If you’ve done any reading on Qwowi at all you’ve probably noticed that two things I’m overly exuberant (so I’m told anyway) about golf grips, and wedges.  You can imagine the difficulty I had containing my excitement when I learned about a company that actually makes both, and that’s just the beginning of the story.

Feel Golf has a patented solution that basically turns the golf grip upside down.  Ok, they’re not actually turning it upside down, but their reverse-taper grip does something no other grip company (not that Feel is just a grip company), does.  They put the fatter part of the grip on the bottom.

What the hell am I talking about?  Take a look at the grip on any golf club in your bag.  The butt end is the thickest part of the grip.  You’ve probably never questioned it.  I hadn’t until I read this analogy offered up by the guys at Feel.  Try hitting a baseball with a bat that’s not reverse-tapered.  Now I’m not one to question 100 years or so of grip design, but I’m also not one to try and swing a bat shaped like a triangle either.

The Feel Full Release grip is different.  The thickness is greatest at the bottom of the grip, or in your lower hand.   It’s a strange idea, and feel golf probably has its work cut out for it.  The design of the Full Release grip is such a dramatic departure from the conventional that I imagine convincing people to make the switch is probably a bit like the challenge Galileo faced in getting people to believe the world is round.  Of course, Galileo was right.  Me, I’m not sold on the idea, but that whole bat thing has me thinking.

So what about performance?  According to Feel Golf, their performance grips are more ergonomically and sports science designed for better overall performance in both distance and accuracy.  Oh…and as you might expect from the company name, they claim the grips offer better “feel” as well.

Feel Full Release Grips are available in 13 piece sets ranging in price from $89 to $99.  Full Release Grips are also available in 3 packs for under $30.  The Feel lineup include several designs which match up nicely with offerings from other grip companies.

The 73° Wedge

While I had planned on using this space to just talk about Feel Full Release Grips, I’d be remiss (and totally out of character for a wedge guy like me) if I failed to mention the 73° wedge available from Feel Golf.  Yeah, that’s right 73°.

The impetus behind the 73° design is basically this:  Today’s golf balls produce more roll.  Today’s greens are faster than every.  Today’s player needs a tool that will allow him to land soft and stay close to the pin.  Feel Golf believes their 73° wedge is that tool.

Most golfers I play with don’t carry so much as a 60° wedge, so for those guys, the leap from a sand wedge to a super X wedge could be quite a leap.  I’ve carried a 60° for years now, and after reading some of Dave Pelz’s stuff, I’m on the verge of picking up a 64°.  Why not go all the way to 73°?  Why not indeed.  If nothing else, it might be fun to try and hit a golf ball with a spatula.

The extra loft of the 73° wedge virtually eliminates the need to take less than a full swing, open up the club face, or do anything else that can lead to mishits (or in my case outright shanks).

Unlike others companies, Feel isn’t saying much about their face milling technology, so I can’t really say how it compares to that of Vokey, Cleveland, TaylorMade, Callaway, and others.

Even if a 73° wedge isn’t in your future Feel Golf may have something to your liking.  Their Dart Thrower series is available in Satin, Gun Metal, and Designer (color coded)  in lofts from 46° to 64°.  If you’re looking for the best deal, think hard about the Designer series.  The Golf Warehouse - Golf’s #1 Online Superstore has them on clearance for $49.99.

In today’s custom world, the lack of shaft options is a little disappointing, but since Feel is the only recognizable brand offering a 73° wedge, I’m willing to give them a pass.

Complete information on both the Feel Full Release Grips, and the 73° Feel Wedge is available from the Feel Golf Web Site.