Cleveland CBX Zipcore wedge £139.99
GM verdict
Cleveland has added another model to its impressive wedge line-up, with the CBX Zipcore joining the CBX Full-face and CBX 2. It is a cavity-back wedge and, as such, arguably doesn’t look as good in the bag as the others. However, that’s all forgotten standing over the ball as the classic teardrop shape and chrome finish inspire an awful lot of confidence. From a visual standpoint, we also like the way the all-black Catalyst Spinner graphite shaft makes the wedge look more premium.
That confidence-inspiring aesthetic translates into performance. Throughout testing, we found it extremely easy to hit and surprisingly easy to flight. On longer-range shots, the feel was really impressive – solid but with great feedback on the strike, too. Another thing that aided performance was the club’s overall balance. Although the swing weight felt a little light because of the graphite shaft – something to consider for those with slow swing speeds – the balance was excellent and it helped with our timing.
The sole is wide and the gap wedge we tested had 12˚ of bounce, which might not give the immediate impression that it will be useful when faced with a delicate shot, but it somehow plays narrower than it looks! We have a tendency to get a little steep into the ball, and that extra margin for error meant we were able to avoid hitting those costly chunks and could get the leading edge under the ball surprisingly well. With three grinds – V, S and C – and lofts from 44˚ to 60˚, there are enough options to suit both typical turf and technique.
Thanks to the sharp Ultizip grooves, there was plenty of spin on offer, too. Longer pitches and full shots from the fairway really stood to attention, while shots hit from fluffier lies still had an element of bite to them before gently releasing. You can also get away with mishits more, in terms of both distance and direction–poor strikes held their line surprisingly well.
The only slight criticism is that the sound at impact on short shots is a little clicky, giving the impression the face is quite firm. Other than that, this is a brilliant all-round performer that would suit most levels of
golfer, but especially the mid- to highhandicapper who already plays cavity-back irons and is looking for a more user-friendly wedge set.