MEMBER REVIEWS: Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Wedges! See What Members Are Saying!

[GolfWRX_Official]

Five of our members are testing out Cleveland's RTX 6 ZipCore Wedges. Now with HydraZip technology, the RTX6 Wedge uses dynamic face blasts and laser lines to maximize friction in design for improved spin consistency in dry and wet conditions. Per Cleveland, R&D testing showed 43% more spin in wet conditions with the RTX 6 ZipCore than the previous generation. The members below will be reporting back to the community about the things that they have noticed while testing this product. Please feel free to ask any questions that you might have, as the testers will be happy to answer them!
 

The testers are:

@Railroading13

@jd8102

@ScooterMcTavish

@grochol17

@GungHoGolf

 

Learn more about the Cleveland Golf RTX6 ZipCore Wedges here.

 

Thank you to Cleveland Golf for putting on this testing event for our members!

[golfinbrad]

Congrats!!!!  Great opportunity.  Can't wait to hear the reviews.

[grochol17]

Thanks to Cleveland Golf and GolfWRX for putting on this member testing and thanks to the random number generator that picked my entry!

 

The wedges were delivered on Tuesday afternoon and I happened to have a tee time Wednesday morning at Blue Mash GC in Olney, MD so the timing was convenient.  

 

First, a bit about my wedges... my first specialty wedge was a chrome Cleveland 588 60* way back in jr high or high school.  I played a pair of gunmetal 588s (53* and 60*) for quite a while, up until about 2008 or so when I switched over to Vokey Spin Milled CC 53* and 58*.  I've always used the set pitching wedge because, unlike lots of other people on here, I've liked the look of my various mizuno PWs and they've performed well for me.  My current wedge set up is an MP 5 PW (@ 47*), Vokey Spin Milled CC 54.14 (bent to 53*), and SM8 58D. 

 

For this trial you can see the three wedges I picked in the photo below (all are at my normal length and lie angle specs).  I've long used wedges in different finishes due a couple of instances of flying the green because I thought I was hitting my 60, but had accidentally grabbed my 53. 

 

 

 

First impressions are that I really like the look of all of the finishes.  Out of the box the raw looks like a slightly darker version of the satin.  I'll be curious to see how it ages.  Below is a picture of the faces that I took on my back deck (the photo in the full sun at the course is washed out).  The black is on the left, raw in the middle, and satin on the right.

 

 

And here are some photos of the wedges compared to my current wedges... RTX6 48 Satin (left) vs my MP 5 PW:

 

 

RTX6 54 Raw (left) vs my Spin Milled CC in black nickel:

 

 

and finally the RTX6 58 black vs my SM8 58:

 

 

In terms of shaping, I like the look of the 48 and 54.  The 58 looks odd to me... I think I'm used to the slightly straighter leading edge of the SM8 and it seems like the hitting area on the RTX6 being a different color is almost highlighting the rounded leading edge to my eye. 

 

As for performance, I started out hitting just a few balls on the range with each of the RTX6s and the club moving through the turf felt normal to me.  Which isn't surprising because, to my eye, the soles of the 54 and 58 look almost identical to my Vokeys.  The 48 is a fraction of an inch wider than my MP 5 with a few degrees more bounce, but I didn't feel any obvious difference in performance.

 

Next I spent some time on the chipping green alternating between my gamers and the RTX6s.  My stock chip is a hands forward, ball back, bump and run type shot that I'll hit with any of my three wedges depending on the distance and lie.  The grass had a little bit of dew, perfect to test the new groove design and finish on the Clevelands.  For reference, my SM8 58 has about a season of light use on it, the SM CC 54 has about a half season of light use, and my PW has seen a lot of play since I bought it in 2016 or so.  To my eye, the RTX6s were giving me enough more spin on my chip shots that I could see the logo on the ball spinning faster.  They were also checking up faster on the greens.  I probably hit 10 shots with each of the six wedges, alternating between my gamers and the Clevelands, and the results were consistent with the RTX6s appearing to spin more and not rolling out as much.  I didn't have time to do any more testing before heading to the course. 

 

On course I was playing with a couple of other people so I wasn't able to do any comparisons between my new and old wedges... I decided to just play with the RTX6s even though I'd barely spent any time getting used to them.  Early on I hit a few pitches with the 58* that came up short, but I'm not sure if that was due to spin or the ball coming out of the rough a bit softer than I was expecting.  On my first full swing with the 54 I almost holed it from 104 on #5.  The ball landed about 6 inches from the hole and stopped two feet past.  Since it is a raised green I have no idea if it one hopped and stopped or if it spun back at all.  Plus, the greens were aerated and sandy, so maybe not ideal for judging the reaction of an approach shot.  I hit nice chips to short range on 6 (48*), 7 (58*), and 10 (54*).  On 14 I hit a flighted 48* from the fairway from about 110y (my normal is 125y) that took one hop and stopped about 10 feet left of the hole.  On 18 I used the 58 from about 50y (my normal is 85y) and caught it a little bit heavy... but even though it was a half swing that I didn't catch cleanly it still finished just a yard past the ball mark.  So I was definitely getting plenty of spin on all of my shots.  I only hit one bad shot with one of the wedges... I laid the sod over the ball with the 58* from about 80y on 10.  But then got up and down from just short of the green with the 54*

 

Last thing to mention at the moment is that the wedges came with the stock grip, which is a Lamkin Crossline 360.  I like the feel of the grip, but my hands can get sweaty so I play UTX cords in my wedges for the added grip, especially because I like to hit my short game shots without a glove.  I didn't want to switch out the grips without giving them a try first, but I'm going to pull the crosslines and put on my usual UTXs before my next round of testing.

 

My overall impression is that I could easily put the 48 and 54 into the bag immediately.  They felt good to me and performed as expected on the shots I tried to hit.  They did give me a bit more spin than I'm used to, so I'd need time to adjust to that before putting them in the bag for a tournament, but overall I really liked them (though I may also reshaft the 48 to match my irons, which have X100s soft stepped once, whereas the current shaft is the DG Tour Issue Spinner).  With the 58, on the other hand, I still wasn't used to looking at by the end of the round... the head shape (or maybe it's the contrast between the hitting area and the rest of the face) is just enough different from what I'm used to that it looks weird to my eye.  I'm going to give it some more time before I'll make a final decision on the 58, but the 48 and 54 will definitely see some more playing time soon.

 

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

(final note... I'm going to try and find somewhere around here with a LM in a hitting bay that has enough room to hit wedges and get good results so I can share some numbers.  The one time I tried to rent a hitting bay my wedges were all hitting above the screen.)

Edited August 21, 2023 by grochol17

[jd8102]

I look forward to sharing my feedback and pictures as soon as the wedges arrive.

 

Thanks again to GOLFWRX and Cleveland for this opportunity. 

 

UPDATE: 8/27 - WEDGES ARRIVED

 

Had a bit of a delivery delay, however Cleveland was great and the wedges arrived. I went with a 46 mid, 54 low+, and 58 mid. The SW and LW are both tour rack and the PW is the satin finish.

 

A bit about myself. I range between about a 4 to 6 HCP depending on how much I've played lately. Putting and the short game are easily my strengths. GIR is my weakness which leads to having to be sharp with the wedges to save par. I like to hit all different types of shots with my wedges and the grind is very important to me.

 

The first thing I noticed out of the box is these wedges look awesome. I wasn't even sure I wanted to hit them they looked so good. The milling on the wedge looks amazing. 

 

I have tried the DG spinner shafts when they first came out and was not a fan. Hearing they are now just tiger stepped DGs400 8i shafts I had a bit of hope they would work.

 

Round 1 - Man do these spin. I am going to need to get use to the spin. For whatever reason my irons were on and I did not get to use my wedges much this round. When I needed to use them, the ball was checking up quicker than I am use to. I used a 23 Prov1X for this round and was able to get a ball to back up from 80 yards with the 58*.  That is not something I had to worry about previously. Now these are brand new wedges however there is something to the increased spin.

 

Round 2 - I played a shorter course that I knew would give me more opportunities to use the wedges. The PW is definetly shorter than I am use to, I am not sure if is the increased spin due to the face, or shaft. I will be reshafting this club after this round. The 54* is squarely secured a spot in the bag. This Low+ grind is amazing. I want to hit every shot around the green with this club. The 58* is nice if I do not need to open the face. I would love to see Cleveland in the future add more lofts to the Low+ grind. If there was a 58* I would pay for one tomorrow. I love the spin on these wedges and the 58* will get the rest of the MN golf season in the bag. Chipping is where these two higher lofter clubs shine for me. Downhill chips with spin have never been more easy. The Low+ grind is very easy to bring the heal up out of the rough.

 

I plan to go to a practice session with a buddy shortly and I will give more feedback out of the sand and then from different lies vs other wedges I have.

 

I will post some pics later tonight.

 

Thanks again Cleveland and GolfWRX. Plenty more to come.....

Edited August 28, 2023 by jd8102

[ScooterMcTavish]

First off, thank you to the WRX team for selecting me to do the wedge testing.  Although I would hope it was my wit, charm, and good looks, it is likely due to me being just a "regular" golfer.  I don't bomb my drives 300yds, I play 27 holes in a good week, and I always buy new gear with the clear expectation that it will solve my issues (haha!  Welcome to the BST!).  

 

I have also taken steps to be much more intentional with my game in the last year, including a few lessons, golf-related exercise, a club fitting, and more practice time.  But I have yet to shave off those last few strokes I need to beat one of my regular partners, who manages to always beat me, even when I go low.  The ease and casualness with which he beats me is maddening, and despite his relaxed demeanor, I am confident he steps up his game whenever we go out.  I love the guy dearly, but also fantasize about the look of horror on his face when we add up the numbers, and I beat him.  Ahh, the joys of low-stakes competition.  

 

But since I'm in Canuckland, it may take the wedges a little longer to get to me, so I thought I'd talk a bit about my golf journey.  If your story is similar to mine and we are golf-siblings, then I hope you will enjoy my experience with the Cleveland Wedges.  Potentially my blathering prose may even help you decide if they are right for you.  

 

And as the young'uns are inclined to do these days, TL;DR: poor kid falls in love with golf, and decides to try and get better in his 50s just so he can beat someone.

 

Early days:

 

As a young lad, I grew up in a fairly urban area, into meager circumstances, where money, housing, and food insecurity were part of everyday life.  Sports I played were the free ones at school, especially those that provided uniforms and didn't require equipment (like basketball).  I would have been a great athlete, except for having the trifecta of incredibly low flexibility, a lack of speed, and being short (5'8").  The only thing I was good at was running long distances, with this being due to my legs being my main mode of transportation.

 

In short, I am not a typical golfer from a typical background.

 

But despite my neighbourhood being fairly urban, there was an old municipal golf course located close by.  I never had any real interest in it, much like I had little interest in fancy restaurants, or luxury cars.  When you grow up poor, you quickly learn there are things that other people have, and you don't.  The only healthy way to deal with this is to simply stop noticing what you don't have.

 

Yet this all changed on one fateful day in my early teens.  My uncle (who was taking up golf) took me to this local muni to go look for golf balls.  He wasn't much better off than I was, but he had a friend who was a golf pro, and who could get him on the course for free.  But he still needed balls to hit with his borrowed clubs.  So we went through a hole in the fence (of course) to look for all the Star-Flites and Canada Cups we could carry. 

 

And then I saw it - the very first putting green I had ever seen in person.  It was so impossibly, well, green, compared to any grass I had seen previous.  I actually got on my hands and knees so I could rub the grass with the palms of my hands, and pull a few impossibly small blades.  It then suddenly struck me by how quiet it was, with much of the urban cacophony of traffic, construction, and people turned into nothing but distant echoes.  There were birds singing.  There was fresh air, full of the smell of grass and trees.  It was a life-changing moment that resonated in my soul, and I suddenly knew I needed to come back to this place as often as I could.

 

So another uncle (who was a bit better off and who liked golf) lent me my Aunt's clubs (a 7-piece Campbell "Lady Campbell" set) and handed me $20 to go play some golf.  Every night, I would go to a local sports field with my borrowed clubs and found balls, and hit ball after ball trying to figure out how exactly to play this game.  And after a few months of this, I paid my $3.50 junior green fees, and walked 18 holes on a par 67, likely hanging up a score in the 140 range.  A few months later, I got my first par.  And I've been hooked ever since.

 

This is why, to me, golf is more than a game.  Even in my early 50s, I still consider the golf course a very special place to be, and I feel very lucky whenever I get to play a round.  To this day, I still feel the calm and peace of being on-course, and I have never stopped marveling at a beautifully-grown green. 

 

The only downside of these early years is I was genetically imprinted with playing blades, meaning chunky thick topline clubs with plenty of offset make me throw up in my mouth.  I believe this is a common affliction of golfers of my age, and a number of WRX members (I recommend making a bag of microwave popcorn, then searching the site for threads containing "Will blades make me a better golfer").

 

Recent years:

 

When asked for gift ideas at Christmas 2021, I actually asked for lessons, a fitting, and fitted irons.  Possibly a game that has plateaued was a motivation, though likely it was the aforementioned new friend who kept casually beating me.  Despite breaking 40 over 9 a number of times, I hadn't broken 80 in close to 10 years.  Inconsistency plagued my game, with the dreaded "blow up holes" somehow making it back onto the scorecard. 

 

I cannot say that the lesson and fitting experience was stellar, but it did teach me the importance of a repeatable, predictable swing, what I do and don't like in a club, and that I am standard L/L.  It also taught me some fitters are not good at listening.  Regardless, the set of irons I liked on paper (D2, shaft between 90-100g, not hideous) ended up in my bag, and I've been terribly happy with them since acquisition. 

 

On top of this, I started a morning golf fitness routine in March, using kettle balls and calisthenics to build strength.  15 minutes a day has helped my clubhead speed and distance, plus it has given me a lot more endurance, especially when playing 18 on a very hot day.

The issue with wedges:

In advance of getting the new irons, I found a set of the Kirkland V1 wedges on sale around Christmas of 2022.  Used wedges and I have a love/hate relationship.  I can't bear spending the cash required for good new wedges, yet am always left wondering if the use and wear of the used wedges is affecting my game.  So I started the year with the Kirklands, and honestly didn't see anything more special about them than the other used wedges I've owned.  In fact, the cruddy stock grips and their OEM shafts made them feel light and unstable.  This was the point where I applied to be a Cleveland RTX-6 Zipcore tester, as I wanted to see if new, good wedges make a difference.

 

I've put some used Vokeys in the bag for now, and have changed my setup so I do not need to drop my 4i or my 60*.  Unfortunately, all tracked handicap rounds this year have been with the Kirklands, so I have no real-world stats for the Vokeys (been just league play the last few weeks on a non-CPGA rated course).  Am going out Monday, and the Vokeys will be in the bag if the Clevelands have not yet shown up.      

 

But my wedge game is the worst part of my game at current.  I can consistently drive 220 in the middle of the fairway or first cut (goal is 240 with consistency this year), and my putting has been decent, especially after picking up the Spider X (my stroke is gating as I've aged).  GIR's are a problem, and I've averaged just under 28% this year, with my best round being ~44% (8 of 18).  Not only am I missing from 110 and in with wedges, I'm also not doing well with the up and downs with the same wedges, averaging around 25%.  My par 5 average scoring is atrocious, and much of this is at the feet of wedge play.

 

In short, I'm very much looking forward to the magic box arriving.  It may not solve all the issues, but I am hopeful that I can generate a more predictable level of spin.

 

A few more qualitative facts about my game:

 

- Driver swing speed is ~95, though it sometimes takes a few holes of loosening up to get up to full speed.

- I learned to golf (and still golf) on heavy clay prairie soil, so am a picker/sweeper.  

- As expected, I am a lower spin player, and need any help I can get with backspin.

- And the local soil conditions place a premium on bounce and grind

 

 

Looking forward to the testing, and I hope to be able to share some good observations, spiked with humorous photos and an irreverent sense of humor.  Also want to note I do like Cleveland/SRI products, and have gamed TA4s, TA6s, a Cleveland Classic Driver, and other various wedges, FWs and hybrids over the years.  Currently have a Srixon ZX5 in the bag, and my regular ball is a Z-Star in yellow.  Even was using a Cleveland TFi 2135 Rho putter for all of last season, and it proudly sits in my backup bag.

 

       

Edited August 19, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish

[gprubes]

Sweet win guys!!

[Railroading13]

I want to start by thanking GolfWRX and Cleveland Golf for this opportunity.

 

 

 

A little about my game: I play 30-40 times a year and play in the Midwest. For the past 8 years I've fluctuated between a 5 handicap and scratch, my current year scoring average is 76. Wedge play is an average part of my game, I hit full wedges well, but flop shots are a weakness and I’m usually about 40-50% on getting the ball up and down. I used Cleveland wedges growing up and have always liked their simple shape, reliability, and durability. In 2019, I switched to Mizuno T-20 raw forged wedges, and must admit they were the softest feeling clubs I've ever hit. But I didn’t notice any improvement in scoring so in 2022, I decided to finally try Vokeys. I was intrigued by the flight lines concept, and added those to my order.

 

My setup before this review was Titleist Vokey SM9 tour chrome finish 60 degree M grind, 56 degree F grind, and Mizuno S18 52 degree chrome finish.

 

This is the 60 degree wedge comparison at address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specs I choose for the review were 52 mid bounce, chrome finish. 56 with a full bounce, raw finish, and 60 mid bounce with a raw finish.

My initial impressions out of the box were these are simple, classic shaped wedges, and I really loved the raw look. On the 52 degree, I use that more of a full swing club and prefer it to be chrome to match my iron set (Mizuno MP18 SC). After feeling the club face with my hand it was almost like a matte finish feel, and I was assuming that the spin would be really good. Holding them, I really liked the weighting, I prefer a heavier swing weight, and the stock D5 felt perfect. Another thing I really liked about the shape was the leading edge, it is a little bit rounded and not just a straight-line leading edge, there is a little curve to the leading edge which made me feel more comfortable hitting out of the rough.

 

 

 

I played an 18 hole round, a 9 hole round, and had a 90 minute practice session so far.

 

Without practicing with them first, I shot a 75, which is about average for me. However, I managed to get up and down around the greens 5 out of 9 tries, my ball striking was a little off and I did take a double after a lost ball. But around the greens I felt comfortable even without much practice beforehand. What I noticed most was the spin, these definitely spun better than the Vokeys or Mizunos. I also liked the raw finish better than Chrome, it was sunny and bright, and I didn’t have to deal with that sun reflection from the Chrome finish.

 

The feel off the clubface was a solid thud, not clicky, and even toe hits felt solid. They weren’t as soft as the Mizunos but they were just as solid as the Vokeys.

My next round was just 9 holes, and I finished at +1, I hit the ball average again and putted better. The wedge shots I hit all came off as expected, after the round I really put these wedges to the test with every shot I hit around the greens.

 

 

 

The 60 degree flop shot with this club was and is a struggle. I hit the SM9 better when laying the face open, I’m still trying to get a handle on how much speed to put into the shot, the club seemed to dig a little more than I would like. I think this could be helped with Cleveland’s custom grind options, with a little heel relief I think opening the face and hitting the flop would be easier to get the club under the ball. When I did hit a high solid flop, it was always short. I hit 5 balls each with both clubs and 4 out of 5 Vokey shots were better.  

 

With a square faced shot from the rough, the adjustment I needed to make was the spin rate, these wedges spun much more than the Vokeys. I feel like I could hit them with a little more speed and the ball would check and slowly roll out. The 56 and 60 both went through the rough easily. After a warmup, the Cleveland shots were closer on 4 out of 5 balls.  The next shots were from the fairway 15-30 yards, I hit the 60 with a slightly open face, the shots came out low but with good spin, and I was able to really get a noticeable check around the hole. Turf interaction was great and had no issues, I was able to use the bounce effectively with these clubs. The 56 rolled out more as expected, but the shots still had that check and slight roll, they weren’t flying past the hole. Cleveland was better than my stock setup again, 3 balls to 2.  

 

On a bump a run shot, I usually hit my 56 with it back in my stance. With the 56, I found that it spun a little more than I was used to, so I used the 52 and the shots come off better. Comparing the 56 degree wedges, from the fairway with a lot of green to work with, the SM9 was closer on 3 out of 5 balls.  With the 52 degree on this shot, my current Mizuno was better 4 out of 5. I also hit it better with full swings, which was the true test. After 5-6 each it was clear my current 52 isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

On full shots I’m usually more comfortable with the 56 rather than the 60. After a few dozen full swings with each, the difference between these and my current setup is negligible. On my current setup, all my wedges have Project X 6.5 flex shafts, I was glad the stock Dynamic Gold spinner launched the same and didn’t balloon.

From the sand both the 56 and 60 were effective. The Cleveland 60 was noticeably better than the Vokey, granted there is 1 degree more bounce, but I felt more comfortable hitting the higher shorter bunker shot with the Cleveland. The 56 degree with the full bounce is honestly as good as it gets for sand wedges. For example, in my first round with these, on the 18^th hole, I had bombed a drive but missed it slightly to the right and had a 30 yard bunker shot for my 2^nd. I played the 56 with a slight open face, picked a spot in the sand closer to the ball and took a full swing. The club thudded the sand and the ball come out with a mid trajectory flight and ended up 15 feet from the hole, I was very pleased. On the 5 ball test in practice Cleveland was the clear winner, 4 balls to 1.

 

After spending extra time with them after the comparison test, I was feeling more comfortable and super excited to improve my short game.

 

 

 

Im going to stick with the Cleveland 56 and 60 degree wedges. Feel was solid, I like a thud type contact and they were slightly better than the SM9s. The weighting is perfect, wedges should be a higher swing weight and D5 is the sweet spot, I might even add some lead tape to get them to D6. The stock shafts were good on full swings, and there was practically zero difference in that aspect. The Clevelands spun noticeably better than the Titleist did, I understand I had a year of wear between the 2, but honestly, the Vokeys even when brand new didn’t spin this much. I felt more comfortable out of the sand with the RTX’s, the full bounce 56 is the way to go if you struggle out of bunkers.

Lastly, raw finish is the best, no sun glare from the chrome, they inspire confidence, and I look forward to trying these out in wet/rainy conditions.  

 

Shoutout to my wife @tiffany.hansenphotgraphy for the photos. Thanks!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by Railroading13

[grochol17]

I clearly need to step up my photo game.

[GolfWRX_Official]

On 8/21/2023 at 1:48 AM, Railroading13 said:

I want to start by thanking GolfWRX and Cleveland Golf for this opportunity.

 

 

 

A little about my game: I play 30-40 times a year and play in the Midwest. For the past 8 years I've fluctuated between a 5 handicap and scratch, my current year scoring average is 76. Wedge play is an average part of my game, I hit full wedges well, but flop shots are a weakness and I’m usually about 40-50% on getting the ball up and down. I used Cleveland wedges growing up and have always liked their simple shape, reliability, and durability. In 2019, I switched to Mizuno T-20 raw forged wedges, and must admit they were the softest feeling clubs I've ever hit. But I didn’t notice any improvement in scoring so in 2022, I decided to finally try Vokeys. I was intrigued by the flight lines concept, and added those to my order.

 

My setup before this review was Titleist Vokey SM9 tour chrome finish 60 degree M grind, 56 degree F grind, and Mizuno S18 52 degree chrome finish.

 

This is the 60 degree wedge comparison at address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specs I choose for the review were 52 mid bounce, chrome finish. 56 with a full bounce, raw finish, and 60 mid bounce with a raw finish.

My initial impressions out of the box were these are simple, classic shaped wedges, and I really loved the raw look. On the 52 degree, I use that more of a full swing club and prefer it to be chrome to match my iron set (Mizuno MP18 SC). After feeling the club face with my hand it was almost like a matte finish feel, and I was assuming that the spin would be really good. Holding them, I really liked the weighting, I prefer a heavier swing weight, and the stock D5 felt perfect. Another thing I really liked about the shape was the leading edge, it is a little bit rounded and not just a straight-line leading edge, there is a little curve to the leading edge which made me feel more comfortable hitting out of the rough.

 

 

 

I played an 18 hole round, a 9 hole round, and had a 90 minute practice session so far.

 

Without practicing with them first, I shot a 75, which is about average for me. However, I managed to get up and down around the greens 5 out of 9 tries, my ball striking was a little off and I did take a double after a lost ball. But around the greens I felt comfortable even without much practice beforehand. What I noticed most was the spin, these definitely spun better than the Vokeys or Mizunos. I also liked the raw finish better than Chrome, it was sunny and bright, and I didn’t have to deal with that sun reflection from the Chrome finish.

 

The feel off the clubface was a solid thud, not clicky, and even toe hits felt solid. They weren’t as soft as the Mizunos but they were just as solid as the Vokeys.

My next round was just 9 holes, and I finished at +1, I hit the ball average again and putted better. The wedge shots I hit all came off as expected, after the round I really put these wedges to the test with every shot I hit around the greens.

 

 

 

The 60 degree flop shot with this club was and is a struggle. I hit the SM9 better when laying the face open, I’m still trying to get a handle on how much speed to put into the shot, the club seemed to dig a little more than I would like. I think this could be helped with Cleveland’s custom grind options, with a little heel relief I think opening the face and hitting the flop would be easier to get the club under the ball. When I did hit a high solid flop, it was always short. I hit 5 balls each with both clubs and 4 out of 5 Vokey shots were better.  

 

With a square faced shot from the rough, the adjustment I needed to make was the spin rate, these wedges spun much more than the Vokeys. I feel like I could hit them with a little more speed and the ball would check and slowly roll out. The 56 and 60 both went through the rough easily. After a warmup, the Cleveland shots were closer on 4 out of 5 balls.  The next shots were from the fairway 15-30 yards, I hit the 60 with a slightly open face, the shots came out low but with good spin, and I was able to really get a noticeable check around the hole. Turf interaction was great and had no issues, I was able to use the bounce effectively with these clubs. The 56 rolled out more as expected, but the shots still had that check and slight roll, they weren’t flying past the hole. Cleveland was better than my stock setup again, 3 balls to 2.  

 

On a bump a run shot, I usually hit my 56 with it back in my stance. With the 56, I found that it spun a little more than I was used to, so I used the 52 and the shots come off better. Comparing the 56 degree wedges, from the fairway with a lot of green to work with, the SM9 was closer on 3 out of 5 balls.  With the 52 degree on this shot, my current Mizuno was better 4 out of 5. I also hit it better with full swings, which was the true test. After 5-6 each it was clear my current 52 isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

On full shots I’m usually more comfortable with the 56 rather than the 60. After a few dozen full swings with each, the difference between these and my current setup is negligible. On my current setup, all my wedges have Project X 6.5 flex shafts, I was glad the stock Dynamic Gold spinner launched the same and didn’t balloon.

From the sand both the 56 and 60 were effective. The Cleveland 60 was noticeably better than the Vokey, granted there is 1 degree more bounce, but I felt more comfortable hitting the higher shorter bunker shot with the Cleveland. The 56 degree with the full bounce is honestly as good as it gets for sand wedges. For example, in my first round with these, on the 18^th hole, I had bombed a drive but missed it slightly to the right and had a 30 yard bunker shot for my 2^nd. I played the 56 with a slight open face, picked a spot in the sand closer to the ball and took a full swing. The club thudded the sand and the ball come out with a mid trajectory flight and ended up 15 feet from the hole, I was very pleased. On the 5 ball test in practice Cleveland was the clear winner, 4 balls to 1.

 

After spending extra time with them after the comparison test, I was feeling more comfortable and super excited to improve my short game.

 

 

 

Im going to stick with the Cleveland 56 and 60 degree wedges. Feel was solid, I like a thud type contact and they were slightly better than the SM9s. The weighting is perfect, wedges should be a higher swing weight and D5 is the sweet spot, I might even add some lead tape to get them to D6. The stock shafts were good on full swings, and there was practically zero difference in that aspect. The Clevelands spun noticeably better than the Titleist did, I understand I had a year of wear between the 2, but honestly, the Vokeys even when brand new didn’t spin this much. I felt more comfortable out of the sand with the RTX’s, the full bounce 56 is the way to go if you struggle out of bunkers.

Lastly, raw finish is the best, no sun glare from the chrome, they inspire confidence, and I look forward to trying these out in wet/rainy conditions.  

 

Shoutout to my wife @tiffany.hansenphotgraphy for the photos. Thanks!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing photos and great reviews by you and all the other testers so far!

[ScooterMcTavish]

Well, I like doing photography, and apparently am going to have to step up my game.  But I will have the mirrorless in hand this weekend, so "game on" @Railroading13.

 

First off, the box of magic showed up at the office yesterday, about 60 minutes after I left for 18 holes with my partner.  Too bad, and a challenging day at the course.  I was only down 3 after 11, then managed to drop an additional 10 strokes over the last seven holes.  A bit of inconsistency across the board, but my play around the green including the putting part sort of sucked.  And my personal favorites were a 54* left in the bunker, a fluffed 60*, and a 48* that hit about four inches short of my aiming point and hung in the deep rough.

 

In short, one of those "beside the green in 3 and down in 7" sort of days.

 

So was I ever thrilled to find a box waiting in my office first thing this AM.  Had to unbox them to see what I'd get.  And look at these sexy, sexy beasts:

 

What was very interesting to me was the bounce and grind.  Im used to the various Vokey grinds, and genuinely like the shape and bounce on these.  For my wedges, I've selected Mid grind in the 48* and 60*, and Low+ in the 54*.

 

But the finish - holy heck.  I had originally thought I'd like the raw finish, but ended up selecting the black satin due to availability of bounce and lofts.  And is it ever nice.  I've owned a few coloured wedges in the past, and I hope this finish holds up well, as it is absolutely gorgeous.

 

The milled face looks equally sexy, with a lot of thought obviously put into maximizing spin.  The Cleveland site discusses the different lines scored into it, and you can see them when we get reeeeeal close:

 

And surprisingly so, I found the two tone nature of the face unexpected, and very striking.  It reminded me a bit of an inverse of the lovely old MacGregor Colorkrom irons:

 

Main difference is the face is light, and is framed magnificently by the darker toe and heel:

 

Only complaint about the finish is my regular partner (Mr. Casual Beat You Down) came into my office and rubbed the heads with his gross manly meathooks:

 

Despite his unnecessary caressing, he is now going to the local golf retailer to pick himself up a 54* tomorrow PLUS he wants to borrow my 48* Vokey for a trip to a very nice course this coming weekend.  What a guy.

 

Either way, I have a sneaking suspicion I may spend a stupid amount of time cleaning these because they just look so bloody nice.

 

So I thought I would do some comparisons against my current used Vokeys.  What was obvious was a difference in design philosophy - the Clevelands had a nice uniform appearance, whereas the Vokeys moved weight all over the clubhead to try and help launch.  I honestly prefer the uniform appearance of the Clevelands:

  

 

 

 

At address they are surprisingly similar to the Vokeys, with the nice rounded spoon shape I really like in a wedge.  This is a very classic profile, and Cleveland yet again demonstrates an appreciation for good club aesthetics:

 

 

Top line is slightly thicker on the Cleveland in the 48*, or possibly similar, but with a less rounded edge.  The 54* and 60* are also similar.  But I absolutely love the way the contrasting face frames the ball:

 

 

 Net result is the Vokeys look downright dowdy compared to this ultra attractive set of Clevelands.  

 

(And based on the photo, looks like I'm about to hook my 60* Vokey into a water hazard.)

 

In fact, I am having difficulty imagining hitting these on the course as they are so pristine and nice.

But in a lucky stroke, I actually have a 9-hole scramble tomorrow night, and an 18-hole scramble on Thursday.  This will allow me to give the clubs a solid workout with no risk to my score, and I can try some stupid shots I normally wouldn't.

 

As one last intro note to the clubs, I absolutely love the sole shape and bounce they come with - the mid-bounce on the 48* and 60* have a nice utilitarian shape, and should not dig, but also allow a clean pick.  The 60* is especially intriguing, as I do tend to go under the ball with my 60* in fluffy lies and in fluffy sand.

 

 

 

 The low+ sole and bounce on the 54* is a freaking work of art.  A beautiful scalloped shape that has a strong enough leading edge, but not so razor sharp that it is scary in a bunker, or on a tight fairway.  I almost regret also not ordering the 48* with the same bounce.

 

 

 

That's it for the intro post, and I'll report back after a regular bout of stupidity over the next few days (which may involve some beers).

 

Hopefully I'll have some time with Mr. Meathook's Garmin R10 this weekend, and I can do some spin measurements vs. the Vokeys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish
Spelling and Stuff, still struggling with photos....

[ScooterMcTavish]

So scramble 1 update.

 

#1 - I love the wedge finish, but it's satin appearance shows everything damp.  Like grass. and thumbprints.  I'm going to have to get used to the wedge not looking perfect all the time.

 

#2 - Spin.  Holy hell, I thinned a 48* approach from about 10 yds into one green.  In a past life, this would have likely rolled off the back of the green.  In this case the ball checked hard, and only rolled out to about 6' past the hole, leaving our team with a makeable putt.

 

#3 - Feel, and this is possibly more the shaft.  But my current used Vokeys have KBS Tour shafts, and I find them a bit, well, stout.  Maybe not Ben Hogan driver rebar stout, but stout.  This leads to a loss of feel for the clubhead, and muted feedback on mishits.  The Cleveland Zipcore RTX 6 came with Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Spinner shafts, and they are a shaft I am comfortable with.  In short, on full swings, I felt better loading and head control, allowing me to get after the ball.

 

#4 - Cleveland talks about their Zipcore technology adding MOI to the club.  I saw this firsthand during my round, where some early stiffness (and later beer-ness) caused two mishits on the toe side.  One was from 5 yards off the green, and although it fell a little short, the result was acceptable.  I also hit toe side a full 60* later in the round, and fell about 2 yds short of my targeted landing area.  But both shots felt comfortable.

 

#5 - I'm needing to rethink my game.  In the past, I played "total yardages" with my wedges, expecting some form of rollout.  I now have to play "carry yardage" with the wedges due to the spin.  For example, I was looking at this ~95 yd. beauty yesterday (year-end scramble/greenskeepers revenge):

 

     

 

The Canadian flag is a green marker, as it is a reachable Par 5.  You cannot see the flag, as it is in the front corner of the green, right behind the tall trees; if you zoom in, you can barely see the bottom 2' of the flagstick.  

 

I hit last in our group, and went straight at the flag with my 54*.  Absolutely nutted it, it cleared the nasty tree, and hit and stuck about 5 yds short.  No release.  Although I'm not sure I could have cleared the tree with a softer 48*, this shot highlighted something is different.

 

Similar issue happened with this shot - 65yds to the flag:

 

 

Hit a full 60* right at the pin, and toed it slightly.  Ball bumped right on the front fringe, then kicked left away from the pin.

 

In short, I have to play for no release, and try and throw darts.

 

As a last pic for today, I went a little heavier SRI as a thank-you to SRI and Cleveland for sending the wedges.  Having others see and use others clubs on the course (especially in a fun scramble) is one of the best ways to get others to try/buy them, so I did my part:

 

   

  

Obviously my FW/Hybrid game can use an upgrade, as my early-season switch to a W/S D9 3W and 3h was not as successful as I'd have liked. 

 

Next 18 hole scramble is today, and I'll be trying some aggressive shotmaking with the wedges to see if I can get a better feel for what I can get away with.  

Edited August 25, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish

[rbilramz]

Thanks for the updates everyone.  I’m really looking forward to continued feedback.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Scramble #2 Update:

 

So had a very nice time at yesterday's scramble, and had many opportunities to flex with the new wedges.  I was very happy with most of the approaches I hit, and am slowly getting used to the increased spin I'm getting off the clubs.

 

First off, I tried about three different styles of flop shot with the 60* yesterday.  In all three cases, I need to get out of my own head and get after the ball.  These wedges spin, and I need to develop the confidence to go after the pin with the 60*.  Will be pulling out the pitching net this weekend to see if I can get some better feel for this.

 

Second of all, I had a few opportunities to hit low punchy spinners with the 48*.  These I seem to have more confidence with, with one particular shot absolutely grabbing the green when we had to come in from the narrow side.  From 105, the 48* is money - a very easy to hit club.  The Mid bounce is perfectly suited for our firm local fairways. 

 

Also had a few nice ~80 yd approaches with the 54*, and really loved its low+ bounce.  I could hit down on the ball a little more than usual, with excellent spin.

 

Only challenge I have seemed to have was a tendency for my ball to stray a little left with the entire set of wedges.  I'm thinking the wedges have just the tiniest bit less offset than my D7 Forged, so my face is slightly closed at address.  Will be doing some spin testing this weekend with a Garmin R10, so will look to see if there is a consistent issue. 

 

And of course, I was golfing with my aforementioned partner again yesterday.  After a member of our team drove just over the green on a blind shot Par 4, we were left on the side of a mound 5' off the green, with a 40' downhill running pitch with three breaks in it.  So before he steps us, I ask "Chipping contest?  $5 for whoever gets closer?"  His response, "Sure"!  He then steps up and drains the bloody thing, literally on the last roll of the ball.  I congratulated him for the great shot, followed with a few expletives, and gave him 5 bucks. 

 

Sigh.  

 

 

[ScooterMcTavish]

And now the Launch Monitor update.  I was hitting the 54* today into my net in calm conditions, with temperatures around 22*C/76*F.  Ball was my usual Srixon Z-Star in yellow. I hit off grass which was equivalent to first cut rough, and now regret not pulling out the mat as I was shallowing my swing a bit.

 

Oddly enough, the results on the LM have confirmed my initial assessment of the clubs on the course, though the yardage is a bit shorter than I observed on the course.  This is a consistent "feature" of the R10 when hitting into a net.

 

 

As the KBS Tour shaft on the Vokey is a bit stout, I am not surprised at the slightly lower swing speed combined with a slightly higher smash factor.  The X-Stiff shaft also makes it harder for me to pull the clubhead inside, resulting in not much sidespin in either direction.  Dispersion with the club was good.

 

As also noted during my scramble #2, I had found the Clevelands ending up more left than normal.  Again, much of this is likely the shaft, as I'm able to pull the clubhead inside more on the downswing, generating the draw spin.  Good to know, and I'll play right of the pins in my next round.

 

And as much as I have found the Vokeys to have good bite, we do see the expected higher spin with the Clevelands.  Although some may think an extra 422 avg backspin is not much, in my world of low backspin, each 400 RPMs is very valuable.  If it were not for a couple of thinner hits with the Clevelands, I could have seen an average closer to 7,500.

 

I have a scheduled round for next Friday, and will be hitting into the net a few more times this week.  So far very happy with the wedges, and I'll see if I can make a few tweaks to get my spin numbers up more.  Club makes me very confident in hitting down a bit more.

Edited August 26, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish

[grochol17]

Time for a somewhat pointless update...

 

Last week I switched out the grips to Lamkin UTX, which is what I've been using on my wedges for many years now.  I stopped by a nearby course that has a small practice green and worked for a about an hour with the RTX6 wedges.  I like the feel of the wedges and they were definitely putting more spin on the ball than I'm used to... I was initially coming up short on everything until I got use to the way the ball was reacting. 

 

After the practice session I decided to put the 54 and 58 in play for a tournament on Saturday (I didn't use the 48 because I haven't dialed in the distance yet).  The course had somewhat recently aerated greens so I didn't get the best sense of how the ball was reacting on full shots and chips/pitches, and I only got to hit a few shots with the wedges. 

 

I continue to like the 54-12 and it is going to stay in the bag.  I hit one 90% shot with it, which landed about 15 ft past the hole and stuck (missed the putt).  I also hit a few greenside ships from slightly awkward lies and it works nicely.  I really like that, even though it is 12* bounce the sole is fairly narrow so that I can open it up a bit without the bounce getting out of control.  The 58* also worked well this time around.  I hit a few 3/4 shots that hit and stopped dead about 12 feet from the hole (missed both putts).  All the chips and bunker shots I hit with the 58* were from bad lies and I hit bad shots, so I can't really update how that worked around the greens.

 

I've got another tournament coming up again this weekend and I'll have the 54 and 58 in the bag again.  If I get a chance to figure out the distance with the 48 I'll also put that into play. 

[grochol17]

Second mostly pointless update...

 

Played another tournament on Saturday and it was a tale of two nines... well, 10 and 8 holes, actually.  +10 through 10 and -1 on the last 8.  I had the 54 and 58 in the bag again.  Still don't have the distance figured out with the 48 and it was pretty windy, so I left that at home. 

 

With the 54 I hit a 3/4 approach shot from the rough on #2 that took one hop and stopped dead about 15 ft from the hole (missed the putt).  On #15 I hit a mostly full 54 from the rough that landed on the green and took one small hop and stopped.  On #18 I hit a full 54 from the fairway that landed about 5 feet short left of the hole, but spun back 10 or so feet (missed the putt).

 

The 58 didn't see much action, but I did use it to chip in for birdie on #14 and cut someone else's skin, so there's that.

 

Overall I'm still enjoying the 54... I'm getting a ton of spin with it, which from the rough or on partial shots is nice, but I have to remember to play for that on full shots from the fairway.  The chip in with the 58 was my first of this golf season, so hopefully that good memory will lead to more good chipping.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Just reading @grochol17 updates, and darn it, I'm having a similar issue.

 

Went out to play 18 with the boys last Friday on a fairly long course.  Outside of one penalty stroke hole, my driving was good, and approach play was decent.  Even if I didn't get the GIR, I was generally not more than 5 yds from the green.

 

And also of note, I'm glad I went 48-54-60 in my setup.  As it was a long course, I used 4W, 3h, 4i consistently.

 

So being a decent putter, the wedges are where I win/lose the day.  And I lost. Bad.  Now I owe Mr Casual beat-down $14 after playing $1/hole.  

 

At least he paid for the round and beers.

 

The greens were way slicker than I am used to, so I used the 54* and 60* way more than usual.  Unfortunately, I never quite got the distance dialed, so my attempts to stick by the pin didn't work, with my distances being mostly short.

 

So by the 400 yd 18th, after a 230 drive and a solid 6i into the wind, I finally played the 48* in an old fashioned bump and run from 5 yds short of the green.  And my last shot of the day was a "pick it up" from 2" for par.

 

These clubs are simply amazing spin machines.  And for us plebians who have never played good wedges, they are a luxury without compare.

 

And I've never heard anyone say "Boy, I wish my wedges spun less". 

 

On top of this, "low spin Scooter" even backed one up, hitting the full 54* into a Par 5.  This never happens.

 

In conclusion, the issue is still me adjusting to a set of wedges that actually spin.  My partner beat me by 13, and almost all of those strokes were lost around the green.

 

At least he chunked a chip about 2" - worst shot I've ever seen him hit.  Good to know he's mortal.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish

[grochol17]

17 hours ago, ScooterMcTavish said:

And I've never heard anyone say "Boy, I wish my wedges spun less".

 

I say this any time my ball lands short and spins away from the hole!  😄

[jd8102]

Please forgive me all for not posting more. My father in law had an unplanned triple bypass and it undoubtedly took a village to help out.

 

Here are some pics and some more feedback.

 

I got to play in a light drizzle and I can tell these wedges hold more spin than any other wedge I have played. I am not getting along with the spinner shafts when I take anything more than a half swing. I'm still n love with the low+ grind and have not been able to get along with the 58* mid grind if I need to open the club. I will be able to post more updates this weekend with back to back 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday. 

[Railroading13]

A couple more rounds and practice sessions since my last review, shot 73 and 74 last week. Hitting the 50% mark for up and down percentage. Have gotten better with full swings on the 56 and 60, love the weighting, the high swing weight helps me feel the club head and the turf interaction is good. 
 

hit a soft bunker shot with the 60 last round to a foot, that felt good. These are definitely good bunker wedges, they glide through the sand with ease. Still struggling with the flop shot but will work on that this afternoon. Spin is holding up great so far, and the finish in the raw wedges is perfect to my eye, a very slight rust look but not overdone at all. I’ll try and get more pics of the finish after a few weeks of wear, hopefully within the next 2-3 days.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Next update post.....

 

Since last report, I've played a few 9 hole rounds, plus another scramble. 

 

Observation 1: Both the Low+ and Mid bounce make these superb full swing wedges.  I typically found the Vokeys to be a bit more finicky about the type of lie I had on full swings.  The RTX 6 Zipcore wedges are consistency machines.  Have not yet had a flier, and have huge confidence in my full swing distances.

 

Observation 2: These wedges put very good spin on ionomer-covered balls.  I picked up a dozen Callaway Supersoft a few weeks ago to see if I could squeeze a few more driver yards.  Surprisingly, everything only spun a bit less than with a tour ball, and in two cases, the extra bit of release was advantageous.

 

My local track is a Par 35, and I shot a +4 39 with the Supersoft - a better than normal round for me this year.  A large contributing factor was better proximity to the hole for putting.

 

Observation 3: I played in wet conditions yesterday morning, and noticed no discernable drop off in spin.  Looks like the hydra-zip milling worked as designed.

 

Again, I have genuinely appreciated the opportunity to be a tester and evaluate how exceptional wedges can help an Average Joe with their game.

 

Will still be squeezing in a few rounds before local courses start closing in 4 weeks or so, so hope to have at least a few more report-backs.

Edited September 17, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish

[BallerNate]

Awesome stuff everyone!

 

Did any of you previously have the RTX Zipcore from 2021?

 

Would be interested to hear how these RTX 6‘s compare to the RTX Zipcore.

 

I’ve had 2 separate stints with the RTX Zipcore, and I don’t think they will be easy to beat or improve upon.

Edited September 24, 2023 by BallerNate

[Edwijn]

I just bought the 50, 54, 58 and 64.

Love the feel and control, with the midbounce being a real gamechanger. In and out perfect out of the turf, leading edge never dig but sits tight.

 

64 is awesome, full face one, but a very nice grind to it. 70 yards in its a cheatcode. Bunkers, short pin and deep, easy Work!

 

one thing i say its higher launching the the Vokeys they replaced. Shaft options are limited. Build is spot on as requested. All in all a very nice buy, dont see me changing to another brand.

[ScooterMcTavish]

On 9/22/2023 at 10:57 PM, BallerNate said:

Awesome stuff everyone!

 

Did any of you previously have the RTX Zipcore from 2021?

 

Would be interested to hear how these RTX ‘s compare to the RTX Zipcore.

 

I’ve had 2 separate stints with the RTX Zipcore, and I don’t think they will be easy to beat or improve upon.

I've had varying degrees of cheaper wedges, plus a set of Vokey SM6 in raw finish.

 

Currently have zero plans to put the Vokeys back in.  The low CG of the RTX 6, the spin they generate, and the very minor loss of distance on off centre hits is an excellent combo.

 

Has taken me a bit to dial them in, but seem to have almost figured it out.  Shot an 85 (with two penalty strokes) last week on a firm course that is very difficult, with my wedges being one of the most solid parts of my game.

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by ScooterMcTavish

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, ScooterMcTavish said:

I've had varying degrees of cheaper wedges, plus a set of Vokey SM6 in raw finish.

 

Currently have zero plans to put the Vokeys back in.  The low CG of the RTX 6, the spin they generate, and the very minor loss of distance on off centre hits is an excellent combo.

 

Has taken me a bit to dial them in, but seem to have almost figured it out.  Shot an 85 (with two penalty strokes) last week on a firm course that is very difficult, with my wedges being one of the most solid parts of my game.

 

Yeah, I ordered an RTX 6 52* Mid GW and took it to the range the other day.

 

This season I’ve been playing the OG RTX Zipcore in 52 and 58 Mid.

 

Didn’t think the RTX 6 Zipcore would really be better than the OG Zipcore, but Cleveland absolutely found a way to make them better.

 

Found the RTX 6 to be more forgiving on off-center strikes, the distance is better, and they are super easy to hit on chips around the green from any lie.

 

The feel and control are just as good, but they feel much more forgiving and confidence inspiring.

 

Needless to say I picked up a 58* Mid to match the 52* Mid immediately once I left the Driving Range!!

[thedunedain]

How does the black finish hold up?  Considering getting a set since their upgrades in shafts and grips dont add to the cost unlike some of the other major OEM wedges but dont know if I should go with the black or chrome

[GooseHook]

Wish I had more rounds in to see how great these really are. These heads are outstanding on full shots and have a really driving flight on knockdown shots. If you want to get crazy aggressive, these seem to respond in kind with more spin. Yesterday I had to play a 65 yard shot over a bunker to a green maybe 5 yds deep (from that angle). The ball ended up about 8 inches from its pitch mark near the hole. 

 

Soft pitches and short chips have taken a lot longer for me to adjust to. Even with less bounce I still feel like a Vokey M gets better thump off the ground than the Cleveland Mid sole. It's a little harder to hit a soft chip because the ball comes off kind of hot. 

 

FWIW I ordered these with the Modus 125 wedge, reshafted to S400, then to X7 8i shafts. 

[grochol17]

On 11/3/2023 at 2:20 PM, thedunedain said:

How does the black finish hold up?  Considering getting a set since their upgrades in shafts and grips dont add to the cost unlike some of the other major OEM wedges but dont know if I should go with the black or chrome

 

I'm probably too late in replying to be particularly helpful... it's raining here today otherwise I'd post some photos, but the black is wearing about like I'd expect it to.  I've not played with it a ton and I haven't spend much time in bunkers, but there's a bit of "greying" on the sole from normal wear.  There are a few scratches on the face from bunker shots where the black has worn off a bit. 

 

I've barely used my 48*, which is in chrome, but it is also showing the wear you'd expect from taking divots and apparently hitting some sandy range balls. 

 

I've also got a 54* in the raw finish and I really like the way the patina on the finish looks... I didn't intentionally try to rust it, but I also didn't try to keep it perfectly clean.  Its now got a nice "broken in" look to it without looking too old or beat up. 

[grochol17]

14 hours ago, GooseHook said:

FWIW I ordered these with the Modus 125 wedge, reshafted to S400, then to X7 8i shafts. 

 

I'm thinking about reshafting one of mine with an X100 or X7 7-iron shaft (since I play X100 soft stepped once) to see how the spin and flight change.  The DG spinners are fine, but nothing special.  Did you see a noticeable change in the flight or spin with the reshaft?

[GooseHook]

1 hour ago, grochol17 said:

 

I'm thinking about reshafting one of mine with an X100 or X7 7-iron shaft (since I play X100 soft stepped once) to see how the spin and flight change.  The DG spinners are fine, but nothing special.  Did you see a noticeable change in the flight or spin with the reshaft?

 

Spin is noticeably higher on full and partial shots. Ball flight is pretty similar on full shots but lower for all other shots.