When it comes to wedge design and choosing the right wedge for your game, there have never been more options.

More choices and more new technology, however, mean that its important to make sure you have the right information when you set out to purchase a new high-lofter.

Fortunately, Cleveland Golf’s Product Manager Casey Shultz was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about the company’s duo of wedge lines.

GolfWRX: Before we dig into the technology, who is the CBX ZipCore for? Who is the RTX ZipCore for?

Casey Shultz: CBX ZipCore is designed for your average golfer who can really benefit from added forgiveness in a wedge that looks at address like those they have played their whole life. RTX ZipCore is designed for the better player with a well-developed short game that can take advantage of the added versatility the line brings to improve their shot-making capabilities around the greens, while still experiencing added forgiveness and consistency over what can typically be found in a blade wedge.

GolfWRX: From a technology standpoint, what’s the story behind the CBX ZipCore?

CS: CBX ZipCore is filled with forgiveness technologies to help you out on every shot. It is designed with a hollow cavity and ZipCore material to shift weight for ideal CG and MOI properties. This along with the wide Dynamic Sole Grinds offered on each loft ensure consistent performance no matter how you strike the ball. All this forgiveness comes along with the newest Rotex face featuring the sharper, deeper, and closer UltiZip grooves for maximum spin performance.

GolfWRX: OK. Same question for you on RTX ZipCore…

CS: RTX ZipCore is the first product we introduced with our ZipCore technology, a low-density material within the hosel that helps to shift the CG and raise MOI, adding spin, enhancing control, and boosting consistency all within a traditional blade style shape. This wedge also has the newest Rotex face design with the sharper, deeper, and closer UltiZip grooves for maximum spin performance. On top of this, a new heat treatment process has been added to ensure these grooves stay sharp and this spin continues round after round.

GolfWRX: Some golfers seem to feel “a wedge is a wedge is a wedge” or “wedge technology hasn’t evolved since Gene Sarazen.” Do you hear this a lot? What do you say to this?

CS: I would say this couldn’t be further from the truth! I do, however, think this commentary is somewhat complimentary to our designers and engineers as they have managed to pack all this technology into products with the aesthetic appeal that a somewhat traditional wedge shaping brings, especially in our RTX line. The improvements in forgiveness, spin, and uniquely designed grinds for certain shots and conditions have been incredible over the last few generations of designs. I think this perception is mainly since, intentionally, these performance and technological development are hidden within the confines of a good looking, confidence inducing shape more than other clubs in the bag where technology is often more visible.

GolfWRX: How does tour pro testing and feedback influence Cleveland wedge designs?

CS: Tour testing and feedback has a big influence on the design of our wedges, especially when it comes to grind offerings and appearance at address. We constantly are making modifications to the grinds for tour players and take notes of what works and what doesn’t and work this feedback in to future designs as well as custom grinding options available in our Tour Rack program. Players on tour also have a trained eye for what they like to see from a wedge at address, so we always design and validate our wedges with this perspective in mind before finalizing a product.

GolfWRX: Getting a bit more granular: Can you briefly explain the bounce offerings on the RTX ZipCore?

CS: For RTX ZipCore we offer 3 bounce offerings, LOW, MID, and FULL, designed to fit all different kinds of playstyles.

The MID bounce is our catch all, offering our V-Shaped sole design for superior turf interaction for all kinds of different attack angles and lies you may find yourself in. This is available in loft offerings ranging from 46-60, a great option for a wide range of players.

The LOW on the other hand is a more specialized grind designed for those who are looking for maximum versatility in higher lofted wedges. Available in 56-62 degree lofts, this grind is perfect for those who like to play open faced shots around the greens or have a shallower attack angle as its reduced bounce helps the wedge to slide under the ball with ease.

Finally, the FULL sole is the highest bounce offering in the lineup with a traditional, unmodified sole design. This added bounce in this grind makes it perfect for lies in the sand or rough or for players who have a steeper attack angle as it is resistant to digging. It is available in 54-60 degree lofts and is also the most similar to the performance some players are used to from more classic wedges.

For those who want a true tour experience, we also offer a Tour Rack program for grind customization. This allows players to select specific leading edge and sole grind modifications to create a grind with their preferences and wedge game specifically in mind, just like the players on our tour staff.

GolfWRX: Let’s talk about building a bag for a second. For the average golfer wondering if s/he should carry 2 or 3 wedges (or 4), what do you suggest and is there a standard gapping you advocate for?

CS: I would recommend sticking with a 4-6 degree gapping between your wedges. The first thing you need to decide when setting up a wedge mix is where you want to start in the GW area. Knowing the loft on the PW in you iron set is key. For example, those with a 44 degree PW, a gapping of 48, 54, 58 can work well or tighter wedge gaps of 48, 52, 56, 60 is possible for max precision if you have room in the bag for 4 wedges. For players who want true wedge performance in this club, replacing this iron with a 46 degree or, in our CBX ZipCore line, even a 44 degree wedge can be a great place to start. A 4-wedge set of 46, 50, 54, and 58 could make a lot of sense for these players. The closer you are able to make the gaps between your wedges the easier it is to be precise attacking the green from different yardages, so I would generally advocate for as many wedges as you can fit in your 14-club set to set up as many easy looks for birdie as possible.

If you are limited to say two wedges due to how the rest of your bag is set up, I recommend some players emphasize versatility in their sand wedge loft over a removal of a gap wedge. Choosing a grind that allows you to open the face in a sand wedge can give you similar performance around the greens to what you could find in a lob wedge and essentially fill the role of both of those clubs. It can be harder for some to find a filler for the yardage gap that will exist if you don’t include a gap wedge in your set than a replacement for the greenside performance of a lob wedge.