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With the soon to be released and Limited Edition Fourteen V5 Forged T.S Wedge coming april 1st we decided to begin a new weekly series called Inside the Fourteen Tour Van.  As of right now we hope to have enough information bi weekly to keep Fourteen fan's updated on the latest on the PGA Tour

I posted a video last week reviewing the new V5 T.S wedge and at the very end mentioned on tour they were doing custom grinds for the PGA tour players.  On March 10th at the WGC Cadillac Championship a few of these wedges showed up, have a look at the pics below, Fourteen will not comment on who's they were but TSG easily put two and two together and figured out the below wedge was recently produced for Matt Kuchar.  In the below image it shows a heavy weighted V5 T.S Wedge in 60* that has had a leading edge rounded off then bent to 62* letters custom stamped 62* and KK as were added in the last pic.  In april there is a retail version 62* coming out so were unsure why they didn't just start with that raw head vs bending a 60*.

we don't know how many V5's are in play on tour but between these images and the pics of the tour wedges at the Japan Golf Fair we have seen some stamped KUCH, some AA, a wedge stamped RB or BEEMER,  and one marked CC and speaking of BEEMER or RB, I think we can safely assume that's Rich Beam.

Above are some spy shots of some V5 T.S wedges custom ground for RB that feature a lot of offset and lots of crazy stamping,  I personally don't mind some offset in my wedges yet understand that the majority of our customers don't like it.  The V5 T.S wedge being released april 1st has no offset but I'm curious as to why people tend to stay away from the trend RB enjoys.

Which leads me to the question why do so many people NOT like offset in their wedges when in many cases it would support their short game?  Is it the visual aspect, the macho less offset is better attitude, or they have never tried it?  Sound off in the poll below...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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Rumor has it that a significant number of PGA Tour Pros had tested positive for drugs yet not punished.  A lawyer by the name of Jeffrey Rosenblum told a court in memphis that his client  Doug Barron had been singled out and used as an example while there were many other golfers who tested positive for recreational drugs like marijuana and cocaine and not punished at all.

The Guardian UK's Lawrence Donegan wrote:

Barron, who has made $3m in prize money during his PGA Tour career, was banned for a year after testing positive this summer for beta-blockers and testosterone – both drugs prescribed by his doctors to combat medical conditions. He had sought, and had been denied, "therapeutic exemptions" to take the drugs and continue to play in tour events.  "I cannot say how many positive tests there have been on the tour but from discussions I have had with my client and other people, I believe the number is significant," Rosenblum told the Guardian last night. "I am very concerned that if the PGA Tour knew of even one person who took an illegal drug and yet chose not to punish that person, while at the same time my client was thrown out of the sport for one year. I believe that is an abuse of discretion."

The PGA Tour's commissioner and it's other press staff could not be reached for comment.  Tim Finchem did mention earlier in the year that they may have had some test results that trouble them but that they would not publicize them.

Barrons lawyer is expecting a ruling on his request to stay and play on tour as its how he supports his wife and kids. So this leaves me with the question should players be banned from the tour, suspended, both or put into treatment? Should regular testing be done on the Tour and is it really any of the PGA Tour's business if a player is using non performance enhancing recreational drugs like Marijuana?

What say you? Please vote in the poll and sound off in the comments section:

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( Big Thanks to Rob at SandBox8.com )

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Rob from Sandbox8 recieved the full tour of the PGA Tour Ping Golf Tour Van.  Great coverage with lots of details about the equipment Ping uses and how they do things a bit differently than most other OEM's.

Make sure to checkout Rob's website Sandbox8.com, he's got some really solid in depth videos and behind the scenes golf coverage.