Equipment
This PGA Tour pro is using a ridiculously expensive 1-of-1 sand wedge. Here’s why
It’s not uncommon for a PGA Tour player to use a one-off prototype golf club that’s not available to the public. If you follow our weekly photos in the GolfWRX forum threads, you know that’s the case. Some of the world’s best players simply require a different look and feel than what comes stock from the OEMs, and, for the most part, PGA Tour players are in a position to get any club modification they want.
Dylan Frittelli’s new Callaway Apex TCB sand wedge, though, is a next-level custom job that could represent a shift in equipment usage for golfers going forward.
Most tour players and mid-to-low-handicappers use what you’d consider a set of “standard” wedges, which are characterized by thick soles, thick hosels, rounded profiles and blade-style back sections. Their more angular cavity-back (or muscleback) iron sets typically stop at either the 9-iron or the pitching wedge, while their higher-lofted clubs have a standard wedge design.
Just for reference, below is a look at Frittelli’s 56-degree sand wedge from March 2021, which showcases what a “standard” wedge looks like.
Why do players use differently designed clubs for their irons and wedges?
Well, that’s what Frittelli wanted to know.
“I’m like, why do I use a sand wedge with a blade? I asked the Callaway rep and Roger Cleveland, they were all like, ‘No, there’s no reason, it’s just people do that,'” Frittelli told GolfWRX on Monday ahead of the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open.
Last year, Frittelli switched into a Callaway Apex TCB gap wedge that was a stock offering in the iron set, and he found the distance numbers to be more consistent on mishits due to the cavity-back design.
Click here for more info and conversation about the Apex TCB irons.
“The simple story is, I switched to the gap wedge in L.A. last year. I saw it on Instagram – I think it was in Austin the guys gave it to me,” Frittelli explained. “Through putting it on Trackman, hitting distances and yardages with the wedge, I figured it was way more consistent than the next wedge down, which was a blade-like sand wedge. So I’m like, ‘Why not? Can you make me the same iron head in the sand wedge in that loft and see if we can try?'”
Since Frittelli found the Apex TCB gap wedge to work well, he wanted to try a sand-wedge version. The problem was, a 56-degree Apex TCB iron-like head didn’t exist.
That’s when Callaway’s R&D team got to work on the task…and it was NOT cheap.
“It took two or three months for them to make it, but I started using it last week and it’s really good,” Frittelli said. “Roger said to me it’s a $4,000 wedge basically. I don’t know what steel it is, but they ground it out and milled it and did whatever they could to get to the shape. They 3D modeled somehow so they can reproduce it cheaper and quicker.”
A $4,000 wedge has to be the most expensive wedge on the PGA Tour. But is it worth it? According to Frittelli, he’s experiencing performance gains across the board.
“Chipping is a little different, I had to adjust a little bit there,” Frittelli told GolfWRX. “But it feels fine, on most of my chip shots I use a sand wedge. It feels pretty good on that as well. So it’s really just a question of, ‘Why do you guys use these? Well, just because they use them.’ There’s no answer. There’s no extra spin, there’s no extra distance or less distance. For me, in my head, I just see spin numbers are more consistent on the longer shots, full shots, and slight mishits just fly to the yardage a lot better. And then out of the rough you have a little more mass behind it, which again, mishits and off-center it flies a lot better.”
Based on his experience with the Apex TCB gap wedge, Frittelli says it’s unlikely he’ll switch out of the sand-wedge version. This is certainly something to keep an eye on going forward, since Frittelli is breaking new ground in the wedge category on tour by using an iron-like wedge for his sand wedge.
“I just used (a blade-style wedge) because they never had that option,” Frittelli said. “Then when the TCBs came out, I saw the gap wedge was in the list of irons, so I was like, well, let me use it. And I didn’t turn back once I used it. So I don’t see myself turning back now from the sand wedge. I don’t think anyone is gonna follow me in that trend, but that’s OK. We’ll see if my wedge numbers start going off the charts.”
For average golfers, I pose the question: Why do you use a blade-style wedge, rather than a cavity-back, iron-like construction that may offer more forgiveness? That’s the question Frittelli asked, and it led him down this road. It will be interesting to see if his performance really does improve, and if the new wedge stays in the bag.
If you’re curious to try out a wedge like this for yourself, next time you’re shopping for irons, take note of the available options. Many irons sets come with gap wedges or sand wedges in their stock offerings. They may be worth a try.
Check out more photos from the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open here!
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
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Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
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Jeremy
Jan 26, 2022 at 12:10 am
This in not a new thing Callaway started offering the Mac Daddy CB wedge in 2020 I used them all last season they are great
steve
Jan 25, 2022 at 8:10 pm
This is the story Terry Koehler (founder of Edison wedges) has been telling for many years. I have tried his wedges and I am sold.
Garrett
Jan 25, 2022 at 11:32 am
but if he uses a CB sand wedge where will aaron dill put all those dope stampings. priorities
Aaron Dill
Jan 25, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Pay no attention to my charlatan ways.
Steve Myrvold
Jan 25, 2022 at 10:35 am
Well, sandwiches come in all shorts of different sole configurations. The set wedge may be fine for more full type shots. But, the sand wedge needs to be very versatile. Sand conditions can make a different sole design very important.
Dan W
Jan 24, 2022 at 9:57 pm
Why use a blade wedge? I’m shocked a pro doesn’t know these things. 2 reasons.
1- the wedge head has the most aggressive grooves. Plus micro grooves or face milling or face texture which adds spin on the shorter shots.
2- and most importantly. Flighting down shots and controlling trajectory.
If a pro doesn’t see these things they sucks with a wedge.
Ask any fitter, “why go with a bigger head?”…answer- yes, forgiveness but mostly, the bigger the head , the higher it makes the ball go.
So a blade style club can easily flight the ball down, which is crucial with the wedge as choosing the proper trajectory is vital with a back pin then a front pin or to combat a head or tail wind.
The reason we all use them isn’t “ well, we just do”. There’s a very important reason.
Seriously?
Jan 25, 2022 at 12:36 am
So, how many professional wins do you have and how long did you spend in the world top 50?
I’m pretty sure Dylan can flight down these wedges without an issue.
Jay
Jan 24, 2022 at 9:32 pm
I asked myself this same question not long ago. I’ve used Vokey blade wedges for years and years. I recently decided to switch to a cavity back sandwedge, The Callaway MackDaddy CB, and I have seen no performance drop off in consistency or spin, and I have gained some forgiveness. I am glad I questioned this and changed.
Born
Jan 24, 2022 at 9:29 pm
My PW is 49.5 lol so prob same loft as TCB gpa wedge
chip75
Jan 24, 2022 at 8:42 pm
“Many irons sets come with gap wedges or sand wedges in their stock offerings. They may be worth a try.”
It depends on the set. The more player orientated the stronger the highest lofted club tends to be. That’s one of the reasons why they spent $4,000 on this spanner. Ping are one of the last OEMs to offer something like a 52° with the i210s (which Westwood games). It would be neat if we saw 56° and 60° set wedges. Ping probably had some of the last 2-SW/LW sets on tour with their Eye2 line, not sure if that got to i3s.
Dan w
Jan 24, 2022 at 10:02 pm
The Ping i210 GW is 50 deg.
Golf Nobel
Jan 25, 2022 at 2:53 am
Retro Spec is 52 and he probably has this configuration.
chip75
Jan 25, 2022 at 8:14 pm
Lee’s used two U wedges in the past, one a 49.5 the other a 53, as well as a 50/54 U set-up.
I assume he uses the Sharpie yardage marks to tell the difference when they’re in the bag!
Benny
Jan 24, 2022 at 7:26 pm
Always was a fan of my sets gap wedge. Looks better with the flow. Weight is consistent and for CB’s its helps.
Great call and article Wrx.