We take a closer look at some of the best sand wedges currently on the market
Best Sand Wedges
As the name would suggest, the sand wedge – a club with a loft typically between 54° and 58° – is designed to help golfers escape from bunkers.
Of course, we don’t just use sand wedges to pop the ball out of the sand – they are way too versatile.
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Often it’s the best, or only, choice of club when you need to hack it out of thick rough; it’s the club you’ll go to from 80 yards; and for many it’s the club they’ll reach for immediately whenever greenside.
Some sets of golf clubs come with a sand wedge, others may only go up to a pitching wedge.
Bear this in mind when you speak to your PGA professional, so you can be sure that you have even gaps between the lofts of your wedges, therefore covering off as many distances as possible.
When you’re choosing wedges, also try and make sure the shafts are similar in type to your irons so they feel the same on full shots.
We’ve tested the latest models to give you an idea what the best sand wedges on the market offer, and how they vary from brand to brand.
What are the best sand wedges? Let’s take a closer look. To find out more, be sure to read our full reviews below.
Best Sand Wedges
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Wedge
Image credit: TaylorMade
+ High performing in every department
+ Rusty face reduces sun glare
– Rusty look won’t be for everyone
The theory with rusty wedges is that they create more spin – and who doesn’t want more of that?
So TaylorMade’s innovative Raw Face technology sees its Milled Grind wedges rust over time, and whilst the appearance won’t appeal to everyone, if more spin is what you’re after then these could well work for you.
We didn’t note much difference between a fresh and rusted face, but that’s not to say you won’t, and overall we were hugely impressed with the its performance in all departments.
A certain Tiger Woods obviously approves – he has a 56° and 60° model in the bag.
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2.0 Wedge Review
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $159.99
UK Buy Now at American Golf for £139
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge
Image credit: Titleist
+ Classic address profile and finishes
+ Versatility and aggressive spin control
– Premium price (£450 for a set of three) a big investment
The key technology to note with the SM8 is the longer hosel and high-density tungsten toe weight, which increases MOI by seven per cent and moves the CG to help the face square more naturally.
We compared its performance with the SM7 from 80 yards, and found that the SM8 flew slightly higher, whilst the grouping around the hole got tighter – which could well have been down to that design change.
In terms of chipping, we enjoyed having a little more margin for error with the D-Grind, but with 23 loft and bounce options across six different sole grinds, we’re confident everyone has the tools to perfect their wedge line-up to get the ball closer from 120 yards and in.
Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedge Review
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $159.99
UK Buy Now at American Golf for £139
Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5 Wedge
Image credit: Callaway
+ Two superb-looking finishes
+ Wide variety of loft and sole grind options
– Some golfers may prefer less taper in the hosel area
Callaway’s MD 5 wedges feature new Jaws grooves, designed with a 37 degree wall angle to make them sharper for maximum grip and spin from all types of lie.
In addition, three raised micro-ridges between the grooves increase the number of contact points with the ball to 84, which creates added spin.
We were most impressed with the spin this wedge created on longer pitch shots and full shots. We switched between the different offerings, and they all felt buttery soft, which is a down to the mild carbon steel, the muscleback design and the soft grip.
In you’re not comfortable with your current sand wedge, we recommend trying the high-bounce W-Grind.
Callaway Jaws MD5 Wedge Review
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $159.99
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £129
Cleveland RTX ZipCore Wedge
Image credit: Cleveland
+ Wonderful soft feel
+ Tour satin finish looks stunning
– Some players may prefer to see a straighter leading edge
This wedge will catch the attention of low handicap players, with a beautiful muscleback design offering a soft feel. A unique core at the heart of this plays it part in creating a larger sweetspot, which is better aligned with the impact location.
We tested a couple of different options on the Foresight Sports GCQuad against other current wedges, and from a variety of distances the RTX ZipCore proved to be one of the highest-spinning wedges on the market.
Despite the high spin levels, we didn’t suffer with balls ballooning through the air and distance control was very consistent, even on shots that weren’t quite out of the sweetspot.
In summary, RTX ZipCore is one of the most comprehensive wedge offerings of 2020 and represents excellent value for money.
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $149.99
UK Buy Now at American Golf for £129
Ping Glide Forged Wedge
Image credit: Ping
+ Excellent spin control
+ Easy to manipulate face
– £200 RRP will deter some
Ping’s Glide Forged wedge is aimed at skilled golfers who demand high levels of spin control and versatility.
It looks more compact behind the ball than a lot of other models, and it’s the smaller profile that will appeal to the better player.
Featuring a tungsten toe weight for increased forgiveness, we certainly noticed that little bit of extra weight behind the face, and overall it’s hard to pick out any real weaknesses. In fact, as you’d expect given the premium price, it delivers excellent control, versatility and soft feel.
For anyone who enjoys being creative around the greens, this is a club that demands a place on your trial list.
Ping Glide Forged Wedge Review
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $199.99
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £179
Mizuno ES21 Wedge
Image credit: Mizuno
+ Stable feel
+ Narrow topline is really pleasing to look down on
Mizuno’s latest wedge is designed to be more stable and consistent, thanks to a more central sweetspot.
Whilst we’re yet to really put this wedge through its paces, we’ve been mightily impressed with the soft feel it offers.
Traditional wedge designs tend to have a sweetspot that is slightly towards the heel due to long wide hosels and high lofts, which can make achieving a consistently good strike difficult for some players.
With the hollow cavity design, players should be able to deliver a squarer strike and greater levels of controllable spin.
US Buy Now at Worldwide Golf Shops for $199.99
UK Buy Now at Golf Support from £149
Honma TW-W4 Wedge
Image credit: Honma
+ Premium looks
+ Superb versatility
Honma’s TW-W4 wedge is certainly one of the best looking wedges on the market.
The lower lofts feature a 20g tungsten sole weight to lower the CG, while the higher lofts have a higher CG and a C-Sole for added versatility.
This helps to control trajectory with feel and forgiveness when opening the face around the greens.
Meanwhile, the I-Sole also helps improve turf interaction.
UK Buy Now at Scottsdale Golf for £149
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