Designed by Pat Simmons, this bulbous wedge was meant to get out of the sand nearly 100% of the time.
Pat Simmons was a club designer who was known for many unconventional designs. He was responsible for starting the Tiger Shark brand along with several others. If you watched late night TV back in the 90s, there was a good chance you saw an infomercial for one of his clubs—the Alien Shot Saver wedge.
Designed with a large, paddle-like sole, it was meant to effortlessly glide through sand. It was one of the very first golf clubs to be sold direct-to-consumer through an informercial in the 90s. Most shockingly—it was a surprise hit! The Alien sold incredibly well during its lifetime. There are still people who will defend the Alien in discussions online as a great wedge to this very day.
Although the Alien is no longer made, it’s impact can still be felt in the golf world. The Alien proved that an oversized sole can help get a ball out of the sand and the customer’s response proved that the demand is there. Clubs like Callaway’s CB wedges sport a large, cambered sole on its head. While nothing is as big as the Alien was, you can trace the heritage of many modern-day wedges back to it.
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