Everybody Needs a Sugar Daddy—PXG Sugar Daddy III Wedges

Playing Through: wedges are in your bag to bail you out of trouble—touch shots from the fairway, short-sided in the rough, or green side in a bunker. PXG, however, offers a precise, premium-feeling solution with their Sugar Daddy III wedges. Triple forged, 100% CNC milled, and 3 sole grind options mean there’s something for every golfer who wants to hit shots with confidence and be rewarded with euphoric feelings.

Late last year, I was able to put my dream forged irons in the bag. And as much as I’d like to think it’d solve all my approach problems, I’m still human and, thus, need a few more specialty clubs to round out the bottom of my bag.

PXG, it seems, was committed to complement the top of my bag (which currently features their Black Ops metalwoods), with three additional clubs that would help me score—the Sugar Daddy III wedges.  After expressing an interest in their wedges, PXG was quick to suggest that I do an outdoor fitting at The Seawane Club, where I’d have the opportunity to see all three grinds perform from the range of lies I’d face on the course.

After loosening up, Dominick quickly gave me an overview of the Sugar Daddy IIIs and, most importantly, the three grind options and what made each unique:

• The BP-Grind (12) has a high toe design with full face grooves, ideal for lush turf and soft sand conditions or for golfers with a steeper attack angle.
• The S-Grind (10) features a classic head shape and grooves with a traditional sole that tapers in width from heel to toe.
• The C-Grind (7) features a classic head shape and grooves and the narrowest sole with an aggressive taper from heel to toe.

Dominick also confirmed that every Sugar Daddy III wedge is 100% CNC milled from triple forged, 8620 soft carbon steel to ensure uniform feel, maximum durability, and absolute precision. It is important to note that while some other mainstream and boutique wedge makers offer forged and CNC wedges, I have not come across any that offer a fully CNC-milled wedge—PXG mills every groove, sole and weight pocket.

After learning about the lineup, Dominick took me to the short game area. This experience was so eye-opening that I will never get wedges without an outdoor, green grass fitting (as opposed to a range or simulator mat) again. It is truly eye-opening how the different grinds perform from the different distances—with standard shots, the C-Grind would dig from the fairway while the BP encouraged thin shots. Having the opportunity to test on grass from the various lies meant that I wouldn’t have to force my technique to match the equipment.

After testing the different bounces from the whole range of lies and talking to how I like to play my wedges (to briefly explain, I never like to hit my full-swing wedges as I increase dispersion and launch the ball too high), I was spec’d into 50° and 54° wedges with the S-Grind and a 60° wedge in the C-Grind, each paired with a Dynamic Gold MID shaft. Using stronger lofts in the first two wedges allowed me to easily hit the distances I wanted without swinging full force, while sticking with a 60° enabled me to hit the high, soft shot when needed.

The wedges arrived almost immediately and went straight into the bag. While the craftsmanship is immediately noticeable upon unboxing, the first thing I noticed on the course was the satin finish’s perfection. When you open the face, you’re not blinded by the sun’s reflection, unlike with tour chrome.

But now for what’s most important—how the Sugar Daddy IIIs each performed on the course and in play. Put simply, incredible. They feel incredible, they look incredible, and they perform incredibly. Even after seeing considerable use (on the course, driving range, and in a simulator), full swings with each of the wedges still generate a beautiful, penetrating flight, with plenty of spin—a true testament to the durability of PXG’s CNC milled grooves.

*Data Recorded with Foresight GC3 Launch Monitor

As for partial swings, the S-Grind allows me to hit down (I adhere to Joe Mayo’s short-game technique) and watch the ball stay low and predictably roll out. The C-Grind on the 60° is, perhaps, even impressive; while most of its use is from green side bunkers, the sole design allows me to easily open and close the face to fit whatever shot I’m looking to execute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Finding clubs that complement your game can be a huge help, but perhaps the most important is finding the right wedge due to the range of lofts, grinds, and bounce combinations. Couple that with a premium, solid feel, and it’s easy to see how you could be excited about having to pull your wedges to save par or, ideally, set up a birdie look. Thanks to PXG, I finally have wedges that allow me to take on missed greens with confidence, as proven by the fact that I achieved my lifetime low handicap (9.4) after putting the Sugar Daddy III wedges in play (all while growing my family and moving to a new home course).

But perhaps the considerable improvement shouldn’t be surprising; indeed, everyone can benefit from a Sugar Daddy, and now I have three that will continue to help my game improve, regardless of the challenges I ask them to face.