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What’s going on with Justin Rose’s wedge at the Masters?

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Justin Rose returns to Augusta National for his 21st Masters Tournament. He arrives a year after his best attempt to win the green jacket, ending last year’s tournament as runner-up after a heartbreaking defeat to Rory McIlroy in a playoff.

A blast from the past aided Rose’s near success at Augusta National in 2025. He returned to what he knows best, playing a wedge designed off a head that he played for much of his early career.

“It is basically from the mold of the 588 Wide Sole from back in the day, but just current material and legal grooves,” Robert Waters, Tour manager for Srixon/Cleveland Golf, told GolfWRX.

The wider sole was perfect for Rose for the added forgiveness needed on the tighter lies around the greens at Augusta. The higher bounce and flatter overall sole of the wedge also helped with versatility, especially in the bunkers, which feature a different sand compared to other courses on the PGA Tour.

Now the sole isn’t completely flat. There is some camber to it, creating some leading- and trailing-edge relief to the club head from digging into the turf at impact, and it also allows Rose to open the face slightly if needed.

But there was one issue Rose couldn’t get past for the wedge to remain a permanent member of his bag setup.

“He played with it one or two weeks afterwards (the Masters), and he just said he couldn’t get used to the weight,” Waters said.

Two months before the 2026 Masters, Rose was back again, looking for options with the 588 Wide Sole head, and Waters was ready. A newly designed head was prepared, but additional weight savings were still needed.

“Yeah, we had to drill some weight out, and basically now that we’ve got the target weight, we can just mill it out to wherever, whatever we need,” Waters said. “… it looks like there might be a lot of weight taken out, but it’s like it’s only like 5 grams.”

“So there’s three drill holes that we had to drill out. But now we’re working on just getting the head weight proper and being able to get it to where there’s not any mass taken out.”

Despite the somewhat Frankensteined look of the wedge, with three milled holes in the rear of the head, Rose was pleased.

“He’s been playing it since The Players Championship, really likes the performance of the wedge and what it’s doing,” Waters said. “…He stopped me on Monday and said, look, ‘You know what, you’re correct about the feel of the material.’”

The feel can be attributed to Cleveland’s one-of-a-kind Z-Alloy, which boasts a lower density than 8620 Carbon Steel – a material used mainly across the wedge industry. After extensive testing by Cleveland’s R&D team, the material was found to be about 10-percent softer, leading to a better feel.

This isn’t the first time the team at Cleveland has dived into archives and used previously successful head styles to help players on Tour.

“This project that we started a year ago,” Waters added. “I started with Rickie Fowler. We basically took the wedge that Rickie had been playing for years, and scanned it, put it in the CAD file, and then milled it out with this Z-Alloy material, and Rickie’s been playing it, it was a year last, last week.

“… We can really do some really cool customization now. Randy Smith and Roger (Cleveland) got together and kind of collaborated on this one wedge that Gary (Woodland’s) is using.”

Both Fowler and Woodland have been using a newer version of the Cleveland Tour Action 485 wedge, which features a scary amount of offset.

“We’re able to really create some really unique product, and knowing it’s consistent from club head to club head, it’s really neat, “Waters added. “It’s been a fun project.”

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  1. Pingback: The Masters Tour Report: Bryson’s club building adventures and Rose’s custom Cleveland wedge – GolfWRX

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

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Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

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Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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