OUR JOB IS YOUR GAME
This is one of the most impactful tests we have ever published.
Why? Because it affects almost every golfer’s score without them even knowing.
Moisture is a part of nearly every single shot you will hit with a wedge. Whether from rain, dew, or thick grass, it’s almost inevitable during a round of golf. The ability to control your golf ball during the variety of situations you’ll face during the round is crucial to shooting lower scores. After 160 hours of research and, 17,000+ shots later the average wedge lost about 35% of its dry spin, while the worst-performing wedges in wet conditions saw more than an alarming 60% reduction.
This is most definitely impacting your score if you play one of these poor-performing wedges.
The good news is, however, that the best-performing wedges are almost identical under wet conditions. It’s unlikely that many of you have been fit for wedges in wet conditions, but you might want to start thinking about it after reading these results.
Our wedge testing revealed some shocking changes in spin rates and launch angles when moisture is introduced into the impact equation. Here are your comprehensive head-to-head wet/dry wedge test results.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In order to ensure a real-life scenario, moisture was applied to both the turf and the ball for all shots in our test.
1. SPIN WILL CHANGE
The most impactful effect is that, in wet conditions, typically there will be less spin. A fair number of wedges see minimal loss of spin with moisture present. Our outlier, the best-performing wedge, PING Glide 4.0, actually spins more in wet conditions. Mind-boggling.
Whether it is retaining or even gaining spin (PING), more spin leads to better distance control.
2. LAUNCH ANGLE WILL CHANGE
In most cases, launch angle is going to increase in wet conditions. In our testing, the poorest-performing wedges averaged a 4.64-degree increase in launch angle.
Why does this matter? Because it introduces unpredictability. Precise distance and spin control are lost when launch angle is affected. A higher trajectory can equate to uncertain yardage and inconsistent spin.
Here, once again, the confounding PING Glide 4.0 offers another unlikely result. In wet conditions, its launch angle actually decreased by 0.5 degrees.
3. SPIN RETENTION IS IMPORTANT
Trusting your yardages is key to scoring. But unless you play only when it’s warm and dry, at some point moisture is going to affect your usual yardage with your wedges. Consistent spin is vital. It will assist with distance control and how the ball will react on the green. It can make the difference between a five-foot putt and a 20-footer. Our testing demonstrated how critical spin retention is and which wedges offer effective spin retention in wet conditions.
If a wedge loses no more than 10 percent of its normal spin, it is performing effectively. In total, 11 of the 18 models tested were able to retain at least 90 percent of their optimal spin.
However, in wet conditions, you can lose up to 65 percent of spin depending on which wedge you are using. If you are losing that much spin, consistent distance control is unlikely. Furthermore, if an approach shot is not spinning, you’ll probably see your ball end up farther from the hole than you expect.
WET CONDITIONS RESULTS
The table below displays the spin differential for each wedge in wet conditions versus its dry spin number.
WET CONDITION RESULTS
| PRODUCT | SPIN RESULTS | |
|---|---|---|
| PING Glide 4.0 Check Price | +174 rpm | |
| Jucie tH Check Price | -132 rpm | |
| PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II Check Price | -207 rpm | |
| Cleveland CBX ZipCore Check Price | -297 rpm | |
| TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 Check Price | -371 rpm | |
| Cleveland RTX Full-Face Check Price | -421 rpm | |
| Titleist Vokey SM9 Check Price | -504 rpm | |
| Proto Concept ProtoC Forged Check Price | -537 rpm | |
| PXG 0311 3x Forged Check Price | -560 rpm | |
| Edison Forged Wedge Check Price | -619 rpm | |
| Callaway JAWS Full Toe Raw Check Price | -635 rpm | |
| Honma T//World W21 Check Price | -905 rpm | |
| Jucie tT Check Price | -1664 rpm | |
| Sub 70 JB Full Groove Check Price | -1879 rpm | |
| Tommy Armour 845 CB Check Price | -1934 rpm | |
| New Level SPN Forged Check Price | -2371 rpm | |
| ArGolf AR-F18 Check Price | -4156 rpm | |
| Haywood Signature Wedge Check Price | -4381 rpm |
BEST WEDGES FOR WET CONDITIONS
1. PING GLIDE 4.0
For two years now, we’ve seen PING excel in wet conditions. This year, PING Glide 4.0 wedge is without a doubt the best wedge for wet conditions. During testing, Glide 4.0 produces more spin in wet conditions versus normal conditions. This is borderline unbelievable. However, it is a phenomenon that PING confirms is true. Although the Glide 4.0’s overall performance isn’t near the top of our ranking, it is unique in this scenario.
2. JUCIE tH
A newcomer this year, the Jucie tH performs exceptionally in wet situations. If you’re in the market for a wedge that spins consistently under all conditions, this is worth your consideration.
3. PXG 0311 SUGAR DADDY II
Although the price might make you hesitate, the PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II is a model of performance consistency. Not only does it rank third for wet conditions, it ranked third overall in the 2022 Most Wanted Wedge Test. If price isn’t a factor, the Sugar Daddy II is certainly a strong option.
4. CLEVELAND CBX ZIPCORE
Once again, Cleveland has produced a wedge with exceptional performance. The CBX ZipCore proved to be the fourth-best wedge for wet conditions.
5. TAYLORMADE MILLED GRIND 3
The TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 (our 2022 Most Wanted Wedge) was the fifth-best wedge for wet conditions. Not only did it excel across several metrics, it also maintains spin consistency in wet conditions.
BOTTOM LINE
At MyGolfSpy, our job is to provide independent, unbiased and objective testing so you can make more confident purchasing decisions. We hope our 2022 Most Wanted Wedge Test is an indispensable guide for the off-the-rack buyer or for anyone looking for insight before their next fitting.
We are committed to a data-driven approach with each test we conduct. Our data shows just about every wedge is negatively affected by wet conditions—something to consider when buying a new golf wedge. The wedges that perform well in wet conditions have the potential to help you score better because they retain spin more effectively. Keep this in mind next time you’re in the market for a new wedge.
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