WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Cleveland RTZ 2 wedges once again change possibilities through the use of their internal polymer construction. The ZipCore construction uses a lightweight internal compound in the heel to shift the centre of gravity more in line with face centre for more consistent distance control. Now with ZipCore iQ, the shape and amount of the lightweight, low-density aluminium-silicate filling is optimised for each loft, as well as each sole design (grind) to better line up CG with the way those wedges are used. The lineup gets a boost from founder Roger Cleveland, who returns to the company to fine-tune five sole grinds, including an update of his nearly 40-year-old legendary 588 grind.
PRICE: $200 ($220 for Tour Rack raw option). Offered in five sole grinds: Mid, Full, Low, 588, Adapt. 46-64 degrees. 24 loft/bounce options. At retail Sept. 4.
3 Cool Things
1. Less is more. The ZipCore iQ version of Cleveland’s ground-breaking wedge construction takes a good idea and makes it better by essentially making it less. Originally introduced in 2020, the last three versions of Cleveland’s tour-level wedge family have incorporated an internal filling of an aluminium-silicate material that is one-fourth the density of the steel it replaces. Positioned within the head in the sole-heel-hosel transition area, the freed-up mass allowed the wedge’s centre of gravity to be more closely aligned with the centre of the face to produce more consistent distance—all without touching the established shapes and sole grinds that tour players prefer.
But like the Bacchanal at Caesar’s Palace, sometimes you find yourself with too much of a good thing. Making the ZipCore twice as big isn’t necessarily the best solution, said Dustin Brekke, Cleveland’s director of research and development. Instead, the aluminium-silicate material should be thought of as part of the toolkit in designing the best-functioning wedge for the best players. That meant a slight reduction in the mass of the ZipCore feature, but an approach that varies with each loft and sole grind. It’s a smarter use of the material and leads to improved and optimised shaping, Brekke said, hence the new ZipCore iQ name. Noticeable is the transition area between muscle and flange and how that changes slightly from flatter in the lower lofts to more pronounced in the higher lofts.
“We’ve developed a simulation process for allocating mass that lets us use ZipCore to actually drive shape and design,” Brekke said. “We’re letting ZipCore be part of the simulation rather than being a fixed amount that we work around.”
The idea is that ZipCore is a flexible component in the design now, working within the framework of five unique shapes and sole grinds. But the intent remains the same: Control CG location to produce the most consistency in distance control, whether that’s a full swing with a 50-degree wedge or a 30-yard open face shot with a 58-degree. Brekke said the main improvement is to maintain the stability of the wedge (its moment of inertia) in terms of how the face rotates top to bottom, as well as the heel-toe direction, all while keeping the CG relatively low. “You can get the CG high to create more spin, but what we’ve found is too many impacts are below that CG location and that’s not getting you the best performance,” he said. “We’re able to have a lower sweet spot while maintaining a higher MOI. So it’s a net win on the influence it has on consistency.”
2. Sole solutions, including the update of a modern classic. The RTZ 2 lineup will feature more grinds than Cleveland has offered before, and with the return of company founder Roger Cleveland to the fold, it also means a return of the 588 grind that is nearly four decades old and still relevant. Indeed, while the 588 shape, which was first introduced as the name implies in May 1988, hasn’t always been a part of the commercial lineup for Cleveland wedges, Brekke said its sole shaping has been a regular tour offering. Now, it gets the upgrade and takes full advantage of the more centred CG benefits provided by the use of ZipCore iQ.
Cleveland’s perspective and experience (he founded the company in 1979 and is still grinding, literally, now in his ninth decade) took the RTZ 2 lineup to another level, Brekke said. “The input he brought was so nuanced,” he said. “I mean he brought out some different masters from 40 years ago. We’re working together and learning new things, and in the end, we’re filling a spot that’s original and unique but very specifically now into our product line that’s not just for tour players, but average golfers will want it for the same reasons. It has a special combination of versatility and forgiveness.”
The 588’s shape features slightly extra bounce in the toe and reduced bounce in the heel for more shotmaking versatility. It favours moderate to shallower swing profiles. The other four grind offerings:
Mid: This V-shaped sole uses a moderate trailing edge grind to work for a variety of swing types and turf conditions.
Full: The higher bounce grind (12 degrees) is part of the higher lofts (54 to 60 degrees) for ideal performance in the sand and rough, as well as softer conditions. It favours those who tend to take deeper divots.
Low: Another high-loft specialty offering, its low bounce (6 degrees) is offered in 58- to 62-degree models. It’s ideal for firmer conditions and favours players with shallow swing types who tend to manipulate the wedge for shotmaking opportunities.
Adapt: Introduced with the RTZ line two years ago, this shape includes a leading edge chamfer along with heel, toe and trailing edge relief. Part of the higher loft options (54-60 and 64 degrees), it works best for skilled players and open-faced shots.
3. Secret ingredient. One of Cleveland’s special aspects of its last two wedge offerings (RTZ and the game-improvement CBZ line) is its own development of a new steel known as Z-alloy. The new steel saves an additional six grams while also providing a softer feel and more resistance to rusting in its raw state. That latter aspect means more precise groove geometries and longer-lasting spin retention. Of course, that’s crucial to the design of Cleveland’s Ultizip grooves, which are deeper with sharper edges and more tightly spaced to enhance grab at impact. The faces on the RTZ 2 wedges also include Hydrazip, the laser-milled blast that is loft-specific to create the optimised additional friction to improve consistency in wet or dewy conditions.
