50 Words or Less
The XE1 wedge combines a ton of loft (65 degrees) with a massive sole to promote high launching shots and eliminate chunks.
Introduction
We’ve all seen the Golf Channel infomercial for the XE1 wedge. It makes some pretty bold promises: “eradicate fat chips and pitches” and “get out of bunkers in one shot, every time,” just to name two. PluggedInGolf recently brought in one of these 65 degree monsters to see if these claims are true.
Looks
At address, you can’t help but notice the XE1 wedge’s huge face. The leading edge is very round as is the club face overall. It’s a bit like a dinner plate on a shaft, but when the mission is to help people who struggle with the short game, more is better.
Sound & Feel
At impact, the XE1 feels good. It’s neither particularly soft nor hard, loud nor quiet. I would describe the feel as being middle of the road, which is fine because feel is not why anyone is buying the XE1.
Performance
The driving force behind the XE1 wedge’s performance is the “Auto-Glide Sole,” which can trace its roots back to the Ray Cook Alien wedge and, more recently, the Cleveland Smart Sole wedges. While it certainly looks unusual, there can be no argument about how well it works.
Out of the bunkers, the XE1 is as automatic as promised. Between the giant sole and the 65 degrees of loft, you’re nearly guaranteed to hit a high, soft pitch out of every trap.
The XE1 is similarly effective at eliminating fat shots off grass. With so much bounce, the XE1 refuses to dig into the turf, instead coasting into the ball to produce decent-at-worst results. The sole also drags the center of gravity down which helps get thin shots airborne.
The only complaint I can muster about the XE1 is that it’s not very versatile. Players who want to play a wide variety of shots will be limited by the XE1’s giant sole and 65 degrees of loft, but those players aren’t the target market for the XE1.
Conclusion
Though the XE1 wedge’s claims seem too good to be true, my testing shows that they’re accurate. If you struggle out of bunkers or with hitting chips and pitches fat, the XE1 wedge will absolutely make your short game better. The XE1 wedge does come with a 90 day money back guarantee, so there’s little risk in giving it a try.
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Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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Hi Matt,
Have you ever tested a product you didn’t like? I’ve never seen a bad review on this site.
Thanks,
Charlie
Charlie,
There are plenty of products I don’t like and a number of “bad” reviews on the site. In writing a review, however, our goal is to explain what a product does or doesn’t do, not bash things that don’t fit our game.
-Matt
I can definitely confirm that Matt and the PIG guys sometimes give products poor reviews … and sometimes on products that are very good sellers. Straightest reviews on the web for mind
It was a fair review I could see this as a good club for a beginner. I would not use it but for someone who has no idea how to hit a wedge it would be good and maybe even get them one of those chipper clubs as well. It kind of gave me the idea of putting together a little set with a 14 degree driver
and easy to hit irons for somebody who has never hit a golf ball before.
I’m “that guy” that is always trying to get my friends to try golf.
Tom,
I think the idea of a “Get a beginner on the course” set is a great idea, and the XE1 would be a perfect addition.
Best,
Matt
Matt, is this club USGA legal? I think the Cleveland Smart Sole is but was wondering about this one. These clubs make it simple to get out of bunkers. Thanks for the review.
Cliff,
I believe it is, though I don’t know 100%. I don’t think there’s anything about it that would be illegal.
Best,
Matt
I play the EX1 65 and 59 and like both of them. The 65 is great all around the green out of rough and tight lies. The key to it is to hit the ball harder than you think you have to. The 65 loft and big face make for a higher flight and quick stop. I hit it out to about 40 yards. I also have the 59 which I use out to about 65 yards. Both clubs easy to hit but you do have to practice like any other club to get the distance correct. They just came out with a 55 degree wedge so I hope that gets me out to the 80 yard mark which would then cover me out to a 100 yards with my gap wedge. I have played for years, not a beginner, 8 handicap. Don’t have the time to practice my wedge game that I should (like most amateurs) these have allowed me to be more consistent and I put my Cleveland wedges on EBAY. These are nice, give them a shot if you got short game problems. Will they cure everything wrong with your swing, no but they are very easy to hit which should give you a little more confidence.
They say the pros would rather be in sand traps around the green than in the grass. This has forever been my greatest fear when hitting into a green, until I got the xe1.
I now have complete confidence in escaping from any sand trap. You just set up straight and hit an inch or two behind the ball and it pops out. No problem. With practice you can begin to control the distance.
I doesn’t work as well off close grass but for sand , it’s the man.
I bought the 65 and 59 degree. Took the 65 out for bunkers and rough twice and it didn’t work for me. Good thing I also bought a regular 56 degree wedge. So this is not a sure solution. It weighs more than a regular wedge and I was upset that it still chunks. It really doesn’t slide in medium rough. im a high handicap. Sand missed first shot. Second shot came out but barely. It seems cheaply made too. Plastic graphics are glued in to darken strategic cavities. I even tried to pull one out that was hand positioned wrong. I may have given the wedge more time but 2 days was enough.
This is absolutely the worst club I have ever purchased. All hype. Takes me at least two shots and sometimes three to get of greenside bunkers. I played 9 holes just now and it added 5 strokes to my score. The people that sell this club should be ashamed of themselves for marketing this piece of crap. I will be selling it on ebay for $5.00, that is if there is a bigger idiot than me that would buy it.
Dude it sounds like your swing is slaptronic!!
I am a 5 handicap (60 yrs old) and the XE1 65 was the best addition to my wedges out of many many I’ve purchased over the past few years. (Fitted AP2 irons and gap, Epic driver, epic 3 wood and hybrid, Vokey sm6 56*)
65 yards and in, XE1 hits high soft shots. Green side bunkers, chipping, pitching.
I’m a decent putter, but with this wedge, it makes me looks like I’m a great putter.
In the past, I couldn’t wait to get the putter in my hands, but now I’m delighted to have those tricky 20-30 yard chips and pitches.
The real key to this wedge is set up dead square and DON’T let the club head pass the hands before contact.
Bought it at a used club shop for $29!
As previously mentioned, I also have found that this club is not great off tight lies, even though it was advertised as being great here too. It is fantastic out of the thick rough for high flop shots over a bunker.
As far as getting out of bunkers, I do get out in one shot … but the problem is that I always blade the shot so that it goes flying several yards over the green (no matter how much or little sand I take with it, even though I set up squarely). Obviously I must be doing something wrong, or the sand in our bunkers is too hard-packed or coarse.
Allan,
Based on your comment about the sand and tight lies, it sounds like you may be better suited to a wedge with less bounce. A trip to a wedge fitter might be helpful.
Best,
Matt
This wedge is great! Just like any other club, it doesn’t swing itself. If you put a bad swing on any club, you can’t expect good results. I’m a 7 handicap and wanted something to flop off tight lies and out of short sided bunkers. This club has done the trick on both counts.
its a fantastic game improvement club .. plays as advertised .. I have the 56 and the 62 im thinking about buying 10 of them so I have them for life
I have tried to hit with this club for 6 months and all I get is pop-ups, nothing I tried seem to work. To me it is the worst club I have ever had. Yes, maybe good golfer think it is great, but it doesn’t help those people that have always had trouble hitting a wedge or out of the sand. went to amazon golf review and found other people are having the same problems.
Need to know what is different about my swing of the club?
Richard,
Are these pop ups unique to this wedge or something you see regularly?
Best,
Matt
As a regular reader of your reviews I was curious of what your comments on the XE-1 would be and found it direct and honest. Appreciate that as I’m thinking of getting one. I like attempting the shot it’s ‘geared’ for. As a side note the terms many ‘players’ label it I find ridiculous. “Beginner” club etc. when the same group will buy the newest expensive ‘latest thing’ year in and year out. Aren’t those too advertised “game improvement” models from last year?
95 percent of my sand shots with this wedge are sculls .The other 5 percent are low running shots. Not the results I had envisioned and I am a mid handicap