Key clubs for Seminole match: Dustin’s wedges
2 Min Read
Professional golf resumes with Sunday’s charity exhibition, the TaylorMade Driving Relief best-ball Skins match, with the team of Rory McIlroy-Dustin Johnson facing the team of Rickie Fowler-Matthew Wolff at legendary Seminole. All proceeds from the match will go to COVID-19 relief.
Although not long by today’s standards, Seminole is tough and will require the very best of each player to navigate the famed track.
GolfWRX has identified a key club for each of the four golfers and will highlight one a day this week.
Johnson’s TaylorMade MG2 and MG Hi-Toe wedges
SPECS
Loft: MG2 52-09SB, MG2 56-12SB, MG2 60-10SB, MG High Toe 64 @63
*DJ will add or subtract wedges based on the course setup. GolfWRX will update the exact game time bag setup on Sunday. In some cases, the MG2 52-09SB is bent to 54-11SB.
Length: 36-1/4, 36, 35-3/4 (60,64)
Shaft: KBS Tour 120S Black
Lie: 66 degrees
SW: D4, D4, D5 (60,64)
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 58R (+2.5 wraps of tape, logo down)
GolfWRX had a chance to chat with Dustin Johnson's longtime coach Claude Harmon III on the evolution of his student's wedge play.
WRX: DJ's wedge game dramatically improved going into the 2016 season. What issues did he need to address, and what did he do to get it right?
CLAUDE HARMON III: “It was quite simple. He had to learn how to dial in his distances and control spin. So he worked with a TrackMan [at home and on the PGA TOUR] and grinded on it until his feel for a 3/4 swing [for example] matched up with the optimal spin and distance. He didn't stop until the numbers matched up with his feelings. Keep in mind that was also the time he went from a draw to a fade, which helped the rest of his game immensely.”
WRX: DJ put a 64 in his bag a few seasons ago. How did that come about and what benefits have you noticed?
HARMON: “DJ, believe it or not, is a tinkerer. He wanted to have a bit more versatility around the greens, and the 64 gave him some options he didn't have otherwise. In this case, it's pure feel, and being as long as he is, finding some creativity at the bottom of the bag is essential.”
WRX: At Seminole, if you were to put a level of importance on DJ's wedge play on a scale of 1 to 10, what would it be and why?
HARMON: “The greens at Seminole are hard, fast, and very difficult to hit. If DJ hits the driver like he can, the wedges will be a 10 from a level of importance. At Seminole, being able to have your wedges dialed into those greens is a ridiculous advantage.”
COMING WEDNESDAY: Matthew Wolff’s key club
PREVIOUSLY: Rory McIlroy’s driver