Equipment
James Patrick joins Titleist
Wedgemaker James “Patrick” Harrington has announced on his website that he has joined Titleist “to further advance [his] passion and creativity” with wedges.
For years, there has been speculation that Titleist has been looking for a wedgemaker to succeed legendary wedge maker Bob Vokey, for whom the company’s current line of wedges is named. Vokey, 73, has suffered several health problems in recent years, including kidney cancer in 2008.
Harrington, 30, has a reputation as one of the best wedge grinders in the industry. He had a well publicized split with Edel Golf in January 2011, and has since been producing handmade wedges for his own company, James Patrick Golf, which he founded in his home state of Wisconsin.
Harrington did not make clear what role he would take with Titleist, only saying that the company is “providing the resources needed to continue to explore the unending pursuit of creating the world’s finest wedges.”
He thanked his fans for “helping to build the foundation,” and said that move to Titleist is “the next step in the journey of my life’s work.”
Above: Custom wedges created by Harrington for James Patrick Golf.
James Patrick wedges were created one at a time by Harrington, allowing him to make them with custom grinds, finishes and stampings that caught the attention of several golf websites and publications. Even though the wedges had a base price of more than $300, with custom options that could cost customers hundreds more, Harrington struggled to keep pace with demand for his products, which are currently listed as “sold out” on his website.
Harrington ground the handmade wedges from Kyoei forged blanks, and created them with a design that included a thinned out hosel for less resistance on shots from the sand and grass, as well a three tungsten weights in the toe section of the wedges that Harrington said move the center of gravity closer to the wedge’s sweet spot for more consistency.
Prior to starting his own company in 2011, Harrington attended Arizona State University, where he graduated from the PGA Management program. He went on to work as a grinder for leading club fitters Hot Stix and Cool Clubs, and trained under legendary clubmaker Don White in 2008.
According to his website, Harrington has worked with PGA Tour professionals Fulton Allen, Cameron Beckman, Robert Garrigus, Peter Jacobson, Matt Kuchar, Ryan Moore, Kevin Streelman and Aaron Baddeley, for whom he ground a set of irons that Baddeley used to win his first Tour event in 2006.
Click here to read what members are saying about James Patrick’s move in the forums.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
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It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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EZ
Jun 26, 2016 at 11:57 pm
…..And yet….3 YEARS go by without anything….did they just buy him out and make him sign a non-compete for the rest of his life? What a shame.
BigBoy
Jul 30, 2013 at 12:04 am
im going to sprinkle hundreds and thousands all over my Cleveland wedges
Juan
Jul 29, 2013 at 2:11 pm
a good thing gone bad….bring on the mass production
Jack Lives Here
Jul 28, 2013 at 6:30 am
James wedges are beautiful. Van Gough was under capitalized as well. I wish James every success with the new position.
SAMPGA
Jul 27, 2013 at 6:40 am
I’VE GOT WORD FROM THE INSIDE THAT JP WILL BE IN CHARGE OF AN ULTRA HIGH END LINE OF WEDGES FOR JAPAN…Voke will be here forever!
Blanco
Jul 26, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Does this guy ever smile? He needs to a visit to smiley-town. My guess is they don’t go into full on JP-mode for many years (if he stays on that long)– he’s there for more design and tour stuff not marketing. His name doesn’t ring out yet but will one day.
Personally I think his wedges look gaudy with the exception of the unstamped raw steel stuff I’ve seen. I think his grinds are excellent though.
Scott Rose
Jul 26, 2013 at 1:04 am
Hmmm….form or function? I’d rather see an artist stay solo.
Clayton
Jul 25, 2013 at 4:59 pm
“Show me the money!!!” – JP
HBL
Jul 25, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Probably for us, the masses, there will be no change. Almost impossible to get now and, at least, in the near past. In the future, we can expect mass produced wedges with the pros getting the custom work like it is with Vokey.
The Real James
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:49 pm
I wonder how a mass produced JP will look?
Ever try grinding a wedge? It’s pretty easy if you have a good grinding machine, and then 5 swings later all the prettiness is left in the turf.
princeton
Jul 25, 2013 at 12:00 pm
This is the biggest news in the Golf Equipment Business in years!!!! This is huge that Vokey as tapped his heir apparent to take over once he retires fully! Vokey stated yesterday that he is only working two or three days a week and for the every so often special request from a Tour Pro! I wonder how Aaron Dill is feeling today? I am sure that this hurts him a little, as thoughts were that he would be Vokey’s pick for his replacement…?
Jack
Jul 25, 2013 at 2:39 am
Plus, I doubt he is really taking over for Vokey. I think he is more likely to create his own line (much younger and different look), much like he is doing already, but backed by Titleist’s money and marketing power.
Jack
Jul 25, 2013 at 2:17 am
I like the look of the wedges, but not at 300+ before custom options!
RatzA$$
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:45 am
Wow that’s awesome. Someone stamps a sand wedge, quick paint fill of skittles like colors and a “special grind” and presto! Every minute a sucker is born.
Those that can’t dress like Fowler can have clubs that approach his outfits.
BHahahahhaha
Roger
Jul 26, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Ratz i’m still Lovin my Ping Eye 2 BECU wedge!!! Classic great looks and feel …and a great Wedge too !!!
Desmond
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:41 am
“I don’t want to be the big-box retailer,” Harrington said. “I like the roots of where I’m at, me making hand-made stuff. I’m able to offer a unique look because I’m an artist. I don’t want to grow too fast.”
An odd change for a guy who didn’t want to be a big-box retailer, but wanted to be an artist.”
lol.
KCCO
Jul 25, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Confused by this comment…..but anyway JP has always been an artist, and when at his level, each day his work will only progress, with that being said, when the time comes I wonder if he has more of a gamer wedge (meaning no frills on the looks, and just a performer), and be able to dull it down a bit, just a clean wedge and something thats gonna fill the vokey void when that day comes…. curious as to how they much different they would play then the beautiful designer stuff I’ve seen in his galleries history, as most look like collector pieces I would decorate my house with…..not being sarcastic, his work is top notch
J
Jul 24, 2013 at 11:24 pm
His wedges are sick!
Will be curious to see what kind of prices come out of the Titleist custom shop now..
JP wedges and Scotty putters… You could spend 5,000 and walk away with just your wedges and a putter.