“Sub70's 286 is a soft-forged players' wedge sold direct at a fraction of big-brand pricing. Steel-dominant players' wedge; a value identity club that punches above its price.”
The 286 was Sub70's first purpose-built wedge, launched in 2019 as the short-game companion to its debut forged-iron lineup -- soft DT-4 carbon steel, forged and CNC face-milled, sold direct at roughly $90-$130 against $150-$200+ for a comparable Vokey or Cleveland. It established the template -- forged feel, tour-style milling, a straighter leading edge for cleaner turf interaction -- that Sub70 refined into a 2021 second-generation 286 (which added a third port and later won real MyGolfSpy testing recognition) and then the 287 that replaced it in 2022. The original 286 Forged didn't itself collect the accolades its successors did, but it's the wedge that proved Sub70 could build credible short-game clubs, not just irons.
It's the unheralded first draft of a wedge line that went on to place #1 in accuracy in MyGolfSpy Most Wanted testing (the follow-on 286/287 generation) -- genuinely well-regarded within the DTC/enthusiast community that follows Sub70 closely, essentially invisible outside it.
Players who want a forged, milled-face wedge with tour-style versatility at a fraction of Vokey/Cleveland pricing, and who are comfortable buying direct/built-to-order without a fitting-bay try-before-you-buy. Anyone needing the current groove/grind tech should look at the newer 287 generation instead.
Launched alongside Sub70's original iron lineup as the company's first wedge-specific product in 2019, predating the brand's 2021-2022 wedge refinements that earned MyGolfSpy Most Wanted recognition; the direct competitor set at launch was Cleveland RTX and Titleist Vokey SM7/SM8 at 40-50% higher retail.
A forged players wedge with moderate camber and standard grind options -- reviewers of the broader Sub70 wedge family describe 'decent forgiveness around the perimeter' alongside strong feel, putting it in the middle of the forgiveness range: friendlier than a tour-blade wedge, well short of a wide-sole game-improvement design.
Calibrated across the whole catalog — a tour blade scores low here on purpose; it means control, not ease.
No retail trade-in channel; private-party resale for a clean original 286 runs roughly $35-$60 per wedge in 2026 -- cheap even relative to its already-low new price, since the improved 2021/2022 successors (286 v2, 287) have made the original the value option within Sub70's own lineup.
Reading is one thing — hitting is another. Book a bay and see the numbers for yourself before you buy anywhere.
