ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Michael Block is a 46-year-old PGA of America professional and the head pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California. This week, he is also the toast of Oak Hill Country Club and one of the most popular players in the field at the 2023 PGA Championship.
As the only one of the 20 PGA of America pros to make the cut on Friday, Block was already going to be a great story, but after shooting a third-straight round of 70, he finished the day just six shots behind the tournament’s leader, Brooks Koepka, and is playing Sunday with Rory McIlroy.
On Friday, Block wore a hat that said “RAW” on it, and many people don’t know what that means.
In this case, RAW refers to the raw steel finish of the TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 (MG3) wedges. While most irons and wedges have shiny chrome plating over the steel used to make the clubs, some brands offer raw, un-chromed versions of irons and wedges that will rust over time and with exposure to moisture. The MG3 wedges have a raw steel hitting surface but come with a sticker that covers the raw steel, so nothing rusts until the clubs are purchased.
Shortly after those clubs were released in August 2021, TaylorMade promoted them by having staff pros wear RAW hats at a few PGA Tour events, and then they made the hats available on the company’s website. Staff teaching professionals like Block often get promotional items like hats, towels, Bluetooth speakers and headcovers.
If you are looking for a RAW hat, you’re out of luck. They are listed as sold out on TaylorMade’s website and other golf retail sites. Golfweek reached out to representatives from TaylorMade, but there is no word on the brand re-releasing the hat.