Check out Golfweek’s list of the best golf wedges available to purchase in 2024.
Wedges are the most confusing and intimidating golf club category because there are so many options to choose from and many players don’t really understand how to properly use wedges to hit chip shots, bunker shots, flop shops and pitch shots. They hear terms like bounce, sole grind, heel and toe relief and camber and nod, but in the back of their minds they are thinking, “What the hell does that mean?”
To make matters worse, iron lofts have become stronger over the last decade, with many game-improvement sets coming with a 9-iron that has a loft of around 38 degrees and a pitching wedge at 42 degrees. If a recreational golfer has a 56-degree sand wedge, which is typical, that’s a 14-degree gap between wedges, which can put you in between clubs on lots of short game shots.
To reduce the intimidation factor and help golfers find the right wedges more easily, many manufacturers have developed online fitting tools. With just a few clicks to tell these systems about your game and the conditions you encounter on the course, they can provide you with club, loft and sole grind recommendations.
Of course, the best way to discover your ideal wedges is to work in-person with a custom fitter who can evaluate your performance with several different wedges.
The list below is intended to act as an educational starting point and help you get familiar with the most popular wedges and the clubs you will likely see in pro shops and golf specialty stores right now.
On a day when the European Ryder Cup team seemed to make one dramatic shot after another en route to taking a commanding 6½-1½ lead over the Americans at Marco Simone outside Rome, Italy, no one was better than Spain’s Jon Rahm. The 2023 Masters champion paired with England’s Tyrrell Hatton to beat Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 4 and 3 in a morning’s foursome match, then he rallied from behind with Nicolai Højgaard to save a half-point in an afternoon’s fourball match against Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.
Dramatically, Rahm holed out from around the green three times on Friday, including this amazing shot at the 16th hole.
In addition to the Callaway Apex TCB pitching wedge that matches his irons, Rahm typically plays three Callaway Jaws Raw wedges — 52, 56 and 60 degree — that are all fitted with Project X 6.5 shafts and Golf Pride MCC grips. Here is what they looked like at the Travelers Championship in June.
Jon Rahm’s Callaway wedges and irons at the 2023 Travelers Championship. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
However, the lob wedge that Rahm used Friday was not his normal Callaway JAWS Raw 60-degree wedge, it was a prototype. As you can see in the photo above, Rahm’s JAWS RAW has four holes in the back, a Callaway logo on the toe and, per Jon’s preferences, the names of his children are stamped into his wedges. As you can see in the photo below, the club he used at Marco Simone looks very different.
Jon Rahm’s lob wedge Friday at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
While the prototype club still has the Golf Pride MCC grip, we can clearly see it has a True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shaft instead of Rahm’s normal Project X 6.5 shaft. The wedge itself appears to lack a Callaway logo on the toe, but there does appear to be some identifying stamping on the back. There is moderate heel and toe relief, but significant, similar to the X Grind. With the extremely thick rough around the greens at Marco Simone, a high-bounce wedge would make a lot of sense and could make popping the ball out of tough lies easier.
According to Callaway, Rahm has used this wedge a few times, and adding it this week could definitely be a course-specific move. Upon seeing how a golf course is set up and what the conditions will likely be, many pros tweak their equipment setups, and in some cases, they use different wedges. At the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, where conditions were extremely firm and fast, Justin Thomas added a 60.5-degree, low-bounce Titleist Vokey Design T Grind wedge so he could get the leading edge under the ball without blading chips and pitch shots.
Callaway CB Wedges are game-improvement wedges for mid- and high-handicap golfers.
Gear: Callaway CB Wedges Price: $159.99 each with True Temper Elevate 95 Wedge steel shaft or Project X Catalyst graphite shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip Specs: Cast stainless steel with urethane insert. Even lofts from 48 degrees to 60 degrees Available: July 7
Who They’re For: Golfers who struggle in greenside sand and from the rough around the green, but who also way some shortgame versatility.
The Skinny: With an ultra-wide sole, perimeter weighting and vibration-dampening technology taken from Callaway’s game-improvement irons, the updated CB wedges should help mid- and higher-handicap golfers gain consistency around the greens.
The Deep Dive: Callaway staff players such as Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele use the company’s JAWS Raw wedges to maximize spin, control and feel on chip shots, pitches and bunker shots. In the hands of shortgame artists such as those, the wedges can make a golf ball dance like Shakira.
But there are plenty of recreational golfers who struggle to get the ball out of greenside bunkers consistently, who lack touch on pitch shots and who either chunk chips or skull them across the green. These types of players use game-improvement irons for extra forgiveness, and Callaway just released an update to its CB wedges to offer similar forgiveness around the greens.
Replacing the Mack Daddy CB that was released in 2020, the CB wedges have perimeter weighting to increase stability on every shot and the same JAWS grooves found in Callaway’s muscleback wedges to help golfers maximize spin. On the pitching wedge and gap wedges (48, 50 and 52 degrees), the grooves are arranged like iron grooves, but on the sand wedges and lob wedges (54, 56, 58 and 60 degrees), the grooves cover the entire hitting area.
The biggest upgrade, however, is the addition of urethane microspheres to the back of the heads. This is a technology that Callaway has used to absorb vibration in many of its hollow-body irons for years, but it has never been added to a wedge before now. Encased in a black piece behind the club, the urethane microspheres make the impact sound more solid, and the sound itself is shorter in duration.
The soles of the CB wedges are very wide, and the bounce transitions with loft, going from 10 and 12 degrees in the pitching wedge and gap wedges to 14 degrees in the 54- and 56-degree clubs and back to 12 degrees in the 58- and 60-degree models.
While golfers will not have sole grind options in the CB family, Callaway designed each CB wedge with a tri-sole design that has multiple bounce areas. There is a subtle C-Grind behind the leading edge that should help when golfers hit chip shots with a neutral stance and putting stroke, but the more significant bounce is farther back. Combined with the heel and toe relief and an open stance, it should help prevent the leading edge from digging into sand or thick rough.
Below are several close-up images of the new Callaway CB wedges.
New wedge designs, bounce offerings will be available in Callaway’s raw steel finish that is made to rust.
Callaway released the JAWS Raw wedges in the weeks after last summer’s U.S. Open, and several of the brand’s star players, such as Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele, have them in their bags. Aside from the anti-glare nature of the material, which will rust over time after it is exposed to moisture and air, pros like raw wedges because if the clubs get custom grinds, the process is hidden. If a club builder grinds material out of the heel, toe or another area on a chromed wedge, you will see scratches and a worn spot.
Initially, the JAWS Raw wedges were available with four sole configurations. Now Callaway is expanding the JAWS Raw line, or in the parlance of equipment, adding “line extensions” by combining it with the JAWS Full Toe and offering it in two new sole grinds.
Callaway JAWS Raw Full Toe wedges come with a sticker that prevents the face from rusting before you buy it. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
As with the original JAWS Raw wedges, each of the new offerings (which arrive in stores April 7) has JAWS grooves, which are Callaway’s sharpest grooves to help golfers generate more greenside spin. The clubs are cast from stainless steel and have heavier tungsten weights in the four holes drilled in the back of the heads. By varying the depth of the holes and the amount of mass added, Callaway can manipulate the center of gravity and pull it in line with the center of the hitting area. Finally, because the hitting areas are not chromed, the faces of the new JAWS Raw wedges will rust. To preserve the face before purchase, Callaway has added a peel-off sticker that prevents rust on the hitting surface.
The Full Toe design is a high-toe wedge, but the peak in the toe area is not as severe as it is in the Callaway PM Grind. They are designed to create a larger hitting area, especially when you open the face, but for golfers who have never played a high-toe wedge, the look in the address position is not as jarring.
Because the center of gravity is higher in the JAWS Raw Full Toe, golfers can expect a slightly lower, more-piercing ball flight than traditionally shaped wedges might create.
As with the original wedges, the JAWS Raw Full Toe has grooves that cover the entire hitting area, but they are only offered in sand wedge and lob wedge lofts (54-60 degrees).
The Callaway JAWS Raw Full Toe J Grind wedge (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The first JAWS Raw wedges were offered in four sole grinds, and the new JAWS Raw Full Toe wedges come in two new sole configurations.
The J Grind has moderate camber (curvature) from heel to toe, with a significant amount of material ground off in the heel area. The sole grows progressively wider as it moves to the toe. With 10 degrees of bounce, the shape is designed to be versatile and especially forgiving in greenside bunkers.
The C Grind, which has 8 degrees of bounce, is designed for skilled players who like to manipulate the face on touch shots from tight lies, thick rough and other greenside locations. Its crescent shape has significant heel and toe relief and is designed to keep the leading edge low, so it excels in firm conditions and on courses where the sand is compact or hard. As with the J Grind, it is only available in 54, 56, 58 and 60 degrees.
Callaway also announced that the previously released JAWS Raw X Grind wedges (12 degrees of bounce) will not be available in sand wedge lofts of 54 and 56 degrees, having previously been available only in 58 and 60 degrees.
The Z Grind (8 degrees of bounce) also will now be available in a 62-degree option along with the previously released 58- and 60-degree offerings.
Finally, Callaway is making the Black Plasma finish JAWS Raw wedges available in left-hand in 60-degree Z, X and W Grinds, along with the S Grind (52, 56, 60 degrees).
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Callaway’s new JAWS Raw wedges designed for golfers looking for extra spin and tour-pro looks.
Gear: Callaway JAWS Raw wedges Price: $179.99 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner steel shaft and Lamkin UTx Charcoal grip. $189.99 with Project X Catalyst 80 graphite shaft. Specs: Cast stainless steel with tungsten insert. Available in even lofts between 48 and 60 degrees and in four sole-grind configurations. Available: July 22
Who it’s for: Golfers looking for extra spin around the greens and wedges that look like they came straight off a PGA Tour van.
The Skinny: With aggressive grooves, a variety of sole-grind options and raw steel construction that will rust with time, the JAWS Raw wedges should help golfers produce more spin around the greens and hit a wider variety of shots.
The Deep Dive: Callaway has several styles of wedges available to the public, including the JAWS Full Toe, Mack Daddy CB and the JAWS MD 5, and most of those clubs are available in chrome and dark finishes. However, golf fans continuously ask the company for raw offerings, meaning clubs without any coatings on top of the raw stainless steel. For those players, Callaway just released the new JAWS Raw wedges.
There are three appealing features to raw steel wedges, with one having to do with spin and two relating to looks.
The grooves in the Callaway JAWS Raw wedges are the same grooves found in the JAWS Full Toe, with steep sidewalls (37 degrees) to promote “hop and stop” action on the greens. To increase surface roughness, Callaway added a series of microgrooves at a 20-degree angle. Working together, they were designed to help golfers generate more spin. With no additional chrome layer on top of the grooves, golfers should see their full benefit.
From a visual standpoint, raw steel creates less glare on sunny days. Over time, with exposure to air and water, the raw steel hitting area will rust, giving the JAWS Raw wedges a look that many players love.
Adding tungsten to the two holes that are closest to the toe pulls the ideal hitting area into the center of the face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
To further improve performance, Callaway added two tungsten weights to the toe area of the lob wedges and one tungsten weight to the sand wedges. Adding more mass in that area helps counteract the weight of the hosel and pulls the ideal hitting area into the center of the face. The gap wedges and pitching wedge do not have tungsten.
The JAWS Raw wedges are available in four sole-grind configurations, with the W Grind (50-60 degrees) having 12 degrees of bounce and the widest sole in the JAWS Raw family. It is the most forgiving out of the sand and thick rough.
The X Grind (58-60 degrees) also has 12 degrees of bounce and a moderate amount of material removed from the heel and toe, making it more ideal for players who tend to have a steep swing and who want more versatility in soft and moderate turf conditions.
The Callaway JAWS RAW S Grind (David Dusek/Golfweek
For golfers who prefer to play with a square face, the S Grind (48-60 degrees) has 10 degrees of bounce and a narrow, relatively straight sole.
Finally, the Z Grind (58-60 degrees), has just 8 degrees of bounce with significant heel and toe relief. It is designed to appeal to accomplished golfers and players who tend to encounter firm, hard turf.
Callaway’s newest wedge blends the aspects of the high-toed PM Grind with elements of the company’s JAWS wedge line.
Gear: Callaway JAWS Full Toe wedges Price: $169.99 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner steel shaft or Project X Catalyst Wedge graphite shaft and Lamkin UTX grip. Specs: Cast stainless steel. Available in 54-, 56-, 58-, 60- and 64-degree options. Chrome and raw black finishes. Available: Sept. 9, 2021
In 2014, Phil Mickelson and Callaway’s resident wedge guru, Roger Cleveland, worked together to create the first Callaway Mack Daddy PM Grind wedge, a club with an especially high toe and grooves covering the entire hitting area. Mickelson nearly won the 2014 PGA Championship with that club in his bag and has used PM Grind wedges ever since, including in May when he won his sixth major, the 2021 PGA Championship on Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course.
Now Callaway is releasing a new wedge, the JAWS Full Toe, that blends the aspects of the PM Grind with elements of the company’s JAWS wedge line.
Callaway’s newest wedge is designed for mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want more spin and forgiveness around the greens.
Gear: Callaway Mack Daddy CB wedges Price: $129.99 each with KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 shaft and Golf Pride SG-1 grip Specs: Cavity-back wedges in even lofts from 46-60 degrees Available: Sept. 24
Muscleback blade irons are designed for elite golfers who have powerful, repeatable golf swings. They deliver a lot of feel, and for players who have control, they allow for enhanced shot making, but mid- and higher-handicap golfers have no business swinging them.
Golfers who routinely score in the high 80s, 90s or 100s need forgiving irons, so they play cavity-back clubs with wider soles and more offset.
Yet when it comes to wedges, nearly every player uses a muscleback-designed club. For golfers like Phil Mickelson and Xander Schauffele, that choice makes sense, but for many players, Callaway thinks the new Mack Daddy CB wedges could be a wiser option.
By moving weight to the perimeter of the head, Callaway has made the Mack Daddy CB wedges more stable and boosted forgiveness. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Mack Daddy CB is larger than most conventional wedges, including Callaway’s Mack Daddy JAWS wedges. By giving the club a cavity-back design, shifting more weight to the outer portions of the head, Callaway enhanced the moment of inertia (MOI) and made the clubs more stable on mishits. The perimeter weighting also helps to reduce spin and promote more backspin.
To further increase backspin, Callaway designed the Mack Daddy CB with the same JAWS grooves found in the company’s premier wedges instead of the grooves commonly found in iron sets. In the sand wedges and lob wedges (54-60 degrees), the grooves completely cover the face to create a confidence-inspiring look and better performance when the face is opened.
The sand wedges and lob wedges have faces that are covered by grooves. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Mack Daddy CB wedges have two different sole configurations based on the clubs’ lofts. The pitching wedges and gap wedges (46-52 degrees) have a traditional but wider sole. Players will tend to hit these clubs from the fairway and using a close stance, so while the extra width should make them more forgiving, there is little need for excessive heel and toe relief. The sand wedges and lob wedges (54-60 degrees) have a modified W sole. It is wider still and has extra camber, which is the curvature in the sole, so it should be especially good working through thick rough and sand.
Pros love raw steel wedges because they rust, hide grinding marks and reduce glare. Now you can get Callaway’s newest raw wedge too.
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Gear: Callaway JAWS MD5 Raw wedges Price: $159.99 each Specs: Cast 8620 carbon steel. Available in even lofts from 50 to 62 degrees for right-handed players; 52, 56 and 60 degrees for left-handed players. Available: June 4
Callaway released the original JAWS MD5 wedges in September, and now the company is making new, raw-steel versions of the clubs available to recreational golfers.
Pros often love raw-steel wedges because glare is reduced without the shiny chrome plating. The raw steel also rusts with exposure to air and moisture, and many players like the classic look the rust creates. Finally, raw steel hides the marks created by grinding wheels when players want material sanded off the heel, toe or bounce area.
In addition to sharp grooves, Callaway designed micropositive grooves on the hitting surface. (Callaway Golf)
As with the previously released wedges, these clubs were designed with an updated JAWS groove to deliver more spin and consistency. In addition to the large grooves in the hitting area, Callaway removed material to leave raised microgrooves that help boost surface roughness and friction in wet conditions.
The C, S X and T grinds (Callaway Golf)
Callaway is offering the JAWS MD5 Raw wedges in four sole configurations:
C – A moderately wide sole with relief in the heel and toe areas. (62 degrees) S – A standard, straight and versatile sole for players who rarely open the clubface. (50-60 degrees) X – A high-bounce version of the C Grind for players who have a steeper angle of attack into the ball. (54-60 degrees) T – A new option for recreational players, the T grind has a crescent-shaped sole and a thicker topline that elevates the center of gravity and makes it easier to flight approach shots down. (58 and 60 degrees)
