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Cleveland RTZ wedges

david dusek, golfweek
·4-min read

Gear: Cleveland RTZ wedges

Price: $169.99 each with True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip (Tour Satin); $189.99 with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts (Tour Rack)

Specs: Cast Z-Alloy with satin or black PVD finish. Even lofts from 46 to 64 degrees in four sole configurations.

Available: Jan. 17

Who it’s for: Golfers who want to maximize spin and control around the greens and replace their wedges less often.

What you should know: Cleveland developed a completely new metal alloy specifically for its newest wedges. The material provides enhanced feel, helps the grooves stay sharp longer and does not rust, which means the RTZ wedges should deliver like-new levels of spin and performance for a longer time.

The deep dive: After six generations of RTX wedges, Cleveland is ready to move on from the tried-and-true wedge family with the introduction of RTZ.

Previously, Cleveland used 8620 carbon steel to make its wedges, but in-house designers felt they were reaching the material's limits. Cleveland hired a material scientist and set out to develop its own alloy to provide a softer feel than 8620 carbon steel, resist rust and improve durability. The goal was also to create discretionary weight, allowing designers to manipulate the center of gravity more effectively.

The RTZ wedges retain the shape and look in the address position that golfers have loved for decades.
The RTZ wedges retain the shape and look in the address position that golfers have loved for decades.

After several years of development, Cleveland created Z-Alloy, which it said has not been used in golf or other industries. Cleveland has not disclosed its composition, but its properties are central to the performance of the RTZ wedges.

Cleveland says the RTZ wedges are 10 percent softer than last season’s RTX6 ZipCore wedges. Groove wear is also reduced by 87 percent compared to RTX6 ZipCore, allowing golfers to generate like-new levels of spin on chip shots, pitch shots and approach shots into the green.

In addition to the new material, Cleveland incorporated several legacy technologies into the RTZ wedges to enhance performance:

The UltiZip grooves and HydraZip surface-roughening treatments create more friction, get moisture off the face and increase spin in wet conditions.
The UltiZip grooves and HydraZip surface-roughening treatments create more friction, get moisture off the face and increase spin in wet conditions.

  • UltiZip Grooves: Cleveland’s sharpest grooves to date, designed to the USGA’s limits for sharpness, helping golfers generate more spin.

  • HydraZip: A combination of a face-blasting treatment and laser-etched pattern applied between the grooves. The pattern is wider in the pitching wedge lofts (46 and 48 degrees) for iron-like spin, becomes denser in the gap wedges (50 and 52 degrees) and is most compact in the sand and lob wedges (54 to 64 degrees) for better consistency in wet conditions, rough and sand.

  • ZipCore: Cleveland uses a less-dense material in the heel area to absorb vibrations. By reducing weight in this area, the center of gravity and sweet spot shift to the center of the face, improving control.

The RTZ wedges are available in four sole grind configurations, each with a unique leading-edge design to suit various playing styles:

The leading edge of the Adapt Grind wedges is elevated flat to help it avoid digging on both open- and closed-faced shots.
The leading edge of the Adapt Grind wedges is elevated flat to help it avoid digging on both open- and closed-faced shots.

  • Low (58, 60, 62 degrees): With 6 degrees of bounce, these lob wedges are ideal for players who sweep the ball off the turf or play in firm conditions and on courses with hard, compacted sand. The Low Bounce wedges feature the sharpest leading edges in the RTZ family.

  • Mid (46 to 60 degrees): With 10 degrees of bounce, these versatile wedges perform well in a wide variety of conditions. Their slightly rounded leading edge accommodates different techniques around the greens.

  • Full (54 to 60 degrees): These wedges have 12 degrees of bounce, making them suitable for fluffy sand or soft turf and for players with steep angles of attack who take large divots. The rounded leading edge minimizes digging.

  • Adapt (54–60, 64 degrees): With 8 degrees of bounce and a Full Face groove pattern, these wedges are designed for versatility. The raised leading edge has extra bounce to prevent digging on both square-face and open-face shots, a feature requested by Cleveland’s tour staff.

The RTZ wedges are available in Tour Satin and Black Satin with a PVD finish, as well as raw-steel Tour Rack. The Tour Rack wedges are identical to those in Cleveland’s PGA Tour van, offering more personalized sole grinding and customization options. They also come standard with the lower-launching True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Cleveland RTZ wedges use Z-Alloy to enhance spin and durability