up in a controlled and powerful manner.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice the RAKE wedges’ Dual Bounce Rail Design—a unique sole that has a series of ridges and channels cut through it. The channels allow grass and sand to flow through, while the ridges act as a type of stabiliser for the club; like fins on a surfboard they reduce twisting and turning while improving control. The 56° RAKE Sand Wedge that we tested features 26° of entry rail bounce and 10° of sole bounce. This gives you more power and control in the rough, helping you execute a better shot and maintain clubhead speed. We found it to be extremely helpful to pop the ball out of all types of sand that we tested, from fluffy/dry to heavy/wet, and the slightly-heavy feel of the club promoted a slower, controlled tempo. From other lies, we found club equally superb, with the grooves providing ample spin and control.
The 60° RAKE Lob Wedge we tested (15° of rail bounce and O° of sole bounce) was stellar. The slightly shallower bounce configuration, and the on-set leading edge really allows a sharp angle of attack for a variety of lies – tight/skinny, hard pan, etc. We were even able to open up the club and give it a few high Flop Shots from the thicker grass.
Overall, the RAKE wedges performed admirably in our testing, and we recommend that you check them out if you need some help around the greens. They currently retail for $169, come with a 30-day money back guarantee and conform to USGA rules.
A four-time winner of the Australian Golf Media Awards, including Best Photojournalism, Best Opinion, Best Column and Best Photographic Presentation, Inside Golf Group Editor Richard Fellner is the quintessential Golf Tragic, having played the game for over 50 years (but has never gotten any better!) He has played and reviewed courses all over the world, and has interviewed many of the great players of the game (including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Greg Norman). Richard is a member of both the Australian Golf Media Association and the Golf Society of Australia, and has been a featured guest on many Australian "sports talk" radio shows and networks, including ABC Grandstand, SEN 1116, Melbourne Talk Radio 1377, 2GB and others.
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