The new Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 wedges may seem like a throw-away add-on to Cleveland’s ever-expanding wedge lineup. It may even seem like all Cleveland did was etch grooves all the way across the face of their latest RTX 6 ZipCore wedges and call it a day.

And it may even seem like full-face wedges are nothing more than a gimmick that no one really needs.

But golf, dear readers, is a game of strokes. And I know you know the old saying …

Different strokes for different folks.

So did Cleveland just throw this into its lineup in hopes of duping unsuspecting golfers into tossing away some hard-earned cash? If you believe that, you are way, way more cynical than I.

Did Cleveland just etch longer grooves on its existing wedge line? It may appear so but, no, Cleveland did not.

And are full-face wedges a gimmick that no one needs? That depends on your level of wedge wizardry.

Let’s examine it all, shall we?

Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 Wedges: What Are These Things?

As the name suggests, they’re wedges with a full-face worth of grooves, from the heel of the hosel to the tip of the toe. The point is to make the wedge even more versatile and spinalicious on open-face shots.

The more you open the face of a wedge, whether it’s for a flop shot or a delicate pitch or chip to a tight pin location, you add considerable loft. And the dynamics of the swing force impact to be high and toward the toe. Logic tells us that more groove area means more spin on those shots.

It’s also why you see full-face wedges with a “high toe” head shape.

On the face of it, you might conclude the new Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 wedges are simply full-face versions of Cleveland’s current RTX 6 ZipCore wedges. You’d be close because it does check all the boxes.

But you’d also be wrong.

The new RTX Full-Face wedges do incorporate a high-toe design. But unlike high-toe offerings from the likes of TaylorMade and the old PM Grind wedges from Callaway, Cleveland’s high-toe design is, shall we say, subtle. It has roughly 700 square millimeters (about one square inch) more face area than Cleveland’s RTX 6 wedges. Add in the full-face grooves and you have an additional 34 percent more contact area.

Three Degrees of Zip

If you’re into zip codes, quarter-zips or really anything zipper-related, Cleveland wedges are for you. The new Cleveland RTZ Full-Face 2 wedges have Cleveland’s full Zip arsenal, but ZipCore is the headliner.

ZipCore, as we’ve mentioned many times before, is a unique, low-density/high-strength compound developed by Cleveland. It sits inside the wedge, taking the place of heavier, denser stainless steel in the area where the hosel transitions to the clubhead. Because of its low density (i.e., lighter), ZipCore forces the CG more toward the center of the face. That makes the wedge considerably more forgiving and improves feel.

Cleveland went to ZipCore City in RTX Full-Face 2. It features 96 percent more ZipCore material than Cleveland’s original Full-Face wedges (that’s almost double, my math friends), and creates a 13-percent higher MOI. It also frees up mass which lets Cleveland create a high toe that doesn’t look ridiculous.

The Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 wedges also feature UltiZip and HydraZip. UltiZip is Cleveland’s new-ish groove technology. The grooves are sharper (within USGA guidelines, of course), deeper and closer together. The idea is to cut through grass and other debris more efficiently and to keep that crud out of the way to enhance spin. And since the grooves themselves are longer, it’s that much more UltiZip.

Then there’s HydraZip, which Cleveland introduced with last year’s RTX 6 ZipCore wedges. HydraZip, as the name suggests, promotes consistent spin in wet conditions. It’s a loft-specific face blast that adds the right amount of extra face friction and moisture-diverting milling to enhance wet performance.

Finishes, Sole Grinds and Tour Rack

The Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 wedges come in two finishes: the classic Tour Satin and the raw Tour Rack. There’s no black satin at launch but Cleveland has been known to add finishes during a wedge’s life cycle.

There are technically two stock sole grind options but Cleveland calls it three. The lower lofted 50- and 52-degree wedges feature a standard S-shaped sole with eight degrees of bounce, which is better for full shots. The traditional sand wedge lofts (54 and 56 degrees) have the same S-shaped sole but with 10 degrees of bounce to help you get out of the sand. The 58-, 60- and new, spatula-like 64-degree models have a C-shaped sole with eight degrees of bounce so you can flop like an all-star.

“Tour Rack” is Cleveland’s name for its raw finish but it’s also Cleveland’s name for its wedge customization program. For 15 bucks, you can have your leading edge either rounded or sharpened, depending on your swing and playing conditions. For another 15 bucks, you can get a custom paintfill in four different color group areas. And another 15 bucks will score you some custom stamping.

The paintfill and stamping are available on either finish. The leading-edge grind, however, is only available on the raw models.

Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 Wedges: Price and Availability

The new Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 wedges are available in lofts ranging from 50 to 60 degrees in two-degree increments. There’s also a 64-degree flop monster available. How useful full-face design is on lower-lofted wedges is an open question, so whether you might want a 50- or 52-degree full-face wedge should be based on how you use those clubs. If you only hit full shots with them, the full-face benefit is probably minimal (unless you tend to hit it all over the face. Cleveland has another option for that).

Full-face starts to get more helpful as lofts go up, especially if you like to hit creative, open-face shots around the green.

The 54- through 60-degree lofts, as well as the new 64-degree loft, come in both left- and right-handed models. The 50- and 52-degree lofts are right-handed only.

As mentioned, the RTX Full-Face 2 wedges come in Tour Satin and raw Tour Rack finishes. The custom shaft is the True Temper Dynamic Golf Spinner Tour Issue. True Temper says it has a similar profile to a DG S200 and is specifically designed for wedge play.

The Lamkin Crossline 360 is the stock grip.

As always, custom upgrades are available on Cleveland’s website.

The Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 wedge in Tour Satin retails for $179.99 while the raw Tour Rack model will sell for $199.99.

They go on sale today.

For more information, visit the Cleveland website.

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