Sometimes revolutionary can be familiar too. In recent years, few have put as much emphasis and effort into improving the balance and performance of their wedges than Cleveland Golf. To many on the THP community and well beyond, the RTX4 was the most complete wedge out there, so a refresh would have been more than acceptable.
But that isn’t what Cleveland Golf does.
If you have seen the teasers that the company put up the past week, then you’ve gotten a taste of what’s coming, and believe me, this is impressive. You know what though? When you are willing to take something that’s already great all the way down to its core, literally, then it had better be.
This is the RTX ZipCore.
Taking it to the Core
Cleveland themselves are describing the new RTX ZipCore as “radically new and ultra-familiar”, essentially new, yet classic. From the images of the back of the club, we all see a shape that comes with that familiarity which Cleveland is referring, albeit, with a little more modern aesthetic in how the text is placed on the club and a revamp of the loft font. However, the aesthetics aren’t the story here, Cleveland knows they had a wedge in the RTX4 that was fantastic in that area, but to find improvements they decided to look for an inside to out solution. This meant the change they sought was at the core, and I mean that legitimately.
ZipCore
While not the only story in this release, being the namesake of the new wedge means it definitely gets lead billing. If you saw the teasers, then you know there has clearly been some internal work done on the new RTX wedges, and that is exactly at the core of ZipCore.
What you were seeing there, is a low-density core which has allowed Cleveland to shift the center of gravity even more than they have in the past. Yes, they have gone hard on marketing the CG change before, and they acknowledge that, but they also realize that there was more they could do. To be able to shift both the balance and the shape how they wanted, it was necessary to find a way to alter the core balance, so using a proprietary material which Cleveland only explains as being “extremely lightweight, yet strong” they carved out an internal spoon shaped section from the hosel into the heel and used this compound to fill it.
What this all ends up meaning is better balance, higher moment of inertia, more spin, more control, and more shots likely to strike the sweet spot and thus yield better results. Also, for those of you wondering, Cleveland promised that this new ZipCore and the material they’re using won’t sacrifice or compromise the feel either, which will most definitely be interesting to test out because this is one of the most outside the box design features we have ever seen in wedges.
Beyond the Core
Clearly you can see why so much attention is being given to the ZipCore design feature, but if you know Cleveland Golf, then you know they aren’t going to stop there. Rounding out the evolution of the RTX is the focus on improving spin and durability.
For spin, it’s no surprise that you need to look to the face of things. Cleveland, who have long ridden the wave of ROTEX, have gone back to the design board in a big way. More spin? How about more grooves? How about better grooves? How about UltiZip?
Yes, the name is, well, unique. But, based on what Cleveland is touting, it might not be all that hard to get down with. These grooves have the sharpest edge radius ever, and the deepest, meaning more spin and more control in all conditions. The depth funnels away the debris more efficiently, but the key, according to Cleveland, is that they have also moved the grooves closer together, which allowed them to add two more grooves as well. Why is that important? More grooves mean more of the ball contacting them with each shot, and that means more bite. For the fans of hard numbers, all this comes out to grooves that Cleveland says are 11% sharper, 7.3% deeper, 7.4% closer, and 7.2% more groove contact at impact.
Grooves are great, but grooves that are more durable are even better. The last thing Cleveland has addressed with the RTX ZipCore was just that, durability. How though? The answer they have arrived at is utilizing heat treatment of each and every wedge. By heating the 8620-carbon steel wedge they’ve found the material is altered, in a good way, removing impurities, aligning the grain, and just generating an all around more durable wedge.
Rounding it all out, Cleveland is plugging the all new Tour Issue Dynamic Gold Spinner wedges shaft and finishing it with a Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360, both impressive components. The RTX ZipCore will be available in lofts from 46° to 62° with three specific grind options, Low (C-Grind), Mid (V-Sole), and Full. Additionally, it’s worth noting that upon the initial release the classic Cleveland satin will be the only finish available, but Black Satin and Raw finishes are coming later this year.
The Details
Available: 8/14/20
Price: $149.99
Finish: Tour Satin (Black Satin and Raw later)
Lofts: 46°-62°
Grinds: Low (56°-62°), Mid (46°-60°), Full (54°-60°)
Yep. You got that right. ?
I think I have to go Tour Rack. Can’t get a 62, but I can have the 60 bent. Hmmmm
Thank you for prompting me that Tour Rack are back in stock and available for order, which was not the case a week or two ago.
Having relief at the toe allows you to remove some of the bounce by raising the handle of the shaft and bringing the heel off the ground. There are some lies where this can be useful – off hard pan, out of a divot, or even from a tight lie around the green.
No downsides I’m aware of unless you’re very steep and/or are playing in really soft conditions. Then, theoretically, the lack of material at the heel and toe might allow the club to dig more deeply. The last wedge I had with heel and toe relief was a Vokey D grind and I never had a problem hitting any shot I needed regardless of conditions.
Typically I don’t do this but on a few occasions I was at what I considered full gap wedge distance. I took a full swing with the 48 and was rewarded with a good trajectory and shot that traveled farther than I expected. With my setup of 48, 52, 56 I feel incredibly confident that I can get up and down and have only myself to blame for any poor result.
This shot was from 116 yards with 46 degree. Just a choked down easy swing. Of course missed the birdie putt and made par.
View attachment 9006481
Once you get more comfortable watch out, this will be a great club for you!
I absolutely love the shape behind that ball. The whole look in general fits my eye. And I really like the 54/10 greenside out to about 25/30 yards. It’s got great versatility in mixed bermuda rough. Feels precise.
I don’t love them on more full approach though. Love the look of them blending with my smaller irons, and they feel nice enough (little different though), but they just don’t generate the same spin as others for me in this turf. There are a few shots I can’t play the same with them.
I’ve worked the pair pretty good by now, and they look pretty nice with the black on black paint fill, so I’ll probably pass them to a friend instead of sell them. Still have a pretty fresh 50* I used with my ZX7 until that AW came though. Not sure what I should do with that.
That why it’s nice to have options, because not everything works well for everyone. I play RTX-3 in 50 and 54, and the Zipcore in 58. For me and the conditions i play, the Zipcore around the green and in think rough is near perfection. Get along well with the RTX-3, but the Zipcore just adds more. I’ve only played Cleveland wedges, so it’s a look I’m comfortable with too.
I’d be interested to hear your grassy thoughts on the ZX7 AW vs the ZipCore 50*. That is a pretty interesting comparison for a few reasons. Both are clubs a person using the ZX7 irons would be tempted to choose between for same brand wedge options. . I assume the ZX7 is a little more blade-y where the ZipCore is a little more wedge-y?
ZX7 definitely feels more blade wedge-y. Lol. They’re similar-ish shape, I suppose. You can tell they’re related, but they’re really pretty different. The Zipcore only comes stock in a 50 with a Mid bounce(10). The ZX7 AW comes 51/08 and I play it at 50/07. V sole on the 7, tad of trail relief on the ZP, but not really the same shape at all. Just an entirely different camber. 7 has the notch at the heel and toe, too. ZP has what looks like an ever so slightly more rounded leading edge, and a couple more and tighter grooves. Flight and spin are definitely a little different depending on what you’re trying to do and where on the face. 7 plays more like a V Sole-d Vokey with like a baby-D grind. They feel miles apart. One is cast with the Zipcore, the other is an endo forged with differently distributed mass. The ZP feel odd to me. I hear soft a lot with them, but they’re kind of dead-ish to me, even though they’re lively off the face. And yeah, the 7 is less hot. Other than that stuff, same same.
I found a satin 54 hanging around here too that I never played much. What to do…
Yeah, me too. My buddies and I are always going rounds about feels. Really individual and highly dependent on what you’re used to and what you like. Even the ball you play off them. One man’s butter is another man’s Nutiva Coconut Manna…
Collateral for some new gear? Get it in the hands of someone so they can try out the wedge? Which I personally really enjoy. Give it one more go? Too good looking of a club to just sit, those wedges are meant for working
Yeah, that’s my favorite of the zipcores I’ve tried. The one I really like greenside. Most of my guys have tried them along the way, and a couple have them, so I was thinking prize for the weekly couples scramble, or a contest giveaway or something. I’m ruminating…
agreed, some balls feel real soft of it, others has a nice firm grab feeling
f
I love opening email and seeing this. Ordered a customized/personalized 58 degree. It will be at the house Friday but will be another 9 days before I’m home from work. I will post pictures when I unbox.
Now that’s a GOOD work anniversary gift. Enjoy!
Well deserved after the past few weeks ?
Very nice!
Need a few more rounds with it but I like the first outing
I managed to hit the flagstick from 81 yards today so that was good distance control and aim. Had one other shot from 102 that I left 3 feet from the pin for a nice tap in birdie.
No issues at all getting thru damp turf. I use the 50 a lot around the green for chipping and get some really good action from the ball for hop and stop or some rollout if needed.
The Zipcore is amazing from all sorts of rough. Just gets through so easy, delivering the clubhead just as you intend.
I play mid and like the overall versatility. Both a solid though.
I have usually gone "Low" with my 60*, I went that way in previous wedges, an RTX 2.0 and RTX 4. The low works incredibly well in hard bunkers, or hard-pan lies, but I went "Full" with the ZipCore, mostly just to be different from the RTX 4, which was still pretty new, and I have to say the 60* Full ZipCore is WAY more versatile. If I’m playing a course with crappy hard bunkers (a lot of them around here) where I end up in the bunkers frequently, I’ll put the 60* Low RTX 4 back in the bag, otherwise the ZipCore stays in the bag because I can use it in so many more situations.
By the way, My ZipCore is a Tour Rack model, with custom S-Grind sole and rounded leading edge, compliments of THP and Cleveland Golf.
Glad to hear you have the versatility, because that’s one of the biggest strengths I’ve found around the green. I can hit a lot of shots from many different lies, and I can count on the club getting through the turf, if need be, and providing a consistent shot off the face.
I don’t have a full face but my understanding is that the performance is the same as the standard. Unless you like to open your face and hit flips shots.