Cleveland Golf has been a leader in wedges for a long time. While the basic design of a wedge has remained more or less the same since Gene Sarazen invented the modern sand wedge, many new technologies have hit the market to help players get the most out of their wedges. CNC milling is one of those innovations that allowed manufacturers to make deeper and sharper grooves, and eventually led to the USGA’s adoption of a new groove rule to combat the technology.
Cleveland 588 RTX
Now there is a new version of the timeless Cleveland 588 wedges, with a few technologies that will help players spin the ball. This new wedge is called the 588 RTX, and features their new Rotex Face. Not only have they increased the groove volume by 16%, but they have made their laser milling marks more durable, and added a directionally milled face pattern that adds roughness and imparts maximum spin on open-face wedge shots where impact tends to be closer to the toe.
I have hit a number of balls with the new wedges and my initial impressions are good. The Rotex face certainly does produce more spin initially than a wedge who’s grooves are simply stamped into the face. The feel is the same classic Cleveland 588 feel as always; Solid impact and a mid-soft feel. The sole grind has been modified a bit from last year’s model to allow the wedge to perform better with an open face.
Long term testing will probably reinforce my initial feelings, that this is just another solid, playable and reliable wedge from Cleveland Golf. There are no less than 7 models to choose from in the 588 line. There are satin and black pearl finishes available, blade or cavity back styles, forged or cast heads, a special RTG grind and even the option to create your own custom wedge at http://www.clevelandgolf.com/mycustomwedge/ All told, there are well over 100 different head, finish, loft, bounce and grind options available.
We’ll have a more detailed look at the 588 wedges soon. In the mean time, check them out at your local retailer or online at Cleveland Golf.
Since 1979 when Cleveland Golf was founded, they have made quality golf clubs. Like many golf equipment manufacturers they have had their ups and downs. There is a lot of competition out there, with the huge marketing machines of Taylor Made and Callaway stealing the show. Cleveland has been through thick and thin and has maintained a solid market share in this hugely competitive market. Cleveland is largely known for it’s wedges, and with the introduction of it’s newest model – 
As with all new clubs, the new finish starts to wear immediately, and the sandy turf in Florida certainly expedites this process. After several hits, the face of the clubs show scratches and wear to the micro grooves. With the shorter clubs especially, the Zip grooves will scuff a new golf ball that is trapped aggressively against the turf. Out of the rough the deep and sharp Zip grooves provide spin, and the rounded shape and compact club head helps them slide through tall grass better than most. Just to avoid confusion, these clubs conform to the current USGA groove specifications for amateur golfers. They do not conform to the PGA Tour condition of competition that goes into effect Jan 1, 2010. For more info on the new groove regulations, read my 
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[caption id="attachment_1294" align="aligncenter" width="568" caption="Specs - CG7 Tour Black Pearl Irons"]
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With Cleveland Golf, it's important to note that they have a great promotion going on for the remainder of 2009. If you purchase a set of in-line Cleveland Golf Irons in 2009, you will be eligible to trade in your set for any of the new models of equal or lesser value introduced from January 2010 to December 2011 at no charge. All you have to do is buy your set at an authorized Cleveland Golf dealer and register your purchase at this website. It may sound too good to be true, but it’s not. If you are tempted to make a purchase, you can use our 
Cleveland's new CG15 Wedges are offered in 3 distinct finishes - Chrome, Oil Quenched and Black Pearl. The chrome finish is the classic treatment that we are all used to seeing in a wedge or forged iron. The Black Pearl finish is a dark matte finish similar to Cleveland's gunmetal finish. This dark finish has become familiar to Cleveland fans. The other finish being offered with the CG15 wedges is called Oil Quenched. This finish has a beautiful reddish brown tint to it, and like other non-chromed clubs, it will rust over time. Many players have come to prefer a rusty style wedge, one for the glare resistance, and two because many players believe a lack of polish makes the clubs softer. Either way, a choice of three finishes certainly is more than most companies can offer.
Cleveland's Zip Grooves have been augmented with a new feature called Laser Etched grooves, introduced for the CG15 wedge. Using a laser, 4 texture lines are milled between each groove exactly to the conforming roughness limit. This roughness application optimizes ball-to-face friction and maximizes spin under the rules of golf. In my experience, the ability to produce spin depends less on the club or grooves, and more on the golfer's ability and the golf ball used. Having said that, these wedges can put some serious spin on the ball. From a fairway lie the spin produced is similar to most other wedges. On chip shots executed with proper technique, the ball skids and grabs hard, trickling the rest of the way to the hole. From the rough is where the modern box grooves really shine. Because of the increased groove volume and shape, more grass and dirt is trapped by the grooves and balls hit from the rough spin much more than when hit with wedges with more traditional V grooves. I had no problem stopping the ball reasonably quickly from lies in all but the thickest rough.
I found that the initial finish on the face of the Black Pearl and Oil Quenched wedges wears quickly, but this is normal and unavoidable, just as with any other wedges. The face of the chrome wedges also wears just as fast, but because of the finish its not as noticeable. The grooves and even the laser etched grooves micro grooves held up well in my 4 days of testing, and I predict they will wear well for at least a season for most golfers. It remains to be seen how long the laser etched grooves last under normal use. I always recommend new wedges every year for serious golfers. These wedges are very well balanced, and in the hands of a skilled golfer they become deadly scoring weapons. I was able to hit low spinning shots and high flops alike with ease. The multiple bounce and loft options ensure that they have a wedge for everyone's needs or wants. Another option that has been in Cleveland's arsenal for a few years is the DSG wedge, which stands for "Dynamic Sole Grind". These wedges have a sole that is beveled to allow the leading edge to sit closer to the ground when the face is opened. This allows for more versatility for a variety of lies and turf conditions.
Cleveland and it’s parent company Srixon Golf have been in the news (at least on this website) a lot lately. Srixon is introducing a new line of clubs that will ship in October, and from the looks of them they will do well. Click 
