Cleveland Golf Blog

Readers,

Recently, we discussed how Cleveland Golf’s emphasis on multiple wedge lofts has changed the way golfers approach the short game. Another way Cleveland Golf has brought game-changing innovation and improved performance to wedges is by offering multiple finishes.

Each finish is unique and has its own advantages, from enhancing feel and reducing glare to adding style to players’ golf bags. We’re proud that we’ve brought multiple finishes to wedges for more than 25 years.

It started back in 1987 with the BeCu (Beryllium Copper) finish in 485 wedges, which provided softer feel in addition to a cool copper look. The next significant finish was Raw Tour Grind, or “RTG”, that was released to the masses in 1996 after overwhelming demand and success on tour. RTG is an unchromed, special grind version of the 588 wedge, with the head designed to rust over time. These wedges are particularly renowned for their feel, resistance to glare, and even enhanced spin.

Cleveland Golf also set a high standard for darker-finish wedges that resisted glare, starting with Gun Metal and progressing into Black Pearl. First introduced in the CG10 wedge, Black Pearl has remained a staple in Cleveland’s wedge lines thanks to its sleek style and ability to better frame the ball at address.

Other popular finishes have included Chrome, BeNi (Beryllium Nickel) and Satin Chrome.

So, what’s your favorite finish?

Readers,

What a summer it’s been on the PGA Tour! We can’t think of a better way to bring the exciting season to a close than with the Ryder Cup.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon is fortunate to have two Ryder Cup participants this year. Keegan Bradley will be representing the United States, while Graeme McDowell will be competing for Europe. Both have had great summers filled with amazing highlights, and both look to be major contributors for their teams this week at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois.

This year will mark the third Ryder Cup appearance for McDowell, a native of Northern Ireland who has a match record of 4-2-2 after competing at Valhalla in 2008 and Celtic Manor in 2010. You may remember the 33-year-old clinching the Cup for the Europeans with a dramatic singles win back in 2010. With his accurate driving, clutch putting and tenacious attitude, the fiery veteran will surely be one to watch this week.

Bradley enters the Ryder Cup as one of four rookies on the American squad. The 26-year-old native of Woodstock, Vt., is No. 14 in the Official World Golf Rankings, still riding the momentum he gained from winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last month. He’s already shown a knack for rising to the occasion in high-pressure situations, so this intense competition may fit his game perfectly. Although Bradley lacks professional match-play experience, two of his three PGA Tour victories have come via one-on-one playoffs.

On paper, this Ryder Cup looks as close as any we’ve ever seen.  You can follow a close look at the CG/Srixon staffers on our @CGSrixonTour twitter acount and we want to know who you’re rooting for! Visit our Facebook page and tell us who you think will bring home the Cup this week!

Readers,

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be documenting four of Cleveland Golf’s most significant wedge innovations. Cleveland Golf has long set the industry standard in the wedge category, and we certainly don’t plan on changing that any time soon. So, leading up to the release of our new wedge this fall, we wanted to take some time to remind you how we got to where we are today.

Let’s start with Multiple Lofts.

We believe having proper wedge loft gaps is essential to short-game success, and we’ve been preaching this for years.

When the original 588 wedge was introduced in 1988, it was available in lofts of 50° and 56°. One year later, a 60° model was added. Realizing the need to bring “a new level of predictable excellence” in the short game, Cleveland Golf continued to expand loft offerings with the 53° “Diadic” wedge and the 49° Special Pitching Wedge.

Pros and amateurs saw the benefits of multiple wedges, and as time went on, our engineers realized the need for proper gap spacing and kept adding more lofts.

Today, the 588 Forged wedge is available in lofts of 46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58°, 60°, 62° and 64°. There’s an incredible range of wedge combinations available for any golfer looking to improve their short game, and we take pride in educating golfers on knowing how to select the right lofts. After all, wedges affect the outcome of every shot you hit inside 120 yards.

What lofts do you have in your bag?

Cleveland Golf/Srixon staffer Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño continued his stellar 2012 European Tour campaign by winning the BMW Italian Open over the weekend. The 31-year-old Spaniard closed with a scorching 8-under-par 64 for a four-day total of 24-under 264, edging Garth Mulroy by two shots at Royal Park I Roveri.

It’s the sixth career European Tour title for Gonzo and second at this event, matching his victory in 2007. He was coming off a tie for fifth last week at the KLM Open and has had two other top-three finishes in 2012.

“I feel as though my game is hitting top form just at the right time of the season to enjoy an excellent finish,” said Fernandez-Castaño.

The victory, worth €250,000, moves Gonzo to 37th in the Official Golf World Rankings and 19th in the Chase To Dubai.

“I can’t wait to get to Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship,” he said after the win. “To be in that elite field for the end-of-year event means you have had a great year. I’ve jumped up many spots with this win, and now I have a chance of finishing in the top 10.”

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño had the following Cleveland Golf/Srixon products in his bag:

Driver: Cleveland HiBore Monster XLS, 9.5°

Fairway Wood: Cleveland Launcher FL, 13°

Irons: Cleveland CG1 Tour Irons, 3-PW

Wedges: Cleveland 588 Forged, 52° and 58°

Ball: Srixon Z STAR XV

Readers,

For over 30 years, Cleveland Golf has been a leader in wedges. From the Cleveland Classic wedge of the early 1980s to the 588 Forged of today, Cleveland Golf has set the standard in wedge design and pushed the envelope with game-changing innovations such as multiple finishes, multiple bounces, Zip Grooves, Laser Milling and Precision Forging.

We pride ourselves on attention to detail. Our unparalleled wedge testing, which includes many proprietary procedures, ensures we always bring the highest performing wedges to consumers and Tour players.

Our Tour performance speaks for itself, with over 300 PGA TOUR wins and 26 majors since the launch of 588 in 1988.

We are just as excited about wedges today as we were back in the 1980s. We come to work every day thinking about what’s next. How do we push wedges even further? It’s a challenge we embrace.

What’s next? This holiday, we will unveil yet another groundbreaking technology that sets the bar even higher for wedges.

Stay tuned.

In the mean time, we urge you to take a look at a new section on our website: Wedge Timeline.  On this site you can view every tour victory, technological breakthrough, visual design and preformance feature to ever come out of Cleveland Golf.

What do you think of the new Wedge Timeline?

Readers,

Over the last year many of you have been asking for the 588 Forged to become available in the always popular RTG finish.  Well, now it is!  The 588 Forged RTG will hit stores on September 21st but is available for pre-book now.

For those who don’t know, RTG stands for Raw Tour Grind.  The RTG features a dynamic sole for maximum versatility around the green. This wedge maintains the legendary, tour-proven shape of 588 with incredible Precision Forged feel.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS:

Dynamic Sole Grind
Material reduction on the back of the sole allows players to open the face with a lower leading edge for better contact on open-faced shots. Oil Quench finish will rust over time.

Original, Tour-Proven 588 Shape
The most successful and preferred wedge shape ever, revered by golfers of all skill levels for its confidence-inspiring look, versatile design and all-around performance.

Precision Forged from 1025 Carbon Steel
Every wedge offers incredibly soft, yet solid feel. Premium manufacturing ensures highest level of part-to-part consistency for supreme confidence over every wedge shot.

Advanced Spin Technology
Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled Technology increase spin in accordance with USGA regulations.

You can pre-book your wedge here. What do you think of the new 588 Forged RTG?

Over the last year, Cleveland Golf has been using the phrase “How The Game Should Feel” quite a bit. You may have seen it on our commercials, in magazines or even on this website.

“Feel” is one of, if not the most important aspect of the game of golf. Not just the feeling of a golf shot at impact, but the feeling you get from playing this game we love so much. Golf is meant to be enjoyed, even if a bit of frustration sometimes comes along with the joy.

Everyone feels slightly different about golf. Some people golf for exercise, some for fun, while professionals play the game to make a living. But you don’t have to be a pro to relish competition, as many golfers love nothing more than to beat their buddies in a friendly round or a long-drive contest.

Whatever you feel on the golf course, we want to be a part of it.

We asked our Twitter followers “How The Game Should Feel,” and the most popular responses were: fun, easy, relaxed, and effortless. We also received a lot of colorful responses, and my personal favorite was “warm and gooey.”

How does the game feel for you?

Congratulations to Cleveland Golf/Srixon Staffer, Chris Wilson!  The Web.com Tour member won the Price Cutter Charity Championship in dramatic fashion yesterday, needing a playoff the seal the deal.

Wilson birdied the final hole of regulation to record a 5-under-par 67 and a tournament total of 21-under 267, placing him in a sudden-death playoff for the title. Wilson two-putted for birdie from 12 feet on the first playoff hole to clinch his first victory on the Web.com Tour.

“It’s comforting knowing I can perform when it matters most,” said Wilson, a 27-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, who earned $112,500 for the win and vaulted from No. 165 to No.23 on the money list.

In Chris’ bag was:

Driver: Classic Tour—9.5° with Miyazaki C.KUA 59X

Fairway: Ultralite FL 14° with Miyazaki Blue 83X

Irons: 588 Forged CB 3-PW

Wedges: 588 Forged, 54° and 60°

Ball: Srixon Z-Star

Wow! The first word that comes to mind after Keegan Bradley’s dramatic win at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational is simply…. Wow!

After gaining his first two PGA Tour wins by virtue of playoff, Keegan left nothing to chance this week,closing it out in regulation in dramatic fashion. Bradley made an incredible sand save from the greenside bunker on the 72nd hole to capture his first World Golf Championship title and his first victory of 2012. After hitting it out of the bunker to 15 feet, the 26 year old made a pressure packed putt, something that has started to become all too normal for Bradley.

“It’s amazing to be in that moment and I was loving every second of it.” said Bradley, after coming off the 18th green on Sunday.

Bradley was long and accurate off the tee all week, averaging 320 yards and hitting 65% of his fairways. His long game was highlighted by a 442 yard BOMB on Saturday.

In addition to being another huge win for the second year Tour member, it also guaranteed him a spot on the 2012 Ryder Cup team, moving him from ninth on the money list to fourth. It also moves Bradley from 26th place to 7th place in the FedEx Cup standings.

Bradley now heads to Kiawah Island where he will defend his PGA Championship title. You may remember Keegan coming back from a 5 shot deficit with 3 holes to play in last years PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, becoming only the 3rd player to win their first career major.

Do you like the momentum that Keegan has going into the PGA Championship?

You can watch Keegan’s Post Round Interview here:

In Keegan’s bag was:

Driver: Cleveland Classic 290 9.0° with Miyazaki Kusala Indigo 61x

Fairway Wood: Cleveland Launcher FL 14° with Kusala Black 83x

Hybrid: Cleveland DST 2i 18.0° with Project X HB2

Hybrid: Cleveland Mashie Hybrid TM3 20.5° with Miyazaki C.Kua Hybrid 83x

Irons: Cleveland CG7 Tour with Dynamic Gold X-100 (+.5″)

Wedges: Cleveland 588 Forged Wedges 54° and 58° degrees with DGS400 (+.5″)

Srixon Z-Star Prototype

Readers,

What a weekend on the PGA Tour!

In a magnificent display of golf, Cleveland Golf staffer and PGA Tour rookie Ted Potter Jr. won The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia for his first career victory! Potter, who bested fellow Cleveland Golf staffer Troy Kelly with a birdie on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff, finished regulation with an eagle on 17 and a birdie on 18 to force extra holes.

Potter was firing on all cylinders, posting scores of 69-67-64-64 to finish at 16-under par. The 28-year-old native of Ocala, Fla., led the field in putting and tied for third in fairways hit (80.4 percent) while averaging over 304 yards off the tee with his Cleveland Classic Tour Driver. He managed only four bogeys and was perfect in sand saves thanks to his Cleveland 588 Forged Wedges.

Potter has a true journeyman story, having catapulted up the ranks in the last 15 months.  At the start of 2011 Potter only had status on the NGA Tour (formerly the Hooters Tour) and had to Monday Qualify for a Web.com Tour event that he would eventually go on to win.  He paired that win with one other, and secured a high enough status on the Web.com Tour to make the jump to the PGA Tour this year.  Not only did this win net the left-hander a check for $1,098,000 and a two-year PGA Tour exemption, it vaulted him from 167th to 42nd on the money list.

Kelly also had many highlights this week, among them a third-round 62 to tie for low score of the week honors along with Cleveland Golf staffer Charlie Beljan. The 33-year-old Kelly finished the week 11th in driving distance, averaging 314.9 yards off the tee with his Cleveland Classic 290 Driver.

One of Sunday’s most incredible moments was when Beljan holed a 58-foot flop shot for birdie on the 13h hole, providing a dramatic spinning fist pump en route to his T3 finish!

So as you can tell, it was a huge weekend for these fantastic tour professionals and all of us at Cleveland Golf!

Tell us your biggest highlight of the week!

In The Bag This Week

Ted Potter, Jr:

Driver: Classic Tour, 10.5 degrees, Miyazaki Kusala Black 61X

3-Wood: Cleveland Composite 15 degrees, Aldila Voodoo 80X

Hybrids: Mashie 2i and 3i, Miyazaki Kusala 83X

Irons: CG1 Tour 4-PW, Dynamic Golf X100 Shafts

Wedges: 588 Forged, 54 and 60 degrees, Dynamic Gold S400

Troy Kelly:

Driver: Classic 290, 10.5 degrees, Miyazaki Kusala Silver 61X

Irons: CG7 Gold Irons 5-PW

Wedges: 588 Forged, 50, 56, and 60 degrees, Dynamic Gold S400

Charlie Beljan:

Driver: Classic Driver, Miyazaki C. Kua 59X

Irons: 588 Forged CB Irons, 3-PW

Wedges: 588 Forged, 52, 56 and 60 degrees

Ball: Srixon Z-STAR 3 Prototype