Review: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind Wedges

Play What the Pros Play
“Tour” clubs used to be all the rage on the internet.  It was some of the most sought after golf equipment around.  Golfers would pay exorbitant amounts of money to play the same thing the pros were playing.  Especially when it came to wedges, there was a big difference between what was on the rack and the grinds that the tour pros had.  In recent years companies have expanded their wedge grind offerings getting us closer to what the tour pros use.  Callaway took that a step further this summer by offering Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind wedges inspired by and played by the players.  Now you can play what the pro play.
I heard about the Tour Grind wedges a couple weeks before they arrived and I knew they would be a good fit for my game.  I loved the Mack Daddy 2 wedges I had tried earlier in the season, but wished they had a slightly different shape and grind.  That is exactly what the Tour Grinds changed.  They have a better transition from hosel to leading edge, a smaller, less rounded head with more heel and toe relief  on the sole grind.
 

When they arrived I was impressed by the whole package Roger Cleveland had put together in the Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind wedges.  The stamping, paintfill, grind and even the grips rounded out the best looking stock wedges you can buy. They also kept all the best parts of the regular Mack Daddy 2 wedges as well, the great forged feel and awesome spin grooves paired with the rough face.  Even better is that these wedges retail for the same price as regular Mack Daddy 2 wedges so you don’t have to pay crazy high “tour only” prices for these wedges. 

The Mack Daddy 2 wedges were very impressive on the course during my spring rounds, the Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind wedges are even better.  They arrived a couple weeks before their release date, so I’ve got about 8 rounds on them already and they won’t be leaving my bag in 2014.  They do everything the Mack Daddy 2 wedges did only better.  While the spin rates are the same, I seem to make cleaner contact because of the straighter leading edge and T grind.

I was able to get these in my preferred lofts at 54* and 58*.  They are both T-grinds, but slightly different.  The 54* has a less aggressive grind on the heel and toe leaving a bigger center section of the sole for contact with the turf.  It makes sense and works because I use it more for full shots and less touch shots.  The 58* has a full grind on the toe and heel leaving only a little in the center.  It still works great for full shots, but is even more versatile around the green.

Distance control was really good with these wedges.  Because the lofts lined up better with my set of irons, these fit that perfect 95 yards for the 54* and 80 yards for the 58*.   They cut through the rough nicely with their sharp lines.  Their greatest asset is hitting from tight lies.  This was probably the biggest difference in performance between the regular and tour grind wedges.  Because of the sharper leading edge, those little clip shots from the fairways were cleaner and closer.

Wedges are about personal preference as much as any other club in the bag; some people like round shapes, others like squarer designs, some like thick soles, and other like lots of grind. If you like standard grind stuff, regular Mack Daddy 2 wedges are really good, but if you want a tour inspired wedge that offers maximum spin out of conforming grooves, forged feel and a compact shape with the T-grind, the new Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind wedges are going to be your best option.  You can finally get what the Pros play without having to scour the web for some “tour only” wedges.  Callaway just brought them to you.  

For more information: www.callawaygolf.com

Quick Hits
+Highest conforming spin
+T grind is awesome
+Great forged feel
+Works from any lie
+Better shape
+Excellent leading edge to hosel transition