Ping’s acclaimed Tour-W wedges feature a high-density tungsten weight in the toe of the clubhead, with a view to increasing the moment of inertia and forgiveness. The tungsten weight also allows the traditional teardrop shape clubhead to be slightly smaller than standard, which is designed to enable increased playability from a variety of lies. The wedges come in Silver Chrome or Black Nickel Chrome, and in seven lofts ranging between 47° and 60°. Four bounce options range between 54° and 60°.

In response to the USGA and R&A’s new rules restricting groove dimensions on Tour, Titleist has launched the Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C wedges. Titleist claims the ‘Condition of Competition’ wedges provide optimum performance and shot control within the new guidelines. The C-C models are designed to provide a higher launch angle, less spin and more run-out than the original models. As the new guidelines apply to Tour golfers only in 2010, Titleist will run the new C-C wedges alongside its current line of Vokey Design Spin Milled wedges.

As used by Padraig Harrington in winning the second two of his three Majors, the Tw9 wedges feature U-grooves that are milled into the clubhead after casting with a view to maximising their effect. The wedges are available in seven loft options, in increments of 2º from 48º to 60º, with the 48º and 50º built with less bounce and a cavity-back structure, with the remaining models made with a blade-style clubhead. The wedges come in anti-glare Satin or Black PVD anti-glare finishes.

Made from soft carbon steel with a view to providing excellent feel, Go’s CNC Milled wedges have a classic head shape and chrome finish, and they are fitted with True Temper shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips as standard. The series incorporates four lofts, of 52º, 56º, 60º and 64º, with all models available in right-hand, but only the 60º model for left-handers. Go is distributed in the UK by Brand Fusion.

Ram offers a series of “affordable” wedges designed to save golfers money as well as shots around the green. The SDX wedges are made with a traditional clubhead shape, with a large clubface and high toe with a view to providing forgiveness and playability. The SDX wedges come in lofts of 52º, 56º and 60º, and with either Mirror or Black Nickel finishes. The clubs come fitted with True Temper shafts and Ram grips.

The 685BX wedges from Snakes Eyes are fluid forged from a soft 8620 carbon steel. A curved ‘Tour’ grind on the sole is designed to give the clubs excellent versatility, and box grooves on the clubface are CNC milled. The wedges are assembled to order, and they come in lofts of 52º, 54º, 56º, 58º and 60º and with a choice of Chrome or Black finishes.

Introduced to the trade at this autumn’s Golf Europe, MD Golf has produced a trio of Seve icon wedges in collaboration with Seve Ballesteros: the Pedrena, San Roque and Continuous Bounce. The Pedrena - named after Seve’s home town - has a slither of mass removed from the sole to leave a thumbprint effect, which is designed to reduce resistance, and the weight is balanced by bevelling at the top of the clubhead. The Pedrena comes in Dark Gunmetal and lofts of 52°, 54°, 56°, 58° and 60°, and with Dynalite shafts and UST Multi Compound grips.

Tour pros can only gaze upon Cleveland’s new CG15 wedges with envy, as their laser-milled faces and ‘Zip’ grooves are designed to produce more spin than any previous Cleveland wedge, and the groove dimensions do not conform to the new regulations. Cleveland has also laser-milled sets of four texture lines between each groove to take the clubfaces up to the conforming limit of roughness. Available in multiple lofts, the CG15 wedges come in finishes of Chrome, Black Pearl and Oil Quench.

TaylorMade has built its TP wedges with ‘xFT’ – Exchangeable Face Technology – which means the clubs’ CNC-milled clubfaces can be replaced when they become worn. The clubface groves are flanked by a rough surface with a view to maximizing grip on the ball. The wedges come fitted with a ‘Z Groove face’ as standard, featuring groove dimensions that are legal to club golfers until 2024, but the ‘ZTP groove face’ conforms for Tour play in 2010 and is sold separately. The TP wedges are available in a variety of 10 specs and are scheduled for retail delivery in February.

Built with a classic teardrop clubhead, the entry level Gun Metal wedge from Longridge features a soft-cast stainless steel clubface and the club is available in lofts of 52°, 56°, 60° and 64°. Finished in Matt Gun Metal, the wedge comes fitted with a steel shaft as standard and a ‘tour wrap’ grip.

The Zip It wedges from Benross have been made with what the company describes as an “aggressive C-Grind” sole unit with a view to making the wedges as versatile as possible. Made with a teardrop head shape and grooves of Tour-forbidden dimensions, the Zip It wedges come in Pearl Chrome or Smoked Chrome finishes and Dynamic Gold shafts are fitted as standard. Four loft options are 52°, 56°, 58° and 60°.

Bad luck all thee Tour pros – you can’t touch these either. Designed by Roger Cleveland, the new X-Series Jaws wedges, complete with ‘Mack Daddy’ grooves, have too much bite for Tour golf. The grooves are designed to provide “Tour-level” spin, and the clubheads are made with a C-Grind sole with a view to boosting shot-making. The wedges come in lofts of 52°, 56°, 58° and 60° and for the first time with wedges Callaway is offering a graphite shaft option. The two finishes are Chrome and Dark Vintage.

More wedges that Tour pros can only dream of handling from January 1, Mizuno’s MP T-10 wedges feature ‘Quad Cut Grooves’, which Mizuno claims will “visibly increase backspin and ball stopping ability”. The company says it uses a new custom-milling tool to ensure the groove dimensions are pushed to legal limits on these wedges, which are grain flow forged in one piece. Available in White Satin or RAW Black Satin finishes, the MP T-10s come in a range of nine clubhead specs.

Nike has taken its Victory Red Forged wedges and given them a new Black Oxide finish. No longer conforming for Tour play, the 1025 carbon steel wedges are built with ‘High Rev’ grooves milled to the maximum dimensions for club golfers. The Black Oxide models are fitted with new VR grips from Eaton, Dynamic Gold shafts and they are available in five loft/bounce configurations, and in right-handed models only.