Best Wedges: Look / Sound / Feel

Tighter-spaced grooves mean more groove edges on the ball for increased spin but with a lower, more controllable launch. The offset groove-in-groove design creates spin when opening the face. A new face blast provides extra bite on partial shots, especially out of the rough or wet grass when you need surface roughness and friction to prevent the ball from sliding up the face. The tour-inspired shape is more rounded with a softer leading edge that players prefer when they open it up around the green. Four grind offerings include the lower-bounce T-Grind for firmer turf conditions. The Platinum model has a 18-gram tungsten weight in the topline to pull the center of gravity up higher to create a lower launch. Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps. Opus: 17 options (48-60 degrees), 4 sole grinds, 2 finishes. Opus Platinum: 8 options (54-60 degrees), 2 grinds, 2 finishes

Cleveland uses a proprietary steel alloy that features a tighter grain structure for a softer feel. It also saves six grams. In its raw state, the alloy has the benefit of not rusting over time as other steel alloys tend to do, preserving the look and performance of the grooves. The ZipCore material in the hosel saves weight, some of which is moved low and toward the toe where golfers tend to it hit. The rest of the saved weight is used to make the hosel longer and wider to increase forgiveness. A refined face-milling process for the lower lofts enhances carry-distance consistency. The leading edge on lower-bounce models is sharper and more rounded on higher-bounce options. This improves turf interaction based on the type of shots and the attack angles typically played with those bounces. Its three finishes include Tour Satin, Black Satin and a raw "Tour Rack" option ($190, shown) A new groove design features sharper, tighter-spaced grooves to maximize contact and channel debris for more spin, particularly on shots hit from the rough. Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps. 20 options (46-64 degrees), 4 sole grinds, 3 finishes

To promote a slightly lower, more controllable ball flight, the SM10 line features shorter hosel lengths and a smaller-head profile to create a progressive center of gravity in the 46- through 52-degree lofts. Tour-player feedback resulted in shifting the center of gravity on those lofts slightly closer to the center of the face for a solid feel and to reduce a draw bias. By using longer hosel lengths and thicker toplines in the higher lofts (54 degrees and up), Vokey was able to shift the center of gravity up (for a lower trajectory) and slightly forward, which enables the face to square more easily. Straighter leading edges on the pitching and gap wedges and more rounded leading edges on the sand and lob wedges provide the right amount of flexibility players need to execute a variety of shots. A “spin-milled” cutting process uses a cutter that creates the entire scoreline instead of a partial scoreline. The result is tighter manufacturing tolerances for a more consistent scoreline-edge radius, allowing the grooves to be sharper and closer. Micro-grooves cut between the grooves add spin on partial shots. Top 5 in Performance, all handicaps. 27 options (46-62 degrees), 6 grinds, 3 finishes.

The new muscle-back shape has a taller heel section and more mass in the upper portion of the head to bring ball flight down for greater control. The head is no longer made from boron but rather a softer 1025 carbon steel to improve feel. The sharper leading edge with more sole camber reduces turf resistance for those who tend to take divots. On the 48- and 50-degree wedges, 15 scorelines provide full-swing distance control. They are also narrower and deeper to help channel debris. On the higher lofts, 16 scorelines plus grooves that are wider and shallower optimize short-game spin. Wedges 54 degrees and higher feature microgrooves between the regular grooves for extra spin on short-game shots when the clubface is open. Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps. 16 options (46-60 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 3 finishes

The Pro T3 is a player-friendly cavity-back shape with a slightly larger head, more offset and wider sole than the T1. You don’t need to be a tour pro to appreciate a soft-feeling wedge. Mizuno has replaced the firmer boron steel used in previous wedges with a cushy carbon steel. A softer leading-edge bevel assists those who tend to hit shots heavy. Like the T1, narrower and deeper grooves are used on the lower-lofted wedges to promote plenty of spin on full shots without the ball ripping back. On the higher lofts, wider and shallower grooves generate ample spin on shorter shots. The microgrooves between the grooves on lofts 54 degrees and higher add bite on shots in which the clubface is slightly open at impact. Top 5 in Sound/Feel, middle-handicaps. 11 options (46-60 degrees), 3 grinds, 1 finish

Ping’s most extensive and versatile wedge offering features 25 loft/grind options based on feedback from the company’s tour-pro staff. Grooves on the 54- to 62-degree lofts are tightly spaced for improved spin but less so on the 46- to 52-degree lofts for maximum ball-flight control on full swings. The “Starblast” face blast adds surface roughness for additional friction. Ping added two grinds to the s159 line that weren’t part of the Glide 4.0 family. The H (half moon) works well in soft conditions or for players with a steep angle of attack. The B is a low-bounce, wide-sole wedge that is effective in firm conditions. The E grind, based on the iconic Eye2 wedge, is great from bunkers and remains in the lineup. With options comes the potential for confusion. What grind do I need? What should my loft gaps be? Ping understands this concern and has developed its WebFit wedge app to offer golfers a quick and easy process to narrow their choices. Top 5 in Performance, low- and middle-handicaps. 25 options (46-62 degrees), 6 sole grinds, 2 finishes

The fourth generation of TaylorMade’s Milled Grind wedges continues the consistency benefits of the machined-sole shaping of its predecessors with three new options at the higher lofts for seven total. The grooves are supported by laser-etched diagonals on the flat area between each scoreline to increase spin on partial shots and prevent spin loss in wet conditions. By increasing the thickness of the flange in an area more in line with the center of the face, TaylorMade was able to improve the sound. The stock shaft—True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Tour Issue—is 115 grams or about 15 grams lighter than a standard steel shaft. Fifteen paint fills, personalized lettering and logos, and additional finishes are available through TaylorMade’s custom-wedge program. Top 5 in Performance, low- and high-handicaps. 23 options (46-60 degrees), 7 grinds, 1 finish