Best Cleveland Wedges 2024

The best Cleveland wedges deliver an exquisite blend of spin, trajectory control and stability, making them brilliant for playing full shots, pitch shots and delicate greenside recovery shots. Consequently, it pays to make sure you’re kitted out with some of the best wedges available. 

There's no denying Cleveland fits into that mould. Renowned for crafting some outstanding wedges, there are an array of different models to suit every type of golfer and turf condition. For those who don’t have as much control over strike location, there are multiple full-face options that produce a high level of spin no matter the contact point, while the elite golfers out there will enjoy Cleveland's new UltiZip grooves that are closer together and deeper than ever before for the ultimate in control.

There are also different bounces and grinds available, so whether you have a tendency to get too steep or too shallow, there’s a perfect wedge for you. You might also want to consider the aesthetics. This list features both muscleback and cavity-back designs, with most available in three finishes - tour satin, black satin and raw - so you really can tailor your choice based on your exact preferences. 

While you're here, you may also want to check out some of our other guides on the most forgiving wedges, the best lob wedges or the best wedges for chipping. But right now, we're going to detail the best Cleveland wedges currently on the market. 

The Quick List

Best Cleveland Wedges

Top pick

The RTX 6 ZipCore wedges are Cleveland's top of the range wedges and have had some big upgrades from the previous Cleveland RTX ZipCore model. The overall look of the wedge has remained basically the same, but the tech has had an update. The hosel is now created using 95% more aluminum and silicone, making it a lot lighter, which has increased the MOI by 20%, so it has become one of the most forgiving wedges you can get, despite the blade-design. 

The UltiZip grooves have remained part of the design but Cleveland has made them deeper, sharper and even closer together. They have also etched laser-milled lines been each groove and then treated the entire face with their HydraZip blasting. This enhances the friction you get on the face in damp and dry conditions, so there is lots of spin for you with these wedges making it easily one of the best wedges for chipping. Overall, because of the totality of the performance from this wedge, the RTX 6 is our top pick from the Cleveland range at the moment.

• Read our full Cleveland RTX 6 Zipcore Wedge Review

Best wide appeal

Next up we have the new CBX 4 Zipcore wedge which we think will suit a wide range of players. The wedge features much of the technology featured in other models from the Cleveland range, such as the Zipcore tech, which really helps with forgiveness. What this does is allow for a lighter weight but strong vibration-dampening material to be used in the hosel instead of heavy steel. With this weight saving in the heel, they were able to redistribute the weight across the toe and higher up on the face. This increases the MOI.

As a result, in testing we noticed the lower ball flight on fuller shots which we felt gave more control and confidence over shots. Additionally we noticed mishits weren't punished half as bad when comparing to bladed wedges.

From a looks perspective it does not have a small profile at address but it isn't so big that competent golfers will dislike the look. We also liked the more rounded leading edge which gave more versatility around the green. We felt there were more options for shots like flighting them down and changing the spin, giving you more access to difficult pins. This was unexpected in this wedge and is what you tend to see more from the best golf wedges. As a result we think this is a wedge that mid to high handicappers will definitely enjoy, and there will be some lower handicap players that could use this wedge easily as well.

• Read our full Cleveland CBX 4 ZipCore Wedge Review

Best for spin

Another solid wedge has been released by Cleveland for 2024, the RTX Full-Face 2. It has plenty of tech to help its performance from a mixture of lies on the course. If you are someone that has maybe thought about a full-face wedge or you are looking into a switch to one then the RTX Full-Face 2 wedge could be the one. 

We tend to see full-face grooves on some of the most forgiving wedges on the market because they help to keep the spin up on off-centered strikes, whilst it is also beneficial for being confidence-inspiring at address, especially if you have the face open. The RTX full-face 2 plays into this as it has a 34% bigger surface area, so when opening up the face we were getting a good grab in testing. We also noticed the high levels of spin playing a lot of different shots when out on the course as well.

All in all this wedge is great for those looking for some more confidence in their wedge play, while not losing out on tons of spin. Additionally it is a wedge that looks fantastic in the bag too so will have strong shelf appeal.

• Read our full Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 Wedge Review

Most forgiving

The CBX wedge is by no means the best-looking wedge that Cleveland has created, however the TPU insert at the back of the club has a reason to be there. It helps to improve feel across the face and ensures that mis-hits produce a better result. In testing we found that the CBX ZipCore impressed across all the key areas, especially in terms of forgiveness. In fact we think it is  one of the most forgiving wedges you can get because it was extremely easy to hit and surprisingly easy to flight too.

This wedge again has the ZipCore technology meaning it has heaps of forgiveness on offer, but that is not all, hence why it managed to snag a place in our Editor's Choice awards. The CBX ZipCore has two more grooves with UltiZip giving you more spin, by creating more groove contact on the ball. There are also several grind options on offer, V, C, and S-shaped soles, which allows golfers to get a wedge that suits their swing, feel and their delivery at impact. 

• Read our full Cleveland CBX ZipCore Wedge Review

Best for bunkers

Next up we have the CBX Full Face wedge which delivers tons of spin from all sorts of locations on the face. It has one grind option, the very versatile C option, which is a great grind for multiple lies and conditions around the course. 

This wedge has a hi toe which helps with consistency of strike out of bunkers, so if you are looking for one of the best sand wedges then this is a great option for you to think about. The dark-looking premium finish looks great behind the ball and stops any glare or glinting in the sun. The CBX Full Face has Zip grooves that are combined with the Rotex Milled face which creates lots of friction and gives great control and spin which is vital for short game proficiency, especially from the sand.

• Read our full Cleveland CBX Full-Face Wedge Review

Best high bounce

Another great wedge for higher handicap players is the CBX Full Face 2 which is a cavity-backed wedge that gives you plenty of control and lots of forgiveness in and around the greens. This wedge has a lovely design that is mixed well with all the amazing spin benefits you get from the more bladed range, combining that with a bigger face and a face full of grooves this is very forgiving.

This club also benefits from the HydraZip blast finish, which is great for increased spin in wetter conditions, and this is combined with the UltiZip grooves which are sharp and deep meaning that spin is sublime with this wedge. The Full Face grooves then ensure there is good spin across the entire face too.

This wedge comes with a standard grind in the lower lofts and a C-shaped grind in the higher lofts to give a little more relief for the heel and the toe. Both grinds have a little wider sole than you find in the RTX 6 which allows for a larger margin for error when playing from tighter lies. 

• Read our full Cleveland CBX Full-Face 2 Wedge Review

How we test

When it comes to wedges, we take the testing process very seriously. Whether we are sent a product or buy it ourselves, we put everything through its paces to ensure we can provide thorough and reliable advice. Every member of the Golf Monthly team is an avid golfer and as such, knows what does and doesn't make for a good wedge. As far as our methodology goes, we review all wedges properly, which means we have used each one across multiple rounds and in practice to assess every aspect of performance in all conditions. If a wedge claims to be the ultimate bunker club, we will test that theory from any lies possible. 

Specific to the best Cleveland wedges, we tested those with and without full faces to assess how spin differed relative to strike. We were also keen to find out the forgiveness on offer from each model, as well as the feel and distance control. We all know new wedges are going to generate more spin, but a golfer must be also able to flight it how they like and hit their numbers consistently. This comprehensive testing style is not just exclusive to wedges as we test with the same level of thoroughness across all gear categories.

How to choose a wedge

When it comes to wedges you need to make sure you have a wedge that is comfortable to you and fits your ability. It is said that wedges are your scoring clubs, along woith the putter so making the first step to have wedges that fit your game is going to help bring your score down when it comes to chipping and those shots from 100 yards in. You can get lots of different tech in wedges that help with spin and forgiveness so finding a wedge that fits you can be a tough decision, so we have set out some key points to think about when picking a wedge. 

1. Gapping

find out the yardages of your current wedges to make sure you do not have any big gaps. This is important as it helps you on those shots where you are in between clubs and gives you more confidence in hitting a club you know is getting there. Some people will have 4 different wedges and others only a couple, it all depends on what fits your game. But make sure you are not hindering yourself with too big gaps in your yardages. 

2. Bounce 

Low bounce wedges are more suited to hard fairways and tight lies, while high bounce wedges are better for softer ground conditions and bunkers. The most bounce you will ever see on a wedge is about 18°, but it can be as low as 2°. The type of bounce you opt for should largely depend on things like your normal angle of attack, the firmness of your fairways and the type of shots you like to hit around the greens.

3. Finish 

Options like black PVD and copper are becoming increasingly common. The difference is mainly cosmetic, but dark finishes can help reduce glare. Alternatively there are classic chrome and silver designs as you can see above. 

4. Grooves

While grooves are now tightly regulated, it is still well worth keeping up to date with the latest designs, which use new milling processes and groove shapes to help move water and dirt away from the ball at impact to create extra spin and improve control. Additionally there are several brands that have brought out wedges with grooves that stretch across the entire face. Admittedly this does take a little bit of time to get used to, but for those players who may struggle with strike, a full faced wedge might do you some favors when creating spin towards the toe.

5. Forgiveness

Depending on your experience level and how much you play with your greenside clubs, wedge shots can still be some of the hardest shots to hit. We've all been there when we've struck a brilliant shot down the fairway and ruined our hole by chunking a simple pitch into the green. So understanding the level of forgiveness you need in your chipper is paramount. Some clubs offer a little more forgiveness than others, like the cavity-backed CBX offerings above and they can also help to inspire confidence when you're stood over the ball. 

But Cleveland aren't the only brand in the industry that are innovating to produce high-quality wedges. If you're looking to see what other brands have on offer, then why not check out our guide to the best Callaway wedges too!

FAQs