FIRST LOOK: Cleveland Golf’s ultra-forgiving CBX ZipCore wedge

Cleveland’s latest cavity-back CBX ZipCore wedge was designed with forgiveness in mind, which might seem odd considering we’re talking about a scoring tool instead of a driver. But consider this: How often do you really catch the center of the face with a wedge? On full swings, it’s probably hit-or-miss if you’re a high handicapper.

Instead of simply increasing the overall head profile, Cleveland hollowed out of the cavity in the previous CBX 2 to increase the level of mis-hit protection. The follow-up to CBX 2, dubbed CBX ZipCore, takes the hollow design to a different level with an assist from a low-density core situated in the heel and hosel. The lightweight material removes mass from the heel area and repositions it in the toe to bolster perimeter weighting — a design that ultimately leads to more stability and forgiveness.

In terms of forgiveness, heel-toe MOI (a measure of forgiveness) was increased by 10 percent with the low-density core; high-low MOI also rose 25 percent when compared to its predecessor.

To improve the overall sound and feel of the hollow design, designers also added a TPU insert to mitigate unwanted vibrations at impact. Similar to RTX ZipCore, the CBX ZipCore is equipped with an UltiZip groove design that’s 11 percent sharper and 7 percent deeper than the previous configuration. The grooves were also pushed closer together by 7 percent to accommodate two additional grooves for more contact and spin control.

“We’ve included all the same technology and spin performance that we offer to our tour staff and put it into the CBX ZipCore,” said Jeff Brunski, Cleveland’s VP of R&D. “… [I]t’s Tour technology built into a wedge made for real golfers.”

The wedge is offered in three sole grinds that are optimized for each loft. The v-shaped (44-52 degrees) sole is built for full swings with a bounce package that’s meant to keep the club from digging; the s-shaped (54, 56 degrees) sole is made for bunker and open-faced shots; and the c-shape sole (58, 60 degrees) is geared for short-sided shots around the green where a wide-open face is necessary.

It should be noted the 44-degree wedge is designed to replace a set pitching wedge for golfers who want to build a streamlined wedge setup around the CBX ZipCore.

Cleveland Golf’s CBX ZipCore will be available on December 17 for $149.99 (steel) and $159.99 (graphite).

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