As satisfying as it is to smash a huge drive down the centre of the fairway, it’s your wedges that save you shots – they’re your scoring clubs. This part of the bag often gets overlooked, especially by club golfers – many of whom pitch and chip with the same sand wedge until the face is totally worn.
Of course, that’s not you! You’re in the market for new wedges, and you understand the importance of having every distance covered from 130 yards and in.
The question is, what are the best golf wedges in 2021? Well, there are numerous options on the market for a wide range of golfers. So, if you’re looking for a new ‘wedge system’, here are the best options available.
1. Titleist Vokey SM8, RRP £160.00
This is not just one of the best wedges on the market, but arguably the best looking with its five eye-catching finishes.
According to Titleist, the SM8 is the most accurate and forgiving Vokey wedge to date, and its forgiveness has been achieved by shifting the CG forwards so it ‘hovers’ in front of the wedge face.
As a result, it produces a slightly more solid feel and improved ball flight. In addition, golfers should find that they get more consistent results because the club face wants to square up more at impact.
The patented Spin Milled grooves remain, and, as you’d expect from Vokey, you’re guaranteed plenty of spin and control around the greens.
2. Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5, RRP £149.00
The name offers you a clue as to what they’re all about. Groove Technology works with extremely sharp radius edges so that golfers can attack the flag with precision control.
Masters craftsman Roger Cleveland has precisely shaped each wedge with 8620 Mild Carbon Steel to deliver an incredibly soft feel, whilst optimisation head progression ensures a seamless transition into your iron set.
As a result, there’s a more traditionally shaped lob to sand wedge, whilst the gap through to pitching wedge is more compact.
3. Wilson Staff Model, RRP £130.00
Constructed with soft-forged 8620 steel and machine-engraved scorelines for Tour-calibre spin and control, Wilson’s Staff Model wedge helps accomplished golfers be more attacking with their wedges.
In addition, the higher density pattern on the face provides more consistent contact with the ball, giving golfers maximum control.
4. Cleveland RTX ZipCore, RRP £139.00
Providing plenty of versatility, feel, and spin control, this is Cleveland’s better player wedge.
The key piece of technology is a unique core at the heart of the muscleback design that’s four times lower density than the steel head it sits within. As a result, it’s helped make the sweet spot better aligned with the impact location.
Thanks to a new heat treatment process, the wedge also boasts greater durability, which boosts the lifespan of the grooves. Therefore, you’ll be able to chip aggressively time and again without worrying about experiencing a drop-off in performance.
5. Mizuno T20, RRP £140.00
Mizuno has a fine reputation when it comes to manufacturing premium irons, and its wedges are mightily impressive.
With its classic teardrop profile made from 1025E carbon steel, the T20 delivers a wonderfully soft feel around the greens.
Each head features precise CNC-milled grooves and is mechanically milled to the highest possible tolerances after Grain Flow Forging. This feature ensures a perfectly flat striking face and helps golfers achieve high levels of consistency.
6. TaylorMade Milled Grind 2, RRP £149.00
TaylorMade’s MG 2 wedge is quite unlike many other models on the market, but it’s popular on Tour, with the likes of Dustin Johnson, Tommy Fleetwood, and Rory McIlroy all opting for it.
This wedge features a patented Raw Face design, so while the rest of the wedge has either a satin chrome or matte black finish, the face is left untouched – hence the raw face. The purpose? TaylorMade says it gives players the opportunity to create bundles of extra spin.
7. Cobra King Snakebite, RRP £109.00
More ‘bite’, that’s what we’re talking about here. This has been achieved by creating a sharper and more accurate groove for increased ball spin.
On the 48-54° lofts, where you’d be using the club with a square or de-lofted face on approach shots, the grooves are a conventional length across the face but are narrower and deeper to optimise spin.
Meanwhile, on the 56°, 58°, and 60° wedges, the grooves are full face and are wider and shallower than the lower lofts to create more spin on the wedges you’d be using with an open blade around the green.
In addition, each wedge has an electronically enabled sensor built-in to the top of every grip. The system is powered by Arccos and can be paired to your smartphone via a free Arccos smartphone app.
So, come the end of your round, you can review your performance data and learn more about your short game.
8. Ping Glide 3.0, RRP £130.00
The clean, rounded head profile will appeal to many golfers, as will the tapered hosel and the slight extra offset, which frames the ball nicely.
Constructed from 431 stainless steel, these wedges deliver a remarkably soft and responsive feel. In addition, the patented precision wheel cut grooves with a sharper edge radius increases interaction with the ball at impact, which creates greater friction for improved spin and trajectory control.
Meanwhile, the HydroPearl Chrome 2.0 finish repels water from the surface, reduces friction through the grass, and provides better contact and control with the ball in wet conditions.
9. Cleveland CBX 2, RRP £119.00
In the CBX 2, Cleveland is also responsible for one of the most forgiving wedges on the market.
A Hollow-Cavity design with a hollow camber along the side of the heel and a heavy weight at the toe improves forgiveness, while
Rotex Face Technology has been used to create sharp grooves.
As a result, it delivers plenty of reaction off the face, and with its impressive forgiveness levels, that’s two big boxes ticked. Looks-wise, its chunkier appearance won’t necessarily appeal to everyone, but for a cleaner look, it does offer the RTX ZipCore.
10. Callaway Mack Daddy CB, RRP £119.00
If you’re a game improver, these wedges are definitely worth considering. This is because a deep cavity, along with a slightly larger club head, will help you achieve greater consistency.
High handicappers and beginners have more margin for error with the strike, which is usually the priority.
This is not to say they don’t offer any spin, however, because, with Callaway’s Jaws Groove Technology, they do offer a fair bit of bite when the ball is struck crisply.
