Review: Cleveland RTX-3 Wedges

Cleveland Continues to Refine Their Excellent Wedge Line
When Cleveland left the woods and irons market to concentrate on wedges and putters, I was concerned that it would be the death of the brand altogether.  Thankfully that has not been the case, but rather their concentrated efforts on the new RTX-3 wedges is really paying off nicely in their best wedges yet.  The refinement they’ve made to clubs that were already very good, makes them even better.  They have expanded their wedges offerings even more and have added some new touches that really make these one of the best new wedges for 2017.
Cleveland offers numerous different lofts and bounces in each of the 3 finishes and offers a cavity back model in many lofts and bounces.  Since moving to AZ I’ve noticed the hard ground can really change the way I’m used to playing wedges.  I went with a 50* mid bounce, 54* low bounce and 58* low bounce in the Tour Satin.  I really like how these look.  They did a nice job of keeping them clean looking while still having a fair amount of brand labeling on them.
 

The new features of the Cleveland RTX-3 wedges are what they call “Feel Balancing Technology”, V Sole Grinds, and Rotex Face.  While they are “new” features, I really see them as refinements of things that were part of previous Cleveland wedges.  For me the best new tech that they added is the Feel Balancing Technology.  It basically takes 9 grams from the hosel and moved it toward the middle of the face.  This isn’t new to wedges, others have been working with the CG for some time.  Cleveland did it nicely and noticeably when you hit these clubs.  The sensation of hitting these wedges is much more solid than in previous models.  While feel might be the main factor, proper CG does help with performance too, especially in terms of consistency.

The V-sole grind on the Cleveland RTX-3 wedges isn’t brand new, some previous models have had it too, but again they refined it so that you get excellent turf interaction no matter how it changes from shot to shot.  This continues to be one of my favorite sole designs whether it is on irons or wedges.  It makes for clean entry and exit from the ground on every shot no matter the lie.  Clean turf interaction is key to hitting solid wedge shots.

The new Rotex Face on the Cleveland RTX-3 is again another refinement of this technology.   The grooves and milling were reshaped to fit the various lofts; more spin for higher lofts and more controlled spin on lower lofts.  This change offers more consistency from shot to shot and loft to loft.  The transition from the 50* wedge to the 58* wedge was noticeably how the spin was different based on the different needs of each club.

I really liked all these refinements in the Cleveland RTX-3 wedges on the course.  I was able to get really comfortable with these wedges almost immediately.  The hard turf here in AZ was no match for these lower bounce clubs.  I really liked being able to clip the ball cleanly.  The spin was high which also helps hold the hard greens.  I always felt like I could control these wedges for any shot.  The 50* wedge made a nice transition from the PW of the Srixon irons I had in the bag.  The 54* was also a nice gap filler at about 100 yards.  The 58* wedge could do anything I asked it to do; flops, chips, pitching, bump and runs, etc.  I was able to keep the ball in a small circle around the pin on many shots.

Flightscope Xi Tour Launch Monitor
Cleveland RTX-3 58* Wedge

    • Spin: 10,159 rpms
    • Launch Angle: 50.3*
    • Dispersion: 2.7 yds
    • Club Head Speed: 77.4 mph
    • Ball Speed: 79.0 mph
    • Total Distance:  87.6 yds
    • Carry Distance:  84.0 yds

You may not need to upgrade your wedges every season, but if you are considering new wedges in 2017, the Cleveland RTX-3 wedges are an excellent refinement of already good wedges.  The new features and multiple options will make them an upgrade from previous wedges.  You will notice the improved feel and more consistent spin.  Cleveland builds on its strong tradition of good wedges and really focuses its efforts into these refined wedges.

For more information: www.clevelandgolf.com

Quick Hits
+Improved feel
+Excellent Spin
+Awesome V-sole grind
+Great results
+Many fitting options
+Clean looks