Cleveland RTX 4 wedge Review
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What we say...
Cleveland say their RTX 4 wedge is their most tour-authentic wedge yet.
When it comes to wedges, it might appear that club designers can’t really reinvent the wheel. It’s not like they have sliding weights to play with, or hollow heads in which they can move mass. Yet Cleveland obsesses over every last groove, radius, line and milled surface of their wedges, so they can finely tune the best club to help you get up and down.
Cleveland is famous for its wedges – they’ve been creating them for many of the world’s best players since 1979 – but the all-new RTX 4 is said to be the most tour-authentic wedge they’ve ever made.
TWIN TEST: Cleveland RTX 4 vs Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges
They say: “We’ve held nothing back during development, creating a made-for-tour wedge in its purest form. Utilising the latest face technologies, tour-preferred shaping, expanded grind offerings and the most popular components used by tour pros, every stage of its development is fundamentally different from the blade wedges we’ve made since 1979.”
“We spared no expense in trying to achieve the best possible wedge for the best players in the world, and then bring that wedge right to the consumer,” added John Rae, Vice President at Cleveland Golf. “We worked tirelessly with our tour staff to refine every detail of the wedge and its shape to fit their needs.”
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Cleveland RTX 4 Wedge Review: TG Verdict
Cleveland’s most tour authentic wedge ever, and they can say that because they also make the cavity-back CBX. It means they can tailor RTX4 to the needs of their tour staff. A centre of gravity within 2mm of the centre of the face (most are between 5-8 mm towards the heel) improves feel and shot dispersion, which is well worth remembering if you’re looking to improve accuracy.
Tolerances for Cleveland’s wedge grooves are as good as they get as every groove is protected from the finishing process, which you don’t get from any other wedge brand. We love the compact profile, narrow sole and excellent levels of spin and control the RTX 4 delivered for all three testers (it was also our test pro’s joint favourite with Ping’s Glide Stealth). If you use cavity-back irons, you really should look at the CBX.
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So what’s new?
More spin
Following years of R&D, involving millions of data points, the tolerances in the RTX 4 have been tightened more than ever. With the sharpest Tour Zip grooves yet, the most aggressive face milling and even more precise laser milling, the latest Rotex 4 face generates more spin, giving maximum short game control.
Tour feedback: “It feels like the ball is really spinning off the face,” Shane Lowry told TG. “There are extra little grooves in there, which makes it spin more – and it definitely does spin more.”
More versatility:
Following extensive tour player testing, RTX 4 has less offset and a smaller overall profile to provide that classic blade design better players prefer. There are also four new sole grinds (above left), including an all-new XLow grind, to provide the versatility to execute the most challenging greenside shots.
Tour feedback: “It has that soft feel which is so nice,” said Graeme McDowell. “I really love the bounce profile here. I like the feeling of using the back bounce on the wedge so, when I look at that, it’s something that really appeals to me.”
Do rusty wedges really spin more?
More feel:
“Feel Balancing Technology” is optimised by loft for even more control. New muscle shaping on the back of each loft progressively adjusts the centre of gravity, making it easier to control your trajectory, whether you’re lobbing it high or playing low knockdown shots.
Tour feedback: “Having something that you can mishit a little bit and still see the results of what you’re trying to accomplish is amazing,” said Tour player Sean Crocker.
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More options:
There are more loft/bounce options than ever with the RTX 4 (18 to be precise) to give you more playability and versatility. Four new sole grinds are: Full: The traditional mid-bounce for crisp pitch shots and solid full-shot performance; Mid: This V-shaped Sole cuts smoothly through turf and its trailing edge relief keeps the leading edge low on open-faced shots; Low: A C-Shape provides heel and toe relief for ultimate versatility from any lie; XLow: Perfect for tight lies and hitting shots with an extremely open face.
Tour feedback: “With the Low I can open the face, it sits flat, and I can really spin it,” says Keegan Bradley. “The Full sole on my 60° is great from bunkers, rough, and pretty much everywhere around the green said Shane Lowry.”
Following extensive tour feedback, RTX 4 features a more compact blade shape, with less offset and a smaller overall profile to provide that classic blade design that tour players prefer. Additionally, RTX 4 offers four new sole grinds, including an all-new XLOW grind, to provide the versatility to execute the most challenging greenside shots.
Do old wedges really spin less?
Key Innovations inside the RTX 4:
Rotex Face Technology:
The 4th generation Rotex Face features Cleveland’s sharpest grooves and most aggressive face milling pattern.
Tour-Developed Sole Grinds:
Four sole grinds, deliver enough versatility to execute every short game shot imaginable.
Progressive Feel Balancing Technology:
Next-generation Feel Balancing Technology is optimised by loft for even more short game control.
Tour-Authentic Components:
RTX 4 comes standard with the #1 wedge shaft and #1 wedge grip on the PGA Tour.
Tour-shaping:
Tour-driven compact shaping uses less offset to provide more workability and confidence at address.
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RTX 4 wedges are offered in a variety of different degrees and grinds.
Everything you need to know about Cleveland’s award-winning CBX cavity-back wedge
1. Full Sole Grind
– Available in: 56° – 60° lofts
– Swing type: Neutral / steep attack angle
– Shot type: Enhanced for sand shots
– Condition type: Medium / soft
Choose if you:
Hit a medium to large divot on full wedge shots
Want stability on full shots
Want extra sole to support bunker shots
Want a traditional full sole wedge in your bag
2. Mid Sole Grind
– Available in: 46° – 60° lofts
– Swing type: Neutral / steep attack angle
– Shot type: Enhanced for full and pitch shots
– Condition type: Medium / soft
Choose if you:
Hit a medium to large divot on full wedge shots
Want stability on full shots and the ability to open up the face of your wedge on occasion.
3. Low Sole Grind
– Available in: 56° – 64°lofts
– Swing type: Neutral / Shallow attack angle
– Shot type: Enhanced for open face shots
– Condition type: Medium / hard
Choose if you:
Hit shallow divots on full shots
Regularly open up the wedge face around the green
Hit the occasional flop shot
Often hit off tight lies and medium to hard turf
Feel confident around the green
4. XLow Sole Grind
– Available in: 58° – 60° lofts
– Swing type: Shallow attack angle
– Shot type: Enhanced for extreme tight lies and flop shots
– Condition type: Medium / hard
Choose if you:
Hit shallow to no divots on full wedge shots
Find yourself pulling off that extreme flop shot
Often hit off tight lies and hard turf conditions
