2018
Cleveland CBX – £109
➤ www.clevelandgolf.com
➤ Review: Cleveland CBX
TECH: The wedge that’s designed for 84% of golfers. If you use cavity back irons, you really should be playing cavity back wedges. You get all the same spin tech as Cleveland’s RTX-3 tour wedges, but there’s better accuracy and a slightly lighter feel thrown in.
WHY IT’S WON: We can’t believe brands haven’t thought harder about cavity back wedges before; what Cleveland has done with the CBX is genius. Most of us would never dream of buying a set of bladed irons, yet we have no trouble buying a bladey wedge. Some 84% of golfers use cavity back irons, so surely it makes sense for most to use cavity back wedges to match their lighter, more forgiving irons?
Yes, the CBX has a slightly bigger head and wider sole, and they only come in a single bounce option. But let’s not forget they also boast all the same spin tech that’s packed into Cleveland’s RTX-3 tour-style wedges. For us that makes them a brilliant option if you play cavity back irons, which is over three quarters of us. Unlike lots of game improvement concepts, the CBX comes with absolutely no drawbacks. There’s a good chance you’ll hit them more consistently and accurately than a typical blade wedge so what’s to lose? We can’t recommend them highly enough.
Callaway Mack Daddy 4 £139
➤ www.callawaygolf.co.uk
➤ Review: Callaway MD4
TECH: New “micro-positive” protrusions between each face groove give the Mack Daddy 84 contact points to grip the ball at impact. An extra “nip it” 16th groove closer to the leading edge maximises spin especially on shorter shots.
WHY IT’S WON: Callaway’s previous MD 3 Milled wedges were our highest spinning wedges of 2017, so it’s no surprise, thanks to micro protrusions on the face, these generated more spin than any other wedge (averaged across three testers) this year, too. We’ve no idea how Callaway’s R&D boffins got the “protrusion” idea past the game’s ruling bodies, but it’s a bit of masterful thinking. Our test pro loved the versatility of the MD4s, feeling he could open them up really easily to increase shot-making potential.
We’re big fans of the matt black finish; it helps disguise the profile, which is perfect if you’re not entirely sold on a wedge’s head shape. The 115g shaft is the same weight as Cleveland’s CBX, which is more closely matched to a set of slightly lighter cavity back irons, than most wedge shafts here.
Wedge maestro Roger Cleveland has clearly worked his magic on the Mack Daddy 4s; the micro groove story alone is down to some seriously clever thinking. Averaged between our testers, they are the highest spinning wedge of 2018. If you insist on new tour-style wedges this year, you really should try one before buying anything.
Titleist Vokey Design SM7 £150
➤ www.titleist.co.uk
➤ Review: Titleist Vokey SM7
TECH: Vokey says a progressive centre of gravity means the CG is aligned with the impact position of each wedge (higher on the high lofts and lower on the low). Every groove of each SM7 is inspected by quality control, which Titleist says leads to tighter tolerances, and, on average, gives up to 100rpm more spin..
WHY IT’S WON: To many golfers Vokey has set a benchmark for wedge design for years. Though the SM7 has barely changed from the SM6, it’s the best-shaped Vokey for years.
We’re really picky when it comes to wedges and by testing the jet-black head instead of a chrome model, the head shape and size (it’s actually pretty small) are heavily disguised, so it’s difficult to spot the quirks which ordinarily catch the eye. There’s plenty of spin tech wrapped in the SM7, yet backspin was 500rpm down on our very highest spinning model.
They’re beautifully designed, available in tons of options and you can rest assured they’ve been optimised to perform in decent players’ hands. Our SM7s came with shafts matched to our irons (it gives a similar feel), which if you want to maximise consistency seems like a sensible way to go rather than just buying off the rack. To ensure correct gapping and grinds we’d always recommend a proper short game fitting, which Titleist holds throughout the season.
Readers’ Choice
TG Awards: The shortlist
| Wedge | RRP | Club |
| Mizuno S18 | £140 |  |
| Cleveland RTX-3 | £99 |  |
| TaylorMade Milled Grind | £139 |  |
| Wilson Staff PMP Raw | £89 |  |
| Ping Glide 2.0 Stealth | £130 (s) £140 (g) |  |
| TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe | £139 |  |
| Bettinardi H2 303 SS | £139 |  |
