Best Golf Wedges 2020

Published: 10 April 2024

What are the best golf wedges 2020?

We’ve tested all of this year’s new releases to determine the year’s best golf wedges.

RELATED: Tested – Best Wedges 2021

Callaway Jaws MD5 wedges

RRP: £149
Lofts: 46° / 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60° / 62° / 64°
Head options: Four Sole grinds (C, S, X, W)
Finishes: Platinum Chrome / Tour Grey
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 115 S200

Callaway Jaws MD5 wedge review

We can’t quite work out how Callaway get away with the micro-protrusions on the face of the Jaws wedges, which push the rules to the absolute limit. Run an index finger over the face and you get an instant idea how they’ll help impart spin. We weren’t massive fans of the previous MD4 wedges as the toe was very rounded, which drew the eye unnecessarily. But MD5 is much more attractively shaped and desirable.

Being a tour-style wedge, Jaws has a very sharp leading edge which calls for precise and accurate ball striking, especially on damp turf or sand. In the wrong hands, sharp edges increase the likelihood of heavy and fat shots. Jaws is a really good-looking wedge with plenty of modern spin tech, and it will be most at home in the hands of above-average golfers.

Cleveland CBX 2 wedges

RRP: £119
Lofts: 46° / 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60°
Finishes: Satin
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold 115 wedge (steel) / Rotex Precision (graphite)

Cleveland CBX 2 wedge review

We’ve seen enough since the launch of the original CBX two years ago to say that club golfers should now be putting a priority on cavity backs when it comes to choosing new wedges. They really are a great shout.

You probably won’t even notice, but they have the ability to shave a couple of shots per round from your short game, with absolutely zero trade-offs in terms of looks, feel or spin. We love how the complication of selecting sole grinds and bounce options is made for you. So there’s less bounce where golfers need it in the lower lofts, and wider, more forgiving soles and extra bounce in the higher lofts.

The CBX2 produced plenty of spin control and feedback, without sounding or feeling like a traditional cavity back iron. So for us, the first question club golfers should ask themselves when looking at new wedges in 2020 is can I accept cavity back wedges? And if the answer’s no, we’ve highlighted four other top performers for you.

Buy it now: Get the Cleveland CBX 2 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

Ben Hogan Equalizer wedges

RRP: £108
Lofts: 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60° / 62°
Finishes: Satin / Chrome / Black
Shaft: Choose from five premium options

Ben Hogan Equalizer wedge review

We loved the Equalizer in 2019 and we’re happy to say they’re every bit as good compared to the competition in 2020. It’s called Equalizer because that’s what Hogan called his own pitching wedge, as he was so effective with it. It’s forged from soft 1025 carbon steel and designed to give flatter, more penetrating shot trajectories.

The Equalizer was our highest spinning wedge of the year, which is at least part of the reason it’s among our favourites wedges of 2020. Hogan sell direct online (no retailers) so their pricing is keen – it means you can get your hands on a lovely, forged wedge for less than £80 (plus taxes, which fluctuate with the dollar), which, along with their excellent performance, make them extremely attractive.

The Equalizer’s milled face and clever leading edge relief gave our test pro some seriously consistent numbers (with tight drop-offs), which obviously won’t do any harm when it comes to scoring.

Titleist Vokey Design SM8 wedges

RRP: £160
Lofts: 46° / 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60° / 62°
Finishes: Tour Chrome / Brushed Steel / Jet Black / Raw
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S200

Titleist Vokey Design SM8 wedge review

The SM8s almost missed out on our Top Gear test as they weren’t unveiled until the PGA Show in January, so test samples were hard to come by. But we’re glad we waited until our very last test day to get some of them.

As you’d expect the SM8s are a cracking tour- level wedge, and for the first time they’re talking about improved forgiveness thanks to tungsten toe weights which increase MOI forgiveness by up to 7%. According to Titleist, that forgiveness improves shot to shot consistency for accuracy- focused golfers.

If you insist tour-level wedges are the best option for your game in 2020, then the SM8s should be pinging your radar – as should a proper Titleist wedge fitting.

Buy it now: Get the Titleist SM8 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 wedges

RRP: £149
Lofts: 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60°
Finishes: Chrome / Black
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S200

TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 wedge review

TaylorMade kill two birds with one stone with the new Milled Grind 2 wedges. Their engineers know top tour players prefer raw finished wedges, as the lack of plating around groove edges means extra spin. But they’re also well aware club golfers rarely want to pay for rusty wedges.

So, by coming up with the idea to only allow the faces of the MG2s to rust, club golfers get the best of both worlds – plenty of spin from wedges that look great in the bag, too. Each head is beautifully simple, but also rammed full of new tech.

Our data doesn’t quite have it down as our highest spinning wedge, but don’t forget our test took place before the face had rusted, and the numbers would increase with age. For golfers who love straight leading edge wedges (especially in the lower lofts) and narrow tour soles, MG2 are a brilliant option.

Buy it now: Get the TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

How do the leading wedges compare in terms of backspin?

How do the leading golf wedges of 2020 compare in terms of backspin?

THE BEST OF THE REST – GOFL WEDGES 2020

Ping Glide 3.0 wedges

RRP: £130 (steel) / £140 (graphite)
Lofts: 46° / 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60°

Ping Glide 3.0 wedge review:

For golfers who can’t quite commit to using a full-on cavity wedge (like the Cleveland CBX) the Glide 3.0s are an excellent midway alternative. Ping pitch them as cavity models, and they’re completely inoffensive.

Thanks to a custom tuning port (which removes weight low down in the head) and extra weight high in the toe, they’re actually pretty forgiving compared to traditional blade-style wedges. The longer grip and alignment arrows, which allow golfers to cover off different yardage gaps are useful and well worth experimenting with.

We applaud how Ping have shaved weight from the head, shaft and grip, which goes some way to addressing how club golfers have, for years, played heavy, unforgiving wedges.

Buy it now: Get the Ping Glide 3.0 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

Honma T//World TW4 wedges

RRP: £149
Lofts: 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60°

Honma T//World TW4 wedge review

Honma’s forged irons have excelled for us in terms of looks, feel and performance this year, so it should be no surprise the matching wedges didn’t let the side down. It was our second highest spinning wedge (10,101rpm) which is really impressive for a brand that’s not typically known for wedges.

To those who play forged irons it makes perfect sense to play forged wedges, and if that’s you the T//World TW4 must be on your shortlist. A very typical Japanese shaped high toe, angled head shape which our pro loved.

Buy it now: Get the Honma T//World TW4 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

Related: Which wedge suits my game?

TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges

RRP: £139
Lofts: 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60° / 64°

TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedge review

Developed direct from tour player requests, specifically to add short game versatility and the opportunity to hit both lower flighted, higher spinning shots and explosion style escapes from anywhere on the course. Virtually every brand now makes a high- toed wedge, and they’re widely used on tour. We’re big fans of Hi-Toe shapes, though appreciate some golfers find them challenging.

For us, the 52°(our test sample) looks brilliant sat behind the ball at address. The straight leading edge hugs the turf, but the full face grooves on the higher lofts (which maximise spin no matter where shots impact the face) take a bit of getting used to.

WATCH: Which wedge suits my game?

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Mizuno T20 wedges

RRP: £139
Lofts: 46° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60°

Mizuno T20 wedge review

There aren’t many forged wedges on the market, because brands like Cleveland and Titleist believe they get the same feel levels from modern casting processes. But if you use a set of lovely forged irons, you probably do so as you believe there’s a feel advantage, so it makes perfect sense to use forged wedges, too. And that’s where the T20 come into play.

Mizuno irons have a huge following and if you buy a set it’s well worth considering wedges at the same time, to ensure a similar feel and flow through your bag. We’re big fans of the T20’s teardrop head shape. The new hydroflow grooves are barely noticeable, but can only help spin consistency.

Buy it now: Get the Mizuno T20 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

Cleveland RTX4 wedges

RRP: £129
Lofts: 46° / 48° / 50° / 52° / 54° / 56° / 58° / 60° / 62° / 64°

Cleveland RTX4 wedge review

Cleveland’s most tour authentic wedge ever, tailored to the needs of their tour staff. A centre of gravity within 2mm of the centre of the face (most are between 5-8mm towards the heel) improves both feel and shot dispersion, which is well worth remembering if you could do with improving accuracy.

We love the compact profile, narrow sole and excellent levels of spin/control the RTX 4 generated. Just remember if you use cavity back irons, you really should be looking at the CBX 2 instead.

Buy it now: Get the Cleveland RTX 4 wedges from Scottsdale Golf

About the author

Simon Daddow – Today’s Golfer Equipment Editor

Having tested and played more than 10,000 clubs in his life, what Simon doesn’t know about golf clubs isn’t worth knowing.

He spent a large part of his career as a golf club maker and product development manager, and has worked in the golf industry for more than 30 years. He joined EMAP Active (now Bauer Media) as Equipment Editor in 2006 and has worked for both Today’s Golfer and Golf World.

You can contact Simon via email and follow him on Twitter for loads more golf equipment insight.

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