50 Words or Less
The TaylorMade Hi-Toe RAW Wedge has a unique aesthetic and excellent feel. Very high spin and quality sole design. Great choice for the short game artist.
Introduction
While TaylorMade is best known for their drivers, they’ve been quietly rolling out a variety of interesting concepts in the wedge space over the last few years. The new Hi-Toe RAW wedge brings together all of them as a combination of the Hi-Toe [review HERE] and the Milled Grind 2 [review HERE]. I tested one to find out if it’s a perfect blend or a disorganized mash up.
Check out the new TaylorMade Hi Toe 3 wedge HERE
Looks
When you set down the Hi-Toe RAW at address, there’s a lot to take it. For me, the texture of the face stands out the most. The ZTP RAW Groove Design makes it look like there are grooves between the grooves. That appearance of grooves everywhere is enhanced by the fact that, in all the lofts from 56 degrees and up, the grooves run the entire length of the face. After all that, we still have to discuss the Hi-Toe design. I can’t decide if I’m just become immune to Hi-Toe wedges or if this is genuinely smaller, but this version seems less extreme than previous models.
The Hi-Toe RAW isn’t just visually stimulating at address, either. In the bag, what stands out most to me is the copper finish which TaylorMade says “will change and evolve over time.” I think it’s a great look that stands out in a crowded market. Also worth noting are the milled sole, the “Thick-Thin Design” along the back, and the chambers near the sole. There’s a lot going on aesthetically, but TaylorMade does a great job of tying it together.
Sound & Feel
Looking back at my previous reviews of TaylorMade wedges made me realize that the company really deserves more credit in this area. Each of the last few wedges I’ve tested has had excellent feel, and the Hi-Toe RAW is no exception.
On center, this wedge has a wonderful soft feel with a gentle “click” at impact. When you move off center, the feel firms up without becoming unpleasant. There is excellent feedback on impact location through the hands.
Performance
The Hi-Toe RAW wedge combines all of TaylorMade’s recent wedge innovations, so there’s a lot to talk about here. We’ll start with the namesake feature, the RAW Face. This face is designed to increase spin and rust over time. I found that not only does this face feel great, it also produces extremely high, consistent spin. While there are other factors that contribute to the spin, the RAW Face certainly seems to help.
Another component of that high spin is the precisely placed center of gravity. TayorMade uses “Thick-Thin Design,” which you can see on the back of the blade, plus the cavities near the sole to raise the CG. This is key to the high spin as well as the consistent ball speed that I saw on shots ranging from pitches to full swings.
The other notable part of the Hi-Toe RAW wedge is the Milled Grind sole. TaylorMade mills each sole to ensure consistency from wedge to wedge, so that if your club says it has eight degrees of bounce, it has just that. I tested the 56 degree wedge with the “Standard Sole” at ten degrees of bounce, and I was very impressed with the versatility of the grind. I was able to open it up without the leading edge flying away from the turf, but it also provided good insurance against digging in the wet, spring conditions.
In this line, TaylorMade is also providing golfers with a number of sole options. Every loft, from 50 to 62, has a “Standard Sole” with either 9 or 10 degrees of bounce. At 58 and 60 degrees, TM also has a 7 degree Low Bounce sole. For players that need more anti-dig insurance, there’s a Big Foot version with 15 degrees of bounce at 56, 58, and 60 degrees.
Conclusion
Overall, I think the TaylorMade Hi-Toe Raw is an impressive wedge. It’s got a unique look, excellent feel, and the performance is strong across the board. If you find the right sole design for your swing, you’ll have a valuable short game tool.
Visit TaylorMade Golf HERE
TaylorMade Hi-Toe RAW Wedge Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
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Matt,
Another very detailed and helpful review. Thank you. I bought Ping Glide 3.0 wedges last winter, but I’m intrigued by Taylormade’s innovative approach to wedge design.
Is the second sentence in the Performance section intended to say”…This face is designed to increase spin and trust over time.”?
Tim,
No, the face is designed to rust.
-Matt
Hi Matt: Another excellent review. Is there any real data supporting the notion that rust actually does impart more spin on a wedge? I notice so many pro bags with rusty wedges in them, but they also carry lucky ball markers from their college days too. I suppose it does have a bit of cool factor to it, and does seem possible that rust could be more abrasive, but is it significant enough to make a difference? I’ll do just about anything to enhance my wedge play, but I’m not sold on rusty clubs yet. Have you collected or seen any data on this? Thanks.
Christian,
Great question. I don’t have any personal data on rust nor am I familiar with any third party testing on rust and spin. The unplated finish does feel “softer” which is probably as big a factor as anything in pros choosing it.
Best,
Matt
I have these clubs and they started with great spin but it took only 50 hits for the Microbiome-grooves to completely disappear. The Raw face does add some spin EXCEPT every time you clean your club to remove grass or dirt from the grooves you also remove all the ‘rust’. So first hit of the day is great, everything after lacks bite.