Best Wedges: Performance
Identifying the most deserving clubs for our Hot List equipment guide requires the ability to decipher among thin lines of excellence. That’s why we commit to extensive player-testing and spend hundreds of hours meeting with manufacturer R&D teams and our academic panel of scientists to better understand the nuances that make each club special. The best performing wedges need to tackle an array of assignments and do all of them well—on full swings, around the greens and out of bunkers. Here is how 32 players evaluated wedges based on the criterion of Performance, with each club achieving a minimum of 4.5 stars.
Titleist
Vokey Design SM11
$200
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Golf Galaxy
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GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200
A new version of Titleist’s Spin Milled grooves features 5 percent more volume than the SM10 to channel away debris and retain more spin.
A new directional face texture provides increased friction and prolongs contact on the face, delivering reliable spin on short shots.
A heat treatment is applied to increase the durability of the groove edges to prolong maximum stopping power.
Additions to the line include a stronger pitching wedge at 44 degrees and a 60-degree K-grind option with 12 degrees of bounce.
The center of gravity is identical across all grinds in each loft, meaning you don’t have to compromise on your launch window for a specific grind choice.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps
SPECS: 27 options (44-60 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 4 finishes
Callaway
Opus SP
$200
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200
The two-piece design features a pocket low in the head. This concentrates mass higher in the club, raising the center of gravity for a penetrating flight and the kind of control needed to flight shots or attack tight pins.
A new 17-degree groove angle has tighter pitch spacing to promote more groove-edge contact. This produces consistent spin across a variety of lies.
The grooves and a deep cross-hatch laser pattern across the face combine to generate additional friction for maximum control.
Five grind options are available: the S, T, C, W and the new X grind that’s back by popular demand. The X grind (available in the 54-, 56-, 58- and 60-degree models) has a higher bounce for improved shot-making capability.
Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps
SPECS: 22 options (48-60 degrees), 5 sole grinds, 2 finishes
Cleveland
RTZ
$180
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$180
Cleveland used a proprietary steel alloy that features a tighter grain structure for a softer feel. It also saves six grams.
In its raw state, the alloy has the benefit of not rusting over time as other steel alloys tend to do. This preserves the look and performance of the grooves.
The ZipCore material in the hosel saves weight, some of which is repositioned low and toward the toe where golfers tend to strike the ball. The rest of the saved weight is used to make the hosel longer and wider to increase forgiveness.
A refined face-milling process for the lower lofts enhances carry-distance consistency.
The leading edge on lower-bounce models is sharper and is more rounded on higher-bounce options. This improves turf interaction based on the type of shots and the attack angles typically played with those bounces.
New sharper, tighter-spaced grooves maximize contact and channel debris for more spin, particularly on shots hit from the rough.
Top 5 in Performance from sand, low-handicaps
20 options (46-64 degrees), 4 sole grinds, 3 finishes
LA Golf
FS-26
$200
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$200
To maximize spin, these wedges use saw-cut grooves and milled-face roughness.
The wedges are forged in a multi-stage process from 1025 carbon steel to deliver the soft feel players prefer.
A hydrophobic coating repels water from the face, resulting in more consistent shots and improved performance in wet conditions.
The wedges have a plated pearl-surface finish to preserve groove integrity.
The leading-edge relief promotes crisp divots with a minimum of dig.
Top 5 in Performance on Full Swings, low- and middle-handicaps
SPECS: 9 options (48-60 degrees), 3 sole grinds, 1 finish
Ping
s259
$218
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$218
The grooves are milled and loft dependent. The 46- to 52-degree wedges maximize groove volume for better control on full shots. The 54- to 62-degreee options are tightly spaced to engage more edges on the ball.
A face blast adds friction, delivering extra spin and assisting launch.
The lower-lofted wedges have a straighter leading edge and center of gravity more in line with the center of the face to make the transition from the irons seamless. Higher lofts have extra offset to provide a comfortable look at address.
The Dylagrip has indicators that are useful for hand position, face angle and shaft lean.
Aficionados of the iconic E grind used on the Ping Eye2 wedge might welcome the use of the grind in this line but on a more conventional-looking clubhead.
Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
SPECS: 25 options (46-62 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 1 finish
PXG
Stick'em Forged
$TBD
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$TBD
Placing weight in the high-toe area improves stability and promotes a more consistent trajectory.
The cross-sectional area of the grooves is significantly larger. This allows for more displacement of grass, water and debris to give the groove edge a better chance of interacting with the cover of the ball.
The wedges are three-times forged to produce an exact geometry and pure feel.
The BP grind, named after company founder Bob Parsons, remains. It boasts a wider, fuller sole and offers the most bounce across the entire club. The wide sole will be appreciated by golfers with a steep angle of attack.
An Xtreme Dark version is available with a diamond-like carbon coating that extends the life of the club in addition to looking badass.
Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
SPECS: 10 options (50-60 degrees), 2 grinds, 2 finishes
TaylorMade
Milled Grind 5
$200
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200
TaylorMade’s latest wedge line is fully forged, a first for the Milled Grind line and a decision made as a result of its tour staff’s request for more feel.
The wedge is the first in the line to use saw-milled grooves, which were created using a new machining process that tightens tolerances and allows engineers to push groove geometry. The grooves have steeper walls and sharper edges for maximum grab—especially on partial shots.
The raw face features a tread design between the grooves to channel away moisture like a set of all-weather tires. This produces 13 percent more spin from damp conditions, according to the company.
The line has six grinds, including the TW grind based off Tiger Woods’ setup. That grind has more camber and less heel relief in the 60-degree lob wedge.
Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
SPECS: 23 options (46-60 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 2 finishes