If you’ve ever used a Callaway Sure Out wedge, you know just how much it can improve your performance. That’s thanks to its enhanced heel relief and wide sole, which are features that improve forgiveness and provide better turf interaction. In fact, this type of wedge can enhance your game so much that many golfers are left wondering whether it’s actually legal to use it in official tournaments.
The Callaway Sure Out wedge is legal for use under the R&A and USGA. Though the club’s design is visibly very different from traditional wedges (and more forgiving), it still meets every criterion placed by golf’s most important governing bodies, so it can be used in all tournaments.
If you’re shocked to learn that using the Callaway Sure Out wedge in any official tournament is fine, you’re not alone. So, read on as I further explain why this model, though very different from its counterparts, is still allowed by the USGA and R&A. Below, I’ll also outline some of the wedges that are actually banned by these governing bodies, so make sure to stick around until the end.
Why Callaway Sure Out Is Legal in Professional Tournaments
Just because the Callaway Sure Out wedge differs in looks and performance from most of its counterparts, that doesn’t mean it’ll automatically be unusable in an official tournament.
Governing bodies have criteria set in place to determine whether a piece of equipment is legal in the sport or not. As long as a specific model meets these criteria, nothing else matters — it receives a green light.
For example, there are standards set by the USGA for wedges (of course, the Callaway Sure Out model meets all of them):
- Length. The length of the wedge must not exceed 48 inches (1.2 meters).
- Groove specifications. As you’ll see in the rulebook linked above, the USGA has set specific spacing, shape, and dimension requirements on the grooves of acceptable wedges.
- Sole configuration and bounce. These two features affect how the wedge interacts with the turf, which is why it was only fair for the USGA to place some regulations on them.
What Wedges Are Banned by USGA?
Some of the wedges banned by the USGA include the Alien Golf Ultimate Sand wedge, the Cleveland VAS/VAS+ wedge, and the Ping Eye 2 wedge. The respective explanations behind these bans were: an overly curved shape, overly deep grooves, and square grooves.
Keep in mind that while the ban on some Ping Eye 2 wedge models was lifted, others are still illegal.
Conclusion
The Callaway Sure Out wedge is 100% legal to use in all official golfing tournaments. It meets all the criteria established by some of the sport’s most important governing bodies, such as the USGA and R&A.
So, whether you’re someone who’s just started playing and doesn’t want to rely too much on a piece of equipment you won’t be able to use later or a golfer looking for extra forgiveness in their first official tournament, don’t worry! You’ll still be able to reap the benefits of the Callaway Sure Out wedge.