ClubTest Proving Ground: The special sauce behind Callaway’s Jaws Raw wedge

Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.

The tools: Callaway Jaws Full Toe (56-10S degrees; 1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 2021 balls)

The test: To determine if the raw face enhances feel.

The results: If years of testing have taught me one thing, it’s that you need to have an open mind when trying something new. That being said, I’m a realist and understand golfers are set in their ways — yours truly included. I’ve played the same wedge model since 2018 and haven’t even contemplated the idea of switching.

My short game is what keeps me sane when the rest of my game falls apart so, in my mind, there was never really a reason to change. Stick with the gear that keeps you confident.

Of course, that doesn’t mean head-to-head testing is out of the equation. Open mind, remember?

With the recent release of Callaway’s Jaws Raw wedge, I wanted to see if there was a difference in feel when compared to the raw gamers I currently play. Realizing feel is subjective, I didn’t plan on releasing the results from this test — until I took a look at the numbers and realized there’s a special sauce beyond the non-plated face.

Callaway Jaws Raw

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The special sauce just happens to be two slugs of tungsten housed inside the weight ports. Tiger Woods has used tungsten in his irons for years to dial in the center of gravity (CG) and improve feel. Other manufacturers have found it can provide forgiveness benefits when situated around the perimeter of the head.

As you’ll notice, both of the examples I used were irons, not wedges. Jaws Raw just happens to be the first wedge Callaway has created that features tungsten. Using eight grams of tungsten and a longer hosel, Callaway engineers were able to improve feel, forgiveness and center CG. (From talking with Callaway engineers, the tungsten perimeter weights the club, while the longer hosel counteracts the added weight to keep the CG centered.)

For this particular test, I hit 5 balls from 75 and 100 yards with Jaws Raw and my current gamer to see how they stacked up. What I found was a wedge that not only spun more than my gamer but had a noticeably tighter dispersion.

Callaway Jaws Raw (75 yards)

As you’ll notice from the above Foresight GCQuad launch monitor data, Jaws Raw produced an impressive dispersion pattern and matched up with the slight fade I like to play through the bag.

Titleist Vokey SM7 (75 yards)

Launch and spin were both down with my gamer, but they weren’t wildly different. What caught my eye was the dispersion pattern. I went from being 1.3 yards right of target to 3.5 yards. When you’re looking at shots from 75 yards, every little bit counts. In this case, a delta of 2.2 yards equates to 6.6 feet, and I’m pretty sure most would take the shorter putt.

Callaway Jaws Raw (100 yards)

Titleist Vokey SM7 (100 yards)

Once again, spin and launch were both up with Jaws Raw, along with a tighter dispersion. Considering accuracy is the name of the game inside 100 yards, the numbers I was seeing told me Jaws Raw warranted some additional testing on the course.

In addition to the tighter dispersion, I liked how the leading edge on the S-Grind sat tight against the turf, something I prefer to see in the address position. The overall feel of the raw face was similar to my gamer wedges, so they all but cancel each other out in that department.

More than anything, what impressed me the most with Jaws Raw was how consistent they were, which can be connected to the tungsten weighting in the head. In my opinion, it’s the special sauce and a big reason why these wedges deserve a closer look if you’re in the market for new scoring tools.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below.