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Square Strike Wedge Review: Does It Live Up To The Infomercial Hype?
If you watch the Golf Channel on a consistent basis, you have likely seen tons of infomercials for golf clubs like the GX-7. They’re gimmicky, make big promises, and generally, I don’t take any of them seriously. However, they are very effective at selling clubs (or else they wouldn’t keep advertising). So I decided to put one of them to the test to see if there is any merit to their claims. I purchased a Square Strike wedge, which is one of the more popular infomercial items these days.
Despite the club having an unusual design, it genuinely surprised me after testing it.
What Square Strike Is Saying
The Square Strike wedge is very similar to the chipper clubs you have seen for years. Except it’s on steroids.
It is designed to function more like a putter with a very upright lie angle and heavier head. It has 45 degrees of loft, which is similar to a Pitching Wedge from many golf OEMs.
It has an enormous sole, which is supposed to prevent fat shots and help the club “glide” on imperfect strikes and challenging lies. Additionally, the leading edge is angled in a way to stop the club from digging. On top of that, they have moved the weight of the club all the way to the toe, which is intended to promote a pendulum motion.
Long story short, they designed a club that is supposed to help golfers who get excessively “handsy” with their wedges. These players struggle with chunks and skulls that always lead to double bogeys or worse. The Square Strike promotes more of a putting motion, which is much easier for most golfers to reproduce around the greens.
It’s not a crazy concept by any means, or new, but you can’t help but snicker at the club when you first see it.
It Works Pretty Well
I tested out the Square Strike wedge several times at the practice green at my golf course. I hit it from various lies that you would encounter on the fairway and in the rough. Despite my initial bias, the club performs very well.
No matter what lies I threw at it, the Square Strike was very good at producing a low running shot. It had better feel than I anticipated, and the weight did not bother me that much.
There was a golfer next to me who was the perfect specimen to test on. He had an excessively long swing on his chip shots and was “flipping” the club with his hands. He agreed to take a few shots with the Square Strike, and he easily recreated the same low running shots I was hitting with it. The golfer told me, “it feels like a sledgehammer, but I would use it.”
I believe this club can be very effective at getting the ball on the putting surface if you have plenty of green in front of you. Based on what I saw, I do believe golfers who struggle with these kinds of shots can benefit from using a club like this.
However, I do have some significant reservations about the Square Strike.
There Is No Versatility
The main issue with the Square Strike is that there is no versatility to the club. It is very effective at producing a low-running chip or pitch shot, but that is about all it can do. Now that is a critical shot to have on the golf course, but part of being a good wedge player is having shot options for many situations.
If you are using this club, that means you are giving up one space in your bag for another wedge.
I did try hitting 45-50 yard pitch shots with the Square Strike. Usually, I use my 60-degree wedge for those shots so I can land the ball softly on the green.
| Club | Total Spin (rpm) | Launch Angle | Carry Yards | Total Yards | Height (feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lob Wedge | 5839 | 31 | 46 | 50 | 21 |
| Square Strike | 3746 | 25 | 43 | 50 | 15 |
The Square Strike launched at a lower angle, with less spin, and reached a lower height. You would expect this because it has much less loft than my lob wedge. While it is easy to swing the club and make contact, you are going to get a lower running shot that will release quite a bit on the green. Again, that’s not a bad thing; it just limits your options.
Who It Might Be For
I don’t think the Square Strike is a gimmick. It might not be the mythical savior that the website and infomercials claim it is, but this club can help golfers. If you are someone who struggles with wedge shots around the green, to the point where it is debilitating, the Square Strike can likely provide some relief.
There is nothing more frustrating than being 20 feet off the green, and not being able to get the ball on the putting surface. It’s one of the main reasons why recreational golfers post double bogeys or worse. If this club can help eliminate those shots (and your fear of them), who am I to tell you not to try it out?
Why I Wouldn’t Necessarily Recommend It
The Square Strike is more of a band-aid, and I would only consider it as a last resort.
Modern wedges provide so much versatility around the greens, and they are easier to hit than ever because of improved design.
My recommendation for anyone who struggles with pitch or chip shots is to learn how to play them properly first. They’re not terribly complicated, and with the right technique and practice, you can drastically improve. I would rather see golfers do that first than purchase a club that limits the kinds of shots you can play and not allow you to develop your wedge technique.
But I know it’s not a perfect world, and that might not be in the cards for many of you.
Wrapping It Up
I came into testing the Square Strike thinking it was not going to be a viable option for golfers. However, the club surprised me. It’s easy to hit and produces low running shots that golfers do need to execute on the course.
But I do find myself torn about recommending it to most golfers. If you are someone who is miserable with your short game, and can’t seem to avoid heavy shots, skulls, and the yips (all ugly words) – I do think it can help you. At $89, it costs less than most premium wedges, so it’s not a huge investment.
On the other hand, the club is only capable of producing a narrow range of shots. I also don’t think it will help you become a better wedge player overall.
So if your short game is bleeding heavily, the Square Strike could be a nice band-aid. But if your goal is to become a better wedge player overall, it might make more sense to get a few short game lessons and practice more.
You can purchase the Square Strike off their website here.
Always need a good wedge
I am curious why Sherman tried comparing a 45 SSW with a lob wedge. If he had taken a full swing with the SSW he likely would have found it similar to a gap wedge. I bought the SSW as a chipper and it worked great. But I like it even better as full swing club where I hit it 120 yards. It replaced my 50 degree pitching wedge (gap wedge) but is much easier to hit. I don’t know what spin rate I am getting but I usually find it’s within a couple of feet of the ball mark. It’s my favorite club for approach shots. Now I just need to figure out how to hit every drive to within 120 yards of the green. Versatile, the SSW is.
I completely agree with G-Man. Pretty lazy to compare a 45 degree SSW to a 60 degree lob wedge. I blame Google for bringing me to your page.
Have you tried the tee less driver? Do you like it?
I have the tee less driver and I use it most of the time. I lost a lot of distance after health issues and this club will still get me 200 off the tee, and it is a dream off the grass. for me it hits better off the grass than my 3 or 4 woods and I get about 180 off the grass with it.
Could you produce the same low, running chip with an 8 or 9 iron? Seems like that’s the main purpose of this club.
yes you absolutely could – I would say the main difference is that the Square Strike club is designed to make your interaction with the turf, and the ball a bit easier
Cleveland makes a similar club but is much more playable.
I LOVE this club. I always, and I mean always, hit it in the direction I am aiming it, though I may hit it too hard or not hard enough. Seldom skull it, and if I hit it a little fat, the effect is negligible. I’m not a good ball striker, so I totally mess up most wedge shots, but almost always get a clean hit.
I have learned to open it for more loft, still with usually good contact.
No full swings, but an aggressive ‘putting stroke’ swing will get a good 40-yards, straight.
The sacrifice I made was taking my lob wedge out of my bag, so. now I have to open the blade with my sand wedge to get a good, longish lob. For me, the trade off was well worth it.
I have purchased this club for one shot only, the short off-the green , pitch and run, say up to 10m off the green?
Sure, you can use the 8 and 9 iron, but the club length means gripping down and this changes the lie angle. Also I assume the weight of the square strike is down lower and heavier than the short irons. Alignment is also key in putting, so if you can get your line right then this is half the battle. Anyway, lets see what happens soon with my new club!
I use the square strike 45 degree for short to medium chips, but you can also do 3/4 swing and full swing. I get the same distance from this club on a full swing as I did with my gap wedge, and easier to get it up with less chunks. It can be a versatile club when you try different swings with it.
do they have any other lofts as i have a 45 degree.
Yes. One other. 60 or 64 degrees or something like that.
I just received this club (45 degrees) but they had two more clubs they included for an extra $49 (for both). One as was a 55 degree and the other a 60 degree. I have yet to try any of them but given it is a “try and buy”, nothing to lose but the return shipping cost. And if any of these can take a few strokes off my game, worth every penny of it. (I’m sure I can make room for these 3 clubs SOMEWHERE in my bag).
If I recall correctly, the 60 degree is their version of a sandwedge but is to be swung like a putter. I am hopeful that at least 2 of these help!!
I would be very interested in how the 55 and 60 degree perform. A little more loft on the chip shot might make it a bit more versatile with a larger variety of more controllable shots. Still limited but not quite as bad. Might also work to get out of those under tree recovery shots. Probably the type of course would influence how you would use it. If a links course with a lot of runout, might be a good club to have. Plus the green color would look great in that bag of retired clubs we scrapped.
I have the 45* wedge but would like o purchase the 55* or 60* wedge. How Can I get these other wedges? Thanks
I ordered the 55 and 60 degree off Amazon. Came in pretty quick. They also make a 7, 8 and 9 irons in square strike.
There is a short par 3 that I always used to use my sand wedge. The Square Strike 45° works much better; a higher arc and about 8 yards more distance.
Would a rescue club work exactly the same as the square strike wedge?
A good review, but using a 60-degree wedge for a 50-yard shot is hardly “developing your wedge game.” You’ve just chosen one extra wedge, and something had to come out of the bag to make room for that. That would be a nearly full swing for me, a choice with a high chance of major disaster. However, it is true that the Square Strike Wedge has its limitations. Since the putting stroke is not a power swing, the club’s distance is realistically about 35-40 yards. Based on my experience with this club, lots of golfers with higher handicaps will benefit from using it.
personally i think the club is much to heavy, iwould like to send it back fof a full money back.
think club is to heavy would like to send it back for a full f
refund.
If you don’t like the green color the same club is made by the name Mazel,and is sold cheaper on their web site or amazon in black,orange & green. I came down with chipping yips about a year ago,went to mostly 8i chips.But still puts a lot of pressure on my putting because i was not getting close very often.Once i got the Mazel model of the Square Strike wedge,i am get up and down more often now.
Does the 60 degree work from green side bunkers?
if this is so great, why don’t the pros use it !!!!
The funny thing about this club is everyone who has reviewed it was pretty shocked it actually works. The reviewer above, for example, admitted as much. If he had used the 55 or 60 degree it may have found a place in his bag. Rick Shiels and another well known short game guy gave similar reviews on youtube where they were very surprised the club performed as advertised. Heck, the one guy was hitting bunker shots with the 45 degree.
I bought the 55 degree and am curious to see how it works for me. A buddy of mine has the 45 and I liked it but agree that the launch was too low for the shots it’ll be used for. I may look into the 60 but want to try this 55 first.
I am amazed by people who believe that you can only play with standard irons and woods.
Advances are made to improve the fun of the game. Otherwise we should all be out there with blades and persimmon woods with hickory shafts.
Putters for one are designed for only one shot, putting. We don’t put weth a sand wedge. Oh wait… that’s designed for one shot, hitting out of sand. So why do we view chipping any differently. A chipper isn’t an orthopedic aid only for the weakest player. It is a club designed for one shot, chipping. If it works for you and makes the game more fun, then forget the “experts” and use a chipper. Or maybe we should all spend hours learning to play the whole game with just a driver, oh wait that’s designed for one shot too…..
I have used the Square Strike Wedge for two years now. I took the PW out of my bag to make room for it as the manufacturer suggests. I also reshafted it with a KBS shaft that match the rest of my irons. I use this as a rescue club more than I do for a chipper. It will get the ball out of the rough and other difficult lies. It will launch the ball 80-100 yards on a full shot, but the weakness there is that there isn’t enough spin to hold a green. It works really well when there is a lot of green to work with and the hole is uphill. One bad tendency that users may have is to press it forward too much. If you do that, it will hit the hosel. So keep the forward press to a minimum. It also works very well from FW bunkers to advance the ball 80+ yards with a full swing. As a chipper, it does work as the commercials suggest, but I still use my normal wedges around the green-especially if there is a bunker to go over. Outside of my putter and driver, I use the SSW more than any other club.
You are the first person that has this club that uses it like I do love hitting it from 80 to 100 yards and the weight to me is tremendous in the sense that my tempo is much better with this club than any of my other clubs in my bag mainly because of the extra weight in the head I have a set of tour edge irons that I wish had this kind of weight and I am endeavoring to add weight to the heads by putting on golf pride 25 gram grips because they presently have 50 gram grips if there was a way for me to match the weight of the strike wedge to the rest of my irons I think I would lower my score by 8 to 10 shots per round glad to hear you are enjoying the club as much as me
I am a 59 year old 5 handicapper. Yesterday I shot 73 off the back tees in the first round of our club championships. I am coming 3rd of 240 guys. I use 9 clubs. 3,4.5 and 6 hybrids all about 12 years old. An armlock putter and a 9 iron and a pitching wedge. 45,55 and 60 degree square strikes. Golf is fun. I will try out the other square strike clubs I did not know they made irons.
Awesome comment. I am a 10 hcp, and I typically blade a pitch per round- to great frustration. I added the 45 SSW, play it up right like the lie angle, back foot, and a normal pitch stroke. At least 2 more up and downs per round. If it is a bad strike, I have 15’ to put instead of a blade (I never chunk before or after). Surprised how great of a club to play in thick weeds, a hazard, a fairway bunker. My strong punch swing gives me gap wedge distance, crazy straight.
Now I am going to try the 55, my Cleveland LW can sometimes be flipped by over active hands. This heavy beast should not have that problem but won’t get the same spin.
I’d say that this club is a true players club, not a hackers “fix your bad habits” club. This club DOES NOT FIX bad swing mechanics.
It DOES significantly increase accuracy when it is hit as it was designed, using a flat bottom address and a more upright swing position.
Your review failed to mention how, when this club is *hit properly* (you still have to trap the ball, like any standard club), with a flat bottom stance, the accuracy (left to right) of this club is off the freaking charts. This club sends the ball in the direction that you hit it, every single time. The only thing left to do is get the distance right. It’s like using a putter from 10 ft off the green. That’s how accurate it is left to right.
I’ve used mine for three years now. I have had a couple of flubs for looking up (not the club’s fault!), but “off target” chip and run shots are completely a thing of the past. Distance control is all you need to think about with this club.
For “second cut” fringe putts, I no longer chance using a putter and getting the putter caught up in the grass or having the ball veer off target due to bouncing through the thick grass. I use this club instead. It is much more reliable.
People can mock this thing all they want. They have no clue what they are saying. I’ll never use another club to play chip and run shots.