Equipment
Spotted: Cleveland RTX 3 wedges
Cleveland’s first-generation 588 RTX (Rotex), and second-generation RTX 2.0 wedges have been among the most popular wedges for golfers and Tour players since their release. Now, a new member of the family is preparing for its industry debut — the RTX 3 wedge line — and will most certainly be in the bags of PGA Tour players in the coming weeks and months.
On the range of the FedEx St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind this week, we spotted Cleveland RTX 3 wedges. Based on the photos, there are at least three grinds; V-LG, V-MG and V-FG. As predicted by a member in the forum thread, this may mean “V-Sole Low Grind, V-Sole Mid Grind and V-Sole Full Grind.”
A Cleveland representative says that the new wedges have what’s called “feel-balancing technology,” which is an “under-the-hood” type of technology that “we feel could be revolutionary.”
It’s also confirmed that there will be three different blade finishes and one cavity-back finish. For more information, we’ll have to wait until July 25, which is the embargo for the new RTX 3 wedges.
Join the conversation about the wedges and see more photos here.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Whats in the Bag
Matthieu Pavon WITB 2024 (May)
- Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
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Equipment
Spotted: Tommy Fleetwood’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Prototype putter
Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Jack always
Jun 15, 2016 at 7:51 am
Very similar to last model very good not great
Steve S
Jun 10, 2016 at 10:04 am
Not sure why I would spend a lot for these. Don’t appear to be that much different than the previous version. Love to see actual test data that compares various wedges. Otherwise it’s all marketing hype to me. I could care less about color and finish, until someone proves to me that it affects performance. I’d use a shovel(if it were legal) if it got me close to the pin with stopping power.
DB
Sep 21, 2016 at 5:02 pm
Steve S and jack always, you don’t have to buy them if you’re happy with your current wedges, but why poo-poo on them without ever even trying it? If you bothered to read the data on these, they are in fact different from the last version, especially the sole grinds. But like I said, if you’re happy with you current setup then good for you. For those of us out here looking to upgrade or replace an old set, isn’t it OK to have new stuff to choose from? Or I guess we should all just use whatever is left on the shelves and have all the equipment mfgrs go out of business? Surely there are enough clubs in stock to keep us all playing for the next 250 years. Do you have this same opinion of car companies? You do realize they come out with a new model EVERY year, most often the same car as last year with minor “improvements” or “tweaks”? If you are not in the market for a new car, who cares? If you are, its nice to be able to get something new rather than whatever car Steve or jack are driving. I tell you what, when you are ready to get new wedges let us all know so we’ll know its OK for us to look as well.
Jim
Jun 8, 2016 at 6:53 am
They better have a 4* bounce option this time and have a blacked out color finish that doesn’t fade as fast. Then I would be sold. Already game RTX 2.0s but plan to switch to SM5 or 6 because they have a lower bounce wedge in the 58* and 60* setup.
Tim
Jun 8, 2016 at 11:33 pm
You mean something more then cheap paint that wears off within weeks?
Brown
Jun 8, 2016 at 3:26 am
WHat’s the obsession with brown colored clubs recently, everybody’s doing it, it’s weird
Cwolf
Jun 7, 2016 at 8:07 pm
I hope there is a raw finish
TheStylist
Jun 7, 2016 at 7:42 pm
Glad to see Cleveland still at it. Always been my favorite company for irons and wedges.
Tom Duckworth
Jun 7, 2016 at 5:19 pm
Love the clean look and color. Looking forward to a review.
Bert
Jun 7, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Going in my bag immediately – awesome.
Tom
Jun 7, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Hey screw in weights?
jnak97
Jun 7, 2016 at 5:42 pm
Looks like just a movement of their current dot system for grind identification.
Peter
Jun 8, 2016 at 12:20 am
its their bounce dots. 1 dot lowest bounce. 2 dots mid bounce. 3 dots highest bounce.
Jim
Jun 8, 2016 at 6:52 am
Looking closely those aren’t screws. They look like punch marks.
Matt
Jun 7, 2016 at 2:28 pm
Dig the color.
Alex
Jun 7, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Simply beautiful
Cu
Jun 7, 2016 at 1:11 pm
This game’s getting too easy. All courses should have to have 5 inch rough on all sides as standard. And in climates that doesn’t allow for grass to grow easily, they should have to have hard-as-concrete fairways and the rough totally unkept and uncut all year.
lol
Johny Thunder
Jun 7, 2016 at 11:13 pm
I agree with Jack Nicklaus – it’s far too easy now and the ball goes too far.
I would suggest making the ball square. That should protect Jack’s records and precioussss par at his courses.
Mark Moser
Jun 15, 2016 at 11:06 pm
Protect Jacks record from who?? Never has been any threat to it.
DB
Sep 21, 2016 at 5:04 pm
What does this have to do with new wedges?