What good is golf ball spin if it is not consistent in all conditions?
As one of the key ways that a golf ball stops on a green, spin is very, very important, and the latest version of the RTX ZipCore wedges from Cleveland Golf incorporate a way of retaining it, even in wet conditions where friction is heavily reduced.
Introduced today and scheduled to launch in North America on January 20th, the 6th edition of RTX ZipCore wedges have plenty of upgrades but none more notable than the “HydraZip” face. By combining this new surface treatment with a new groove configuration (UltiZip), Cleveland Golf is promising better spin control from all manners of situations and lies.
“The RTX 6 ZipCore wedge may have the classic look on the outside, but inside it’s packed with three technological breakthroughs that give the advantage to the golfer and not the conditions,” says Pat Ripp, Tour Engineering Manager of Research and Development.
The first of that trio is the aforementioned “HydraZip”. The company says that it incorporates “dynamic face blasts and laser lines to maximize friction for improved spin consistency in dry and wet conditions.” They claim up to 43% more spin in wet conditions over the previous generation of the wedge.
In concert with the new face treatment and in the search for more spin control, the RTX 6 wedges also sport sharper, deeper, and more tightly spaced grooves to be more efficient at whisking away material that could interfere with ball to face contact and friction levels.
As in past RTX ZipCore models, the wedges still feature a low-density core to push mass to the outer wedge of the head, creating more overall stability.
“All the work put into this wedge, we really focused on finding the perfect balance of versatility and consistency,” Ripp said. “UltiZip is a notable example. Without grooves you don’t have a wedge, so we equipped the RTX 6 ZipCore with our sharpest groove radii ever, imparting more spin and control, and now golfers won’t have to worry how their wedge is going to react in certain conditions, they’ll know.”
The RTX 6 ZipCore wedge has four different sole grinds with a variety of lofts that are developed for greenside creativity. LOW, MID, and FULL grind options are all available, but new for 2023 is the LOW+ grind featured on sand wedge lofts. This option offers two degrees more bounce in a C-Shaped sole, creating an extra bounce in bunkers.
Each RTX 6 ZipCore wedge is equipped with the Dynamic Gold Spinner Tour Issue shafts and Lamkin Crossline 360 grip.
They’ll check in at about $219 in Canada and will be available in Tour Satin, with additional finishes coming later this year.
