Equipment
Callaway launches new MD3 Milled wedges
What was Callaway’s Mack Daddy 2 line of wedges missing? A wide-sole wedge option.
On Monday, Callaway announced the release of a new milled-wedge line — MD3 Milled — which includes a new W-grind, a new 46-degree wedge option, different shaping and a progressive groove design.
With three wedge-grind options (C, S and W), Callaway wedge-designer Roger Cleveland says this is the biggest line ever from the company.
[quote_center]”There was one grind that we were missing, and that’s the wide sole grind,” Cleveland says.[/quote_center]
Wide-sole wedges are one of golf equipment’s new trends, but there’s a reason they have become so popular — a wider grind helps golfers in soft conditions from digging too much into the turf.
Cleveland says the W-grind adds effective bounce, which is a golfer’s friend in soft conditions, both from the grass and in the sand. Bounce is also great for golfers with steep angles of attack, or shots that require a greater descending blow.
Callaway still offers the familiar C-grind — made slightly wider, or what Cleveland calls “more generous,” than previous lines — and the S-grind (standard grind), which is the most versatile option made for both firm and soft conditions.
MD3 also added a 46-degree wedge option to its lineup, which offers eight lofts ranging from 46-to-60 degrees, and a progressive-groove system for spin control throughout the extensive line.
In the Mack Daddy 2 wedges, Cleveland used very aggressive grooves for maximum spin, great for shots around the green. But based on feedback from Tour players, high-spin grooves aren’t ideal in the lower-lofted wedges, because the ball “rips back” too much on full shots or into back pin positions.
To combat that issue, Callaway uses what it’s calling “progressive groove optimization” to reduce spin as wedge lofts decrease.
Now, the lob wedge has what’s called 5V grooves — a U-shaped groove that’s the widest and sharpest — the sand wedges use slightly narrower 20V grooves and the pitching/gap wedges use 30V grooves — a full V-shaped groove. According to Cleveland, the groove-system is said to better smooth the transition from the wedges into the irons.
The MD3 wedges also have a different head profile, using what Cleveland calls the best of Callaway’s previous X-Tour and Tour Grind wedge lines. The profiles have a higher toe shape and a straighter leading edge, a look that golfers enjoy based on player-feedback.
The new wedges, cast from 8620 stainless steel, undergo a milling process on their faces, which will create more friction for ball control. Also, green weight ports in the back of the wedges — a look similar to Callaway’s PM grind offering — help reposition weight behind the face for shot-making benefits, according to Callaway.
MD3 Milled wedges are set to release on Sept. 4, and will be available for $129.99 each in two different finishes — matte black and satin chrome. Custom shafts and grips will be available, as well.
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the Callaway MD3 Milled wedges in the forums.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
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Pingback: CALLAWAY adds to MD3 wedge line... - Bernard Daily
Moody_D
Jul 9, 2015 at 8:49 am
Also, not sure why you’re all angry about the cast/milled. That’s a much better process for wedges. Forged wedges wear down too quickly.
Gary
Jul 11, 2015 at 9:52 am
Forged wedges don’t necessarily wear down as fast as cast wedges, sometimes the opposite is true, depending on the steel used and etc. Some forged wedge face and grooves will outlast cast wedges. This is one reason why Vokey has hardened the face on the SM4 and SM5 wedges. Cleveland did the same on the Rotex wedges, first version at least. One of the most durable wedges I can remember in fairly recent times was the Callaway X Tour which came out in 2006, was still going strong long after my Vokey Spin Milled lost most of it’s spin.
Moody_D
Jul 9, 2015 at 8:47 am
Love the looks, and think I’ll love the S grind. Extremely disappointed that they’re not making an option that’s fully grooved on the face like the PM wedges. Guess they need to save something for their next product cycle!! So in Callaway cycles, I should be able to order the wedge I want by October! 🙂
BirdieBaron
Jul 9, 2015 at 3:27 am
Even scratch and + Hcps cannot reliably tell the difference between forged, cast, milled stainless etc.
Do not judge a club by its material. At today’s tolerances and manufacturing expertise they are almost indistinguishable in real terms and testing.
If you don’t earn a living playing golf it it really not an area of concern. Don’t let it get into your head or buy into the hype that one is inheirintly better than another. The Pro’s make millions and play what works for them, some play cast, some forged. No worries.
Dave R
Jul 8, 2015 at 8:33 pm
Callaway makes great wedges…I play MD2, picked up a PM 60, fantastic, a little biased as I am a lefty too! Not sure how the MD3 will compare in “feel” , but will definitely give them a look!
Ken
Jul 8, 2015 at 6:39 pm
Not one picture of the face and grooves?
other paul
Jul 7, 2015 at 9:35 pm
Love the Mack daddy 2. Maybe the PM grind will go on sale and I will grab a 56*.
SB
Jul 7, 2015 at 3:39 pm
They look sick but I hope the grooves are not all over the face as the Phil’s one…
ADL
Jul 7, 2015 at 7:37 am
I’ll stick with my FORGED MD2s. Seems like a step back going from forged to milled…
Michael F
Jul 6, 2015 at 9:52 pm
Maybe they will offer these in more than 3 lofts left handed. Can’t take Callaway seriously in the wedge game until they offer the majority of their products left handed. They may want to look at how Vokey and Cleveland properly serve the market.
KK
Jul 6, 2015 at 9:21 pm
Glad Callaway shortened the model name to MD3. Mack Daddy was almost as ridiculous as Rocketballz.
Christosterone
Jul 6, 2015 at 8:47 pm
Does Ping get a commission or a flat fee for use of trademarked clubs?
-Christosterone
txaggieman85
Jul 6, 2015 at 10:42 pm
Does Vokey pay a commission? Does Cameron pay a commission…what goes around comes around.
Arguably Roger Cleveland is one of the best wedge designers ever.
jeff ward
Jul 6, 2015 at 1:47 pm
Are they forged?
Matt
Jul 6, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Nope
James
Jul 7, 2015 at 1:07 am
BOOOOOO!!!
MHendon
Jul 6, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Nice looking wedges, definitely like the wide sole option for the 60.