Equipment

Cleveland CBX wedges, for golfers who play cavity-back irons

Published

7 years ago

Jul 31, 2017

Next time you’re at a golf course, take a look in the bag of a fellow golfer. Chances are you’ll see a set of lightweight, cavity-back irons. These are called game-improvement irons in the industry, and according to Cleveland 84 percent of golfers use them. Then look at that same golfer’s wedges. Undoubtedly, you’ll find blade wedges that are heavy and unforgiving. Why do average golfers give up forgiveness on their wedges when they deem forgiveness necessary in their irons?

Solving this conundrum is the crux of Cleveland’s new CBX wedges, which are designed to mesh better with a set of cavity-back irons than other wedges on the market, or at least better than Cleveland wedges in the past.

dea97e532e0551fd1244e641f82a7650

To accomplish this, Cleveland’s CBX wedges have a cavity-back design that utilizes perimeter weighting. Seventy-six grams of mass was removed middle of the wedges and spread to their outer edges, according to Cleveland. For golfers, that leads to greater forgiveness on shots impacted off-center, thus reducing the effect of mishits.

cdfda89ef9ff06e66595a77457e482f1

Cleveland also touts “feel-balanced technology” with its CBX wedges, which pushes center of gravity (CG) toward the toe in order to balance in the club heads versus their predecessors. In order to do this, Cleveland has a wider sole and topline on the toe section of the club, as well as a redesigned hosel that removes weight from the heel. Overall, CG has shifted 3 grams more toeward — or more toward the center — than its previous wedge.

a86b203b3d48a55ef8ac4a1e6a1186e7

In recent years, wedge makers have emphasized the importance of sole grinds in relation to turf interaction and shotmaking alike. In the CBX wedges, there is front-to-back V-Grind, as well as a heel-to-toe V-Grind (the heel portion of the sole is thinner than toe portion of the sole). The “dual” V-Grind is said to help the club glide better through the turf and prevent digging, as well as provide more versatility. In other words, it allows golfers to adjust the face and lie angle more easily to play different shots.

Screen Shot 2017-07-27 at 4.40.50 PM

As the wedges flow from gap wedge to sand wedge to lob wedge, the shapes and weights also change (see in the graphic above, provided by Cleveland). You’ll notice the lower-lofted CBX wedges have a smaller shape (they also weigh a bit less), mimicking the look and feel of short irons. The higher-lofted wedges are bigger in size and weigh slightly more, which makes them feel more like a traditional wedge. Cleveland says this progressive design will better mesh with the cavity-back or game-improvement irons that most golfers use.

18943550b6576939cea5630b68fc27de As you’d expect from a Cleveland wedge, the CBX wedges also have the company’s Rotex (RTX) groove technology. That means the faces have deep, U-shaped grooves with sharp radii, “micro-milled” grooves between each bigger groove, and laser-milling. Collectively, these features help “grab” the golf ball at impact and create additional spin.

Stock shafts in the CBX wedges are designed to be lighter than traditional after-market wedge shafts like you’d see on Tour. They include True Temper’s Dynamic Gold 115 (steel), as well as a Rotex Precision graphite wedge shaft that weighs just 90 grams.

Specs and Pricing

Screen Shot 2017-07-27 at 4.45.32 PM

Cleveland CBX wedges will hit stores on September 15, and they will sell for $129.99 apiece with steel shafts, and $139.99 each for graphite.

Discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about Cleveland’s CBX wedges.

Your Reaction?

LIKE154
LEGIT15
WOW2
LOL3
IDHT1
FLOP4
OB4
SHANK18

Related Topics:Cleveland wedges

Up Next

FootJoy is selling 2,106 pairs of all-black “Jimmy Walker HyperFlex II” shoes

Don't Miss

Spotted: Mizuno MP-18 Fli-Hi driving iron

Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

11 Comments

OB

Sep 8, 2017 at 3:56 pm

The club designers are always attempting to design out the average golfer’s swing flaws by shifting mass all over the back of the clubhead.

Look at the Ping Zing and Zing2 clubhead design and you will see the optimal mass distribution across a clubhead and the club sole.

Reply Report comment
Bob Bissonette

Aug 21, 2017 at 6:21 am

I’ve been a proponent of this concept for years. It’s about time.

Reply Report comment
BusterG

Aug 1, 2017 at 2:31 pm

Wow I love the look of these Clev wedges front and back. They are winners

Reply Report comment
Doug A

Aug 1, 2017 at 10:51 am

Doesn’t Tour Edge already have a CBX line?

Reply Report comment
Timbleking

Aug 1, 2017 at 10:10 am

Many years ago I was one of the first to demo the Ping iWedges in my country, and I really felt a difference from the very first bunker shot. Forgiving, confidence-makers, so easy to hit from any lie for any type of shot.
Those ones look like them a lot.

Reply Report comment
Philip

Jul 31, 2017 at 10:05 pm

No issue with it, but the most forgiving wedges I have ever played are my current Vokey’s – it is all in the grind/loft/bounce combo … and the golfer swinging the club that creates forgiveness – not just the club design in isolation. But I know a lot of golfers that could use some serious help with wedges so there definitely is a market for easier wedges if indeed having a cavity design helps with those tricky touchy ones around the green. Even if it is just the V-soles and the cavity is mostly marketing – every little bit helps

Reply Report comment
tom

Jul 31, 2017 at 7:08 pm

RTX3 CB wedges are great. Best “full shot” wedge I have played.

Reply Report comment
RG

Jul 31, 2017 at 4:21 pm

I play a Ping Eye 2 l wedge and two Cleveland CG16’s in 56 and 52 which are all cavity back. The great difference is in chipping and pitching. Hitting chips and pitches is sooo much easier and sooo much more precise with a cavity back wedge. Isn’t that what it’s really all about? I make my hay getting up and down and knocking it close on par 5’s. Really want to try these wedges.

Reply Report comment
Paul

Jul 31, 2017 at 9:44 am

Cleveland making cavity back wedges isn’t new, I own 4 of them already! Cleveland 588 Rotex 2.0 CB.

Now arguably they aren’t truly ‘cavity back’. The new design look like Cleveland much more aggressive with the weight distribution.

I have to say my current wedges include a 62°, and I’d be lost without it.

Make a 62° and a 64° for this set please Cleveland!

Reply Report comment
TexasSnowman

Jul 31, 2017 at 9:18 am

Makes total sense to me; always wondered why premium wedges were not offered in a cavity back design; Especially when the Ping Eye2 wedges remained so popular even with lower handicappers.

Reply Report comment
xjohnx

Jul 31, 2017 at 8:41 am

I don’t think this is a bad idea.

Reply Report comment

Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

6 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

Your Reaction?