Best Wedges: Innovation
Identifying the most deserving clubs for our Hot List equipment guide requires the ability to decipher among thin lines of excellence. That’s why we commit to extensive player-testing and spend hundreds of hours meeting with manufacturer R&D teams and our academic panel of scientists to better understand the nuances that make each club special. The most innovative wedges feature grooves that are close to the USGA limit, face treatments that reduce flyers, sole grinds that accommodate different swing types, and an abundance of loft and bounce options. Here is how our editors and scientific panel evaluated wedges in the criteria of Innovation, with each club achieving a minimum of 4.5 stars.
Callaway
Opus SP
$200
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200
The two-piece design features a pocket low in the head. This concentrates mass higher in the club, raising the center of gravity for a penetrating flight and the kind of control needed to flight shots or attack tight pins.
A new 17-degree groove angle has tighter pitch spacing to promote more groove-edge contact. This produces consistent spin across a variety of lies.
The grooves and a deep cross-hatch laser pattern across the face combine to generate additional friction for maximum control.
Five grind options are available: the S, T, C, W and the new X grind that’s back by popular demand. The X grind (available in the 54-, 56-, 58- and 60-degree models) has a higher bounce for improved shot-making capability.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps
SPECS: 22 options (48-60 degrees), 5 sole grinds, 2 finishes
Cleveland
RTZ
$180
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$180
Cleveland used a proprietary steel alloy that features a tighter grain structure for a softer feel. It also saves six grams.
In its raw state, the alloy has the benefit of not rusting over time as other steel alloys tend to do. This preserves the look and performance of the grooves.
The ZipCore material in the hosel saves weight, some of which is repositioned low and toward the toe where golfers tend to strike the ball. The rest of the saved weight is used to make the hosel longer and wider to increase forgiveness.
A refined face-milling process for the lower lofts enhances carry-distance consistency.
The leading edge on lower-bounce models is sharper and is more rounded on higher-bounce options. This improves turf interaction based on the type of shots and the attack angles typically played with those bounces.
New sharper, tighter-spaced grooves maximize contact and channel debris for more spin, particularly on shots hit from the rough.
Top 5 in Performance from sand, low-handicaps
20 options (46-64 degrees), 4 sole grinds, 3 finishes
Titleist
Vokey Design SM11
$200
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200
A new version of Titleist’s Spin Milled grooves features 5 percent more volume than the SM10 to channel away debris and retain more spin.
A new directional face texture provides increased friction and prolongs contact on the face, delivering reliable spin on short shots.
A heat treatment is applied to increase the durability of the groove edges to prolong maximum stopping power.
Additions to the line include a stronger pitching wedge at 44 degrees and a 60-degree K-grind option with 12 degrees of bounce.
The center of gravity is identical across all grinds in each loft, meaning you don’t have to compromise on your launch window for a specific grind choice.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps
SPECS: 27 options (44-60 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 4 finishes
Cleveland
CBZ
$180
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$180
The fifth generation of the company’s cavity-back wedges charts a fresh path by using the same Z-alloy found in the company’s tour-played RTZ line. The Z-alloy is 25 percent softer than the 431 stainless steel used in past CBX models.
Cleveland’s research found that about 80 percent of all wedge shots by middle- and high-handicappers occur slightly toward the toe side of the center of the face, right where CBZ’s sweet spot is designed to be.
The “gelback” insert in the cavity is a thermoplastic-urethane polymer designed to control unwanted vibration and sound.
Within the heel and hosel is a lightweight piece made of an aluminum silicate compound that is four times lighter than the steel it replaces. This weight savings helps position the center of gravity in the center of the face to enhance feel.
Top 5 in Performance from sand, middle-handicaps
SPECS: 15 options (44-60 degrees), 3 sole grinds, 1 finish
Ping
s259
$218
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$218
The grooves are milled and loft dependent. The 46- to 52-degree wedges maximize groove volume for better control on full shots. The 54- to 62-degreee options are tightly spaced to engage more edges on the ball.
A face blast adds friction, delivering extra spin and assisting launch.
The lower-lofted wedges have a straighter leading edge and center of gravity more in line with the center of the face to make the transition from the irons seamless. Higher lofts have extra offset to provide a comfortable look at address.
The Dylagrip has indicators that are useful for hand position, face angle and shaft lean.
Aficionados of the iconic E grind used on the Ping Eye2 wedge might welcome the use of the grind in this line but on a more conventional-looking clubhead.
Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
SPECS: 25 options (46-62 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 1 finish
Proto-Concept
RR Forged
$310
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$310
To simplify the wedge-selection process, Proto-Concept developed three sole grinds that differ in effective bounce and are based on playing style.
The NT grind is on lower lofts and is primarily for full swings. The SP grind is on lofts 56 and up and is designed for those with sweeping swings. The AG grind is another option for 56 degrees and up and is made for those who hit down on the ball.
Through precise cold forging, groove width and depth have been optimized for maximum spin. The face features two types of laser milling—diagonal and horizontal—significantly improving spin in wet conditions.
The head is forged, but the addition of a heat treatment achieves the pure feel and helps rid unwanted vibrations.
SPECS: 13 options (46-60 degrees), 3 sole grinds, 1 finish
TaylorMade
Milled Grind 5
$200
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200
TaylorMade’s latest wedge line is fully forged, a first for the Milled Grind line and a decision made as a result of its tour staff’s request for more feel.
The wedge is the first in the line to use saw-milled grooves, which were created using a new machining process that tightens tolerances and allows engineers to push groove geometry. The grooves have steeper walls and sharper edges for maximum grab—especially on partial shots.
The raw face features a tread design between the grooves to channel away moisture like a set of all-weather tires. This produces 13 percent more spin from damp conditions, according to the company.
The line has six grinds, including the TW grind based off Tiger Woods’ setup. That grind has more camber and less heel relief in the 60-degree lob wedge.
Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
SPECS: 23 options (46-60 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 2 finishes