Rory debuts new Nike wedge
Nike launches the new Engage wedge series to help with scoring & escapology
Rory McIlroy has debuted the new Nike Golf Engage wedge at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
With three sole grinds (Dual Sole, Square Sole and Toe Sweep) made from the hands of master craftsman Mike Taylor, the company says its wedges are the “newest solution to help golfers score and escape adverse conditions on the course”.
The name “Engage” comes from three important interactions between the golf club and the turf, the club face and the golf ball and the connection between the athlete and his or her equipment.
“To me, they perform really well from the rough around the greens,” said McIlroy, who is using the Nike Engage Dual Sole wedge in 59-degree.
“The ball seems to consistently get up easier and land softer.”
To better engage the club, ball and athlete, Nike engineers followed the “Modern Muscle” design that is utilised in the new Nike Vapor clubs, which shifts the centre of gravity to promote stability and consistent turf interaction.
“Our aim in offering three sole grinds allows athletes to be more purposeful when selecting their wedges," said Matt Plumb, product line manager for woods and short game.
“Each of these three sole grinds provide a distinct advantage in the types of shots you can play with them.”
The Square Sole was designed to be played with a squared-up club face, while the Dual Sole, inspired by grinds used by McIlroy and Tiger Woods, offers two distinctive surfaces for a wide range of shots.
The second-generation Toe Sweep grind maintains its superior performance as the best wedge from the worst lie on the course while improving versatility on tight lies.
Nike Engage wedges are precision milled with X3X grooves to deliver maximum spin and feature a raw finish instead of chrome plating. Nike says this finish will “reduce glare as well as increase surface roughness to improve spin and control”.
RRP: £99.99
Availability: April
Specifications: Square Sole (RH: 50°/11°, 52°/11°, 54°/9°, 56°/9°, 58°/9°, 60°/9°, LH: 52°/11°, 56°/9°); Toe Sweep (RH: 54°/9°, 56°/9°, 58°/9°, 60°/9°); Dual Sole (RH: 58°/13°, 60°/13°, LH: 60°/13°)
