- Updated: January 5, 2023
Best Sand Wedges of 2023
Without a doubt, the sand wedge is one of the most important clubs in everyone’s golf bag. The best sand wedges allow you to hit bunker shots with more confidence and provide distance control and spin control on full shots all the way to shots right around the greens.
Our #1 choice of sand wedge of 2023 is the Titleist Vokey SM9 wedge series.
The “wedge only” manufacturing team that Bob Vokey leads proves their dedication to the craft by doing and offering everything to make sure their golf wedges meet their player’s exact needs.
We have been reviewing golf clubs for over 10 years now and assembled below is the list of the 8 best sand wedges of 2023.
1 |  OUR TOP PICK | Titleist Vokey SM9 |
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2 |  ALTERNATIVE | Mizuno T22 |
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3 |  HIGHER END | Callaway JAWS Full-Toe Raw |
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The sand wedge is one of the most frequently used clubs in every round of golf, making the selection of the right sand wedge with the correct sole grind, bounce angle, and even features like the club’s finish are very important. High handicap golfers may need a more forgiving sand wedge than mid handicappers, just as golfers who typically play on muddy ground may have different needs in a sand wedge than someone living in the dry desert.
Golf equipment continues to advance day by day, and while this is fantastic for players, it can also be difficult to weigh all your options when there are so many different sand wedges to choose from. Thankfully for us, the best sand wedges in 2023 come from a number of great manufacturers who offer a ton of options we are going to help you decipher through.
8 Best Sand Wedges in 2023
- Titleist Vokey SM9 (Top Choice)
- Mizuno T22 (Geared Toward Lower Handicapper)
- Callaway JAWS Full-Toe Raw (High Spinning)
- Cleveland CBX Zip Core (Best for High Handicappers)
- TaylorMade MG3 (Tiger Woods Grind Option)
- Ping Glide 4.0 (Most Tech)
- Miura Milled Tour Wedge (Luxury Choice for Low Handicappers)
- PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II (Alternate Luxury Choice for Any Player)
1. Titleist Vokey SM9 (Top Choice)
Flashback to 1996, Titleist decides to hire Master Craftsman Bob Vokey to reinvigorate their wedge department. One year later, “Titleist Vokey Wedges” debuted in the hands of PGA Tour players and quickly became and have since remained the most commonly used wedges on Tour. “Vokey” has become a name synonymous with some of the best sand wedges on the market, and since their initial launch 25 years ago, they have continued to refine their product with each new Spin Milled (“SM”) line of wedges they produce. Vokey’s dedication to creating wedges for every type of player is extremely prevalent in their new Vokey SM9 line.
“For every shot, every lie, every course, there’s a grind fit for your swing.” Vokey offers four unique sole grind options for their SM9 sand wedges that have a corresponding bounce angle degree that works together for the greatest results. These grinds are the “F grind,” the “M grind,” the “S grind,” and the “D grind.” The “F grind” is the most frequently used grind on the PGA Tour and is an all-purpose grind suited for full swing shots. The “M grind” is the most versatile grind Vokey offers and includes heel, toe, and trailing edge relief for enhanced playability. The “S grind” is for shallower swings and is similar to the “F grind,” but with trailing edge relief more suited for firmer conditions and aiding a higher trajectory. Lastly, the “D grind” is the “big brother” to the “M grind,” with more bounce for aiding steeper swings.
The SM9 wedge line features a progressive center of gravity throughout the lofts, but the technical “sand wedges” (54°/56°) have a mid-center of gravity (CG) that promotes exceptional sand wedge launch conditions. The SM9’s Spin Milled grooves start with a new cutting process that increases spin and durability. “Micro-grooves” are cut between the grooves to create maximum spin control on partial shots. In addition, a heat treatment is applied to the impact area, creating what Titleist claims is “the most durable groove in golf.”
The stock steel shaft is a “True Temper Dynamic Gold,” and the four unique finish options include – Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel, Jet Black, and a Raw that will rust.
We hope you’ll see why Vokey has such a coveted and respected name in the golf equipment world and give their Vokey SM9 sand wedges a try in 2023.
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2. Mizuno T22 (Geared Toward Lower Handicapper)
“Mizuno” has longtime been the forged-iron company, so it should come as no surprise the same company is making some incredible forged wedges in their T22 wedge line.
There are four unique grinds within the T22 series. Each grind shares the fact that its trailing edges are shaved off. Mizuno believes shaving down the trailing edge lets the bounce angle work most effectively while providing relief to the leading edge. The “S grind” is the most “full soled wedge” and is generally reserved for a pitching wedge/gap wedge and more full-swing style shots. The “D grind” provides trailing edge relief and subtle relief on the heel and toe for slight manipulation on wedge shots. The “C grind” is more aggressive across the heel, toe, and trailing edge and is meant for the players that like manipulating the heel and toe for shots around the greens. Lastly, the “X grind” provides extreme relief from the heel, toe, and trailing edge and is meant for “short game artists.”
The T22’s are offered in a “Satin Chrome,” a “Raw” finish that will naturally rust and age to reduce reflection, and a new “Aged Copper” finish with some added technology to boot. Besides having an eye-catching look, Mizuno says the Aged Copper finish “will give you the softest feel you’ve ever experienced in your short game.” They believe in the Copper material so strongly that they actually have it underneath the Satin Chrome finish as well.
We feel Mizuno’s T22 wedges are more suited to a low handicap player’s eye due to their C and X grinds, the wedge’s thinner top line than previous models, and their tightened “modified teardrop” head shape design. They feature loft-specific “Quad Cut Milled Grooves” in Boron infused steel for longer usage life. Mizuno is also implementing “HydroFlow Micro Grooves” that are laser etched to reduce moisture and provide more consistent spin regardless of wet conditions.
Forged in Hiroshima, Japan, since 1968, we hope you’ll consider more than Mizuno’s forged irons and give their T22 wedges a try for your 2023 playing season.
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3. Callaway JAWS Full-Toe Raw (High Spinning)
We can’t promise you’ll gain hands like “Callaway’s” longtime sponsored lefty Phil Mickelson, but we can promise you’ll feel prepared to tackle any shot with Callaway’s JAWS Full Toe Raw Face sand wedges.
To begin, Callaway combines their iconic JAWS grooves with offset groove-in-groove technology across the whole face on a brand new “Raw” face, providing players the ability to maximize spin as well as control, leading to a better experience when around the greens. Extending the grooves all the way to the heel and toe of the club face provides more surface area for the ball to make contact with and creates more spin after contact. The “Raw Face Technology” these wedges implement actually causes the club faces to rust, reducing glare and anecdotally preserving the spin rate RPMs over the club’s lifespan.
Callaway ushers in the “Full Toe” shape to the JAWS Full Toe Raw Face wedges, where the toe section of the wedge is extended vertically, adding even more clubface surface area. This shaping works in conjunction with a specialized “C-Grind” to build an extremely versatile golf wedge experience. Callaway claims all this technology working together handles bunker shots and high flops just as confidently as mid and full wedge shots. This “C-Grind” is the only sole grind available for these wedges taking some of the guesswork out of the sometimes difficult club buying experience.
Callaway realized the “Full Toe” design pushes the center of gravity (CG) higher on the clubface creating a more controllable trajectory. The “Variable Weight Port System” on the back of the JAWS Full Toe wedges works by having varying depth holes drilled and filled with different weights, keeping the center of gravity (CG) away from the heel of the club and further enhancing the feel and likelihood of solid strikes.
Lastly, the JAWS Full Toe Wedges come in stock with True Temper’s newest “Dynamic Gold Spinner” steel shaft or a Project X “Catalyst” graphite shaft, dependent on player preference and swing speed. Callaway believes so strongly in their wedges that they offer a 2-year warranty on all their equipment in case of a defective product, something that is rare to find in today’s golf world.
If you’d like to read our full and in-depth review of the Callaway JAWS Full Toe wedge series, click here.
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4. Cleveland CBX Zip Core (Best for High Handicappers)
The CBX ZipCore sand wedges are “Cleveland’s” answer to creating a high-performing wedge for the less skilled player.
Cleveland packs an immense amount of tech into their CBX ZipCore wedges, but that doesn’t scare any player away, especially if you’re a player struggling with your wedge game. To start, Cleveland has a “V-shaped,” a “S-shaped,” and a “C- shaped” sole that changes with loft automatically to give the best performance for your specific loft requirements. The “V-shaped” sole is designed for square-faced shots and full swings, with the sole shape contributing to easier turf interaction and less digging. The “S-shaped” sole is ideally for open-faced shots and bunker shots with added bounce for more playability. Lastly, Cleveland says the “C-shaped” sole stands for “clutch” and has a shaved toe and heel section to allow for all manipulation to the club face you could want out of a wedge.
Teased in the name, these Cleveland wedges include perfect mass placement through the use of the “ZipCore.” A lightweight, noise-dampening material is added to the core of the wedge, resulting in what Cleveland engineers say is an increased MOI and perfectly placed center of gravity (CG). This “ZipCore” technology works in perfect unison with their “Hollow Cavity Design,” where a portion of the club near the heel is kept hollow to keep strikes forgiving regardless of where contact is made.
The new “UltiZip Grooves” on the CBX ZipCore wedges are sharper, deeper, and closer together to create more spin than previous Cleveland game improvement wedges. In addition, there are two more grooves per wedge club face for an increased amount of potential contact points. A “TPU Gel-Back Insert” is added to the internal rear of the club face to aid in vibration dampening and add to the buttery smooth feel.
Where we feel Cleveland really excels in the “game improvement wedge” category is in their stock shaft selections. Offered shafts are the Dynamic Gold “115 Spinner” in steel and the Project X “Catalyst” in graphite. Both of these shaft options are very light, not only aiding slower swing speeds but also increasing spin across the board.
As their commercial suggests, if “All you wanna do is chunk a little less. Skull a little less. Duff a little less…” then maybe you should consider implementing the Cleveland CBX ZipCore wedges in your bag for the 2023 golfing season.
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5. TaylorMade MG3 (Tiger Woods Grind Option)
“TaylorMade” has penned equipment deals with many of the largest names in the sport: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, and Collin Morikawa, to name a few. Unsurprisingly, the manufacturing giant has created a beast with the 3rd installment of their “TaylorMade Milled Grind” (MG) wedges.
The MG3 wedge series from TaylorMade is crafted from 8620 Carbon Steel and begins by offering players four unique grind options with a corresponding bounce angle, including a “Low grind,” a “Standard grind,” a “High grind,” and the “Tiger grind.” The “Low grind” is an option for players used to firmer conditions and who are confident in their ability to strike the wedge exactly how they want. The “Standard grind” is one that will work for the majority of players and particularly for normal conditions. The “High grind” is for forgiveness and is particularly suited for fluffy conditions and higher lofted wedges and wedge shots. Finally, the “Tiger grind” is a combination of a high bounce wedge with a shaved heel, so users feel confident opening the blade for high shots needing greenside spin while still having enough leading-edge relief to sit the club under the ball in tight lies like Tiger enjoys so much. All four grind options are also, of course, machine milled, as the “Milled Grind” name suggests, for precision and consistency.
The grind/bounce options aren’t where the technology ends with the MG3 series from TaylorMade. The face of these wedges are “raw” (featuring no plating) that will rust gradually and preserve the spinning properties of the MG3s over their entire playing lifespan. Additionally, the face has “Raised Micro-Ribs” between full grooves on the face for added texture to increase performance and create more spin on all shots near the greens. The “ZTP-17” grooves are designed to be sharper, deeper, and narrower to provide fantastic spin and perform better in wet conditions. Players will also be able to choose between a Tour Chrome and a Satin Black finish. Where we feel the TaylorMade MG3 series really deserves your attention is in their use of a “Thick-Thin” face design. Engineers vary the thickness and thinness of the wedge’s material across the club head to move the center of gravity (CG) away from the heel to provide easier and more consistent contact at impact.
We hope you’ll understand why the MG3 wedge series from TaylorMade has made our list of the best sand wedges for 2023, and we hope you’ll give try them very soon.
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6. Ping Glide 4.0 (Most Tech)
“Ping” is known as being an innovator in the golf equipment space, and they continue to innovate with their new Glide 4.0 wedge series.
Wanting to provide a better “feel” with their Glide 4.0 wedges, Ping began by introducing a multi-material construction to this series. New to Ping, 8620 Carbon Steel is combined with a softer and lighter “activated elastomer insert” to provide more weight to move around the perimeter, as well as create a better impact experience and softer feel.
The Glide 4.0 wedge series from Ping offers four unique grind options, including the “W grind,” the “S grind,” the “E grind,” and the “T grind.” The “W grind” has the widest sole and the most bounce, making it the most forgiving grind Ping offers. The “S grind” is the most “traditional” grind Ping offers, containing a more narrow sole, trailing edge relief, and a rounded leading edge, making it suitable for most golfers playing style. The “E grind” is Ping’s most unique-looking option and is modeled after Ping’s older “Eye 2” design from the ’80s. The hosel shaping, the vertically extended toe section, and the overall shape of the wedge’s head are all designed to mimic the “Eye 2” and make them the perfect club for bunker shots. Finally, there’s the “T grind,” or as Ping refers to it, “the thin grind.” The “T grind” includes the least amount of bounce of the four grinds and is designed for expert short game players who like to manipulate the club face to execute different types of shots.
The Ping Glide 4.0 wedge series features two different groove spacings, with tighter spaced grooves being on a higher loft sand wedge and wider spaced grooves being on a lower lofted sand wedge. Ping says this variance in spacing aids in making incredible spins for all trajectories. Ping combines an “emery blast” across the face for added grip and texture to their patented “HydroPro 2.0” finish to remove excess moisture from the face to create as much spin as possible across all playing conditions.
Ping offers the Glide 4.0 wedges in nine different shaft options, including both steel and graphite, and they provide a longer, 11.5″ grip designed for gripping down and having more control.
Clearly, Ping has spared no detail with their creation of the Glide 4.0 wedge series. We hope their dedication to being innovators in the golf space will encourage you enough to try their Glide 4.0s.
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7. Miura Milled Tour Wedge (Luxury Choice for Low Handicappers)
Known in the golf club manufacturing world for being forged, elegant, understated, and beautiful, Miura is sure to impress all low handicappers with their Milled Tour Wedge series.
Taking the most simple approach of almost all equipment makers, Miura’s lack of “innovative technology” in these wedges may come as a shock. Miura states they’re not chasing distance with these wedges but rather “precision and control necessary for scoring.” The company sticks with what they do best and still hand forges their clubs from premium (S20C) Soft Carbon Steel in Japan, where they have operated since 1957.
The Milled Tour Wedges are offered from 48°-60° in 2-degree increments, and each degree of wedge comes with a singular corresponding grind. The 48°-52° Milled Tour Wedges have a lower, more spread out center of gravity (CG) as well as a grind with added bounce that’s designed for full shots and square-faced pitches or bump-and-run’s. The actual sand wedges from the series (54°-56°) have the most “centered” CG and have the most traditional “C adjacent” grind with generous bounce angles of 10° and 12°, respectively, for added versatility. Lastly, the lob wedges have the highest CG, the widest sole, 10° of bounce, and a sleek heel section for maximum options for maneuvering out of situations as a lob wedge should.
Previously, Miura went with a stamping process for their grooves. With their Milled Tour Wedge series, the public is getting its first look at Miura wedges with a fully milled face and grooves. This milling process adds more spin on half and intermediate shots where it is always desperately needed. The clubs are offered only in one Satin Chrome finish, but Miura does offer twenty-five different shaft options for the ultimate customization for player preference.
The wedges themselves look stunning, and the performance a better player can expect from putting these in their bag would be exceptional. If Miura’s simple yet proven methods of quality craftsmanship make you curious about their Milled Tour Wedge series, we hope you’ll think of adding them to your bag in 2023.
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8. PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II (Alternate Luxury Choice for Any Player)
Rounding out our list of the best sand wedges in 2023 is the PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II’s, often simply referred to as the “Sugar Daddy II’s.”
The Sugar Daddy II’s take a lot of technology we’ve seen in other models and combine it, albeit for a stout price tag. These wedges feature a “full-face” of precision-milled grooves that extend all the way to the club face perimeter. Working in combination with the full-face grooves is the adjustable “High Toe Weighting System” that works to position the center of gravity (CG) in a good spot for open-faced shots, promoting more fine-tuned forgiveness and performance consistency. At the rear of the Sugar Daddy II’s clubhead is a large, adjustable weight that can be tweaked in two-gram increments during a fitting to achieve optimal personalized performance.
Where we really love the PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II’s is in their radical approach to offering every loft of wedge they have in two unique playing-conditions-based grind options, a “BP-grind” and a “C-grind.” The “BP-grind” is designed for lush turf conditions, deep sand traps and delivers additional bounce for maximum forgiveness. The “C-grind” is designed for firm turf conditions and has moderate bounce for skilled golfers that enjoy being creative around the greens. Depending on which grind and bounce options sound more similar to your game and playing conditions, you can make your decision pretty simple compared to other manufacturers. A company that’s still offering a top-level product while keeping the buying options simple to users is fantastic in our book.
The Sugar Daddy II’s are offered in a standard “Chrome” or an “XTREME Dark” finish that has some added technology. The XTREME Dark finish is applied using a process called “Diamond-like Carbon” or “DLC.” DLC is a hard, graphite-like coating that significantly extends the lifetime of the wedge faces and groove integrity. For even greater player customization, PXG offers shaft options from top manufacturers Accra, AeroTech, KBS, Mitsubishi Golf, Project X, and UST.
If you’re willing to splurge to obtain almost all of the latest and greatest wedge technology in one club, the PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II’s will be right up your alley.
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When is it time to consider changing your wedges?
Wedges of the modern age are crafted from very soft metal compositions. A lot of bunker practice, conditions with sandy soil, debris in poor lies, and even a lot of “club chatter” from travel or rough cart rides can lead to your wedge not operating how they were designed to.
Studies have determined a new sand wedge can begin to lose its original “integrity” after around 75 rounds. As shown in the below graphic, our crucial “stopping power” RPMs drop significantly after 75 rounds and then exponentially at just 125 rounds.
Not only are you losing 2,000 RPM’s from not replacing your wedges after 125 rounds, but you’re also going to be launching the ball 2 degrees higher, making distances harder to control as well as making wind affect your ball flight more. To make matters worse, you’re sacrificing an additional 14 ft. of rollout distance once your ball does find the putting surface, adding an extra variable to the already difficult short game.
How new wedge technology can lower your scores
How seriously do you take your golf game? From keeping very basic stats of my personal rounds, I know at my local golf course I have some type of wedge into at least 12 of my 18 holes every time I play. This means a minimum of 66% of my GIR opportunities are going to be directly affected by the wedges I choose to use. Playing wedges that don’t give me the best scoring opportunities when called upon is scorecard suicide! Missing greens puts even more stress on my short game, often leading to a cycle of unhappy and stressful scoring.
The best golf wedges on the market today are crafted to cater to nearly any type of miss-hit. Before you make your selection, here are some questions to consider about different types of sand wedges in relation to your golf game…
- Do you struggle with making center contact on your wedge face consistently?
- You could consider playing a “full-face” groove wedge like the Callaway JAWS Full Toe Raw or the PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II. The “full-face” groove technology allows balls hit off the toe or heel of the wedge to have more spin and be less likely to bound forward after impact like a poorly struck wedge without the groove technology.
- Do you find yourself distracted by the glare on your wedges club face on particularly sunny days?
- Five of the eight options in our list of the best sand wedges for 2023 offer specialized finishes designed to reduce glare and inspire confidence when addressing the ball.
- Do you lose confidence in wet conditions? Worried about the dreaded “chunk” or losing spin rates once your ball is headed towards the green?
- Multiple wedges in our list above have specially designed grooves and finishes designed to aid players in wet conditions. Mizuno uses their “HydroFlow Micro Grooves” that disperse excess moisture at impact, Ping has their “HydroPro 2.0” finish on their wedges to accomplish the same task, and TaylorMade’s “ZTP-17” grooves are specially designed for handling wet conditions just as well as normal conditions.
- Ever think to yourself, “I’m sure this wedge doesn’t fit my swing…”?
- Thankfully for us, equipment manufacturers of the modern age are able to design wedges and their grinds specifically to aid different swing types! A “shallow” swing will generally need less bounce but may need some launch angle/CG help, while a “steeper” swing will almost always need added bounce but generally launches high enough naturally.
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About The Author
Writers of Independent Golf Reviews
Independent Golf Reviews has tested and reviewed 1000+ golf products over the past 10 years. We use our experience and expertise to give golfers an unbiased insight on the market.
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