This year, Cleveland took on the task of completely redesigning its flagship golf wedge: the RTX. The team at Cleveland tore the wedge down to its core to completely revolutionize performance with new levels of consistency, spin, and distance control. This process resulted in the new Cleveland RTX Zipcore wedge. TGW talked to senior product manager Brian Schielke to bring you the story on what’s new with Cleveland golf wedges.
TGW: With RTX Zipcore, we see a new wedge and a new name, what’s the story behind these clubs?
Brian Schielke: We started trying different things about 3 years ago because Tour-driven wedges can be tough to make big advancements in. We experimented with lightweight materials in the heel and the hosel. Because better players are the most discerning for shape, weight, offset, etc., we really wanted to make a blade wedge with cavity-type forgiveness.
TGW: And what came out of those experiments was Zipcore?
BS: Yes, we came up with Zipcore, an incredibly low-density material that is 4 times less dense than steel. It frees up 15 grams of weight and allows us to move material to other places. This made the RTX Zipcore wedge more consistent up and down the face with 9% more high-low MOI. The sweet spot is also 1.4mm closer to the center of the face, so you’ll hit the sweet spot more often.
TGW: It looks like you have a different groove design on the Zipcore wedges as well, tell us a little about the Ultizip Grooves.
BS: Ultizip Grooves are actually a big departure for us from what we’ve done in the past. Different types of grooves work differently on different types of shots, golf ball covers, as well as other factors. So these grooves are sharper, deeper, and closer together. Ultizip Grooves are better grooves for those shots 50 yards and in because on those pitches you lose spin when you lose swing speed.
TGW: But you are still supplementing that spin with the Rotex face pattern?
BS: Yes, we still use that secondary milling to get spin up to USGA limits. The Rotex face milling has not changed in the Zipcore wedges.
TGW: Cleveland also says these wedges are more durable, how did you achieve that?
BS: When we made these sharper grooves, we wanted to make them last longer. Sharper groove edges can wear down faster so it was important to maintain the durability of that spin performance across the lifespan of the Cleveland wedge. With a new heat treatment, we made that new-wedge spin last even longer. These wedges are forged from 8620 carbon steel then we blast it with heat of more than 1,000°C to remove the impurities in the metal.
TGW: Finally, we know the sole grind is important for wedges, what are those like in the RTX Zipcore line?
BS: The sole grinds are similar to what we have used in the last. We have the low, mid, and full grinds. It makes the lineup versatile and there is something here to fit every type of swing.
To get even more details on the Cleveland RTX Zipcore wedges, visit TGW.com today and order yours to be the first to play them at your local course.
