Old, rusty wedges. I don't get it.

[Hays33d]

Now I'm not trying to disrespect anyone's "tradition" and weepy feelings over favorite clubs, but this weird obsession some players have with old, rusty wedges is just beyond me.

These same players have the latest in drivers and irons. Even 2 ball Odyssey putters and play with ProV1s. But they play these old wedges that look like they've been in a garage since 1962.

Doesn't the grooves get warn on these things? Is everyone who uses these wedges getting the grooves sharpened every year? And if not, isn't that going to an unnecessary disadvantage hitting out of the rough?

Honestly, it would seem to be to be very limiting to have something that didn't have sharp grooves.

[Akers]

Actualy, if they are rusty they get more spin.

[GaijinGolfer]

Actualy, if they are rusty they get more spin.

Not true. The grooves are what spins the ball, not the rust.

http://thesandtrap.com/columns/bag_drop/is_rust_a_must

Also, there's a wives' tale that rusty wedges increase spin. The theory is that the rust creates a rougher surface, and that friction leads to more spin. That's bull. The spin is the same for a rusty wedge as it is for a chromed wedge - when they're both new. Once the wedges start wearing down, you'll lose some spin, and that will happen faster with a raw wedge than with one that is chromed.

[TigerCurtis333]

It's the same reason why I only use two wedges, and at the most I may add one more for 3.

It's all about feel. Ya get used to a short game club, and you can pinpoint. It's better for hacking out of sand and rough, and for distance when you may be inbetween clubs.

But at the same time I feel once it gets actual rust and it affects the club's performance, it's time for a change. But that's just me.

[Soup Fan]

It's funny because I was looking at used wedges at Golfsmith today and I could not believe how expensive the rusted out Vokeys and Clevelands were. Then I thought of a story.

About 8 years ago my Dad, who works overnights, was given the classic green Stanley working-man's thermos as a birthday gift from my Mom. He filled it with coffee every night. It got thrown around and beaten and battered and dented and rusted over the course of 3 or 4 years. My Mom got him an identical brand new replacement thermos for Father's Day one year. He opened it and looked at it, kinda puzzled. My Mom asked what was wrong and he said "Do you know how long it has taken me to get the one I have to look like it does?!?!"

In addition to the feel aspect...there is just a certain aesthetic charm to the oldies-but-goodies.

[GaijinGolfer]

It's funny because I was looking at used wedges at Golfsmith today and I could not believe how expensive the rusted out Vokeys and Clevelands were. Then I thought of a story.

LOL...nice story. That article that I linked to said kind of the same thing.

Most premium, traditionally designed muscleback wedges are made in roughly the same way. Soft carbon steel is either forged or cast into the desired shape, then a thin layer of hard chrome is applied. But some tour players find that the shiny chrome can be distracting in sunny conditions. No one likes getting blinded by the glare off their sand wedge when they open the clubface to hit a flop shot, after all. Wedge design guru Roger Cleveland - founder of Cleveland Golf and current head of design for Callaway Golf - came up with a way to customize his popular 588 wedges for tour players in the early 1990s. Cleveland decided to leave the chrome off the wedge, leaving the 8820 carbon steel used in the 588 wedges in what is called a "raw" state. This was a tour-only option that, combined with a special sole grind, came to be known as the RCG: the Roger Cleveland Grind. In the mid-1990s, Cleveland Golf made these wedges available to the public as the RTG: Raw Tour Grind. The RTG caught on, and now nearly every OEM has raw wedges in its product lineup. Leaving the metal raw means the clubhead will be a dull gray color - at first. Without the protective chrome, moisture will quickly cause the wedge to rust. This typically starts as a few dots of rust, and can quickly spread across the entire clubhead. This gives the clubhead a dark brown appearance, like a fine patina on an antique. The rust tends to wear away from the sole and face when you hit out of a bunker, creating a club that is always subtly changing in appearance. The biggest advantages to rusting your wedges are cosmetic. You eliminate the possibility of glare, of course. There are also many golfers who think that the darker color of the rusted clubhead makes it easier to frame the ball and square the clubhead at address. And the rusty wedges look cool, period.

[mrgilmore]

i always thought some people liked the feel of them compared to chromed wedges. But i dont really see how you can get much better than normal wedges anyway

[DDBowdoin]

yeah... its purely aesthetic and the reality of blinding sunlight (depending on where you're from)

I just like the dirty look to them, nothing more - nothing less

[effektz]

I can't speak from experience because my wenges are all old :/ but the times I've played with my dads new wednes I've been extremely impressed. My dads old boss swore by old rusty wedges, my dad loves the new ones, so I'm kind of up in the air about it. But I think I'd rather have new shiny wedges :D

[GaijinGolfer]

I can't speak from experience because my wenges are all old :/ but the times I've played with my dads new wednes I've been extremely impressed. My dads old boss swore by old rusty wedges, my dad loves the new ones, so I'm kind of up in the air about it. But I think I'd rather have new shiny wedges :D

Youd think that with old wedges you wouldnt get as much spin, especially if the grooves are worn down.

[BeaSt]

Im not sure weather your just talking about really old wedges or wedges that become rusty. I agree with you on the fact that after a while it is neccessary to upgrade from really old wedges but with wedges that just naturally rust such as some of the vokey wedges i disagree. Some people just like the look of the rusty looking wedge. I have always liked the way the rusted vokey wedges looked.

[MrSandman]

Wedges wear down so quickly, and you have them for so long, that a nice rusty wedge doesn't look that bad compared to a beat up chrome wedge.

And you get the grooves sharpened, so that isn't an issue.

I have a rusted out vokey and a chrome vokey. They perform the same, but I like that they are different, if nothing more than making it easier to grab the proper one when trying to hit a 52 or 56 degree wedge.

The first rusty wedge I remember was the old cleveland "trusty rusty" from the early 1990's. Those were sweet.

[DDBowdoin]

I just sharpen my grooves constantly... Ive owned my 3 oil can SM wedges for three years now and they spin as well as when I purchased them

rust is an aesthetic appeal I value...

chrome represents perfection, a perfection only preserved if you use headcovers *which are tacky*, whereas a vintage aesthetic only improves with age

thats what I love about the rust

[Hays33d]

From what I've read here, those that like them give "looks" and "feel" as reasons to use them. I can understand those things. But performance would seem to be very important also. I find it hard to believe the old wedge outperforms the newest line of wedges when it comes to hitting out of the rough and stopping the ball on the green.

Nobody has said they get the grooves sharpened, which leads me to believe they are dull. That seems to me that you are essentially playing with dated wedges and aren't taking advantage of the grooves (until they are outlawed). With the new wedges now days, it would seem a no brainer.

But as with a lot of things, and golf is no different, there will always be people who value style over substance (off topic: reminds me of a guy I played with last week with 30 year old iron blades and a wooden shaft putter and he shot a 110 struggling all day AND he was frustrated while saying, "I'm a traditionalist." I wanted to shake him and say, "wake up and smell the technology!")

[DDBowdoin]

I sharpen my grooves almost every round just so they stay real sharp, its not that they're dull or anything

its actually almost become a part of my pre round prep

[GaijinGolfer]

Not to go off-topic, but how do you sharpen the grooves?

[DDBowdoin]

I have a small tool that has a Y and U groove tip

pretty simple, 20 dollar tool... have owned it for 3 years or so
http://groovesharpener.com/

[GaijinGolfer]

I have a small tool that has a Y and U groove tip

Interesting...