Equipment
Former Cleveland CEO Hopkins starts wedge company
Greg Hopkins, who resigned as the CEO of Cleveland Golf/Srixon in September, has established his own wedge company, Hopkins Golf.
Starting June 1, golfers will be able to get a set of the wedges that company calls “PGA Tour caliber.”
“For years, the ability for golfers to acquire Tour-authentic equipment has been very difficult, if not impossible,” Hopkins said in a company press release. “In fact, if people did find a way, it proved to be extremely expensive and they waited a long time before they could play with their new clubs.”
According to Randy Romberg, vice president of marketing for Hopkins Golf, the wedges will be available in seven different grinds, although all seven will not be available for each club. For example, the 50-degree wedge will have three different grinds available, whereas the 54-degree will have six different grinds.
Full details on the wedges, such as the price of the wedges as well as some of the technical aspects, have yet to be finalized. While a specific price has yet to be set, Romberg promised the wedges would sell for less than what is currently available on the market.
Romberg estimated that there are “20-something” different wedge varieties, each with the ability to be customized to include a player’s initials, preferred paint-fill color and hand stamping.
These clubs will only be available through Hopkins Golf’s website, which will help keep the cost of them down.
Equipment
Neal Shipley, AKA, the “Big Fridge’s,” custom stamping
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.
Equipment
From the GolfWRX Classifieds: L.A.B. Purple DF3 with Masters cover
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
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
Whats in the Bag
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
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

Kurt
Jul 2, 2013 at 2:52 pm
I just bought a 56 and 58 degree can’t wait for them to come in… great price with custom grind payed 20 bucks more than the rtx
Chuck Harvey
Jun 28, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Looking foward to seeing them I have been a cleveland player for 13yrs.as a pro .Played cleveland wedges my whole career.
Rick
Apr 16, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Got some early rounds in with one of his 58 degree’s….very nice club…good weighting and feel…definitely think they are going to be a hit….
Erik
Apr 6, 2013 at 8:37 am
I really like what Mr. Hopkins has to say about tour quality equipment. The low handicapper needs to have access to better equipment without paying an arm and a leg for it. I’m all for getting better stuff wnd joining the exclusive club!
J
Apr 2, 2013 at 2:43 am
Well… Cleveland makes a hell of a wedge… Have to give the product a shot