Last summer, Cleveland Golf unveiled their flagship wedge line, the RTX ZipCore. ZipCore was very well received, and even more so after expanding the line to include a Tour Black and Tour Rack (Raw) finish options in the fall. Today, the ZipCore family continues to grow with an offering that will likely be quite popular, the RTX Full-Face.
This release does not mark the first time we have seen Cleveland Golf release a full-faced wedge; in fact, they currently have the full-faced CBX wedge present in their lineup. While many enjoy the CBX for its forgiveness, the introduction of the RTX Full-Face brings that extra groove space and high-toe action to their tour-inspired lineup. Cleveland Golf believes that this wedge will help unlock some additional imagination in a player’s short game by including the full-face grooves and high-toe design.
“The new RTX Full-Face maintains the traditional and striking clean look that golfers have come to expect from a Cleveland wedge, all while adding shotmaking creativity with grooves across the entire face,” said Ryan Polanco, General Manager at Cleveland Golf. “It’s the perfect complement to the classic RTX ZipCore and delivers exceptional versatility around the greens.”
Fans of the ZipCore wedges will find comfort knowing that the Full-Face version carries much of the same technology. We still see the use of their low-density core that replaces much of the steel that was in the hosel. Using this material here to save weight allows for a shift in the center of gravity, which helps boost the stability of the head, and increase the consistency of spin, feel, and distance. Also present, is the UltiZip grooves, which are sharp and deep to help channel away grass and sand, as well as to help offer a little extra bite.
For anyone new to these styles of wedges, the theory behind them is that when you open the clubface for those short game shots and cut across the ball, contact tends to stray out towards the toe and, at times, higher on the face. Getting a little more mass out in that area helps keep the clubhead stable on these shots. As for grooves that stretch across the entire face, it gives comfort to know that toe or heel side contact is still going to come off with more spin and control than it would versus a traditional wedge.
Recently, I have been able to get some quality time in with both a 52° and 58° full-face wedge. I have found several variations of this wedge style in my bag throughout the last five or six years, so the basic design is not particularly new to my eye. The 58° has held up against every challenge it has faced so far and excelled on bunker shots. Meanwhile, the 52° has been a solid choice for longer chip shots and has performed well on full swings, proving that this design is not just a one-trick pony. The only thing missing so far is that there is no rust on the Tour Rack wedge, but that will happen.
Cleveland golf gives golfers another option to hone their short game skills with the RTX Full-Face wedges. By offering these with the Tour Rack experience, golfers have the opportunity to alter the grind and the leading edge if they so choose. For more information on the newest wedges from Cleveland, including a look at the Tour Rack custom options, visit www.clevelandgolf.com.
The Details
Available: June 11, 2021
Finishes: Tour Satin
Tour Rack (RAW)
Lofts: Tour Satin (50°-60°, & 64°
Tour Rack (56-60°,& 64°)
Grind: C-Shaped
Price: Tour Satin -$159.99
Tour Rack -$179.99
Speaking of full face grooves, LOVE.
Initially, unless you go through Tour Rack and get some alterations to the C-Grind
I wish the 52* was available in LH. Guess I’d just stick with the regular version there.
I wish the 52* was available in LH. I guess I’d just have to go regular version there.
I wish I would have done that with mine. But I’m inpatient
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I haven’t tried a full face wedge yet but I have been very interested in the tech and the these wedges look great. I open up the face quite a bit in my short game but I’m not that skilled and it leads to some fat shots where the ball creeps up on the face.
That was quick!
I mean, that beauty will be more than versatile enough! Time for some RUST!
Enjoyed the Zipcore the couple of times i got my hands on them – if I was in the market this would be a 58° i’d bag full face and tour raw my lord it moved
and I know looks are personal, but I think these look way better than the PM Grind in terms of shape and offset.
I know they are both full face grooved wedges, but I think they have different missions personally. With a longer and more offset face, the PM grind I feel is more for flop and sand shots. That’s just my opinion though. They are both great looking wedges, just think they might suit someone differently, especially when you get in the 58 and above lofts.
In a similar boat. tough to drop $180 on an unfamiliar wedge grind when the PM is so good to me.
I have also heard rumors of a new PM grind coming out sometime this summer. Not sure how true that is, but that’s the word on the street I have heard.
maybe? I mean right on Cleveland’s homepage it says "This is not a wedge, it’s a flop shot machine."
I think it’s just a different way to get a similar result and that’s cool.
I can agree with this. I will say the big difference in the two minus the shape is the direction of the micro grooves. Cleveland’s run parallel with the other grooves, but PM grinds run diagonal, which when you open the face, I would think this affects things a little differently. I may be way off though. What do you think?
I thought when Callaway did that with the grooves it was brilliant, esp from a marketing side. Those micro-grooves though break down and don’t have the impact that the traditional grooves have IMO.
Neither will win a beauty contest, but for that spot it’s all about playability.
I don’t need a raw full face.
I don’t need a raw full face.
Inside his head lookin online at the zipcore full face..
I didn’t realize how much I was avoiding my 58* until I replaced it with a new one.
nice, pretty sure i’d buy one of these if i saw them in the wild.
I would be interested in hearing how you contrast playing the PM grind to the RTX Full face. The PM grind is ugly as sin in my eyes but there has to be a method to its madness.
For me, this one is much easier to play especially with the face open. I never liked how much bounce there was on the PM grind (12* vs 9* on the RTX), and the leading edge was so curved I felt like I could never get a proper strike. I know that goes against a lot of common thoughts on here, but that’s my experience. I’ve been pretty picky with my wedges on here, but I can’t say enough good things about the Cleveland.
The second shot was out of the rough on the first hole, right behind the green. I hit a poor drive and left myself 185 out and went a bit deep. Once again I was short sided, and had to open the club face up a bit. Thick rough that just grabs the club head is back there and it popped up perfectly and landed softly. Allowed me to make the putt and start the round off okay.
I messed around with the 52. I really liked it for chipping, which I didn’t think I would.