Interview with Terry Koehler of Eidolon Golf

The legendary 'Wedge Guy' takes a few moments to share his thoughts with us

The following in an interview we did with Terry Koehler, the President of Eidolon Golf, also known as The Wedge Guy. (Terry can now be found running Edison Golf - still focused on making the best wedges in the business!) You can read our complete review of the Eidolon V-Sole Wedges right here on The Deep Rough. Enjoy!

Deep Rough: How did you get into the golf industry?

Terry: I began by working with the Ray Cook Putter Company as their advertising/marketing counsel in 1979. From there I began to meet other niche manufacturers - Otey Crisman, Neumann Leather, Joe Powell to name a few, and expanded my clientele.

Deep Rough: Where did you begin your career in club design?

Terry: In the mid-1980s, I designed a putter called Destiny. It had aggressive weight displacement in a conventional looking shape. I had over 30 tour pros putt with in over about a 15 month period, but my financial partner faded away. Lesson learned. From there I designed putters for Merit Golf then Hogan. I left Hogan in 1995 to start Reid Lockhart.

Deep Rough: What was your inspiration for starting Eidolon golf?

Terry: After selling Reid Lockhart, I wanted to do it differently. I wanted to build the absolute best scoring tools, with no boundaries. I wanted to deal directly with golfers and clubmakers, rather than duke it out with the big companies at the retail level. And I wanted to have fun.

Deep Rough: With so many bounce options available to the average golfer, how does one now how to choose?

Terry: It’s nearly impossible. The industry offers little guidance and less versatility. How in the world do you select in the store exactly the bounce you will need for any given shots on the course. Absurd. Every wedge lie is different; every wedge shot is different. You need a wedge that can do it all.

Deep Rough: How does the V-Sole help solve this?

Terry: Our innovative technology combines two bounce angles into the sole of each wedge so that it has the best characteristics of both high and low bounce designs. It’s unbelievable how good it works.

Deep Rough: Should the average golfer be looking at similar characteristics in a wedge as tour professionals?

Terry: Absolutely not. Tour professionals have extraordinary skills, honed from thousand of hours of practice and extraordinary talent. They also play perfect courses, perfect bunkers, etc. Their wedges are designed to stay out their way, not help them do anything.

Deep Rough: Why do you believe there have been so many technological advances in the distance clubs, while the short game clubs have seemingly been left behind?

Terry: Because golfers are gullible and they don’t practice their short games. Look at any driving range, even during pre-round warm up sessions. Almost every golfer is flailing away with their driver and irons, and no one is hitting little chip, pitches and bunker shots. Yet, once on the course, over 50% of non-putts will be hit from inside 130 yards or so. Also, drivers sell for $400 and wedges for $120 - behind which do you think big companies are going to put marketing dollars?

Deep Rough: If you could give an average golfer one tip to improve their game, what would it be?

Terry: Can I have two? Learn to hit your irons at about 85% of your speed capability, and practice with your wedges twice as much as with all your other clubs combined. Learn how to hit the various scoring shots and your scores will go down dramatically. The key is to make learning fun and experiment hitting different scoring shots. Was that one tip?

Deep Rough: Cleveland Golf is claiming the CG12 wedges are also milled to the maximum conforming dimensions, claiming maximum allowable spin. How do the Eidolon wedges compare?

Terry: EIDOLON V-SOLE wedges push the USGA groove allowances to the maximum, so no conforming wedge can be better. To me, it is deplorable that Cleveland and Titleist have waited this long to give golfers the grooves they could have had all along. That would be like knowing how to make a conforming driver that is 20 yards longer, but just not doing it. To me, irresponsible, and driven by margins. Deplorable. We give the golfer everything we can to make our wedges as good as they possibly can be, from the grooves to our patented V-SOLE to the shaft and our new SCoR grip. That’s another thing - every other wedge on the market comes with a one-size-fits-all shaft, which is a heavy old Dynamic Gold off-number. That’s absurd, too.

Deep Rough: What's in your bag?

Terry: Currently, a custom built Alpha driver, Sonartec 4-wood and 19* hybrid. Reid Lockhart 4-9 irons with tuned graphite shafts. EIDOLON 48, 52, 56 and 60 wedges with prototype composite shafts and a prototype putter I’ve been working on.

Deep Rough: What golf course do you call home?

Terry: My home course is Victoria Country Club, a hidden gem that only gets about 18,000 rounds per year. MiniVerde greens that are rolled firm and putt about 10-12 on the Stimpmeter. Really makes you play.

Deep Rough: What about your favorite course?

Terry: Would have to be The Old Course at St. Andrews, followed closely by Carnoustie, Troon and Turnberry. They really know what golf is about in Scotland, and it’s a trip every golfer should make at least once.

Deep Rough: If you could play with any three golfers, past or present, who would they be?

Terry: My dream group would be my Dad, who passed away when I was just 27, Ben Hogan, who has always been my idol, my brother and our childhood pro, Carl Gustafson, who passed away some time back. I know that’s five, but then I think fivesomes are fun, and I couldn’t imagine who to leave out. I think Mr. Hogan and I would play ‘the rack’ of the other three, maybe give a couple of shots. Dad would have his best round ever and my brother and I would both beat him by one, which would make his round perfect.

Deep Rough: The last word?

Terry: I love this game with all my heart. Many of my best friends were met on the golf course, my best childhood memories were there, and the window to my soul is wide open when I’m out there. It’s a place where all other things take a back seat for a few hours of challenge and triumph.

Deep Rough: Great stuff Terry, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions and letting us catch a glimpse of your insight into the game we all love!