As I noted in my last couple of posts, I recently purchased a Cleveland CG15 Black Pearl 52 degree wedge. As of this writing – and probably for another week or so because it’s raining like hell in California right now – I have played 3 rounds with my new wedge and yup, it is very nice. It got a workout in some pretty non-ideal conditions and became a great confidence builder and I have even stopped using my sand wedge from just off the fringe.
So to start with, what they say is very true, the metal in this wedge does unbelievable things to a modern golf ball. But starting with the shaft and the full shot, the CG15 has a firm but not overly stiff shaft that seems to have just the right balance of flex to stability. I find I get about 5-8 more yards with my new wedge than I did with my old Adams 52 degree. However, the most dramatic difference is in the feel. This new wedge really compresses the ball and the result is a buttery contact on true shots and a good but not harsh feedback on mis-hits. It makes you want to hit it true to get that feel. From 60 yards and in this will be a killer club. The sole is easily laid open as much or as little as you like and I found that it looked natural in all of the positions I tried it in.
OK, the big new feature on this club is the laser milled face that takes surface roughness to the USGA limit. Those combined with the wide square Zip Grooves™ indeed creates some great spin. I played Nike One Vapor balls on some very cold (for California, I know) days in the mid 40’s F., with one day in the rain and partial sleet. What I am getting around to saying, is that those springy on a warm day Vapors were anything but springy and with non-urethane covers, they do not generate a ton of spin in good conditions, but I still managed to hold greens and even got a little back hop a couple of times.
Chipping is awesome with this club. As I mentioned before, I stopped pulling my 58 degree sand wedge from 20 yards and in. The groves and face give this club such good stopping power that I don’t miss the extra few degrees of loft. Combine that with the sole and 10 degree bounce and I can lay it wide open and throw it up high and soft too. We will see when it gets hot and the lies get tighter, but in the winter it is perfect.
Well that is it for now, I will write more when the weather improves and I get out a few more times. Oh yeah, I already told my wife that I will need two more of these. ;o)
Richard
One thought on “Cleveland CG15 field test”