Cleveland Golf are well-known for the quality of their wedges, so every time they come up with a new model it's worth taking a closer look to see if they can improve your short game.
Their latest addition continues the line of RTX wedges which have been among the best on the market for well over a decade, and comes with a full-face design to give you performance right across the face.
The original RTX Full-Face, first released in 2021, marked the first time that Cleveland had added full face grooves to an RTX wedge, and for 2024 the RTX Full-Face 2 features even more technology.
Who Are They Aimed At?
Cleveland wedges are essentially split into two categories. The CBX models are cavity-back designs which are for people who want the extra forgiveness of a cavity model that blends better with their game-improvement irons.
The RTX models are more suited towards better players seeking spin and versatility around the greens, with the full-face technology and high-toe design allowing golfers to open the face and swing with confidence.
The Tech
This wedge is absolutely packed with technology designed to make short game shots easier whilst still providing that blade-like wedge profile desired by better players. There's a lot to get through here, so try and stick with us!
One of the big new additions in the RTX Full-Face 2 is HydraZip, which is a dynamic blast and laser-milled line system that is designed to give you more consistent spin in wet or dry conditions, regardless of the type of lie around the green.
There are two different blast and line patterns used. In the lower lofted wedges (50°-52°), there is less of a rough face blast and less lines to maximise spin performance. As the lofts get higher (54°-64°), the faces receive a rougher blast and more lines to add friction and enhance consistency.
ZipCore technology has been a staple in Cleveland wedges for a couple of years now, adding more high/low and heel/toe MOI and placing the CG right behind where you're likely to strike the ball, improving consistency, control and forgiveness.
This is done by replacing heavier steel in the hosel and heel with a lightweight, strong material. This low density core allows the CG to remain optimised even as the clubhead and weighting are adjusted.
On the face, UltiZip technology produces sharper, deeper and tighter grooves to provide more short-game spin, control, consistency and bite. This time around, the tighter grooves mean that Cleveland have been able to add even more heel-to-toe grooves than usual.
The wedge features a high-toe profile which is designed to provide better performance on open-face shots, allowing for 34% more contact area than the RTX 6 ZipCore.
There are three different sole grinds available in the RTX Full-Face 2 wedges, which have been shaped to optimise performance as the lofts change.
The lower lofts (50°-52°) use an S-shaped sole for reliable performance on full shofts, the sand wedge lofts (54°-56°) have an S-shaped sole with added bounce for open-face shots, whilst the lob wedges (58°-64°) have a C-shaped sole for aggressive open face shots.
Cleveland Golf RTX Full-Face 2 Wedge Review
Looks
The overall design of the RTX Full-Face 2 is very similar to what we have seen from Cleveland over the last few years, and it's a friendly looking footprint down by the ball that should provide golfers with plenty of confidence even when faced with daunting shots.
There are two finishes available - a standard tour satin finish, which is the one that I tested, as well as a 'Tour Rack' which is a raw finish that looks great.
The wedge features quite a rounded look at address, particularly in the higher lofted 58° wedge that I tested. This is something that can be modified through custom in the Tour Rack model, but not in the standard model.
Personally I prefer just a standard looking wedge rather than the full-face of grooves, because I find it easier to line the ball up to the smaller surface area on a standard face. However I do understand why some people might like it, and I can especially see the benefits when hitting out of the rough as the face just seems so much bigger and therefore there's more margin for error.
The wedge features a shiny chrome ring which wraps around the bottom of the head which I have to say I really wasn't a fan of, as I felt it just cheapened the overall look.
Feel
Straight away when hitting shots I could feel that there was plenty of spin off the face, and I think that this will be seen particularly in the higher lofted wedges which have a really rough texture.
The lob wedges feature a C-shaped sole which is designed for 'aggressive greenside plays' and this makes it really easy to slide the club under the ball and really commit to playing shots with an open face.
I was really impressed with the way the clubhead interacted with the turf - which then helps with commitment to trickier shots around the green.
On-Course Performance
I set out to test this wedge on a pretty damp morning with soft underfoot conditions, which was ideal to be able to test just how forgiving these wedges were.
This is an RTX wedge, which are usually geared more towards the 'better player' compared to the slightly more friendly CBX line, but I was still really impressed with how forgiving the Full-Face 2 was. The sole width is pretty generous and this gave me added confidence when faced with a variety of different lies around the green, particularly on some pretty wet fringes where there is little margin for error in your ball-striking.
As I said earlier, I am not a huge fan of full-face wedges or high-toe design but I can see how the larger footprint is a great way to give yourself a bit more confidence when standing over the ball.
I started off just hitting a number of chip shots from around the green and it felt like the wedge just wanted you to open the face up slightly, encouraging you to use the bounce and promoting a bit of launch too.
It felt really easy to get the ball up in the air even I didn't strike the ball particularly well, although the larger club head did feel a tiny bit cumbersome on some of the shortest 'touch' shots.
Cleveland say that wedges like this tend to make people strike their wedges from the toe, which is often my tendency on chip shots anyway, but I was really impressed by the levels of spin produced even on half-shot, with the ball checking up nicely pretty much every time.
The best performance that I saw came out of the bunkers, where the wedge's wide sole made it so easy to open the face up and swing freely to get the ball up and out of the sand.
It almost felt like it stopped you from being able to dig into the sand, a common mistake that we can all make in bunkers, providing extra confidence that you're going to get it out every time.
I'm not a huge fan of hitting full shots with my highest lofted wedges, but I did test it out on the course and whilst the performance was pretty good, I think the Full-Face 2 is best suited to pitch and chip shots where you're going to be able to open up the face.
Cleveland Golf RTX Full-Face 2 Wedge Verdict
Full face wedges have become really popular among golfers of all different ability levels over the last few years, and although the looks of them may take a bit of getting used to, they can really help a lot of people with their short game.
Cleveland have been consistently producing good wedges for a number of years and this is just another one of those, and it's packed full of technology which is designed to help you get more spin and more forgiveness around the green.
If you're someone who is not particularly confident with your chipping then I would definitely recommend you trying this wedge, as I found the sole shape provided plenty of relief particularly on shots that were a little heavy.
An RRP of £159 is slightly higher than I might've expected, the same price as a TaylorMade MG4 and around £10 cheaper than the Titleist Vokey SM10, but it could be worth the investment if it helps to save you shots when you miss the green.
Would I Use It?
If I was to use this wedge it would probably only be in the lob wedge to use out of bunkers and escaping from tricky spots around the green, although I have to admit that I'm still a little unsure on the full-face and high-toe design.
Cleveland RTX Full-Face 2 Wedge Pros & Cons
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