50 Words or Less
The Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedges are high tech, high performance tools hidden in a traditional package. Lots of spin. More consistency and forgiveness than you should expect from a Tour-style wedge.
Introduction
The new Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedges bring golfers two exciting returns. First is the return of Roger Cleveland to the wedge design process. One of the most important figures in golf equipment history, Roger Cleveland is once again hands-on with the company that bears his name. The second return is the legendary 588 Grind, a sole option that’s been played by countless golfers.
But the RTZ 2 wedges aren’t just about looking back, they’re also loaded with the game’s latest short game technology. I put a set through extensive testing to see if this marriage of old and new belongs in your bag.
Looks
In the bag, the new Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedges look very clean. The classic Cleveland branding is centered at the top of the club. “RTZ 2” is tucked into the heel, leaving a large blank space on the back of the wedge. This can be a canvas for the club stampers, or it can be left blank for those who prefer a more minimalist look.
At address, the RTZ 2 makes a large impression despite its compact dimensions. This is undoubtedly a Tour-style wedge by the measurements – it sports a thin top line and compact blade length. However, a fairly tall toe and heel give the player a lot of face area. My favorite visual element of the RTZ 2 wedge is the heavy, rough milling on the toe, something that’s been carried forward from the original RTZ [review HERE].
The Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedge is available in three finishes: Tour Satin (first address photo), Black Satin (above), and Tour Rack Raw (second address photo). Additionally, to celebrate the launch of RTZ 2, Cleveland Golf is offering free wedge customization from August 4 to September 4. Check out all the options on Cleveland’s website HERE. [See Price / Buy]
Sound & Feel
One of the things that sets Cleveland wedges apart from others is their use of Z-Alloy. This is a unique steel alloy designed to offer players a soft feeling at impact without sacrificing the durability that players demand from their wedges. The Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedges represent the second generation of Cleveland wedges using this material, and the results are impressive.
The feel of impact does not speak to durability. It communicates clear feedback on the strike location while putting a medium soft feel through the hands. Those 10/10 strikes have a little extra reward, but mishits don’t sting the hands unless you completely thin a full swing.
With a urethane-covered ball, the sound of impact is a pleasant, medium volume “thud.” The pitch isn’t high or low, just a nice midrange. There is a little more edge to the sound when you miss badly, which enhances the feedback.
Performance
I would argue that no OEM brings more tech to Tour-style wedges than Cleveland Golf. Between the Z-Alloy, HydraZip, UltiZip, Rotex Milling, and the new ZipCore iQ, there’s a lot going on in the Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedge, and I was eager to see what that added up to when the club actually struck the ball.
The first thing that jumped out at me when I brought the RTZ 2 wedges to the launch monitor was the spin. From the very first swing, the spin numbers were very high. Pitches, half shots, and full swings all hit the high end of the range, whether I struck the ball perfectly or not. UltiZip, indeed. I’ll add here that Dylan has been gaming the Z-Alloy RTZ wedges [review HERE] since they came out and has found the grooves to be very durable.
As the sample size got bigger – and more poor strikes entered the data pool – the impact of the ZipCore iQ came into stark relief. My testing notes say it best, “The ball speed is more consistent than it needs to be in a Tour wedge.” I don’t want to be hyperbolic – you’re not going to dunk your pitch shots if you’re routinely missing the center of the face – but the enhanced perimeter weighting will get those small misses closer to the hole.
Turning to the sole, the Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedge sees the company offering more grind options than in most previous lines – a total of five. Three are easily understood and well known to Cleveland Golf fans: Low, Mid, and Full. Low is a low bounce option for shallow swings and firm conditions, Full is high bounce for steep swings and soft conditions, and Mid is the do-it-all sole. To this trio, Cleveland Golf has added the Adapt Full-Face Grind which is built for open-face shots and creativity. Finally, the 588 Grind has been brought back – a classic option designed for shallow to moderate angles of attack.
I got to test the 588 Grind and the Mid sole. The 588 Grind has a little less bounce, (8 degrees vs. 10 degrees) but the sole is a bit wider. For me, both were versatile, do-anything soles. The leading edge stayed fairly low on both, allowing for some opening of the face. In firm and medium turf conditions, they allowed me to be aggressive into the shot without digging.
Finally, for players that want the full Tour-style experience, Cleveland Golf is once again offering the full suite of customization options. In addition to all the fun aesthetics – ferrules, stamping, paint fills – players can choose from an array of sole grinds and leading edge treatments for their Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedges. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
Cleveland Golf continues to advance the art of the short game while retaining the key elements that players love. The Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedge has traditional sound, feel, and looks, but packs a technological punch. If you need a set of high performance wedges, these are worthy of consideration. [See Price / Buy]
The Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 wedges are high tech, high performance tools hidden in a traditional package. Lots of spin. More consistency and forgiveness than you should expect from a Tour-style wedge.
Cleveland Golf RTZ 2 Wedge Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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18 Comments
Excellent review Matt, the RTZ wedges are superb but these look as though they could even be an improvement and their shaping looks just about perfect, my only gripe about the RTZ wedges was their stock shaft offering of the DG Spinner which is a terrible fit for 99% of higher skilled golfers with loads of speed as full shots can be totally unplayable with a massive variation of spin rates on 3/4 and full shots and both times I have tested this shaft I have hit a bunch of super moonballs which were just uncontrollable which may explain why no PGA Tour players use this shaft, I cannot wait to test out these new RTZ2 wedges though.
Easy enough to order from their website or from a retailer, where they have dozens of shafts available.
How would you compare the 588 with the Adapt? Or put another way; is the 588 an alternative to the Mid grind or the Adapt grind?
(I currently play 54 full and 60 adapt and am thinking about changing the 54 to mid or 588. I’m fairly shallow to neutral and find I’m more confident with the adapt. I save the 54 full for really soft sand but would like something around the green that gives me more roll than the 60.)
Thanks for the review!
Josh,
Unfortunately I did not get a chance to test the Adapt grind, so I can’t offer a comparison.
Best,
Matt
Thanks Matt. What differences did you notice between the 588 and the Mid, aside from the bounce? Sounds like they are fairly similar. Would one be better out of the sand?
Steve,
I think they’re very similar.
For the sand, it depends on the player and the sand they’re in. More bounce would generally be better in softer sand or for steeper swingers.
Best,
Matt
Can you explain what is different about the ZipCore iQ you briefly mentioned compared to the previous years’ ZipCore? I read and re-read the review but didn’t see anything.
Cody,
The only difference with ZipCore iQ is that it’s customized for each loft whereas ZipCore was the same at every loft.
Best,
Matt
Nice review and looking forward to testing these. Gaming Sugar Daddy’s now which I do like a lot. Curious how these compare to my PXG’s in terms of feel and spin along with comparison of Vokey SM11’s as well.
So Matt..these or the Bettinardi wedges?
Mike,
There are more performance options and technology here, so if I was looking for best fit and performance, I’d go with the RTZ 2.
Best,
Matt
Another excellent review Matt !
I picked up a RTZ wedge and new Edison wedge this year, and like them both. I go back and forth on which I prefer, which really probably depends more on my play on any particular day, lol !
The million dollar question, which I’m surprised hasn’t yet been asked, do the RTZ 2 have a chance of displacing the Edison’s from your bag?
Am I splitting hairs on two excellent wedge choices?
Both are excellent, but I think there’s a meaningful difference between the two in terms of sole options and CG.
I’m currently gaming a set of Vokeys, which are safe in my bag right now.
Best,
Matt
One of the things I liked about the RTZ was 0 offset, maybe even slightly onset – can you confirm if that Carrie’s through to these?
Adam,
To my knowledge, Cleveland doesn’t share offset specs, so I can’t answer that question officially. To my eye, there’s no offset in the wedges I tested.
Best,
Matt
Matt, how much could you open the 588? I have SCOURED the internet and there’s no great pictures illustrating this reduced bounce/increased relief in the heel.
AJ,
That’s hard to answer in an objective fashion. You can open the face of any wedge as far as you want, it’s just a matter of how much raised leading edge you can live with. I was comfortable opening it at least thirty degrees.
Best,
Matt
I’m due for new wedges, and while I like the RTZ set I currently have, I think I am going to move to Vokeys over the RTZ2. I love (LOVE) the minimalist look and the shaping of the RTZ/2, and the feel is spectacular, but the grind offerings from Cleveland still seem curiously lacking, especially for lefties. I want a Full grind on my PW/GW for full shots and a high bounce on my lob wedge for fluffy rough and sand – both pretty common wedge designs, and neither available on the RTZ2 line for lefties (and Full grinds not available until sand wedge lofts for righties, either).