Phil Mickelson's Full Face PING Eye2 Wedge

[BubbaBallesteros]

Just seen this wedge on a LIV IG Reel. Looks like a raw PING Eye2 With full face grooves and a ferrule!

 

 

 

 

 

[btyh]

Ping eye 2 copy just for Phil from Callaway 

[btyh]

Ping eye 2 copy just for Phil from Callaway 

[belh22]

Love it but we will never see it 

[QuigleyDU]

34 minutes ago, btyh said:

Ping eye 2 copy just for Phil from Callaway 

No longer with Callaway.

[BirdieBob]

34 minutes ago, btyh said:

Ping eye 2 copy just for Phil from Callaway 

Phil is no longer associated with Callaway.

[btyh]

4 minutes ago, QuigleyDU said:

No longer with Callaway.

 

4 minutes ago, BirdieBob said:

Phil is no longer associated with Callaway.

I have no clue, I just gave my best 2 second guess. 

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, BubbaBallesteros said:

Just seen this wedge on a LIV IG Reel. Looks like a raw PING Eye2 With full face grooves and a ferrule!

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting…. Would love to hear the backstory on this one. Maybe a Ping prototype? 

[martymcfly]

13 minutes ago, BirdieBob said:

Phil is no longer associated with Callaway.

He said callaway made him a copy with better grooves in his warming up interview that went live on youtube today. think it was golf.com. Doesnt have to be with callaway to still use his contacts there.

[grm24]

17 minutes ago, BirdieBob said:

Phil is no longer associated with Callaway.

According to one of the exhibition tour mouthpieces here Phil is allegedly still with Callaway but it's all behind the scenes. Callaway left themselves an out saying they were pausing their relationship with PM. IIRC Callaway never said they dropped him completely.

Edited January 24 by grm24

[BirdieBob]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/phil-mickelson-ends-partnership-with-callaway-golf-due-to-controversial-comments/ar-BB1h1Dx3

 

[grm24]

5 minutes ago, BirdieBob said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/phil-mickelson-ends-partnership-with-callaway-golf-due-to-controversial-comments/ar-BB1h1Dx3

 

Thanks BB. Didn't recall seeing any comments here though it likely was mentioned in some thread. 

[martymcfly]

kinda irrelevant if he is with them or not, callaway made the wedge in the picture.

[BubbaBallesteros]

Here the part from the video where he mentions it's a Callaway Eye2 copy with "better grooves". 9:40 minute mark.

 

 

 

Edited January 24 by BubbaBallesteros

[onwrd2vctry]

Full face ping eye 2 lob wedge....yes please.  Hoping ping sees this.

[third-times-a-charm]

really a missed opportunity to call this a "PHul PHace"

Edited January 24 by third-times-a-charm

[nosedive32]

Callaway could have made it. It's no secret Phil still works with Callaway pretty regularly. He immediately adopted the new Apex Pros and raved about them on Twitter. He immediately praised the new ball. Back late 2022 a mini driver proto he never actually put in play hit the confirming list.

 

However it's also possible now that he's publicly commented he's no longer with Callaway (after they had been publicly on pause) that anyone could have made this wedge.

 

It could be Callaway. Could be Ping. Could be any random smaller boutique manufacturer.

 

It looks like all it says on the wedge is PM Proto with no other markings.

 

It's really reminiscent of Tigers "TGR" irons made by Mike Taylor that were just identical to his old Nike VR Pros before he actually moved into TaylorMade irons once Nike got out of making clubs

 

 

Didn't see the video confirmation posted

Edited January 24 by nosedive32

[Glock917]

He is not "officially" with callaway anymore but his ties with the company still run deep.

 

Being with callaway now for almost 2 decades and living in rancho santa fe being an earshot to Callaway in Carlsbad he still can get clubs made for him on a whim. 

 

He also has a good friendship with Roger Cleveland who runs their wedge department at callaway. 

 

Unfortunately with the severed ties this wedge wont be made for public retail. 

[Lobby]

2 hours ago, onwrd2vctry said:

Full face ping eye 2 lob wedge....yes please.  Hoping ping sees this.

Ping already has the E grind wedges, which are their reproductions of the eye-2 wedges

[onwrd2vctry]

4 hours ago, Lobby said:

Ping already has the E grind wedges, which are their reproductions of the eye-2 wedges

Yes sir...not full face grooves however.  Still using Callaway pm grinds.  Would love e grind pings with full face grooves.

[Maine Golfer]

If I call Calloway to make me a wedge, they hang up but when Phil calls they get right on it. Its does look neat 

[PhilWhitUK]

I use the Hi Toe but must admit I miss the PM grind which I was just that little bit more confident with.  Would love some new ones to come out but suspect given the contractual situation we will be out of luck!

[mat562]

I'm not a fan of the full face grooves, the half-width bottom groove (I hate them anyway, and one of the things I've always loved about Eye 2 wedges is the boxy, straight leading edge and the square profile at address thanks to the way the leading edge and the grooves align), nor of the ferrule. If beryllium copper is no longer a thing in modern, CoC-conforming clubs, though, I'd love to see Ping knock out an XG/Gorge-inspired Eye 2 reissue that's cast from something like raw 8620 steel so we can have a nice rusty patina on the things.

 

 

Edited January 25 by mat562

[maowv]

On 1/24/2024 at 4:56 AM, BubbaBallesteros said:

Here the part from the video where he mentions it's a Callaway Eye2 copy with "better grooves". 9:40 minute mark.

 

 

 

2 thoughts here and I'm surprised at how strong I feel about each.

 

First, Ping - stop messing around with trying to compete with Vokey in the wedge market. Make a modern Eye 2/Eye 2 Plus wedge set, modern grooves, maybe full face option, maybe not. It's the greatest selling wedge design in history and many of us still play them. I've purchased nearly every SW and LW I come across if it's in great condition. I've re-shafted 4 Eye 2 Plus SW over the years and always have one in the bag. Give us the option to buy some new ones!!

 

Second, I hate how I currently feel about Phil Mickelson. When it comes to golf, the guy is a mad scientist but there is much we can learn from watching/listening to this guy. Yes, on the course, as in life, he has been his own worst enemy at times. I was always a big fan but the Saudi mess changed it for me. I miss the old Phil.

[J_Tizzle]

1 hour ago, maowv said:

2 thoughts here and I'm surprised at how strong I feel about each.

 

First, Ping - stop messing around with trying to compete with Vokey in the wedge market. Make a modern Eye 2/Eye 2 Plus wedge set, modern grooves, maybe full face option, maybe not. It's the greatest selling wedge design in history and many of us still play them. I've purchased nearly every SW and LW I come across if it's in great condition. I've re-shafted 4 Eye 2 Plus SW over the years and always have one in the bag. Give us the option to buy some new ones!!

 

Second, I hate how I currently feel about Phil Mickelson. When it comes to golf, the guy is a mad scientist but there is much we can learn from watching/listening to this guy. Yes, on the course, as in life, he has been his own worst enemy at times. I was always a big fan but the Saudi mess changed it for me. I miss the old Phil.

 

I agree on the 2nd point.  I really thought he had an opportunity to become the greatest announcer golf had ever seen.  He's wildly insightful, he's done it all before, and he's typically pretty snarky/funny, but that bridge (I assume) has been badly burned and we'll never get that, which is a shame.  

[FletchJoy]

1 hour ago, maowv said:

2 thoughts here and I'm surprised at how strong I feel about each.

 

First, Ping - stop messing around with trying to compete with Vokey in the wedge market. Make a modern Eye 2/Eye 2 Plus wedge set, modern grooves, maybe full face option, maybe not. It's the greatest selling wedge design in history and many of us still play them. I've purchased nearly every SW and LW I come across if it's in great condition. I've re-shafted 4 Eye 2 Plus SW over the years and always have one in the bag. Give us the option to buy some new ones!!

 

Second, I hate how I currently feel about Phil Mickelson. When it comes to golf, the guy is a mad scientist but there is much we can learn from watching/listening to this guy. Yes, on the course, as in life, he has been his own worst enemy at times. I was always a big fan but the Saudi mess changed it for me. I miss the old Phil.

PING does that have option and have in previous wedge launches. First is was EYE2 XG, EYE2 Gorge then ES grind (Glide 2.0) then EYE2 'grind' in Glide 3.0 and Glide 4.0 which were virtually 3D scans of the old heads with modern grooves, finish and backweight. 

[TiScape]

4 hours ago, mat562 said:

I'm not a fan of the full face grooves, the half-width bottom groove (I hate them anyway, and one of the things I've always loved about Eye 2 wedges is the boxy, straight leading edge and the square profile at address thanks to the way the leading edge and the grooves align), nor of the ferrule. If beryllium copper is no longer a thing in modern, CoC-conforming clubs, though, I'd love to see Ping knock out an XG/Gorge-inspired Eye 2 reissue that's cast from something like raw 8620 steel so we can have a nice rusty patina on the things.

 

 

Agree on not liking full face groove wedges. For me it’s mostly aesthetics. Just looks wrong to my eye. 

[J_Tizzle]

42 minutes ago, TiScape said:

Agree on not liking full face groove wedges. For me it’s mostly aesthetics. Just looks wrong to my eye. 

 

I'd agree there, I know there is some scientific rationale behind them, but every one I've ever tried never makes it more than a handful of rounds.

[maowv]

1 hour ago, FletchJoy said:

PING does that have option and have in previous wedge launches. First is was EYE2 XG, EYE2 Gorge then ES grind (Glide 2.0) then EYE2 'grind' in Glide 3.0 and Glide 4.0 which were virtually 3D scans of the old heads with modern grooves, finish and backweight. 

Perhaps for the Eye 2 wedges (as you stated the Gorge) but not the Eye 2 Plus which was a completely different wedge. 

Edited January 25 by maowv

[BlkNGld]

On 1/23/2024 at 5:15 PM, grm24 said:

Thanks BB. Didn't recall seeing any comments here though it likely was mentioned in some thread. 

 

Can't find where I read it, but I thought that part of the "lifetime" deal they signed with Phil involved some equity.

 

It's obvious he's a frequent visitor, had a good personal relationship, but also understands the pause in the official relationship is best to protect both Callaway and his financial interest.