Cleveland Golf Blog

Happy Memorial Day, readers!

To kick off the holiday weekend, we wanted to let you know about a couple of big changes to My Custom Wedge.
The MCW program has been a tremendous success so far, but we’re always looking for ways to improve. So, today, we’re proud to unveil some substantial improvements to the My Custom Wedge website. An updated Image Gallery gives you a better look at options for every wedge, and some cool new custom shaft options are now available, including the sleek KBS Tour Custom Series (available in Black, White and Silver).

Along with the updated website, we’re happy to introduce a new skin to our collection – Digi Camo! This Military-inspired wedge is sure to be a fan favorite this summer, so get yours quick! And, look for other special skins to be released periodically this year.

What do you think of the Digi Camo skin and the new Image Gallery?

Cleveland Golf is pleased to announce the introduction of the 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge, an extension of its highly-successful 588 Forged wedge line that was released in the fall of 2011. The 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge maintains the popular, tour-proven shape of Cleveland Golf’s original 588 wedge while offering the same technological breakthroughs featured on the 588 Forged line of wedges. It also boasts Cleveland Golf’s highly-popular Black Pearl finish, which helps reduce glare to make it easier to frame the ball at address.

Precision Forged from 1025 carbon steel, the 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge offers golfers an incredibly soft yet solid feel, as well as the highest level of manufacturing consistency for supreme confidence and trust over every shot. The 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge’s Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled technology help to maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations. The 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge comes with a Tour Concept Wedge steel shaft, co-developed and engineered by Cleveland Golf and industry leader True Temper. With a unique stiffness profile that features a less active tip, this shaft promotes a more penetrating ball flight, increased spin and optimal distance control along with superior feel.

“Our latest introduction of the 588 Forged line of wedges has been a huge success for us,” said Todd Harman, President of Cleveland Golf/Srixon – U.S.A. “With Black Pearl historically being our most popular finish in past wedge lines, we’re really excited to bring the unique look and performance of the 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge to golfers.”

To learn more about the 588 Forged Black Pearl, click here.  To shop for the 588 Forged Black Pearl, click here.

What do you think of the new 588 Forged Black Pearl wedge?  Will you be putting one in your bag?

Readers,

We continue our blog series on the 588 Forged Wedge with a closer look at the shaft that makes it all possible.  The Tour Concept Shaft, co-designed and engineered with True Temper is known around the office as “the shaft with more spin.”  True Temper is the industry leader in steel shafts, so co-engineering a shaft with them was a no-brainer for Cleveland Golf, and putting it in our industry leading wedges was another no-brainer.  The Tour Concept Shaft sets itself apart from the competition for a variety of reasons:

A Unique Stiffness Profile:

The Tour Concept has been designed with a less active shaft tip and a higher kick-point than a traditional wedge shaft.  This stiffness profile decreases the launch angle for more control and increased spin from all yardages.

Steeper Attack Angle:

The advanced construction of the Tour Concept encourages a slightly steeper angle of attack into the ball.  This also enhances spin and stopping power on the green.

Tour-Proven Performance:

True Temper has been the No. 1 steel shaft on the PGA Tour for more than 70 years.  Professionals rely upon the high quality and consistent feel that have made the brand a staple for players of all skill levels.  Quality and feel are also at the core of the Tour Concept.

Variable Wall Thickness:

Variable Wall Thickness is unique from True Temper.  With this technology, it allows the shaft’s wall to vary in thickness (as the name would suggest) throughout the shaft.  The exterior of the shaft will look normal, but the inside walls of the shaft will vary to allow for a stiffer tip, while maintaining feel.

Along with the Tour Concept Shaft, we are now offering Collegiate Shafts.  Chose from over 50 of your favorite colleges, and show off your team spirit no matter where you play golf!

Readers,

Today kicks off a four week blog series that will highlight the key features and benefits of the 588 Precision Forged Wedge.  The series will feature write ups covering the subjects of: Shape, Feel, Performance and the Forging Process.  There will be a new post every Wednesday from now until February 22nd.  Today we will focus on the shape of the wedge.

The 588 Wedge, originally introduced in 1988, has long been accepted as the industry benchmark in wedge craftsmanship.  There truly has never been another wedge that has rivaled this one.  A massive part of the success the 588 has had, both commercially and on tour, has come because of the shape of the wedge.  Our researchers here have narrowed down the top features of the shape into five points:

Ideal Face Area – Slightly higher heel and toe sections in the 588 create a larger club face to inspire confidence, yet the wedge’s relatively compact design still maximizes playability and shot-making.

Superior “V” Sole Design – The 588 has an intermediate sole width that narrows at the heel and widens at the toe, a versatile construction that suits full fairway shots and firm turf conditions while also accommodating greenside shots from thick rough and bunkers.

More Effective Bounce – A cambered sole allows the bounce of the 588 wedge to work more effectively. The bounce progressively decreases from the leading edge to the rear of the sole, promoting smoother, more consistent turf interaction and optimal feel.

Precise Flange Size – The flange on every 588 model is crafted specifically to enhance performance. Flanges on 48- and 52-degree wedges are smaller to complement the lower bounce angle that’s ideal for full fairway shots and long pitches, while 56- and 58-degree offerings have a larger flange for optimal playability from sand and rough.

Optimal Leading Edge – The 588’s subtly rounded leading edge promotes a natural visual transition when opening the club face for high, soft shots. Plus, the leading edge is set slightly ahead of the hosel at address to enhance turf interaction out of the rough.

So what does this all mean for you as a player?  It means that the shape of the 588 Precision Forged Wedge is truly about getting the job done.  It means a wedge that will preform more consistently and at a higher level.  It means that you are more likely to have a “watch this” moment with your buddies.  Speaking of that, do you have a “watch this” moment with a 588 Wedge that you want to share with us?  We would love to hear them.

Readers,

The Classic Driver, one of this winter’s most buzzed about golf clubs, is officially available for pre-order today online! This comes on the heels of a pretty big week for the Classic on the PGA Tour. Rookies Jason Kokrak and Charlie Beljan – a pair of Cleveland Golf staffers making their Tour debuts at the Sony Open in Hawaii – gamed the Classic and finished first and second, respectively, in driving distance! Kokrak averaged 328.0 yards off the tee, while Beljan wasn’t far behind with an average of 324.8 yards.

In case you haven’t seen the Classic Driver yet, here it is:

With the styling of a persimmon wood (the club that Cleveland Golf originally made a name for itself with), it’s sure to turn some heads. Looks aside, this club has serious technology under the hood. In line with the RightWeight fitting system of the 2011 Launcher Ultralite Drivers, the Classic comes in three different models to help every player find the right driver: The Classic 270 is for maximum head speed, the Classic 290 provides a strong combination of distance and accuracy, and the Classic Tour (weighs 310 grams) is for tour-caliber workability and precision.

To optimize each driver with Ultralite Technology, we’ve once again included the premium performance of Miyazaki graphite shafts. The 270 features a C. Kua 39 (the lightest shaft ever played on the PGA Tour), the 290 boasts a C. Kua 43, and the Tour has a Kusala Black 61, a favorite among better players for its feel and stability.

The head of the driver is where this club really comes to life. While the gold-colored trapezoid section on the face brings you back to the days of yesteryear, it also is a phenomenal alignment tool to help keep the ball in the center of the club face. Speaking of the club face, the Classic has the largest and deepest face ever produced by Cleveland Golf, which leads to the largest effective hitting area and promotes a penetrating ball flight.

Needless to say, the Classic is a club that will be coming out of the gates hot. It will hit shelves on February 17, but you can pre-order yours here right now.

What do you think about the Classic Driver?

How does Keegan Bradley build on the success of his breakthrough 2011 PGA Tour season?

He keeps on winning.

The 25-year-old Cleveland Golf staffer teamed with Brendan Steele to capture the Franklin Templeton Shootout by three shots over the weekend at Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla.

Bradley, a Tour rookie who has also won the PGA Championship, HP Byron Nelson Championship and PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2011, notched his fourth victory of the year by relying on the proven performance of new 588 Forged Wedges and the amazing distance technology of the new Classic Driver.

The Classic Driver, which takes on the look of an old persimmon wood, has some serious style to it. The dark mahogany and gold finish allows for easy alignment off the tee, and an old-fashioned RetroBarrel headcover is sure to make the rest of your foursome extremely jealous. However, the Classic is not all about aesthetics. The 460cc club head has an incredibly deep face and MaxCOR2 technology, which promotes a hot, penetrating trajectory – even on off-center shots. It’s fueled by Ultralite Technology and the inclusion of a premium graphite shaft from Miyazaki, giving the golfer increased swing speed with the same swing effort for more distance off the tee.

Needless to say, Bradley is enamored with Cleveland’s newest driver offering.  We were able to catch up with Keegan last week, here is what he has to say about the club:

Keegan was also gaming 52- and 58-degree models of Cleveland’s new 588 Forged Wedges. Originally introduced in 1988 as Cleveland’s fifth wedge design, the 588 has a versatile, confidence-inspiring shape that’s the standard by which all other wedges are judged. The new 588 Forged maintains that shape while adding the soft, solid feel made possible by Precision Forging and increasing spin thanks to Tour Zip Grooves, Laser Milled technology and the Tour Concept Wedge Shaft.

The 588 Forged Wedge is available now at leading retailers and at clevelandgolf.com. It’s also available as a completely customizable club via the interactive My Custom Wedge website.

What do you think of the new products? How excited are you to see what Keegan can do in 2012?

Readers,

Today we are proud to announce the launch of a new website: MyCustomWedge.com.  As you may know, the 588 Wedge is highest selling wedge of all time, it has won more majors than any other wedge, it has won more PGA Tour events in general than any other wedge.  Now the 588 is back and better than ever.  The 588 is now a Forged Wedge, increasing the amazing feel while maintaining the look that made it one of the most successful wedges of all time.

This wedge has the same classic shape that it did in 1988.  However, when we looked at the 588 Precision Forged Wedge, we wanted to truly take it to the next level.  The best way to do that is to allow custom options.  Simply put: Go wild.  There is almost nothing you cannot do to these wedges.  If you are looking for a specific grind, we can customize it.  If you are looking for certain paint fills, we can customize it.  If you want your name engraved in the club, we can engrave it for you.

The wedges start in a raw form, with no engravings or paint fills whatsoever.  It is up to you to whichever custom options please your eye.  To be clear, you can leave this wedge almost completely logo free if that is what you want.

How will you customize your 588 Precision Forged Wedge?

Readers,

We gave you a sneak peak of the CG Black Line earlier this fall, now we want to show you the whole thing.  As of right now, the CG Black is available for Prebook!  CG Black is a fully inclusive line of Ultralite golf clubs, and a sleek black golf bag.  The clubs, Driver, Fairway Woods, Irons and Wedges, are available for Prebooking today online and will be in retail stores on November 25th.  We caught up Cleveland Brand Manager, Adam Sheldon and lets just say that he is excited about the CG Black:

“We’re excited about the CG Black line because we’ve enhanced Ultralite Technology and made it available in irons and wedges in addition to woods. These clubs truly are an incredible combination of distance and forgiveness. With the help of Miyazaki and Golf Pride, we’ve engineered a driver that weighs 265 grams – our lightest ever. The Speed Crown Design profile is the most aerodynamic wood shape we’ve ever created. Plus, the Ti face and Deep Undercut Technology in the irons and wedges makes them powerful and very easy to hit, just like the woods.”

Driver:
With a sleek and striking look, the Cleveland Golf CG Black series driver weighs only 265 grams, making it the lightest driver on the market to help players generate measurable increases in swing speed and distance with the same swing effort. The advanced aerodynamics found in the driver’s Speed Crown Design – an innovative, teardrop-inspired crown profile – maximize distance by reducing drag at all angles of airflow during the swing. MaxCOR2 Variable Face Thickness Technology reduces face weight and increases trampoline effect on off-center hits, meaning higher ball speed and more distance on off-center hits. Plus, a high-density weight screw at the rear of the sole plate positions the center of gravity lower and deeper to promote a high, draw-biased trajectory with optimal launch conditions for effortless distance. Like Cleveland Golf’s highly successful Launcher Ultralite, the CG Black driver features a Miyazaki C. Kua 39 Limited Edition graphite shaft – from the worldwide leader in ultralite graphite shaft technology – and a Golf Pride Ultralite grip, a combination that decreases overall club weight for faster swing speed.

Irons:
With a sleek and striking look, Cleveland Golf CG Black irons are engineered for maximum distance and forgiveness. Their multi-material construction incorporates a thin, high-strength Ti face for increased ball speed and maximum distance, while a larger face area and full cavity back maximize forgiveness on off-center hits. Deep Undercut Technology positions the center of gravity lower and deeper in the clubhead to optimize launch angle, spin and playability. Plus, the combination of a Lamkin Lite grip and a Miyazaki C. Kua 59 graphite shaft – from the worldwide leader in ultralite graphite shaft technology – reduces the overall weight of the CG Black irons and helps increase swing speed for more distance while maintaining incredible accuracy. CG Black irons also feature Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled technology to maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations.

Wedge:
With advanced technology and classic design, Cleveland Golf’s CG Black wedge line is ideal for players seeking an optimum blend of distance and forgiveness in the scoring zone. Its multi-material construction incorporates a thin, high-strength Ti face for increased ball speed and maximum distance, while a larger face area and full cavity back maximize forgiveness on off-center hits. Deep Undercut technology positions the center of gravity lower and deeper in the clubhead to optimize launch angle, spin and playability.  CG Black wedges also feature Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled technology designed to maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations.

What do you think of the new CG Black Line?

Readers,

As announced earlier this fall, the 588 Forged wedge is coming to the marketplace on November 25th.  The wedge, which is forged from 1025 carbon steel, is one that is particularly exciting for us here at Cleveland Golf.  The 588 wedge was originally introduced to the world in 1988 as a cast design, and has since become the highest selling wedge of all time with over 3 million clubs sold.

Along with it’s commercial success, the original 588 also saw a massive amount of success on tour over the past 20+ years, winning  over 300 PGA Tour events and 25 Majors.  The new wedge, which also features Laser Milled Face Technology for maximum spin, has already seen success on the Tour level.  Jason Kokrak was the first to get a professional win with the forged wedges, winning the Nationwide Tours Miccosukee Championship earlier this month.  Keegan Bradley’s bag also featured the wedges when he won the PGA Grand Slam of Golf event in Bermuda to cap off a phenomenal rookie campaign.  In fact, the majority of our professional staff has already switched into the 588 Forged wedges in only three short weeks.

“When the 588 wedge was introduced in 1988, it raised the bar significantly with its timeless design and versatility. To this day, the 588 shape remains the standard by which all competitors’ wedges are judged. Not too many golf clubs have that kind of longevity. Now, we’ve managed to make the 588 even better than it was before. The 588 Forged will have immensely improved feel thanks to the advanced Precision Forging process, as well as the ability to generate incredible spin thanks to Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled Technology on the face.” -Brand Manager, Adam Sheldon said.

The new 588 Forged will be available on November 25th in both Satin and Chrome finishes, you can place your Pre-Book order today!

Readers,

We are excited to roll out a new feature on our website today. For a limited time, we will be analyzing and reporting your statistics for you, asking nothing in return! We all know stats are important to golfers, and this service will provide a neat, user-friendly way of reading and breaking down your stats from any given round. All you need to do in order to participate is download the smart scorecard at the bottom of the page, record your information during your next round, and submit your stats through our form.

There are three ways to upload your scorecard:

a. Fill out the survey here and then click submit
b. Fill out an excel sheet (located at the bottom of the page) and upload it through the survey
c. Fill out the card, take a picture of it, and upload the picture through the survey

Why you should do this:

At Cleveland Golf we strive to keep up with all the latest trends in golf. A major part of this is knowing how “average” golfers perform. Your data is helpful to us when we are designing golf clubs. Aside from that, it will help you improve as a golfer. The stats could reveal tendencies in your game that you did not know existed, such as where you score the best from on the course, where you struggle the most from, etc.

So, if you plan on golfing at all in the near future, do us and yourself a favor and fill out this score card. You never know, some of the data you get back may help you shave a few strokes off your game!

Full Scorecard Template PDF

Full Scorecard Template

Submit Here