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 Gen 7 lineup and, specifically 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.
In any case, Sugar Daddy’s journey from niche wedge to versatile full line is a fascinating study. By any measure, the new PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges represent a major overhaul to the line. Whether they find their way into your back is between you, your golf game and your wallet.
PXG Sugar Daddy III Wedges: A long, strange trip
The first PXG Sugar Daddy wedge made its debut in 2017. It carried the 0311 monicker 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.
Iin 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 Sugar Daddy II, released in 2022, was a little different. It was triple-forged from a single billet of steel and then milled into its final shape. There were plenty of other changes, too. The head shape morphed a bit to the high-toe look, while the number of toe weights dropped from seven to five. In addition, Sugar Daddy II went with full-face grooves and two new sole grinds, the high-bounce BP grind and a versatile, traditional C grind.
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 on the math, 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.
If you want a deep dive into wide grooves, PXG is happy to oblige. PXG defines narrow grooves as 0.026 inches wide and 0.016 inches deep. With that geometry, the ball can only penetrate to a depth of 0.01147 inches. The Sugar Daddy III grooves, by contrast, are 0.033 inches wide and only 0.0135 inches deep. That width allows the ball to engage the full depth of the groove. If you’re still with me, that’s 2/1000ths of an inch deeper.
That doesn’t sound like a lot, and PXG’s own 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 fewer 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.
Over the life of the Sugar Daddy line, PXG has used its signature weight ports to move CG up. For Sugar Daddy III, it’s instead milling out variable depth ports near the sole to create a progressive CG. As the lofts go up, so does the CG. Additionally, the higher lofts also have more mass in the upper portion of the blade and an ever so slightly thicker topline, hidden by aggressive beveling.
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, while having only two grinds gets you beat 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.
There’s also the BP grind, named after you-know-who. It features a wide sole, a blunt leading edge, full-face grooves and the highest bounce (listed at 12 degrees). There’s minimal relief toe and heel and is best for golfers with a steeper angle of attack and for softer sand and turf conditions. It also features slightly more offset than the other grinds. PXG says you can open the face, but only if you know you can pull it off. If you’re not comfortable with that kind of shot, the BP grind won’t make it any better.
The new S-grind gets Sugar Daddy III to the fringes of cool. It sits between the C and BP grinds, with a moderate sole and bounce (listed at 10 degrees). It has a little more heel and toe relief than the BP and can be used in a wide range of turf and sand conditions.
PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges: Specs, price and 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.
The entire line will be available in both left- and right-handed models.
Since PXG doesn’t do retail, there’s no stock shaft or grip.
As we’ve seen the Sugar Daddy wedge line isn’t what you’d call a budget offering. Originally an eye-popping $650 per wedge, and then $499 per wedge, the new Sugar Daddy III line is a relative bargain at $299.99 in chrome and $349.99 in Xtreme Dark.
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.
Note: If the Sugar Daddy is too rich for your blood, PXG still offers some of the most golfer-friendly pricing in the game. Its 0311 3X forged wedges start at $149.99.
The post PXG Sugar Daddy III Wedges: Triple the Sweetness? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
Article Link: https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/pxg-sugar-daddy-iii-wedges-triple-the-sweetness/