While drivers, putters and irons get the lion’s share of the attention, your wedges are likely a piece of your equipment that you should be thinking about the most often. Experts say that after 25 rounds, you start to lose the bite that fresh wedges provide and after 50 rounds, you should consider purchasing new ones.
With that in mind, wedge workers throughout the industry are pushing the envelope on innovation as it relates to sole grinds, grooves, bounce and everything inbetween.
Take a look at the wedges that made our 2019 Honor Roll.
(Note: clubs are presented in alphabetical order)
Bridgestone Tour B XW-1
Report Card: Designed for the low-to-mid handicapper in mind, the Tour B XW-1 has a classic shape and optimized sole design that allows for different grinds for different shots. Also features proprietary “Biting Rail Milled Groove Design” for increased spin.
Price: $139.99
C3i Wedge
Report Card: Independently proven by MyGolfSpy.com to be the best wedge on the market for mid-to-high handicap golfers, the C3i easily cuts through any lie in the sand or the rough without digging, and you’ll practically eliminate fat shots. And you can do it all without ever having to open up the blade. Using the technologically advanced C3i, you’ll be able to set up on every shot square and swing. It’s really that easy.
Price: $79.00
Callaway Mack Daddy 4
Report Card: Featuring Callaway’s famous groove-in-groove technology, the MD4 offers more than 80 contact points to impart maximum spin. Coming in over 21 options, nine lofts and four sole grinds, there’s a wedge for everyone.
Price: $149.99
Callaway PM Grind
Report Card: Bearing the initials of Phil Mickelson, Callaway’s PM grind features a higher toe to produce lower-launching shots. The club also features micro-grooves on a 20° angle in relation to the standard grooves to ensure better contact on open-faced lob shots.
Price: $159.99
Cleveland CBX
Report Card: Designed to be used by more modest players, the Cleveland CBX offers a cavity-back design and wider sole to limit the dreaded and embarrassing chunked wedge shot. Also incorporates a light-weight shaft to help increase swing speeds.
Price: $129.99
Cleveland RTX-4
Report Card: With extensive testing in competition by Cleveland’s Tour staff, the RTX-4 is the company’s most complete wedge offering to date. Not surprisingly, the Tour player input led to a more compact design and one that fits neatly into the full iron set.
Price: $139.99
Cobra King Black
Report Card: Most noticeable for its diamonized black metal finish, the Cobra King Black adds durability to a Tour-tested wedge. Offers a wide variety of loft, bounce and grind configurations to match every swing shape and course condition.
Price: $149.00
Cobra King MIM
Report Card: The Cobra MIM, which stands for metal injection molded, uses the unique mold to have ideal thickness and shaping controls for a specialty wedge. The MIM also adds to the uniquely soft feel of the wedge.
Price: $149.00
Indi StingRay / StingRay TT
Report Card: The Indi Golf StingRay wedges offer the best of both worlds for players of all skill levels. For those playing recreationally, the StingRay exceeds performance limits, but in the StingRay TT, you’re well within the rules to beat your buddies with exceptional spin and a much more forgiving and larger hitting area.
Price: $135.00
Mizuno S18
Report Card: What sets the S18 apart from its peers are slight variations in the differing lofts in which the boron-infused carbon steel is optimized for the ideal shot types for the different editions. Similarly, the grooves are adjusted to perform better for typical shot types of each loft.
Price: $150.00
PING Glide 2.0
Report Card: The precision-milled grooves of the Glide 2.0 are designed closer together for increased friction, leading to more control on both full and partial shots. Add to the mix the inclusion of a Dyla-wedge grip, which is longer than normal, and you’ll be hitting shots you never would try before.
Price: $140.00
Square Strike
Report Card: Finally, chipping the ball close is as easy as it looks. With the Square Strike Wedge, just use your normal, straight-back-and-through putting stroke to banish fat and thin chips from your game… and your scorecard. The Square Strike Wedge features 45° loft with the comfortable length and lie of a putter. Add the Anti-Chunk Sole and Square Path Graphics, and it’s no wonder 18-handicapper Rick Dake said, “It totally blows my mind how easy it is to use.”
Price: $79.00
TaylorMade Milled Grind / Hi-Toe
Report Card: Putting their efforts elsewhere, TaylorMade has left the sole milling to computers and concentrated on shape and function. The Hi-Toe features full-face grooves to give players the control over every type of shot they try to pull off.
Price: $149.99
Titleist Vokey Design SM7
Report Card: A staple in the wedge space, Titleist has improved the customization in the SM7’s to more accurately match and optimize shots for wedges of differing lofts. Similarly, the center of gravity on varying degrees of loft were implemented, which results in tighter dispersion patterns.
Price: $150.00
Tour Edge Exotics CBX
Report Card: A classic shape and thin top line combine with custom grinding that allows for maximum control around the greens. The Exotics CBX employs advanced groove engineering to ensure maximum spin and control.
Price: $124.99
Warrior Pro-Edge
Report Card: Featuring deep cut precision grooves and enhanced mass-transfer weighting, the Warrior Pro-Edge series of wedges leaves nothing left to chance around the greens. Add to the mix the club’s “true launch shaft,” which adds power upon release and you have a fantastic wedge option.
Price: $133.00
Wilson Staff FG Tour PMP
Report Card: The precision milled performance technology that gives the Wilson Staff FG Tour PMP its name features widened the milled HM grooves for maximum spin on full shots, while 11 laser-etched micro spin lines between each of those grooves increase spin on partial shots.
Price: $99.99
