Callaway Jaws Raw Wedge Line Extension

Callaway Jaws Raw Wedge Line Extension – Key Takeaways

Updates, refreshes and additions to the Jaws Raw wedge line New High Toe models More full-face groove, sole grind and LH options $179.99. Available April 7

There’s much to like about the new Callaway Jaws Raw wedge line extension, not the least of which is how Callaway is describing the release: “a line extension.”

No fancy names, no updates, upgrades or enhancements. Callaway is simply saying it is what it is.

A line extension.

Don’t know about you but I kinda like that.

No matter the industry, a line extension is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it gives an OEM more stuff to sell and it gives consumers more choices. The downside is that the OEM has more stuff it has to sell and consumers have more choices to make.

Perspective, my friends, is in the eye of the beholder.

Callaway Jaws Raw Wedge Line Extension – What Is It?

Callaway hit the ground running with its Jaws Raw wedge line last summer as a replacement for the MD5. At launch, the line featured 17 loft, grind and bounce combinations. You’d think with 17 possibilities, there’d be close to something for everyone but Callaway is giving you even more choices.

If you can’t find a wedge in this collection, may we respectfully suggest taking up pickleball?

By way of recap, Callaway calls the Jaws Raw line a “spin machine.” With a name like Jaws Raw, you’d expect the entire wedge to have a raw finish but you’d be wrong. It’s just the face. That lack of plating combined with what Callaway calls the most aggressive grooves in golf is what makes the ball do the macarena when it hits the green.

As mentioned, this line extension adds 20 new SKUs to the Jaws Raw family. The additions range from the newly popular high-toe shape to full-face grooves, some new sole grinds and a black finish for lefties.

As you’ll see, there’s nothing Earth-shattering or revolutionary. But wedges are non-linear—you may want one specific grind and bounce in a lob wedge and something completely different in a gap or sand wedge. Choices, as long as you know what you’re looking for, can make the short game a little easier.

Or at least more fun.

Jaws Raw Full Toe and Full Face

High-toe wedges or, in Callaway-ese, Full Toe wedges are de rigueur these days. Iron technology has been pushing CG lower and lower for higher launch and more forgiveness. Full Toe, however, is doing the opposite. The higher toe peak creates more face area, which is comforting. But the real net effect is a higher CG which allows for a lower trajectory and – in theory – more control over the ball flight.

The new Callaway Jwas Raw Full Toe wedges are also getting a new sole grind and full-face grooves. High-toe wedges are designed to give the creative golfer versatility, particularly if he or she likes to open up the face.

“The J-Grind has a lot of camber heel-to-toe and quite a bit of heel relief,” says Callaway Wedge and Putter Senior Manager Patrick Dawson. “It’s for players who take a moderate divot … and who prioritize versatility in shot making and forgiveness out of the bunker.”

The Jaws Raw Full Toe wedges will be available in 54- through 60-degree lofts and feature 10 degrees of bounce.

And if you’re not a Full Toe wedge fan, Callaway is adding the full-face groove option to its standard Jaws Raw line. You can also get full-face grooves in any lob wedge with grinds that lend themselves to opening the face—specifically the Z and S grinds.

The ultra-forgiving W-Grind is also getting the full-face groove treatment which, on the face of it, sounds like an odd move.

“You’d probably ask, ‘Why you would ever open up with W-Grind?’” says Dawson. “Well, you wouldn’t. But that W-Grind is so forgiving that you’d want grooves across the entire face anyway.”

Full-face grooves will only be available in the 58- and 60-degree lob wedges in the Z-, S- and W-Grinds.

A New C-Grind

When Jaws Raw debuted last summer, there was no C-Grind option. The Z-Grind was the star of the lineup as it’s better suited for the mass market.

“The C-Grind has always been the player’s grind,” says Dawson. “It’s a low-bounce crescent sole with lots of relief everywhere. We actually had this out on Tour ever since Jaws Raw launched.”

Callaway has ultimately refined the C-Grind just a little bit to take some angle off the leading edge to reduce the likelihood of digging.

“This will appeal to the shallow-swing player or where conditions are very firm,” says Dawson. “And its toe relief is very important if you try to play any toe-down shots—a little bit open, a little toe down with a little bit more upright shaft position. It’s for those nice little bump-and-run shots around the green. The C-Grind is perfect for that.”

The C-Grind will be available in the standard Jaws Raw heads in 54-, 56-, 58- and 60-degree models with eight degrees of bounce.

Additionally, Callaway is adding more lofts to the X-Grind family which previously had been available only in lob wedges. The X-Grind is Callaway’s highest-bounce and widest sole in the Jaws Raw family and Callaway is adding 54- and 56-degree models. The aforementioned low-bounce and extremely versatile Z-Grind, which Callaway calls its friendliest grind, had been available in just the 58- and 60-degree models. With the new line extension, Callaway is adding a 60-degree option.

Black Plasma For Lefties

It seems whenever there’s a cool offering or a special finish or really anything that’s cool with a limited edition, lefties get left behind. Because Callaway didn’t say specifically, we’re going to assume everything shown so far will be available for swingers from both sides of the plate. But specifically, Callaway is making its Jaw Raw Black Plasma available for left-handers.

Port-siders can now get S-Grind Black Plasma wedges in 52-, 56- and 60-degree models. And Black Plasma Z- X- and W-grinds will also be available in 60-degree models.

The Black Plasma finish is basically a QPQ process (Quench-Polish-Quench) that’s become a popular alternative of PVD or DBM. It’s a good bit more durable than PVD, which is the industry standard. And it’s close enough in durability to DBM that you won’t have to worry about the finish wearing off after a handful of range sessions.

Callaway Jaws Raw Line Extension: Specs, Price and Availability

So it’s pretty clear: “line extension” is the perfect phrase for this robust addition to the Jaws Raw lineup. Robust, of course, doesn’t necessarily equal exciting. Filling out a wedge line isn’t exciting but it does mean you should be able to find something to fill any hole in your wedge needs.

And if you can’t, there is pickleball.  Just saying.

The extended line of Jaws Raw wedges features the 115-gram True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner in steel and the 80-gram Project X Catalyst in graphite as the stock men’s shafts, along with the Lamkin UTX charcoal grip.

The stock women’s setup includes the UST Recoil graphite shaft and Lamkin Women’s Comfort grip.

As with the existing line, the new extensions will retail for $179.99 each. They’ll be available at retail and online April 7.

For more information, visit Callaway’s website.

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