All Terrain Versatility that is what Atv stands for in the name. Taylormade R&D team has done intense hard work to come up with a totally new perspective for the wedges. They have changed the designed from a traditional convex to concave sole. We will get into detail how this change allows the versatility for the club. So let’s begin with our Taylormade Atv Wedge Review.
The uniqueness of the Taylormade ATV Wedge
If you carry loads of wedges in your gear for close distance shots then this wedge can actually replace 2-3 wedges in your gear. Beginner golfers with high handicap often have unnecessary shafts in their bags. Shafts in the bag should be selected based on the distance they can cover with your average swing speed. If you are carrying clubs in your bag solely because they help you to play chip, flop, pitch, etc then you are doing it wrong. You need to immediately replace them with all in one wedge such as this ATV wedge.
Continue reading to know how exactly is this wedge offering something different and what should be included in your gear.
SOLE DESIGN CHANGED ALL TOGETHER
What makes ATV wedge different and the most important part of this review is the sole design. Look at the rough illustration below and get a gist of what I will try to explain in more detail.
The above figure is a rough exaggerated illustration in an attempt to explain how TaylorMade ATV wedge works. The illustration is not 100 percent accurate but is only made to serve the purpose of explaining the wedge uniqueness.
The sole on a normal wedge is in a convex shape. It is bulging out of the body of the wedge. As soon as you swing the shaft the sole part which hits the ground first is the leading edge marked on the left shaft. Because this part always hits the turf no matter how you change the angle of your shot this part will hit the ground. This puts in restriction in freedom of shot selection.
On the right side, TaylorMade has cut out this convex part and rather turned a normal looking wedge into a concave shape. If you look at the illustration then there are now two leading edges marked on the wedge now. Now depending on how you angle your shot, there are two leading edges that can make the first contact with the turf. The one towards the middle will help play shots that require lesser loft angle while the one in the corner can help you hit those awkward lobs.
So by opening up the face of the wedge or by tilting it to close can help you create new angles that are not possible with traditional wedges. So if you are carrying different shafts just to create those weird angles for the close game shots then ATV is a good option to shrink your gear and include new shafts to reduce the distance between your shafts.
You might be thinking about the spin. Taylormade has worked out a new form of microgrooves and placed them over the face to assist in spin formation. After working on many combinations with all sorts of grooves the present groove structure is finalized after hundreds of experiments. It is necessary to add a certain amount of backspin on especially the shots with awkward bounce. The groove pattern on the wedge face is handy to achieve that.
High handicap players who often struggle with bounce, spin, and budget to include different wedges for different shots. ATV wedge can sort this problem and create more space for new clubs in the future.
Look of the Shaft
The design on the first look is not much different but the whole perspective changes after you check out the sole. As discussed above it is not a traditional looking wedge but rather has been carved into an odd looking concave sole.
Closing up on the color it has two shades of grey in it. The face has the lighter grey while the sole and the joint is more on the darker side. It creates a nice overall contrast. You may think that the greyish silver may produce the annoying glare on the sunny days. But that does not happen the face of the shaft is covered with rough material to stop the shine.
The material used in making this up is stainless steel. It looks balanced with the color shades on them. Overall the design looks sleek and sharp. Although the sole is cut into a concave shape it is the most highlighting feature of the Taylormade Atv Wedge. It is the center of attraction feature for this wedge. Just above the sole hosel and the rough looking face do not stand out much compared to the sole.
Performance
Distance control is fantastic and this is mainly due to the heavy weight of the club-head as well and how it improves a consistent swing speed and strike. It is a hugely useful club in terms of workability and spin and that is what golfers prefer.
Why would anyone want to buy these? Is there a specific reason? Or reasons? Let’s find out. Take a look at the Pros of this piece of art.
PROS: Taylormade ATV Wedge Review
Distance
Available in different loft angles, the distance travel can vary with the loft angle chosen. Just make sure that it fits in rightly in your gear and bridges the distance it can travel. The distance a wedge can offer can be improved by an adjustment in the technique.
Look
Simple yet elegant satin texture. It will make you look professional while holding it.
Spin
It offers bounce and spin. The spin is maximized by microgrooves on the face surface. The texture of the face is quite rough it reduces the glare and increases the spin on the ball.
Price
It offers great value for money. Consider it by yourself a one in all wedge offering multitudes of shots under one price tag. With the shot customization and control offered it really is a winner. If you put in special wedges in your bag for different shots or you planned to extend your gear to full size 14 then ATV can help you curb that.
Although the Taylormade ATV wedge offers a great return of investment but it has some certain drawbacks too. Let’s find out what these are.
CONS: Taylormade ATV Wedge Review
Bounce
Balls bounce more with ATV wedge than you would expect it to do. It probably has to be linked with it concave sole and grooves. If you are someone who struggles with ball control, additional bounce can damage your short game. You may need to improve your technique to land ball on the right spot.
Weight
The club is slightly heavy on the side which can be somewhat tough for the beginners to hold but that is not a big issue and can be manageable.
Off-center strikes
It does not have the best feedback on off-center strikes in comparison to some competitor clubs which can be an extreme drawback.
Conclusion: Taylormade ATV Wedge Review
According to many, the Taylormade ATV Wedges are one of the most amazing clubs launched by Taylormade and is highly recommended by many golfers. Also, you can easily afford these yet, if you do not find yourself fit to carry a heavy club or cannot do without off-center strikes than this club might not be the perfect choice for you.
