If you have ever shopped for golf wedges before, then chances are you’ve probably come across some of those clubs that guarantee to improve your game by providing insane ball spin. However, with so much promise for high amounts of spin, these clubs are likely to be “too good to be true”.
When it comes to illegal wedges, there are many out there that are solely banned for the amount of spin that they generate. So, I decided to compile a small list of illegal spin wedges. I found 3 of the most outrageous illegal spin wedges
Based on the USGA and R&A guidelines, these clubs break one or more of the equipment rules, which allow them to spin the ball at high rates. Because of these high spin rates, they are all considered illegal.
List Of Illegal Spin Wedges
Now that we know what an illegal spin wedge is, it is time to dive into some of the most popular illegal spin wedges, and why they were deemed illegal.
1. Spin Doctor Wedge
I wrote an article specifically about this wege, but the spin doctor wedge is considered illegal by the USGA. The Spin Doctor is considered illegal as its inserts do not follow the spacing requirements set in by the USGA. Because the grooves are more closely spaced together, they can grip the ball more tightly and create more spin.
The Spin Doctor wedge has groove inserts that can be added or removed from the face. The company says that these inserts can generate 400% more spin on your ball. If that sounds a bit outrageous, then you aren’t alone. It is claims like these that make the USGA crackdown on the strict equipment regulations.
2. Extreme Wedge By Smithworks
This club is illegal for a bit of a different reason. This version of the Smithworks wedge had square grooves, meaning that the bottom of the grooves are not rounded out. The USGA banned square grooves as they were the type of grooves that generated the most spin. Manufacturer must round out the bottom of the grooves.
Additionally, this version of the wedge had grooves that were not spaced out enough. From my research, it seems as though this club is one of the more popular illegal clubs. It seems most people are drawn to it because it’s groove design is so unique, despite the fact it is illegal to use.
3. SandPaper Wedge
This wedge is moreso a type of wedge rather than a specific brand of wedge. A Sandpaper wedge is one that has a very rough club face. It is so rough that it resembles the texture of sandpaper.
This texture exceeds the limits on what the USGA considers legal. According to the USGA, the surface. of the club face should not exceed the roughness of “…decorative sandblasting, or fine milling…”. A sandpaper wedge has too much roughness on its surface which gives it too much grip on the ball. This excessive grip leads to illegal spin.
What Is An Illegal Spin Wedge?
An illegal spin wedge is a wedge that allows players to generate insane amounts of spin on the ball. The spin that they achieve is so powerful that it gives them an incredible advantage during the game. Because of this advantage, the USGA banned certain wedges that gave the ball too much spin.
This spin is created by the grooves on the face of the club. The USGA has banned certain types of grooves and groove patterns to assure that no manufacturing company can easily create illegal spin wedges any more. There are generally 2 factors that make a groove illegal:
- Grooves are too deep
- Groves are not spaced out enough
It is because of these two reasons that certain wedges are able to generate so much spin, which make them illegal. Side note, it was a bit easier to get away with extreme grooves before 2010. Once 2010 rolled around, the USGA created new groove rules that made it much more difficult to create high-spin wedges.
Illegal Spin Wedges In Professional, High-Level Amateur, and Casual Tournaments
When a certain club is banned by the USGA and R&A, it means that it can not be used in any professional or high-level, or casual tournaments. These two agencies are considered ‘governing bodies’ of the golf world, so their word is law.
However, if you are casually playing a few rounds of golf in a ‘no-stakes’ setting, then using one of these clubs is likely not a big deal. Personally, I think spin wedges like these add a lot of fun to a regular game of golf. They show what is possible with a simple golf club.
So, if you are interested in an illegal spin wedge, like the ones above, then make sure you do not use it in any tournament setting. If you use it for a casual outing, then you shouldn’t have any real issues and you’ll be able to see the magic that these wedges bring to the course.