The 2021 Edel Swing Match wedges are taking the concept of custom fit wedges to a level that has never been brought to the short game before, with the goal to use every possible tool to tighten dispersion and consistency to help you shoot lower scores.

The new Edel Swing Match wedges utilize a movable weight system in the flange to fit each club to a golfer’s natural short game swing profile. The research indicates that once properly fit, everything from mechanics to launch conditions shows measurable improvement.

Edel Swing Match wedges: The why

It’s no secret the best way to properly optimize your equipment is through custom fitting. When it comes to wedges, the only factors that have been traditionally accounted for are length, lie, loft, and grind—all of which, beyond grind, are already standard for iron fittings.

With how specialized wedges have to be for performance, is grind really the only thing golfers should be concerned with?

At Edel golf, they set out to answer this question, and they came away with “no,” which lead to the development of the Swing Match system to help every golfer achieve their maximum potential.

The backbone of Swing Match weighting philosophy is that a wedge’s weight location has a dramatic effect on how a golfer creates dynamics leading to impact. It’s no different than how a change in shaft weight of a driver can change impact location and delivery numbers.

The how

The weighting technology allows each golfer to adjust their wedge in order to match their natural swing profile and release motion. Edel breaks these profiles into three major categories which are

• Cover – A steeper approach to impact
• Side On – A neutral approach
• Under – A shallow approach to impact

Once the heaviest weight in the wedge has been moved to the optimal position, it works alongside a player’s swing to optimize short game performance.

Results demonstrated that 80 percent of the golfers who were tested saw their best spin numbers and delivery were created with the weight adjusted somewhere other than the center weight port, and the average increase in backspin was just over 10 percent from the lowest spinning location to the highest location of the weight.

Edel’s research and testing have been analyzed by Mike Duffey, a PhD Biomechanics at Penn State and golf swing Biomechanist who came to the following conclusions: 

• There is a substantial improvement in a player’s ability to control the flight of a wedge with weighting that matches – or is correctly fit – to the swing.
• The type of weighting that works best varies for individual golfers. The initial assessment of the data clearly showed that there are no consistent trends across golfers showing that one single weighting always works best for each golfer. In fact, the same weighting may have nearly the opposite effect on ball flight control depending on individual swing characteristics.

It was with this knowledge that the design team at Edel developed the Swing Match weight fitting system and now they are ready to introduce it to golfers.

The Construction

The Swing Match wedges are forged from soft 1025 carbon steel and have all of the bounce and sole geometries CNC machined to ensure maximum precision wedge to wedge.

Like other Edel wedges of the past, they feature full-face groove coverage as well as a micro-engraved face texture to maximize friction for increased spin.

Another signature design element of the Swing Match wedges is their shorter hosel to precisely locate the center of gravity.

The grinds

The Swing Match wedges come in four unique grind options with each one designed specifically for a specific player delivery—much like the adjustable weight system.

It’s easy to spot the grind type on the back of each wedge, but there is one thing you won’t find and that is bounce number—here’s why:

“Typical bounce is an arbitrary number called “effective bounce” that really has no standard and is played loosely across the industry. That’s why you won’t see a bounce number on our wedges.” – Edel Golf

• C-Grind: This grind is optimal for golfers with a moderate to shallow angle of attack who take a smaller divot. The extra sole width allows you extreme versatility for bunker play and greenside shots in the higher lofts; while being able to work in all turf conditions in the lower lofts.
• T-Grind:  A tri-angle sole grind utilizing an extremely high bounce leading-edge, followed by a crescent-shaped lower bounce surface, and extreme heel relief. These three surfaces allow you to open the face without increasing the effective bounce for better performance on tighter lies.
• V-Grind:  Inspired by Edel’s most popular DVR grind, this sole is great for cover golfers with a steeper swing motion. The higher bounce angle closer to the leading edge allows the sole to engage with the turf quickly which results in minimal hesitation through sand or turf.
• D-Grind: This high bounce grind is optimal for on-top golfers with a steep angle of attack who take a larger divot. The channel in the midsole creates two separate bounce surfaces; the high bounce leading edge to cut through the turf at impact without resistance and the extremely high bounce on the second surface to prevent any excessive digging.

Price, specs, and availability

The new Edel Swing Match wedge will be available starting April 2, with the retail price of $199 for a stock wedge with Nippon Modus wedge shaft and Golf Pride grip, while custom wedge will start at $225 with customizable hand-stamping and paint fill.

The wedges will be available in lofts 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 degrees in all four grind options and come in a cream chrome finish.