Fourteen Golf RM4 Wedge Review

ddec

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The Driver
Fourteen Golf may not be one of the biggest names in the industry, but they have certainly gained their own following based on their craftsmanship and feel. After years of being a club design firm, Fourteen Golf officially launched their brand back in 2002 and sparked some instant intrigue as Ernie Els won the Open Championship with the help of one of their driving irons.

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Beauty wedges. I feel like that $199 price point is a tough nut though, especially when other major wedge leaders are in that 159 area.
 
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Beauty wedges. I feel like that $199 price point is a tough nut though, especially when other major wedge leaders are in that 159 area.

I feel like it is and it isn't. Boutique-style brands tend to be a little more on the pricey side. I mean look at the putter market for that example. And when you compare it to those other major companies that offer a forged wedge, the price doesn't seem so out of hand IMO. I do think what they have though is a pretty solid product here that ranks up there with some of the best feeling wedges I've ever put into play.
 
i enjoyed this write up and the pictures tell a really good story. the on course feedback sounds very positive. that’s a steep price but not unexpected for this segment of the market. hill grind sounds like a winner.
 
Compared to other boutique wedges these are actually on the low side. When you consider that most of the $159 OEM wedged are cast in China - suddenly $199 for a forged head with a purpose-built shaft made in Japan (and on par with Ping Forged, Mizuno ES, etc), if anything the price is a good value. That said, value is a metric determined by the individual so ymmv.

I have tried 60* wedges in the past and they didn't really click. I really liked the look of this wedge and the whole vibe so I took a chance with the 60H. So far I really like this club. First (and so far only - back injury) round with it I used it for short-sided chips as well as from 50 yards in to great results.

Back is healed enough to put and chip, so chip I did. Have a 56S on order, hopefully that will show up soon.
 

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Compared to other boutique wedges these are actually on the low side. When you consider that most of the $159 OEM wedged are cast in China - suddenly $199 for a forged head with a purpose-built shaft made in Japan (and on par with Ping Forged, Mizuno ES, etc), if anything the price is a good value. That said, value is a metric determined by the individual so ymmv.

I have tried 60* wedges in the past and they didn't really click. I really liked the look of this wedge and the whole vibe so I took a chance with the 60H. So far I really like this club. First (and so far only - back injury) round with it I used it for short-sided chips as well as from 50 yards in to great results.

Back is healed enough to put and chip, so chip I did. Have a 56S on order, hopefully that will show up soon.

first - hope that back is better and continues that way.
second - please pop back in with more thoughts the more you get out with it.
 
first - hope that back is better and continues that way.
second - please pop back in with more thoughts the more you get out with it.

Thanks. The back went pop on the drive on #6 last Thu. I tried to swing out of my spikes and my upper body went up, lower body didn't. Was finally able to putt Tue, putt and chip yesterday. I chip most every day, range 2x a week, only get out for rounds about 2x a month.

So far, the H grind is great for opening the club up as expected. What surprised me was that on the course a couple of half to 3/4 swings resulted in great contact and flight. On the first hole I was about 50 yards out to an elevated green and decided to hit the 60H and fly the green. Nice high flight, soft landing on the green and backed up about 10 feet (that was influenced by slope at the back of the green). Another hole about 30 yards out, half swing, ball went up, landed soft and stopped.

For chipping I've been mostly working on flops (which aren't my speciality) and short-sided from bad (e.g. side hill) lies. Very few bad hits, but like any high-lofted club I need to focus on the strike and consider the lie carefully. I typically try to use the lowest lofted club possible for chipping, but I'm finding more uses for the 60 that I might have thought. The clubs are beautiful and I really like the shaft. I use Recoil 95R in my irons, the Nippon TS-101w is a nice fit - just a bit heavier than the Recoil.
 
I’ve got a 58H in my bag and it has been a real pleasure to use.

I’ve been really impressed with the partial wedge shots (40-50yds) and with the lob shots/short sided chips around the green.

This wedge feels really soft at impact and seems to provide more than sufficient spin to get the job done.
 
Whoa, the photos look really nice. Looks really clean. The hill sole sounds like something I'd like. Problem is, I'm currently drooling over full-face wedges thanks to recent Cleveland and Cobra wedges.
 
Good write up. Not a company I really know much about. I have heard of them but I cant say that I have ever seen a fourteen club in person.
 
I’ve owned all kinds of Fourteen clubs. Currently have (and selling) tc888 irons. I’m gaming a new raw RM 22 52*. Awesome clubs. Since I’m a tinkerer, My biggest complaint are the ferrules they use. Talk about disintegration
 
Good write up. Not a company I really know much about. I have heard of them but I cant say that I have ever seen a fourteen club in person.

it's the first time I've had one in use as well.
 
Great write-up.

I'm familiar with Fourteen clubs. Though I have not had the opportunity to do more than look and drool.

Unfortunately, I have not figured out how I can get one of these wedges past the CFO. :unsure:
 
The 56S showed up today. Got it in regular satin nickel so I can easily tell the difference between it and the 60H. I had intended to hit full swings and short chips but the range closed early. Luckily the "long" practice green with sand trap was free so I hit there. There were like 30 range balls on/around the green so I gathered them up and tossed them various distances away, probably longest was about 60 yards. First I hit a few out of the sand - no problems, check. Then I walked out to start whacking off the grass, had them in both fairway sections and rough.

In a word, spectacular. I also had my CBX2 56 and hit it back to back. The CBX2 is a great wedge. The RM4 is from another planet. It is what I remember from playing decades ago - I could always tell where the head was and distance control was stupid-good. The first shot I hit from about 60 yards almost holed it. The green area is just closely cut st. augustine (so not a green) and is probably 20' in diameter. As I walked from ball to ball and hit, all but one landed and stayed on the green (one hit the back and rolled off). I could open it up a bit (not as much as the 60H), but squared shots took clean divots and I could either send it high or flight it down.

Keeper. Can't wait to get it out on the course. After that session went to the chipping green and had zero issues. A bit easier to hit than the 60H (grind on the S gives a little more protection) and easy distance control. Can't wait to get the ZX7 AW - I feel like my short game may come back to where it was decades ago.
 

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Great writeup. Admittedly boutique clubs are not my thing. These however look really good and the pictures are fantastic! I don't think the price is out of line really.
 
Been practicing with these every day for the last week. Mix of green side chipping and pitch shots from 60 yards in. Hard to tell if it is the clubs or the practice (probably a little from column A, a little from column B). Both clubs are very well behaved. With the 60 I can do a full swing and get a nice divot without digging unless I really put a lousy swing on it. I’m actually confident with both clubs on a full swing all the way down to delicate green side work.

Only critique would be the light black finish, like most black finishes, doesn’t really hold up. But they are golf clubs not Ming vases so wear is to be celebrated. That means I’m doing the work…
 
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