First impression:Callaway X Series Jaws Vintage Wedge

Master craftsman Roger Cleveland has taken everything he knows about designing short-game weapons and created the Callaway X Series Jaws Vintage Wedge with Steel Shaft.

 

This new wedge series takes precision shot-making to new heights. Incorporating Callaway's famous Mack Daddy grooves, these wedges provide incredible control around the green, with shot-stopping spin that allows golfers to take dead aim at the hole. The wedges are constructed from soft 1020 carbon steel using a Triple Net Forging process that creates unparalleled consistency with tour-level feel. Every model features the versatile C-Grind Sole, allowing golfers to hit a wide variety of greenside shots. Each model is available in two finishes, Soft Milky Chrome or Dark Vintage, as well as steel or graphite shafts.

 

Features:These wedges designed by master craftsman Roger Cleveland produce maximum spin and versatility for the short game while providing tour-level feel from soft forged carbon steel.

1. Aggressively-sized Mack Daddy® Grooves are designed at the maximum conforming depth and width for shot-stopping spin and control that allows golfers to take aim at the hole.

2. The C-Grind® relieves the heel, toe and trailing edge, resulting in a ‘C' shape on the sole. The shape, plus a tighter heel-toe radius and proper bounce, improves turf interaction and enables golfers to lay the face open while keeping the leading edge down.

3. The forged 1020 carbon steel allows for better feel and feedback around the greens. The Triple Net Forging process produces incredible consistency in construction.

4. Each wedge is available in Dark Vintage finish. Golfers can also choose steel or graphite shafts.

 

Looks: Despite the nod to Peter Benchley's classical shark tale, the teeth of these wedgeshave been blunted somewhat, though they do promise to offer some bite on the greens. Inspired by its Tour Authentic X-Prototype irons, the wedges have a fairly standard Tour wedge head shape, only the back of the head features an x-shaped muscleback spreading the weight to the top and the bottom of the clubhead.

At address, the clubhead sits nice and tight behind the ball, achieved by taking away material from the trailing edge of the sole to the heel, so that when the face is wide open it puts the leading edge very close to the ground, making it easy to lift the ball up from any lie.

Chrome finish is preferred by better players even though the overall look might be a little over-complicated for those used to more streamlined wedges. But you don't see the weighting system at address, so no harm done.

 

Feel/performance: Callaway has taken the decision to give club golfers 12 more months to stock up on these X-Series Jaws wedges, which feature grooves that will be banned for all types of golf by 2024 but most mid-to-high handicappers won't notice the difference between conforming and non-conforming wedges (wrong angle of attack, limited clubhead speed).

If spin is your thing, then this could be the only new mainstream wedge on the market in 2010 that will be made featuring old-style grooves, so its spin rates should outstrip that of new wedges from other major brands.

The C Grind makes it extremely versatile from most lies and especially good from bunkers and heavy rough. The lower leading edge makes it relatively easy to nip the ball off tighter lies. Heavy, yet well balanced head feel and soft carbon face offers bags of feel on full and half-shots when using Tour standard ball. Checks up on crisply-struck shots with effortless backspin.  

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