Podcasts
SPOTTED: New Ping Glide Forged Pro Raw wedges at the BMW Championship
It has been a long time since Ping made a raw wedge. Almost all Ping models have been either plated in chrome or in a black finish. But recently, Ping’s tour players have been requesting wedges that are raw steel, and the company wanted to deliver for its pros.
Wedges that are raw carbon steel will rust over time, and they aren’t something we see a whole lot of in our local golf store. Wedge companies have plenty of evidence that rusty wedges on the shelves don’t sell like traditional wedges that are plated with chrome or another “attractive” finish that won’t rust.
Another note here: Just to be clear, rusty wedges don’t spin more than chrome wedges, but companies have found that in wet conditions the raw face and grooves lose less spin.

Our own Andrew Tursky spotting the raw Glide Forged Pro wedges at the BMW Championship this week and took a ton of photos. The Ping tour truck was loaded with just about every loft and grind that they made the Glide Forged Pro wedges in their Hydropearl finish. So the wedges you see here are raw steel and will start to rust once put in play.
Ping didn’t give any information on if these will ever come too retail or stay a tour-only product. From a guy who loves the rusty look on his irons, wedges, and putter I hope we get a chance to put these in our bags!

To hear Andrew give more detail on the Ping Glide Forged Pro wedges from the BMW Championship, take a listen to the TG2 podcast!
Club Junkie
Tour Edge Exotics mini driver review + TaylorMade Spider ZT Max first look – Club Junkie
On this episode of Club Junkie, I put the new Tour Edge Exotics Mini Driver to the test and break down the performance, forgiveness, distance, and where it fits compared to a traditional driver or strong fairway wood. If you have been curious about adding a mini driver to the bag, this one is worth a look.
I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.
Club Junkie
Club Junkie: Ping i540 irons review + L.A.B. VZN.1i putters and Graphite Design shaft sightings
On this episode of Club Junkie, I dive into the brand-new Ping i540 irons and talk about where they fit in the lineup, their performance on the course, and who I think they are really made for. There is a lot to love — and maybe one complaint in the new i540 irons.
The show also covers the new L.A.B. VZN.1i putters that have started showing up, plus some new Graphite Design Tour AD shafts spotted out on the PGA Tour and what makes them interesting. Wrapping things up, I might swap a few shafts into some putters and talk through how those changes might completely alter feel and performance.
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Club Junkie
Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Karsten's Ghost
Aug 23, 2022 at 10:44 pm
They rust quickly on their own. Can’t see this going to retail.
Edward Bardoe
Aug 22, 2022 at 10:56 am
What! they don’t spin more! You mean the tv ads lie!
Jake
Aug 20, 2022 at 12:45 pm
And knowing ping these will be $225
Think about this.. raw wedges require less work to make.. and yet we pay more for them.. we as golfers need to draw a line in the sand and stop buying cheap, 1025 forged irons that don’t last while paying upwards of 1400 bucks for a set. We are sold on “soft feel”… What a load of bs. It’s a cheap metal and they get their margins while putting out a product that will need to be replaced in a years time.
17-4 steel is the way to go
431 is okay
1025 steel is nonsensical
Jake – Nuclear Metallurgist
Donnie Baker
Aug 20, 2022 at 10:07 pm
Ok Jake from State Farm ?
Jake
Aug 22, 2022 at 6:18 pm
Keep drinking the Kool aid Donnie..
Benny
Aug 22, 2022 at 6:30 pm
Interesting take Jake. Thanks for sharing man.
We have all seen different types of metal be used.
All I know os carbon feels the best for me and why we see most forged irons be made of carbon.