Of all the OEMs in golf, PXG dares you – no, it triple-dog dares you to pigeonhole it into a category. Label it a vanity premium brand for people with more money than brains? Here comes the PXG 0211 lineup which might be one of the best value offerings in golf.
Just when you think it’s turning into a value-priced brand, here comes the new Gen7 lineup and, specific to this article, the new PXG Super Daddy III wedges.
PXG’s latest Sugar Daddy update continues the wedge line’s metamorphosis from ultra- (and we do mean ultra) premium price point to something that might be seen as a relative bargain.
The key word there, friends, being relative.
PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges: A long, strange trip
The first PXG Sugar Daddy wedge made its debut in 2017. It carried the 0311 moniker and was a versatile, mid-bounce line with the then-unheard-of sticker price of $650 per wedge. The original Sugar Daddy was 100 percent milled from a single hunk of 8620 carbon steel. The milling allowed for intricate design features and precise weighting. All that milling, however, is time-consuming and expensive, which explains the price tag.
Sort of.
In 2020, the Sugar Daddy morphed somewhat, offering two bounce and sole options. It was still 100 percent milled but the line was an add-on to PXG’s 0311 Forged wedge offering. Performance-wise, the new Sugar Daddy was PXG’s effort to cram high-toe performance into a standard-looking wedge.
The price went down, too. These were only $499 a pop, $599 for Xtreme Dark.
The math would indicate the new PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges really should be the Sugar Daddy IV wedges. I won’t quibble with you but it’s Bob Parsons’ company and he can name them whatever he damn well pleases.
Of grooves, gravity and grinds
PXG didn’t exactly turn the Etch A Sketch over and shake the Sugar Daddy design away. We are, however, looking at an extensive re-boot.
Like its predecessor, the Sugar Daddy III is triple-forged and then milled into its final shape. Beyond that, there are three key upgrades: enhanced groove technology, an updated fitting process to enhance CG location and a third sole grind.
Due to USGA regulations, you wouldn’t think there’s much to be done with grooves but OEMs do have some wiggle room. To wit, PXG is moving the Sugar Daddy III grooves closer together, allowing for one additional groove on the face. At the same time, PXG is maintaining the wider groove geometry of Sugar Daddy II.
That doesn’t sound like a lot and PXG’s testing shows only a modest improvement over Sugar Daddy II in standard, wet and rough testing on 35-yard shots and on full shots. Of course, Sugar Daddy II also had wide grooves but with wider spacing and one less groove on the face.
Wider grooves do offer benefits in wet and grassy conditions. Each groove has 25 percent more volume, meaning more room to whisk away water, grass and other debris that can inhibit spin.
Progressive CG
When OEMs talk about the center of gravity in irons, they talk about getting it lower. Low CG increases launch angle, or trajectory, while reducing spin. That’s part of the distance recipe.
With wedges, you want the opposite. With a higher CG, impact happens below the CG location which creates a lower dynamic loft. That creates a lower launch and trajectory while imparting considerably more spin. That gives the skilled player the tool to flight shots lower and pull off those marvelous bounce-skippedy-hop-check-stop shots.
The PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges remain a fitter’s funhouse, even without PXG’s signature weight ports. Fitters will still be able to adjust the center weight on the back of the club as needed.
A third grind
You can’t be cool in the wedge world unless you have multiple sole grinds. Offering a single grind gets you shunned; having only two grinds gets you beaten up at recess. To even hang on the fringes of the in-crowd, you need at least three.
Sugar Daddy III carries on the two sole grinds from Sugar Daddy II. First is the classic C-grind with the lowest bounce (listed at seven degrees) and a beveled leading edge. It also has the most heel and toe relief in the line. PXG says it’s best for golfers with a shallow angle of attack and who like to get creative around the greens. It’s also best used for tight lies and in firm turf and sand conditions.
PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges: Specs, price, availability
The new PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges are available in lofts ranging from 50 to 60 degrees in two-degree increments. The primarily full-shot 50- and 52-degree models are available in the S-grind only while the 54- and 56-degree wedges come in both the S- and BP-grinds. The 58 and 60 are available in all three grinds.
Since PXG doesn’t do retail, there’s no stock shaft or grip.
(Note we said “relative.”)
The new PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges are available starting today on PXG’s website and through PXG dealers and fitting centers.
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