2015 wedges from Titleist, Callaway and Ping (above)
offer versatility and spin control
The simple truth is, it’s hard to hit a
high percentage of greens. Acclaimed
statistician Mark Broadie, in his book
Every Shot Counts, analyzed
hundreds of thousands of shots and found that
even scratch golfers miss the green 50
percent of the time on average.
So it goes without saying that solid, all-around
wedge play is one of the most
important factors for shooting lower scores.
For golf equipment companies, the process of
designing a quality wedge isn’t just about spin;
more than ever, it’s about versatility - full
shots and pitches, picking a ball clean from a
tight lie or escaping from the rough, playing
the ball back or forward, setting up open-
faced or square. The wedges featured in this
article can handle any challenge you throw at
them. And of course they offer plenty of spin.
Titleist SM5 Wedges
Master craftsman Bob Vokey has the
largest performance lab in the industry - it’s
called the PGA Tour. Since 2004, wedges
designed by Vokey have been the most
popular on tour and are trusted by golfers at
every competitive level. Quality and
consistency get you there. Innovation keeps
you there.
For starters, the SM5 wedges from
Titleist feature deeper TX3 grooves that
produce even more spin and better trajectory
control than in year’s past. But rather making
the groove volume consistent across different
lofts, Titleist re-engineered the spacing on
lower lofts to provide better distance
management. Wider and deeper scorelines on
the higher lofts are meant to provide
additional spin. All SM5 wedges are finished
with a high frequency face treatment to
increase their durability and spin retention
round after round.
 |
Titleist
SM5 wedges in Tour Chrome, Gold Nickel and
Raw Black finishes |
Compared to the SM4 lineup, the new
wedges have a more compact profile, a
rounder toe and shorter blade length,
incorporating feedback Vokey and his team
received from their tour staff. SM5 wedges
are available in three finishes: Tour Chrome,
Gold Nickel and Raw Black. With 21 loft and
bounce configurations, as well as six different
sole grinds, Titleist has arguably one of the
most extensive selection of wedges in the
industry. If you can’t find a Titleist wedge that
fits your game, chances are you won’t find it
anywhere.
 |
(Left to
right) Comparing a 54-degree S Grind and 54-
degree M Grind wedge from Titlelist
|
Titleist SM5 wedges come stock with a
True Temper Dynamic Gold S200 shaft and a
Golf Pride BV Wings Tour Velvet Grip.
Callaway Mack Daddy 2
Wedges
Like Titleist and so many other
equipment companies spotlighted in this
article, Callaway continues to devote
substantial resources in an effort to achieve
higher spin rates on their wedges. Looking
back on the USGA’s 2011 groove rule which
put limits on groove volume and edge
sharpness, all it did was open up pandora’s
box for golf’s leading engineers. To bring
some bite back into their lineup, Callaway
uses a laser-milled groove pattern on all Mack Daddy 2 wedges
to rough up the surface texture for increased
spin. Callaway’s Mack Daddy 2 wedges have
two distinct groove volumes. Lower lofted
clubs (47, 50, 52, and 54-degree models) are
outfitted with 20V grooves for less spin. The
higher-lofted wedges use the company’s 5V
grooves which provide 25 percent more spin
on full shots out of the rough compared to a
2011 Callaway Forged Wedge.
 |
Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour
Grind wedges are available in two
finishes |
In addition to enhanced spin rates, the
Mack Daddy 2 wedges offer some compelling
sole grind options. The three standard
specifications (s, c, and u-grind) have been
around since 2013 giving golfers a choice of
using a wedge with either a flatter leading
edge (suitable for playing shots with a
relatively square face) or a more rounded
design for playing softer-landing shots.
 |
Callaway Mack Daddy 2
wedges feature a high performance groove
pattern |
Separately, Callaway released what they
call their tour-grind wedges modeled after
sole grinds preferred by players such as Pat
Perez, Patrick Reed, Danny Lee, Freddie
Jacobson and other tour staffers. The T-Grind
wedges are notable for their heel/toe relief
and straighter leading edge. The geometry of
the sole, says Callaway’s Roger Cleveland,
allows the leading edge to stay under the ball,
letting players hit a variety of shots from
either a closed or open-faced position.
Both the standard-edition and tour-grind
Mack Daddy 2 wedges come in two finishes:
chrome and slate. True Temper’s Dynamic
Gold S300 shaft is standard on both models.
Ping Glide Wedges
To appreciate how successful the new
Glide wedges from Ping are, consider the
following information: Ping engineers
redesigned these wedges from the grip down;
they bare no resemblance to company’s pre-
existing Tour wedges save for the Gorge
grooves. And as for the response, staff
players such as Billy Horschel, Hunter Mahan
and Bubba Watson put prototypes in play last
October. A Ping representative I spoke to at
the PGA Show in January confirmed that a
significant number of staffers have already
replaced their old set makeup with Glide
wedges.
Personally, I think versatility is the
defining characteristic of the new Glide
wedges. Then again, somebody else
might easily argue that these wedges are
among the best spinning in the industry. It’s
probably both, and here’s why.
 |
Ping
Glide wedges have been re-engineered from
the grip down |
The Glide wedges come in three sole
grind models (thin to wide) and are available
in 13 total loft / sole combinations so there’s
bound to be a set of wedges that best fit a
golfer based on his or her technique. When
properly fit these wedges have been described
as being able to glide through sand or grass.
The compact head shape and softer leading
edge help prevent digging.
 |
Three
different sole grinds make the new Ping Glide
wedges highly versatile |
To help golfers improve their creativity
and performance around the greens, Ping
outfitted these wedges with a proprietary grip
that is 3/4 inch longer than standard. The new
grip encourages players to grip down for
better control and to produce a lower
trajectory. There’s also three distinct thumb
markings that aid in developing consistent
hand placement.
When it comes to spin Ping engineers
optimized the groove placement, varying the
radius and sidewall angles. A 16-degree
sidewall in lower lofts maximizes volume on
full shots. The grooves on the company’s 56 to
60-degree models have steeper sidewalls and
a tighter radius to add more bite to chips and
pitches. Each Glide wedge uses a smooth
chrome-plated finish that’s technologically-
engineered to be moisture-repellent and is
said to increase spin by as much as 30
percent in damp conditions.
Ping Glide wedges come equipped with a
CFS wedge shaft. A TFC 4191 shaft (SR, R, S)
is also available.
Callaway Mack Daddy PM Grind Wedge
Callaway’s Mack Daddy PM Grind wedge is a joint collaboration between Phil Mickelson
and wedge maker Roger
Cleveland on a design that makes short work of the toughest shots around the green.
This specialty wedge allows
both tour players and amateurs to be ultra-aggressive from sand, tight lies and deep
rough. Putting three of these
wedges into his bag at The Masters, Mickelson showcased an array of specialty shots at
Augusta on his way to a tie
for second place.
|
The Mack Daddy PM-Grind wedge has a unique shape
to help your
short game |
To create the PM Grind wedge, Mickelson and Cleveland took a Mack Daddy 2 wedge
and grinded out a high toe
shape for more surface area than a typical wedge, with 39% more groove area extends
all the way across the face.
As for the sole, the club uses a modified version of the existing U-Grind that many tour
players, including Mickelson,
tend to favor. If you’re the type of golfer who finds open-faced shots challenging, the
Mack Daddy PM Grind will let
you accelerate through the ball with absolute confidence. Read more about this unique
wedge here.
TaylorMade Tour Preferred
Wedges
The Tour Preferred wedge from
TaylorMade features a classically-designed
shape that better players tend to prefer. Two
sole grinds are available: both the standard
C-grind and ATV grind have
generous heel relief and a slight progressive
camber in higher lofts. The ATV grind offers a
little more variation and exposes the bounce a
little better on open-faced shots.
|
TaylorMade's Tour Preferred
wedge features a traditionally-inspired
design |
The Tour Preferred wedge (both grind
models) benefits from a soft 304 stainless
steel construction and raw satin finish.
Microtexture on the face increases spin on the
milled grooves. If there’s one knock on these
wedges it’s that they only come in a single
finish whereas most companies offer wedges
in two or three styles.
 |
TaylorMade's Tour Preferred
wedge comes in two sole grinds with generous
heel relief |
Golfers who end up purchasing
TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred wedges will
ultimately respond to the traditional design
which will remind them of classic wedges
they’ve played in the past. To increase the
versatility of these wedges, TaylorMade used
a square leading edge on lower lofts and a
more rounded one on higher lofts for better
performance on open-faced shots.
The Tour Preferred wedge comes stock
with a KBS Tour V shaft and Golf Pride’s Tour
Velvet grip.
TaylorMade Tour Preferred
EF Wedges
Legendary club maker Clay Long and TaylorMade engineers spent over a year
developing the Tour Preferred EF wedge which combines industry-first technological
advancements in a tour-validated design.
 |
TaylorMade's Tour Preferred EF wedge
combines classic looks with
high spin grooves. |
Using a process that ionizes nickel and cobalt in an electrolytic solution, TaylorMade is
able to produce consistent groove sharpness that delivers high-spin performance over
and above any other wedge they’ve designed in the past. The ultra-thin face insert that
is derived from this chemical process is made from nickel cobalt, a material that’s 50
percent harder than Carbon steel. To preserve a softer feel on the Tour Preferred EF
wedge, TaylorMade combined the face insert with a head forged from 1025 Carbon
steel.
The Tour Preferred EF wedge is available in two sole options - the popular Tour grind
and the versatile ATV grind. The wedge comes stock with a KBS Tour shaft and is
polished in a glare-reducing dark smoke PVD finish. Click here to read more about this high performance wedge.
Nike Engage Wedges
Nike has a way of doing something that
makes you scratch your head initially, but
somehow it eventually makes sense and you
wonder why other companies didn’t think of it
first. Look no further than the company’s Toe
Sweep sole grind wedge which made a
splashy debut a year ago in the hands of Rory
McIlroy, who used it to chop out of the rough
at Wentworth and win the BMW PGA
Championship, setting up a huge season.
The Toe Sweep is back this year. It’s
one of three sole grinds available on Nike’s Engage wedges which,
as you might ascertain, benefited from
McIlroy’s hands-on input. The Engage wedge
features a very sleek, ultra-modern head
design. Based on player feedback, Nike
engineers chose to produce the wedges in a
raw finish instead of chrome-plating which
helps reduce glare and will roughen over time.
 |
The
ultra-modern looking Nike Engage
wedges |
The Nike Engage wedge has a couple of
notable similarities to the company’s Vapor
irons. The new wedges are precision-milled
with X3X grooves to deliver maximum spin on
full shots. Engineers also adjusted the CG
location, moving it closer to the center of the
face to promote stability and consistent turf
interaction.
 |
A close
up of Nike's new Dual Sole Engage
wedge |
As mentioned earlier, three sole grinds
ensure the Engage wedge performs in a
variety of conditions. The Dual Sole offers two
surfaces - one for playing square-faced shots,
the other for when the clubface is open. The
Toe Sweep has a wide toe area and a narrow
heel which helps prevent the club from digging
out of deep rough. Nike’s Square Sole grind
will end up being the most popular choice for
golfers who play mostly square-faced shots
around the greens.
The Engage wedge comes stock with
True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shaft and a
Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip.
Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0
Wedges
Cleveland’s 588 RTX 2.0 comes in both
cavity back and blade design. While the two
models may differ in regards to forgiveness
they have many similarities between them.
Each 588 RTX 2.0 wedge
delivers maximum spin based on Cleveland’s
ability to offer multiple layers of surface
roughness to the space between grooves. A
circular, Rotex milling pattern is initially
applied to the face of the club. Zip Grooves,
now in their fourth generation, are then
added. They feature steeper sidewalls and a
sharper radius than in previous versions. As a
last step, Cleveland engineers apply a laser-
milling coating that increases groove
roughness within the USGA limit to maximize
spin on pitch and chip shots.
 |
Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 wedges
in multiple finishes |
The new wedges are available in three
sole grinds, from narrow to wide. The
narrowest grind (1 Dot) has the lowest
effective bounce, allowing the wedge to be
played from even the tightest of lies. On the
other end of the spectrum, Cleveland’s 3 Dot
sole grind is ideal for players who have a
steep attack angle and / or play shots from
softer turf conditions.
 |
An up-
close view of the complex milling pattern
found on every 588 RTX 2.0 wedge
|
The 588 RTX 2.0 wedge has two
standard shaft offerings. Players can purchase
a wedge equipped with either a 90-gram
Rotex graphite wedge shaft or use a True
Temper Dynamic Gold wedge shaft.
Cleveland’s wedges come in two finishes:
chrome (light) or Tour Satin (dark).
Mizuno MP-T5 Wedges
Mizuno doesn’t have the largest staff
presence on tour, but that’s alright when one
of those players, Luke Donald, became the
number one player in the world a few years
back based on his ability to stick it close with
short irons and wedges. You can bet his
fingerprints are all over Mizuno’s MP-T5 wedge line which
features an unprecedented 25 combinations of
loft and bounce, along with five grinds.
|
Mizuno
MP-T5 wedge in black ion |
You’ll definitely need the help of a fitter
to find the right combination of loft, bounce
and grind to match your game, but players
who are familiar with Mizuno‘s much-
acclaimed iron line will have plenty to like
about these wedges. The MP-T5 wedges are
forged from a single billet of 1025E carbon
steel for a soft, solid and consistent feel.
Mizuno’s CNC-milled Quad Cut grooves are
narrower and deeper from 49 to 53-degrees
while a wider, shallower configuration is used
in higher lofts for tighter control and
additional spin.
 |
Mizuno
MP-T5 wedges feature a refined, teardrop
profile |
The MP-T5 wedge comes in two finishes:
white satin and black ion. The stock shaft is
True Temper’s Dynamic Gold wedge flex. A
vast array of custom shafts are offered at no
up-charge.
Bridgestone J15 Wedges
Bridgestone’s new J15 wedges use three main
technologies - a Sure Contact Sole, Pro
Groove Design and
Durable Heat Treatment - to increase both the spin
and versatility of their clubs.
|
Bridgestone's
new J15 wedges are forged from premium
carbon steel for
pure performance |
Unlike a number of companies who typically
hand-grind their soles, Bridgestone
designed the Sure Contact
Sole directly within the forging process itself so as to
ensure that the heal geometry is
consistent from wedge to
wedge. The sole features a generously shaved area
around the heel that lets you play this
wedge with confidence
from various lies with either a square or open-faced
position.
 |
Bridgestone's
J15 wedges are available in two finishes -
satin and black
oxide |
With its Pro Groove Design, Bridgestone
increased the surface area to help channel dirt,
water and debris
away from the face for cleaner contact. The
company also machine-milled the faces of their
wedges to increase
surface roughness for added spin.
Lastly, the J15 wedges have been blasted with
a durable heat treatment process to
enhance their durability
during frequent use. The new wedges will be
available in two finishes - black oxide and satin -
in lofts from 50 to
60 degrees. True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Spinner
shaft will come stock. Additional shaft
options will be available.
Bettinardi H2 Wedges
Better known for their premium line of
milled putters, Bettinardi recently unveiled
their finely-crafted, forged H2 wedges
designed for players at all skill levels.
 |
Bettinardi H2 wedges offer
exceptional spin, pure feel and classic
looks |
The H2 wedges are
designed with a unique milling pattern which
provides enhanced contact in both wet and dry
conditions. These wedges use a classic C-grind
sole which allows the leading edge to rest on
the ground longer, effectively reducing bounce
on open-faced shots.
 |
Bettinardi's unique milling
process cuts grooves that perform in both wet
and dry conditions |
Bettinardi’s H2 wedges are available in
five loft / bounce combinations. Custom
adjustments to the loft and lie can be made in
1-degree increments. The wedges come in
either a satin nickel finish or cashmere
bronze. Three shafts are standard: KBS Hi
Rev, True Temper’s DG Spinner and DG S200
models.
Ben Hogan TK15
Wedges
For many golfers, it might be a surprise
to see the name Ben Hogan in this list in
the first place. Word to the wise, you better
get used to it cause precision is back as the
recently-revitalized company is apt to say.
The new TK15 wedges are
forged from 1025 carbon steel and offer the
soft feel and performance expected from
players familiar with Hogan’s exacting
standards. These wedges are designed to
seamlessly integrate with the company’s
irons, ensuring optimal gapping across the
set.
|
Ben
Hogan TK15 wedges are forged from carbon
steel for exceptional feel and
performance |
The TK15 wedges features a V Sole
design in which an aggressive leading edge
bounce blends to a decreasing trailing edge
bounce giving golfers better control over their
ball flight and more predictable results from
any kind of lie.
 |
The
TK15 uses a precise milling process that
meets the exacting standards of a Hogan
wedge |
The new wedges are available in 1-
degree increments from 48 to 63 degrees.
Multiple shaft and grip combinations are being
offered as part of the custom-built experience.