Introducing the "Saburoku Wedge," an extra club born from a pro caddie's suggestion, which makes approaches dramatically easier and offers maximum utility when added to your bag.
This club was inspired by a comment from pro caddie Keiko Ino, a descendant of Tadataka Ino, who created a map of Japan during the Edo period."Amateur golfers often make mistakes around the green using their 58-degree wedge, don't they? It's such a shame."
Many of you may relate to this. A 58-degree wedge has a lot of loft, making it surprisingly difficult to make clean contact, leading to common misses like topping the ball, hitting it fat, or hitting underneath it. Yet, golfers often end up using their sand wedge.
"I always tell amateur golfers to first consider if they can roll the ball. It's definitely easier to get close by rolling it than by hitting it in the air," says Ms. Ino.
It should be easier to get close by approaching with an 8-iron, which has a more upright loft, rather than a sand wedge with a flatter loft. However, an 8-iron is longer than a sand wedge and can feel a bit awkward to set up. If you grip it shorter, the head feels too light, and you tend to use your hands too much...
That's it! If that's the case, why not create a club with the loft of an 8-iron but the length of a sand wedge? That's how the "Saburoku Wedge" was born.
The reason it's called the Saburoku Wedge is because its loft is 36 degrees, equivalent to a standard 8-iron. It's the perfect loft to carry a short distance and immediately transition to a forward roll on the green.
"The length is 34.5 inches, even shorter than a standard sand wedge, closer to a putter. The carry to roll ratio is about 1:9. It's a club that allows for very easy running approaches," explains Ms. Ino.
The shaft uses the familiar "N.S.PRO MODUS3 120 (S)."Since this is a club primarily for approaches rather than full shots, it doesn't require extra length, making it exceptionally easy to make contact. Another significant advantage of its shorter length is that it doesn't go as far, making it very easy to judge approach distances.
Because it's shorter, the head weight is heavier than a standard 8-iron. This prevents you from using your hands and allows you to reliably get close to the pin.The head shape is semi-goose neck to reduce the most feared miss, the fat shot.
"Since it's about the length of a putter, you can stand closer to the ball, allowing you to get close without stress," says Ms. Ino.Furthermore, the head is manufactured using a soft iron forging (forged) process in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, known as the "home of domestic forged irons." It offers an extremely soft feel, which refines your distance control the more you use it.
This club also has several unexpected benefits. Firstly, due to its short length, normal shots will have a very low trajectory. This makes it ideal for hitting shots of just over 100 yards against the wind.
Its low trajectory and ease of contact make it incredibly useful for escaping from the woods. It also proves effective when you need to advance the ball about 100 yards from a fairway bunker.
Compared to a sand wedge, the disadvantages are that it's not suitable for escaping high-lipped greenside bunkers and you cannot hit lob shots. However, in all other chipping situations, it should be reliably easier to use than a sand wedge.
The Saburoku Wedge is a hybrid of an iron and a wedge developed for approaches, unlike a chipper. It's a club recommended not only for those who struggle with approaches but also for golfers who want to aim for chip-ins and one-putts.
Considering matching with your irons, you can choose between the classic lightweight steel shaft in the 90-gram range, the "N.S.PRO 950GH (S)," or the "N.S.PRO MODUS3 120 (S)" in the 110-gram range, favored by intermediate to advanced players. Users of either shaft can seamlessly incorporate it into their set.
Both are excellent shafts that enhance the performance of the Saburoku Wedge. Please choose with confidence according to your existing set.
Product Name: Saburoku WedgeMaterial: S20CManufacturing Method: ForgedLoft: 36 degreesLie Angle: 64 degreesHead Weight: 295 gramsLength: 34.5 inchesShaft: N.S.PRO MODUS3 120(S)Club Weight: N.S.PRO MODUS3 120(S) specification / 470 grams ±Balance: N.S.PRO MODUS3 120(S) specification / C8Grip: STM G-RexRight-handed onlyConforms to Rules of Golf score lines. These are score lines as defined by the R&A.