© Ping Golf
1. Ping Eye2 Gorge Wedge Review
Even if looks aren't everything, it was love at first sight with the Ping Eye2 Gorge. I mean, this wedge comes with that classic satin finish (non glare) which I absolutely adore and it combines the updated version of the old-school Eye2 with the design of the Ping XG wedge, but featuring more spinny/sharper grooves. Ping's proprietary Gorge grooves are designed for providing you with excellent spin control and stopping power. Obviously, in the Ping Eye2 Gorge, the grooves are precision-milled using state of the art LASER-tech and they're aimed at helping you mitigate difficult shots out of the sand or sensitive situations around the green. The weights around the wedge's perimeter and the sole contour further optimize control and forgiveness. In terms of performance, the melange between the tour-proven Eye2 design and the Gorge grooves are the main selling point of the Ping Eye2 Gorge, offering you chip shots around the green, increased amounts of spin on full shots, boosting confidence levels and deep bunker escapes. If you're a big fan (like yours truly) of the Eye2 design and you're seeking for excellent control and spin,the Ping Eye2 Gorge wedge is definitely worth the upgrade.
© Taylormade Golf
2. TaylorMade Golf TOUR PREFERRED ATV Grind WEDGE Review
The TOUR PREFERRED ATV Grind is designed for keeping the bounce lower on bunker shots, chips or on full shots. However, the bounce increases when you open the face, i.e. when hitting higher shots around the green. The TOUR PREFERRED ATV Grind is described by Keith Sbarbaro (VP of Tour Operations for TylorMade) as being the purest and most traditional wedge the company ever manufactured. The face uses a Micro Texture design in order to improve control and ball speed which works in tandem with a very aggressive groove design, that improves contact between the ball and the club-face, resulting in excellent spin control around the greens. The wedge feels heavy but well balanced and easy to hit, the impact is quiet and soft, the grind is stable through the surf and in terms of distance control, the TOUR PREFERRED ATV Grind offers top tier consistency. The design is subtle, the wedge looks professional and confidence inspiring and the raw satin finish makes it look very aggressive.
© Cleveland Golf
3. Cleveland Golf 588 RTX 2.0 60° WIDE SOLE Wedge Review
The Rotex 2.0 features a new micro milled face pattern and deeper grooves, offering this wedge the maximum surface roughness allowed by the USGA. Also, the Cleveland Golf 588 RTX 2.0 60° WIDE SOLE comes with the fourth gen Tour Zip grooves, which now offer a sharper radii and larger walls than the previous generation, thus allowing more dirt, grass and moisture to be swept away from the face, providing you, the player, with more consistent spin, shot after shot and cleaner contact. The Cleveland Golf 588 RTX 2.0 60° WIDE SOLE is engineered for high levels of spin and increased friction, thanks to the face's micro milling pattern, which comes with a smartly designed roughness, that's fine tuned for providing more texture and more consistency across the face. Bottom line, if you need soft feel, tons of spin and a classic design, the Cleveland Golf 588 RTX 2.0 60° WIDE SOLE is a versatile wedge that offers top-shelve performance.
© Cleveland Golf
4. Cleveland Golf NEW SMART SOLE 2.0 S WEDGE Review
The S features the same premium design and built quality, with that beautiful black satin finish, just like the C, having a distinctive and refined look, while the contrast between the wedge and the ball works miracles for your game play, i.e. it helps with alignment. The wedge also features an upgraded version of Cleveland Golf's proprietary technology, namely the “Feel Plaque”, which is built for dampening vibrations and improving the feel factor, along with providing unprecedented levels of consistency and forgiveness, due to its weights placed around the perimeter of the club. The Cleveland Golf NEW SMART SOLE 2.0 S is built for golfers with a twelve handicap or more, based on a statistic which proves that over half of them don't find the green when it comes to bunker shots. To help mitigate the problem, Cleveland Golf designed this wedge for addressing the aforementioned problem and after playing a few rounds with this baby, I can confirm you that they did a great job. Using the Cleveland Golf NEW SMART SOLE 2.0 S, you'll be able to get out from the sand quickly and effortlessly, at your first attempt, thus avoiding leaving it in the bunker. That's due to the wedge's sole design, which promotes consistent and better turf interaction , helping you to improve contact when it comes to short shots around the green.
© Cleveland Golf
5. Cleveland Golf NEW SMART SOLE 2.0 C WEDGE Review
In terms of look at address, the New Smart Sole 2.0 C wedges feature a tad larger than average tear-drop shape, which is somehow unique in the wedges-world, due to its rather unusual shape, i.e. a relatively short face and a normal length (heel to toe). Looks aside, the New Smart Sole 2.0 C from Cleveland Golf are a huge step forward vs the previous generation when it comes to sound&feel. The feel is firm at impact, but it doesn't sound click-y nor hard; you'll notice a low pitch “thud” regardless where the ball strikes the face and the feedback level is decent, to say the least. In terms of performance, the New Smart Sole 2.0 C redefines fun, especially if you're that kind of player that tends to chunk his chips. Also,you're absolutely love the Smart Sole 2.0 C if bunkers make you feel like you're gonna' faint; in this situation, the New Smart Sole 2.0 C wedges are a must have, go shopping NOW! Bottom line, if you want to feel better when it comes to bunker shots (as in reducing your stress levels) and also if you're not comfortable with the short game, the New Smart Sole 2.0 C will definitely remove the word “chunk” from your chit-chat sessions with your friends!
© Cobra King Golf
The Cobra King Wedge plays in its own league, being one of the best performing specialty wedges in the golf industry today, a magnificent result of Cobra's R&D team working together with tour players like Jonas Blixt, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson. Cobra conducted extensive research and testing when creating the King Wedge, with the end result being a dramatically improved feel, together with great versatility, making for a wedge which totally boosts confidence on the golf course and allows you to hit all types of shots around the green. For helping you to fine tune your game, the King Wedge comes with 3 grind options: Classic, Versatile and WideLow. If you're playing on a medium to firm turf, the Versatile grind is best if you're a slider or you have a neutral attack angle. The progressive sole of the Classic grind can be used on all turf conditions by golfers with all swing types, while the WideLow setting has a wide sole which dramatically reduces bounce, offering tons of consistency on softer turfs. The faces of the Cobra King Wedge benefit from the company's proprietary progressive milled groove design, for promoting the optimum trajectory and spin, and the newly designed grooves work in tandem with the Variable Face Roughness, Cobra's patented milling technology, which maximizes the average face-roughness. Finally, the King Wedge offers twelve combinations of bounce, loft and grind and it comes in a beautiful satin-nickel chrome durable finish, which reduces glare.
© Callaway Golf
7. Callaway Mack Daddy PM-Grind Matte Black Wedges Review
The first thing you'll notice when playing with the Mack Daddy PM-Grind will be its weight, as the Mack Daddy PM-Grind's head feels pretty heavy, due to its unique weight distribution and shape. At impact, the Mack Daddy PM-Grind feels nice, not too hard, nor too soft, I think average is the word I am looking for. The feedback is moderate and basically, the overall feel and sound are “neutral”. Performance wise, the Mack Daddy PM-Grind features a relatively high CoG (center of gravity), hence it will produce high spin rates. If spin is the name of the game in your book, well, you should definitely consider this wedge for future acquisition. The PM Grind is another thing that makes this piece of golf gear unique, as the small depression groove on the sole has a profound impact upon the wedge's overall performance. If you like to see the leading edge on the ground, the Mack Daddy PM-Grind has your name on it, I mean it's perfect for you. In conclusion, I think that what makes the Mack Daddy PM-Grind wedge unique and playing in a league of its own is the sole design/built and it will be a great choice if you're looking to add versatility to your short game.
© Titleist Golf
According to Bob Vokey, the SM6 wedges are the best ever made, and that's a pretty bold statement. Now, let's see what's all the hubbub, shall we? Retailing for $140 (suggested price), the new SM6 version features a specially designed CG (center of gravity), which is know progressive, thus it offers way more trajectory control, distance and improved feel when compared to the previous generation (the hugely popular Titleist Vokey SM5 wedge). Titleist achieved this level of performance with the new/progressive center of gravity, which now aligns more effectively with the impact position of every loft, in order to deliver more distance and incredible feel, shot after shot. Also, the design was improved, making for maybe the best looking Vokey wedge ever made. After testing the the Vokey SM6 wedges, I was truly impressed, as they offered absolutely off the charts levels of precision and detail, helping a lot with controlling the ball trajectory, producing more consistent shots and, finally, leading to better scores. However, I must tell you one thing folks: as far as design goes, these babies are not for everyone. I mean, if you're that kind of golf player which requires the confidence levels offered by a bigger club head at address, I mean if you need something massive behind the ball, the Vokey SM6 wedges with their Jet Black raw finish may disappoint you. But, if you're looking for sheer performance, you should take these for a test drive, starting from March 11 when they'll become available in three finishes: Steel Gray, Tour Chrome and Jet Black (raw).
© Mizuno Golf
The Mizuno JPX EZ has a relatively large head setup, with a square design which looks very forgiving at first sight, and after playing a few rounds with it, I can confirm that it's true. The traditional shape and the round toe will clearly enchant most panelist's eyes. The clever design will help you to see the loft of the club at address, thus boosting confidence levels and inspiring positive vibes. In terms of feel, the Mizuno JPX EZ is buttery smooth at impact, but by all means, very responsive, in a soft way though, with little vibration. The sensation is very familiar and you'll also recognize it if you used the forged wedges from Mizuno in the past. Basically, the Mizuno JPX EZ feels like home, in a nice way. When it comes to distance control, the wedge is predictable in all situations, I.e from awkward distances around the green or from the sand. However, the Mizuno JPX EZ will give you total control from the fairway, just like a normal iron. Well, almost, but you got the idea. In terms of playability, this wedge is a good performer from all types of lies and exceptionally good for full shots from the fairway, with great trajectory and spin control. Also, the Mizuno JPX EZ performs well on tough bunker shots and incredibly good at basic ones. Bottom line, if you're looking for a little over-sized club which provides solid performance and a pleasant soft feel, go for Mizuno JPX EZ.
© Mizuno Golf
Compared to the latest gen, the new Mizuno MP-T5 followed the advice from Luke Donald and now the trailing edge is a little bit less sharp, while the toe and heel grinds create a hugely versatile edge. Basically, this is not a revolutionary product, but an evolution by incremental steps, in good Japanese tradition, seeking perfection in everything they make. In terms of feel, the Mizuno MP-T5 stands up to their reputation (they are known for their high quality forged products). The feel upon ball impact in this wedge is absolutely brilliant , offering a full and meaty sensation, exemplary balance and a light touch, despite its relatively heavy head. When it comes to distance control, the MP-T5 really delivers, offering impressive consistency and lots of aid from full swings on down, great spin control and full shots stop on the spot. In summary, the Mizuno MP-T5 is an all purpose wedge which does a great job in any situation, from low skippers to monster flops, everything is taken care of with flying colors. And indeed, Mizuno really delivered with the MP-T5, living up to their own legend, creating one of the best wedges on the market today, surprisingly forgiving and featuring all terrain versatility, for suiting a wide range of abilities and styles.
