Connect with us

Equipment

Best wedges of 2020: GolfWRX Members Choice

Published

4 years ago

on

What are the best wedges of 2020? What are players looking for? Aggressive grooves? A wealth of sole grinds? Preferred finishes? Fully forged and traditional looking or cast and featuring technology?

At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. Needless to say, that extends to GolfWRXers views on the best wedges of 2020.

Join the discussion in the forums here.

The bedrock of GolfWRX.com is the community of passionate and knowledgable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members—the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.

You can see the results for the best wedges of 2020 below, as well as quotes we pulled from GolfWRX members about the wedges from our forum.

Best wedges of 2020: The top 5

best wedges of 2020

Join the discussion in the forums here.

1. Titleist Vokey SM8

The SM8 is the biggest overhaul to Vokey wedge design since the introduction of Spin Milled grooves. For the first time ever, the 58 to 62-degree wedges have tungsten in the toe to push the center of gravity more forward and out of the head into a space beyond the face of the club to offer more control than ever before. The design tweak also creates a seven-percent higher MOI than SM7 with even greater vertical stability, too.

The Vokey Spin Milled grooves offer variable depth and width designs, depending on loft, to maximize spin. Groove tolerances continue to get pushed, and after milling and heat-treating, it’s all about being able to replicate wedge after wedge. Titleist’s philosophy to offer maximum spin for the life of the wedge, because golfers need to be able to trust their wedges will perform shot after shot, and that’s what you get with the new Vokey SM8.

Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying

  • “I’m very happy with the 54-S and 60-D. They’ll be in the bag for a long-time.” – Member Keith 723
  • “The SM8 are the best feeling wedges I’ve ever used. They are perfect.” – Member TigerFan23
  • “I picked up 50/54/58 set today. Hit them on the range and as perfect as can be expected.” – Member bvan
  • “The SM8’s are amazing. The M grind is just perfect for me. I think I’ll swap my 52F and 56S for a 54M to match my 60m. I hit the M grind so clean” – Member tw7878
  • “Best weight, shape, and feel of any wedge I’ve used. They blend perfectly wedge to wedge and into my short irons.” – GolfWRX member survey response

For more information on the Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedges, you can check out our launch piece here, and see what GolfWRX members are saying in the forums: Official Vokey SM8 Discussion.

Join the discussion in the forums here.

2. Cleveland RTX4

The RTX 4 was designed with the sole purpose of being the best possible tour-level wedge available, and it’s packed with shot-stopping technology, and grind options galore. Cleveland offers four sole grind options to help fit your swing and course conditions along with fourth-generation Rotex face technology to give you the spin you want around the green and on approach shots.

The fourth-gen Rotex face includes Cleveland’s proprietory sharper, deeper, ZIP Grooves, and more durable laser milling between the grooves to increase surface texture/roughness right to the conforming limit. Whether it be chipping, pitching, or full shot approaches, the RTX4 wedges offer all the control you could need.

Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying

  • ” I can’t say enough positive about them. I play the 50-54-58 all in mid bounce, as I play a variety of conditions. The mid bounce on the 58 is very easy to open up for the “flop” type shots. I probably only use the 50 for full swing shots. Very easy to flight to do whatever you want, and the spin is great. I play the black wedges with the S400 shaft. I liked RTX3’s, but these are even better for feel and touch.” – Member gripandrip
  • “Best wedges I’ve owned. mid bounce is very versatile. love the feel and trajectory.” – Member skuyper
  • ” I love everything about them. I definitely haven’t had any digging problems. Actually I think the turf interaction is perfect although I don’t get very steep with wedges so I really haven’t had digging problems with any wedges… I love the shape and I personally think the TI S400 is fantastic for wedges. Wish I’d thought of that years ago. And out of the sand, I’ve found it to be brilliant.” – Member tbonetw
  • “Feel is the best I’ve played. Leading-edge on the Mid grind is perfect through the turf. The improvement from the RTX-3 to RTX-4 is mind-boggling” – GolfWRX member survey response

You can read what other golfers are saying about the Cleveland RTX 4 wedges in the GolfWRX forums: Cleveland RTX4 Wedge Discussion and see our launch piece here.

Join the discussion in the forums here.

3. Callaway MD5 Jaws

Jaws is all about the grooves. Callaway’s new proprietary groove design takes the contact radius right to the limit to increase spin on all shots, including the most difficult slower speed partial shots. The key to this design involves the manufacturing process of changing the cutting tool every 15 wedges—this ensures every wedge is conforming right to the limit. The end result is the MD5 Jaws spins over 10 percent more on shots hit around the green compared to the Callaway MD4 and launches lower by one degree.

Beyond the grooves, Callaway re-evaluated the shape and profile of the MD5 Jaws, and designers decided to reshape the lower-lofted wedges from the 46-56 degrees to have a smaller profile to match better with transitioning iron sets. The last part of the shaping puzzle was to tweak sole grinds—one of the best examples of this tweaking is the new lower bounce W (Wide) sole wedge. Mr. Roger Cleveland himself was doing a lot of customizing for tour players to tweak the stock MD4 W grinds to reduce bounce and width of the soles, and after seeing this trend, the most popular tweak has now become a stock option on the MD5 Jaws.

Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying

  • “The MD5 wedge bites and spins like no other – Greens are like Velcro with this wedge.”- GolfWRX member survey response
  • ” I upgraded from previous Callaway models and the big thing for me is more spin and the additional X- and W-grind bounces! They’ve been a big help to my short game”- GolfWRX member survey response
  • “With the MD5 the weighting and setup are as classic as it gets. Tons of grind & loft options make it a fit for every type of swing, and all the finish options bring everything together”- GolfWRX member survey response
  • ” I have the 48* and 54* C grind and absolutely love them. If you used the MD4’s, they feel about the same but perform much better in my opinion. Spin seems to be much better, I had to adjust my shots to hit a little hard to get closer to the hole because they are stopping much better.” – Member jjfcpa

You can read what other golfers are saying about the Callaway MD5 JAWS wedges in the GolfWRX forums: Callaway MD5 Jaws Wedge Discussion and see our launch piece here.

Join the discussion in the forums here.

4. Mizuno T20

Just like the MP20 irons, Mizuno engineers brought an extreme CG (center of gravity) shifting philosophy, to the T20s. By relocating the CG throughout the set and changing the sweet spot height, engineers can further alter the launch and spin precisely for each loft in the series.

For spin, the T20s offer variable-width and depth Quad Cut Grooves, meaning lower-lofted wedges are more narrow and deeper, while higher lofted wedges are wider and more shallow since impact happens at lower speeds this increases spin consistency. The last part of the spin equation is the hydro flow micro grooves, a concept from the high-performance tire world where the tiny channels run perpendicular to the grooves and parallel to the direction the ball moves up the face to channel moisture away. This directional tread has proven to increase spin on shots especially in conditions with moisture up to 1,200 RPM on a 60-yard shot. You don’t have to be afraid of dewy mornings anymore with Mizuno T20’s!

Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying

  • “These are the perfect combo of looks, feel, performance, and forgiveness. Great versatility. Another great feature is the ability to mix in Eye2 grind for a specialty sand club within a wedge set.” – GolfWRX member survey response
  • “Forgiveness of a cavity back with the look of a traditional blade wedge, good feel, and great performance in wet conditions” – GolfWRX member survey response
  • “Just picked these up with the stock Z-Z115 shafts and I don’t think I’ve ever had a wedge spin as much on full and partial shots like these. More forgiving too and feel great off the face, was surprised after the fit that the stock shaft was best for me after coming from SM7s with the DG S200s. Really solid wedges” – Member agood3putt
  • “Stopping power on well-struck shots is amazing…When I miss with my wedges, it’s usually a little thin, but these comes out with more spin and stops quicker.” – Member SecondandGoal
  • “Extremely consistent yardages, when the ball is struck anywhere near the middle of the face. Great spin on half shots too” – GolfWRX member survey response

You can read what other golfers are saying about the Mizuno T20 wedges and see our launch piece here. 

Join the discussion in the forums here.

5. Ping Glide 3.0

Ping Glide 3.0 wedges leverage a multi-material construction that combines a 431 stainless steel head with a larger and softer elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP) insert. The larger CTP allows for more contact with the back of the face, resulting in activation of the elastomer at impact in a bid to produce a soft yet solid feel. The new cavity design also expands perimeter weighting to increase the MOI and position the center of gravity higher in order to provide lower-launching and higher-spinning trajectories.

The Glide 3.0 wedges also feature wheel-cut grooves for a sharper edge radius, which is designed to increase interaction with the ball at impact—resulting in more friction for maximum spin and trajectory control. And who doesn’t want more control with their wedges?

Here’s what GolfWRX members are saying

  • “These are the perfect combo of looks, feel, performance, and forgiveness. Great versatility. Another great feature is the ability to mix in Eye2 grind for a specialty sand club within a wedge set.” – GolfWRX member survey response
  • “Forgiveness of a cavity back with the look of a traditional blade wedge, good feel, and great performance in wet conditions” – GolfWRX member survey response
  • “Just picked these up with the stock Z-Z115 shafts and I don’t think I’ve ever had a wedge spin as much on full and partial shots like these. More forgiving too and feel great off the face, was surprised after the fit that the stock shaft was best for me after coming from SM7s with the DG S200s. Really solid wedges” – Member agood3putt
  • “Stopping power on well-struck shots is amazing…When I miss with my wedges, it’s usually a little thin, but these comes out with more spin and stops quicker.” – Member SecondandGoal
  • “Extremely consistent yardages, when the ball is struck anywhere near the middle of the face. Great spin on half shots too” – GolfWRX member survey response

You can also read what other golfers are saying about the Ping Glide 3.0 wedges in the GolfWRX forums: Ping Glide 3.0 Official discussion and check out our launch piece here.

best-wedges-of-2020-golfwrx-

Rounding out the top 15 wedges

  • TaylorMade MG2
  • Cleveland CBX4
  • TaylorMade High Toe
  • Miura Tour Wedge
  • Ping Glide Forged
  • Cobra King MIM Forged
  • Bettinardi HLX 3.0
  • Hogan Equalizer
  • Honma TW W4
  • Wilson Staff

Join the discussion in the forums here.

Ongoing Members Choice Polls: Have your say!

We’re still looking for your feedback on the “best” items in several other categories, so head to the GolfWRX forums to have your say!

Check out the polls in the GolfWRX forums!

Join the discussion in the forums here.

Your Reaction?
  • 156
  • LEGIT12
  • WOW5
  • LOL3
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP6
  • OB2
  • SHANK33

Related Topics:

We share your golf passion. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX, Facebook and Instagram.

Equipment

Best irons in golf of 2024: The shotmakers

Published

8 mins ago

on

Apr 10, 2024

By

In our effort to assemble the 2024 best irons, we have again compiled an expert panel of fitters to help you find out which of the 2024 irons is best for your game.

Ultimately the best way to find your personal best iron set is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.

We are in the era of not just maximizing distance but also minimizing the penalty of common misses for each player — this applies to irons just as much as it does with any other club in the bag. And of course, proper set makeup and gapping is essential. This is why, now more than ever, custom fitting is essential to help you see results on every swing you make.

We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you by offering recommendations for your individual iron set wants and needs with insight and feedback from the people who work every single day to help golfers get peak performance out of their equipment.

Best irons of 2024: The process

The best fitters in the world see all the options available in the marketplace, analyze their performance traits, and pull from that internal database of knowledge and experience like a supercomputer when they are working with a golfer.

It’s essentially a huge decision tree derived from experience and boiled down to a starting point of options—and it has nothing to do with a handicap!

Modern iron sets are designed into player categories that overlap the outdated “what’s your handicap?” model, and at GolfWRX we believe it was important to go beyond handicap and ask specific questions about the most crucial performance elements fitters are looking at.

These are the best iron categories we have developed to help you determine which category is most important for your swing and game.

Best irons of 2024: The categories

2024 Best irons: The shotmakers

Each one of these irons was designed with a single purpose: to provide the ultimate shotmaking weapon. You don’t have to be a tour player to appreciate the pleasure of hitting a well-struck shot with a club engineered to offer superior feedback. This category is all about control — and that doesn’t mean it “has to be a blade.”

Titleist T100

Their story: The “players iron” of the new T-Series family, the T100 iron features an all-new Tour-designed sole, which was inspired by discussions with both the tour staff and the Vokey wedge design team. It features a new variable bounce sole design, which provides less bounce in the heel and more bounce in the toe to facilitate better turf interaction and improved feel.

Fitter comments:

  • “More tech than blades but just as workable. It’s why it gets play on tour. Not a lot of offset and fairly traditional lofts as these want to create some spin for maintaining a steep enough landing.”
  • “Number one played iron on tour. It definitely gets the love it deserves for sure…especially from a turf interaction standpoint. It definitely gets to the turf nice and quick compared to some of the previous generations.”
  • “Incredible feel and feedback while offering a good amount of forgiveness in this category. Can play it from any lie and hit any shot…one of the most played irons on tour for a reason.”
  • “It has good feel. It’s really forgiving for that compact-looking head. It’s got a great sole on it that works really well. It’s got weaker loft, and so therefore it’s going to spin more. It’s really good for the guy with a lot of speed, because it’s not going to jump and go all over the place.”
  • “It’s always been one to throw in the mix for that player who comes in looking for a players iron but not quite a blade. They’ve just slowly kind of kept working on that, that product that’s been in their cycle for a while. I don’t want to say it’s kind of gold standard-like, but that’s definitely one that’s going to be in the mix.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Srixon ZX7 Mk II

Their story: The players iron ZX7 Mk II features PureFrame: an 80-percent thicker portion of 1020 carbon steel forged behind the sweet spot in the body of the iron for soft-yet-solid-feeling impact. Also significant to the design: A refined Tour V.T. Sole Proprietary sole widths, bounce angles, and notches in the heel and toe of the club aid clean contact from a variety of lies.

Fitter comments:

  • “What I love about that is for that guy that hits it, like square on the face of the golf club. It’s, this is the way I kind of explain to customers and they hit it like, it’s not gonna be the longest. It’s probably not gonna be the straightest, but you will hit seven iron in the exact same distance every time you hit it. And, and I think that’s the appeals to that better player because like very rarely do.”
  • “I’m a personal fan of it. No hot face. No jumpers, does a great job of controlling the spec which we like a lot…quite forgiving. That’s a, that’s a, that’s a major player in that category.”
  • “I mean, two of the five fitters out here play them. I mean, they’re awesome, like they’re still, you know, a small compact players iron, but you still get a lot of help and forgiveness out of them, which I like. You see a lot of these on tour that are non, you know, non-contract guys playing them.”
  • “They did a really good job of not screwing up a good thing. ZX7 was fantastic. It seemed like 50 percent of the non-contract guys in pro golf played that iron. It continues to give very consistent numbers. The better player wants a consistent number. They need to know it’s going to go that distance. This club does that very well.”
  • “Srixon has been the “sleeper” iron company for a number of years now, but I think the secret is out. The ZX7 Mk II fit many different player types, from tour pro to mid-handicapper. The forging is very soft and forgiving, and the iron is very workable for the player with more ability. They didn’t change the shape from ZX7 to Mk II, and I think that’s a great thing.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Callaway Apex CB

Their story: Callaway touts an all-new forged construction in its 2024 Apex CB irons and its associated feel and workability. Forged from 1025 carbon steel in a five-step process, Apex CB ‘24 irons also feature MIM weighting in the toe and similar progressive CG and Dynamic Sole Design to the Apex MB irons.

Fitter comments:

  • “Excellent offering. Clean and easy to aim. Always a great iron.”
  • “Yeah, from my understanding, TCB, like that was kind of its replacement. and TCB was not easy to hit, in my opinion. I find that the guys are hitting it. It’s actually, it’s pretty forgiving for what it is. Guys that are looking for more of that just kind of solid piece, they don’t want to get any of that hollow stuff.”
  • “I really like it. I think it’s a great club. It’s a little, a little above my pay grade in terms of skill, but a really good feeling club. It seems like it’s a good iron all around for that player who, you know, is looking for that CB or that better-player type club.”
  • “I think for that guy who wants something that feels good, that CB just feels fantastic and for how dinky and tiny that thing is, I think it’s not unforgiving. And it just kind of checks all the boxes from a look, sound and feel standpoint. It’s definitely a really good, really good iron for sure.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Mizuno Pro 243

Their story: 4- through 7-irons are Grain Glow Forged HD from a single billet of 4120 Chromoly steel, while 8-GW are forged from 1024 Elite Mild Carbon steel. 4 through 7 irons feature a Flow Microslot for faster ball speeds and increased launch (thanks to more rebound area. The soles of the 243 irons are equipped with a Wrap Around Sole Grind for better turf interaction as well as increased bounce angle. The Soft Copper Underlay is again present as is the Full Satin Brush finish.

Fitter comments:

  • “Amazing forgiveness and workability in this category. The turf interaction is awesome for those who draw and fade the ball.”
  • “Best looking of the shot-making irons.”
  • “Minor refinements from the last one. And for the category of iron, it’s pretty forgiving. They cleaned up the cosmetics a little bit. I mean, it’s a really, really, really good iron for sure.”
  • “Mizuno, the, the 243, you know, that’s another great one. Forged one-piece golf club that’s super solid — no jumpers, Very similar to the ZX 7 but looks better.”
  • “That one continues to be kind of like a unicorn in this category because I like the ball speed…Like almost to the guy, we get more ball speed with that thing.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Ping Blueprint S

Their story: Developed after extensive testing with top Ping professionals, the Blueprint S features a forged cavity-back design, influenced by Ping’s existing “S” series irons. The compact shape, thin top line, and minimal offset make it visually appealing to forged club/blade enthusiasts. The forged 8620 carbon steel head has a clean cavity design with a textured pattern and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish. Precision-milled grooves and a high-density toe screw enable swingweight fine-tuning.

Fitter comments:

  • “These things are pretty looking. The reduced offset and thinner topline makes this look like a blade, but you get the help and forgiveness. These are fast through the turf and are super easy to work.”
  • “The performance of the iron, it’s great. It’s a rare forged iron from Ping. It looks good. It’s very forgiving. It’s probably the best-performing iron in its category. We’ve been getting a lot of people asking about it. We’ve seen some guys pair it with a blueprint T, a little bit. It looks really good. It’s their best looking one by far.”
  • “I’m a big fan of that iron. I was little surprised by it. I thought it was going to be kind of intimidating from all the tour use and then getting it out on the course. It’s actually a pretty playable iron. It’s been the winner in that category for us.”
  • “What you’ve got is a forged golf club that’s designed by Ping where, you know, they’re always going to the performance first and look and feel second and now you’ve got something that’s got the look and feel that a lot of good players want to feel and great performance.”
  • “I think it’s something that they needed to fill that niche for that forged kind of guy that’s more compact without going into like the old blueprint or the Blueprint T…super tiny blade.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Best irons of 2024: Meet the fitters

RELATED: Best driver 2024

Your Reaction?
  • 0
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

Equipment

Masters gear roundup: Limited-edition bags, balls, and more

Published

20 hours ago

on

Apr 9, 2024

By

The Masters in itself is a huge tradition in the world of golf, but it also brings its own traditions with it. One of the big ones for us golf equipment fans is the limited edition gear that is influenced by the season’s first major championship.

Around tournament time, companies big and small offer bags, balls, and accessories that are designed with the colors and history of the Masters Tournament.

Here is some of the gear that we will see this weekend out on the lush, green grass of Augusta.

Callaway

The land Augusta National sits on was once a nursery. Callaway looks to be celebrating that history this year. Colorful flowers are used all over the side panels on the staff bag and on top of the headcovers. Callaway also did some limited edition Chrome Tour golf balls with azalea patterns.

Mizuno

There might not be a green bag here for Mizuno, but they know how to celebrate the Masters! This year, Mizuno is offering Mizuno Pro 241 “Azalea” irons to a limited number of lucky customers. A new green iridescent finish is applied to the heads and some beautiful colored ferrules bring some floral color to the irons. If you are lucky enough to grab a set, you will be impressed by the green display box the irons come in as well!

TaylorMade

This year’s staff bag goes a little heavier on a metallic green color to pay homage to the first major of the year. If you look closely at the details, you will notice shiny gold accent pieces, a small Amen Corner, and an inner lining with Georgia peaches. The headcovers are made from matching metallic green fabric and feature “88th” embroidery for the number of Masters tournaments that have been played. TaylorMade’s TP5x Pix golf balls come in a case that looks, and feels, like a peach!

Srixon

Srixon’s bag for the 2024 Masters goes heavy on green and white with a more simple and classic design on the outside. When you unzip the pockets you will treated to a hidden inner lining that has Georgia’s state fruit, the peach, printed all over. Heck, Srixon even included the pit! Headcovers are matching white and green but have a look that reminds you of the iconic Masters scoreboard.

Your Reaction?
  • 7
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW1
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK3

Continue Reading

Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Tiger Woods’ winning WITB, 2019 Masters

Published

22 hours ago

on

Apr 9, 2024

By

At the 2019 Masters, Tiger Woods famously ended an 11-year major championship drought. When Francesco Molinari faltered during the final round, Woods pounced. With a Sunday 70, he captured his fifth green jacket and 15th major championship.

Check out what Tiger had in the bag below.

Driver: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White 60 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade M5 (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White 70 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White 80 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7TW (3-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind Raw (56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS

Ball: Bridgestone TourB XS

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

 

Your Reaction?
  • 3
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Whats in the Bag22 hours ago

WITB Time Machine: Tiger Woods’ winning WITB, 2019 Masters

At the 2019 Masters, Tiger Woods famously ended an 11-year major championship drought. When Francesco Molinari faltered during the final...
Whats in the Bag3 days ago

Denny McCarthy WITB 2024 (April)

Denny McCarthy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Valero Texas Open. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, C1 SureFit...
Whats in the Bag3 days ago

Akshay Bhatia’s winning WITB: 2024 Valero Texas Open

Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe) Buy here. Shaft:...
Whats in the Bag5 days ago

Michael S. Kim WITB 2024 (April)

Michael S. Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the Valero Texas Open. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, B1...

Facebook

Trending