The Callaway Mack Daddy PM Grind wedge has been around for a while now and I have always kind of admired it from afar.
However during a fitting at a Callaway centre, the expert had a look at my wedge game and concluded that my weaknesses were not due to a lack of ability (obviously), but because I delivered the club in a way that lifted the front of the club and used the back edge of the sole for the bounce.
Now I could of course spend hours changing my technique, but where's the fun in that when the Callaway Mack Daddy PM Grind wedge is put in my hands and improves it right away?
It achieves this by have a more rounded leading edge than most other wedges and as you may know this will make it more forgiving as it gives the head more of a chance to get under the ball at impact and therefore you have a better chance of making good contact with the ball especially off tight lies.
The forgiveness for me was also enhanced because the U grind on the sole maintained the bounce from the back of the sole, but crucially removed it from the middle, to again allow the club to get under the ball before the earth and sole came together.
The other key feature is of course the head shape which looks like they let Salvador Dali into the design studio and melted the toe.
However the inspiration actually came from Phil Mickelson who asked designer Roger Cleveland to lengthen the toe so that when the face is opened there is a 39% longer section of grooves for the ball to run across to give more forgiveness and spin.
Compared to a standard wedge, the PM grind certainly looks different and it can take a while to get used to it visually, but out of sand and off the fairway, the benefits of this shape and the rounded sole become apparent pretty quickly.
To ensure that the long toe played correctly, Roger Cleveland drilled out four holes in testing to reduce the weight of the sole and move the CG higher up the face so that when you hit the ball there it still comes out OK. They also give a dramatic look with the green filling and one that continues in the Mack Daddy Forged wedges.
Having tested the 56° and 60° I would have to say that the latter is a superb 'get out of jail club' from around the green. I had thought that this would be a better player's wedge, but I would have to say that Callaway has actually designed a lot of forgiveness into it, so it may suit more higher handicappers than you might think.
It really comes into its own when the ground is firm or you are opening up the face, as that is when the leading edge shape and sole grinds give you more forgiveness and options to get the ball up and down.
From medium to soft fairways the U shaped grind does not seem to provide as much bounce as a traditional grind and can dig in to the ground a little at impact, so whether the 56° can be used as a full time pitching club too I am not so sure.
The Mack Daddy PM Grind comes with a KBS Tour V wedge shaft in stiff only that is light and combines well with the head for good feel and stability.
There is a lot of inspiration from the classic Ping Eye 2 sand iron in the PM Grind and the face that it is still in the Callaway range shows that this unique and functional wedge will also stand the test of time.