Does it make sense to put a one trick pony in your bag? If you’re a high handicapper, I think it does. High handicappers tend not to hit a lot of greens, and then often waste a shot or two trying to get the ball onto the surface to putt.  A dedicated chipping putter could drastically reduce the number of fat, thin and otherwise wasted shots around the green.

When my short game abandons me—as it does a couple of times a summer—I often will fall back on a chipping club that I have called a Slippery Frog. It was a Maltby Golfworks product that no longer is available, but it works on the same principle as the Zevo. It’s got a wide sole that makes it impossible to chili dip, so you can sweep easily sweep the ball off the turf. I use my chipper from as far out as thirty yards—its much safer than a tricky half wedge.

The club I take out for my chipper often is my five iron. I am rarely at a five iron distance from the hole—and when I am, it’s just as easy to hit an easy four.

LYNX Fat Cat Wedge

The Fat Cat is a uniquely designed wedge with a hollow body that allows for an extremely deep and low center of gravity. That’ll help you to do what you’re supposed to do with wedges, which is to get the ball up in the air. It’s designed with rounded edges on the sole and the back of the clubhead to allow the clubhead to flow without restriction through grass and sand.

If you have problems with wedge play may be the club for you.

NIKE SV Wedge

The Nike golf juggernaut rolls on with the release of a new line of tour level wedges: the Nike SV.

These clubs are constructed from 8620 carbon steel, which is 45% softer than 17-4 stainless and have a CNC milled face for shot precision. Nike says that the grooves, using what they call the Optimal Radium spin, are designed to increase the golf ball’s spin. The design features a sharper top groove for more control around the green.

And no weird sling bars or such for these babies: they have a classic shape and satin finish.

SONARTEC t35 Wedge - Satin Finish

Sonartec, the company which made such a splash a couple of years ago with its hybrids has entered the wedge market with its good looking Proto t35 forged wedges.

The clubheads are made from forged 8620 carbo steel for the feel that players prefer and they offer a couple of neat design features. The Trailing leading edge and heel grind are supposed to allow the leading edge to be flush with the turf to minimize thin shots. Thin shots is precisely why I typically don’t hit a high flying wedge shot unless I absolutely have to. I much prefer to hit a pitch or run the ball up to the green. So the grind of this club may be the thing.

The club also is designed with a transition that keep smore mass behind the ball as you open or close the face.

CALLAWAY X-Tour Wedge - Vintage

Here are the clubs played by the Wizard of Wedges himself—Phil Mickelson. Designed by Roger Cleveland (now isn’t that interesting. Cleveland designing for Callaway), the X-Tours offer a super soft feel with their 1020 carbon steel forging. You can even get them with a special Phil Mickelson (PM) Grind.

Goofy smile not included.

LOVETT GOLF Tour Standard Wedge w/Steel Shaft

You have no doubt seen the Lovett Wedge on The Golf Channel. It’s got a rounded bottom, a curved leading edge, and a set back hose, all of which are suposed to make it easier for you to play those tricky wedge shots. I have a club that’s similar indesign from the Maltby GolfWorks, and that one, at least works well. The real question with these is whether your short game is poor enough to warrant placing such a specialized club in your bag.

SOLUS GOLF RD 4.1 Series Wedge

I saw my first Solus wedge recently as I took a walk through the Caddy Shack in Livonia, Michigan. It’s intriguing.

Solus Golf claims to have the first new wedge technology in 70 years. It comes, they say, from the recognition that most sand wedge plays are NOT made from the sand. Rather, they are made from a variety of lies around the green, not all of which benefit from the sand wedge’s flanged bounce.

To create a more versatile wedge—they call it a “utility wedge”, Solus has introduced a crescent cut sole contour. A camber added from heel to the toe around the crescent cut creates a “negative Bounce” angle, which reduces the danger of a skulled shot on a tight lie. At the same time, when you open the face, teh club offers increased bounce on sand shots.

The club also has full perimeter weighting to help keep off center shots steady.

It’s an interesting concept, and if it works, could free up a spot in your bag. I know plenty of players who carry an additional wedge just for those tight lies around the green that a sand wedge doesn’t really work for.

SOLUS GOLF RD 4.1 Series Wedge