BrownBearGolf
-
Posts
213 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
FAQ
Tests
Classifieds
Store
Group Buys
Posts posted by BrownBearGolf
-
-
So I’ve got another launch monitor session in and am on my fourth round in. I’m just not sure this is a “Buy” yet. To be fair I didn’t settle into my current gamers until after a year.
-
On 8/26/2020 at 5:06 PM, dhartmann34 said:
Well I spent about 40 minutes chipping and pitching in the sunshine and heat today. I'm still struggling to get my expected distance and flight from the 58*. It really gets the ball up in the air quickly... No matter what type of pitch/chip I'm trying to hit. I can flight my Scor 58*, but not this one. That low, runner from about 15 yards is about darn near impossible.
I know that may not seem like a big deal but I normally chip from just off the green with my 58*, where most folks are putting.
Didn't get any full swings in as the heat was a bit much after my chipping and pitching session.
Hopefully 9 holes tomorrow....
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
I played a twilight round yesterday and it was ....
-
-
On 8/17/2020 at 6:13 PM, tchat07 said:
Definitely seems slightly bulkier that is something I noticed today. Spent some more time hitting shots today and have found that I can control distances nicely with it. However am struggling with trajectory, less then full shots are low and full shots are very high. Also am not really seeing the "zip". They arent rolling out worse then a few old wedges I brought out to compare but for a wedge that I thought was going to check up hasn't done much.
Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app
You and I might be writing the same reviews. My chips are also very low as mentioned in a previous post. Also, according to GC2 launch monitor on two separate sessions my MD4 produces more spin.
-
On 8/20/2020 at 6:04 PM, tchat07 said:
Alright so I am kinda at a loss after today's round. Both the Zip and my Honma were like neck and neck in terms of performance on 3/4 and full shots. Literally landed and sat right next to each other on all 4 shots I used them. The only difference comes on the chips. I had 2 different holes I used the 54s to chip on. Both occassions the balls ended almost identical length from the hole. Except the Honma was short and the Zip was long. It was crazy to watch and I actually laughed the second time it happened. For me personally my preference would be the Zip ending long just because you at least give yourself an opportunity to hole out. More testing to come but definitely puzzled by today's results.
Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app
I hear you in the longer chip which seemingly indicates the face isn’t grabbing the ball properly. Or maybe there isn’t as much spin as Cleveland wants or claims.
-
20 hours ago, dhartmann34 said:
Had an 18 hole round for my league today. I continue to find The 58* zipcore good from about 85 yards to about 20 yards. It's easy to get the ball in the air and put it where I want.
Chipping around the green with it has been a challenge. Usually chipping and putting are the strengths of my game, but with this I haven't had great consistency. I've said this before... But i don't know if it's the size of the head out the fact the bounce is far more than I've had on any other wedges. Once a store gets them in stock, I'm going to check out a 58* with low bounce to see how I like it.
The feel of this wedge is still muted... Which is fine. But I don't know at contact where the ball is going and if it were a good or bad strike.... Unless it's a chip. Those I seen to really have immediate feedback on... Especially if I catch even a tiny piece of grass in between the ball and clubface.
A nine hole league round tomorrow...
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
I’m writing up a mid evaluation soon but I have had two full launch monitor sessions and compared it to my gamer the Callaway Mac daddy and the new Vokey SM8. I’ve played three rounds with it also. I agree wholly with your comment or muted feel as I’ve posted in my initial report. MUTED.
-
9 hours ago, mr.hicksta said:
Great stuff everyone! Nothing new to report here at the moment, but based on the compare and contrast I've done with the ZipCore and RTX 4, the two things that are standing out to me are the look at address (ZipCore appears slightly bulkier) and the differences in bounce (ZipCore - 12, RTX 4, 9). And despite the fact both wedges are the exact same weight, the RTX 4 feels more solid to me. I'll be doing more testing this week on the range and on course this weekend so I'll have more anecdotal data to share with you all soon!
I agree with the weight...first few swings compared to my Callaway felt lighter or less mass. I wonder if the core material makes it feel that way. Taking away metal from the hosel, heel, and sole no matter where they repositioned the metal mass has to have some effect on feel.
- mr.hicksta, HardcoreLooper, fozcycle and 1 other
-
4
-
7 hours ago, Shankster said:
Groovy
Grooves on a wedge. It seems to be the talk of the town since I can remember. More with sharper edges, less with more face roughness, grooves in grooves, different grooves for different lofts… why so many different kinds of grooves?
Cleveland claims that the UtiliZip Groove doesn’t only add spin, but consistency too. There is only one way I know how to test that. This weekend I am going to try to sneak out to the practice area and post up with 36 golf balls and hit from 130 yards out of the rough, and repeat until I have around 100 shots. Then move to the fairway cut and do the same. This will do two things, first get a good idea of the consistency claims (I’ll not count my missed shots), and get a durability test in.
Rain-X?
Something I noticed from last night’s golf club cleaning session; this wedge seems to have some water repellent qualities to the finish. Not quite as rain-x(y) as the BP’s, but it didn’t stick around much. I could not find anything written about this on the website.
It could be residual oils or chemicals from the factory. Interesting point to consider and look for moving forward. I think Ping uses a hydrophobic coating on their Glide wedges.
-
- Popular Post
Cleveland ZipCore 58* vs.
Callaway Mac Daddy 58*
Launch Monitor Green was at 75 yards out. I missed the green once with full shots due to a thin shot with each of the wedges. All others hit the green amongst roughly 20 shots each wedge.
Ok, to answer one question posted…my peak height with the ZipCore wedge was 20 yards, aka 60 feet. Interestingly, it was 19 yards aka 57 feet with the Callaway MD4. Something to think about in contrast is that with one short practice session I noticed chips greenside were very low no matter where I put the ball in my stance.Before I get into the numbers comparison I want to mention that this is only the second time I’ve swung the ZipCore. It is only the first time I swung full speed. Having the full swings I was able to feel something I felt in a minimal sense while chipping. Yet this session confirmed the thoughts I had from the greenside chips. There is something with the shaft that I don’t feel comfortable with. It feels a little “whippy”. It reminds me of the feeling of when I hit a driver with a regular shaft. It has a whip then a soft kick or rebound when I strike the ball. It did not feel like this everytime, however, out of the 20 or so hits I felt it about four times. It just felt a little soft. I do not know much about this shaft or shaft Dynamics from a technical standpoint. I just know how it feels in when I swing. I’ll do some research on this shaft and wedge shafts in general. The shaft in my MD4 is a True Temper S200 Dynamic Gold. In the end, the “spinner” shaft just feels a little off. I may be compelled to change the shaft though I don’t want to as I just put a brand new Winn Grip Mid-Size Dri-Tac Wrap on it.
Average Metrics on the ZipCore:
Ball Speed: 69.3 Carry: 78yds
Launch Angle:33.4 DescentAngle:49.3
Total spin: 10,985
Average Metrics on the MD4:
Ball Speed: 69.3 Carry: 78yds
Launch Angle: 32.7 Descent Angle: 49
Total Spin: 11,369
As you can see, the metrics are pretty damn close. So much so that I would argue they are negligible. Even my Distance to the Pin averages are very close. The overall distances were more consistent with the MD4 but that could have been more the swing than the club.
Now, more subjective thoughts are I like the softer sound and feel of the ZipCore compared to the MD4. It did feel as if occasionally the ball went up the face a few more times with the ZipCore but that could be my swing.
As mentioned before in a previous post, the soft feeling of the ZipCore leads to less feedback. After hitting full shots today I feel it’s the shaft that is taking away some of the feedback. I do think the head of this club feels softer than the head of the MD4.
Again, I’ve only chipped in practice once. I’ve only done full swings in practice once. So, the journey continues. I’m on the fence, as I think I should be so early in the testing.
Now that I have the new grip installed I suspect the results will change. The tour velvet slip in my hands and the Winn do not so i can be a bit more aggressive
ONE INTERESTING NOTE: The spin rates are very similar. However, the Callaway MD4 is over two years old and I play and practice a lot. So the worn grooves of my wedge vs. the brand new "Zippitty Do Da, Zippity yay" zip wedges are too close to call. How can that be? Thoughts? Opinions? Please share!
-
1 hour ago, dhartmann34 said:
I find the milling out on the toe interesting.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
I agree. It’s purely for cosmetic purposes. The milling underneath the laser etchings is finer and at a different angle. While they may not be functional in terms of imparting spin they are effective at reducing glare. My Callaway MD4 are relatively polished and reflect massive amounts of sun and it’s glare can be prohibitive to me taking the face angle I want.
-
Please take a listen. We called the winner in our predictions podcast here we break it down.
Thoughts on PGA Championship Winner Collin Morikawa, can the tour do without Tiger being in contention in majors, the young guns of golf, Was TPC Harding Park a worthy venue? On Golf Talk with Brown Bear
-
4 hours ago, dhartmann34 said:
And I thought the sole is kinda big
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Are you saying you think the sole is big on the ZipCore? I think it’s wider than my Callaway MD4. I’m going to measure tomorrow.
- JohnSmalls, artful_golfer and fozcycle
-
3
-
7 hours ago, TaketheCannoli said:
Very nice review @BrownBearGolf I bought these on a whim on a recent trip to Costco. I have played Footjoy StaSofs, Titleist Players and Perma Soft gloves for many years. I was surprised to find the Kirkland Signature gloves were easily as good as the $19 Perma Softs and very close to the StaSofs and Players gloves. One limitation though is available sizes. Costco doesn't sell Cadet sizes, at least not in my hometown. It's not a big deal, my fingers are somewhere between Cadet and Regular nd the Kirklands work just fine, They are an amazing deal for $5 per glove. After playing one round, I went back and bought more!
Thanks for watching and for the positive feedback. I have other reviews on my channel as well. I agree with you and probably will not buy another name brand glove again! Take care.
-
I took my 58* Cleveland ZipCore out to the range for a very short lunch break 30 minute practice session. I did only greenside chips. Unfortuantely, I haven't been able to convert the .mov files to the appropriate formats to post here. So here are some screenshots.
My initial assessment has me comparing feel and sound to my gamers of two years which are Callaway MD4 58*.Right off the bat I loved the muted sound of a hit. The Callaway have a very hard, loud, almost obnoxious click. The ZipCore sounded smooth, soft, flush.
As for feeling, the Callaway sounded loud and felt loud. It was a feeling of hard against hard. Now, while that is off putting the feel and the sound got better as the wedges were used more, "broken in" and the raised protruding "grooves" wore away. The more harsh feel did, in fact, provide feedback that I've grown used to.
In sharp contrast a brand new ZipCore at impact feels muted, less harsh. This clearly provides the softer sound at impact. However, mishits seemed to feel as soft and muted as a properly hit ball. So in this preliminary practice session I was thinking to myself how sweet this wedge felt. Then I started to consider that I was not, seemingly, getting the feedback that I've grown accustomed to. I did not know at the moment of impact if it's was a good hit or not. I don't want my wedge to feel numb. Having that been said, as with any club I need time to adapt to how it looks, how it weighs, how it cuts through turf, how it imparts spin on the ball. So, I'll put it play on the course next. Over the next 6 weeks I plan to have a confident and thorough examination of the wedge's playability pros and cons.
- cnosil, artful_golfer, JohnSmalls and 6 others
-
9
-
Good day,
I got my ZipCore Wedge today!!! It’s a 58* Mid Grind with 10* Bounce. I’m very excited to test this out. I use my current 58* for sand shots, for chips from anywhere outside the fringe all the way up to full shots at 75 yards and mid shots inside 75. Depending on how initial testing goes with the 58* I’m tempted to pre-order a 54* Mid Grind and a 50* Full Grind to fill out the bag. I’m open to what the blog suggested by getting my Mizuno JPX-850 Forged Gap Wedge at 50* to be swapped out. But, alas, I’m getting ahead of myself. As usual.
I plan on practicing with it today before putting in full play this weekend. I will be practicing with a variety of balls such as the Srixon Z-Star, Taylormade Tp5, and even the Callaway ERC Soft to determine feel and to check spin characteristics. For the past two years I’ve been gaming Srixon Z-Star or Z-Star XV. I’ve tried Callaway Chrome Soft and Tp5x.
Despite playing Cleveland Wedges for 18 of the last 20 years and even their old TA3 irons way back when, I’ve been gaming Callaway Mac Daddy 4 Chrome finished wedges for the last two years. They are both “S” grind and I have 54* and 58*. One drawback is the chrome finish which has too much glare. I don’t love the Callaway for several reasons. The raised grooves on the Mac Daddy caused the sound and feel to be very “clicky.” I prefer a muted and softer sound and feel. However, as I’ve used them those inverted grooves or protrusions have worn down and it isn’t so loud a click anymore and the feel has softened.
So, I’m super excited to get a Cleveland back in my hands. I plan on using practice sessions, full 18 hole rounds, some 9 hole Par 3 rounds, and even some launch monitor testing to get concrete numbers. Now, are their marketing claims true? Will I get the spin I need or will it be too much?. Will I get the consistency they claim? Will the feel and look inspire confidence? Let’s find out! A big thanks to MyGolfSpy for putting this together and for having me aboard.
- Rickp, HardcoreLooper, cnosil and 6 others
-
9
-
Anyone else see Rickie plying a practice round with the F9? I thought I saw it in one of the earlier tournaments also, maybe in Detroit?
any news on this? He is the face of Cobra and SpeedZone which I find surprising I don’t see more Bryson speedzone commercials.
-
-
Visual tour of Troon North front and back nines on the Monument course. Miguel from Brown Bear golf shows you the legendary North Scottsdale course. Taking you into the elevations from the back nine to the back nine Miguel tries his best on a course he's never played before. He explains why the course is called "Monument" and marvels at the boulders and rock outcroppings. You'll see views of the valley and he shares his final thoughts on the course conditions, playability for beginners, and his overall ratings using the 4 paw scale. He even does a Happy Gilmore impersonation after one of his playing partners has a nice drive. "Harness in the good energy, Block out the bad!"
-
October 4th, 2020
Cleveland Golf ZipCore Wedge 58* Mid Bounce Official MGS Forum Review by BrownBearGolf
Have you ever had an eagerly anticipated and brand-new relationship? Whether it be professional, romantic, friendly, or competitive you may have been chomping at the bit when you first started it. For example, I had a boss whom was to retire and I just couldn’t wait for the new boss. I didn’t go dance in the streets with my colleagues but I was excited. The news of an easier day at work, the potential for a leader whom might make my job easier or teach me something new and valuable was a welcome thought. To have someone other than the micromanaging zealot with the personality of an iron fisted czar had to be grand. Had to be. Right?
The new boss was younger than the literal and figuratively old boss and came from a field I respected. They were just starting their career in education administration. I was told that the new person would bring new methodologies to our practice of education and most importantly would bring a positive sense of community if not familial culture to our campus. Sounds worthy of welcome regard. Right?
After all that anticipation and all that hype and all the earnest eagerness… I can honestly say that they were the worst supervisor I’ve ever had. Anticipation and Eagerness had quickly corrupted into anxiety and resentment. Almost three years went by in agonizingly slow motion with speed bumps in abundance. Yet, like the possibility for redemption after a horrid front nine we were told the administrator was not to have their contract renewed. Hell yeah!
When told I was selected to test the Celeveland ZipCore wedge I felt full of giddy anticipation and Christmas in July boyhood glee when I received my wedge on the front doorstep. Thank you, MyGolfSpy!! Thank you, Cleveland Golf.
Oohs and aahs and moaning over how beautiful the wedge looks can be heard and seen in the coming video. Similar to the above-mentioned story I couldn’t wait to start building this relationship full of promise. I was told by Cleveland that this wedge would add feel, bring exacting control, and feature durability while the headliner of new tech would impart amazing amounts of spin in a newly engineered wedge design that could change the wedge manufacturing game.
Two months later and here we are! While not a catastrophic failure of epic proportions, will I be telling a story of love at first sight? Or will that lust be tempered with time and experience? Expectations can sometimes be the foundations to resentments and my expectations were quite high. So, how do I feel now? Will I pass this wedge on to another MGS member after an experiment that taught me to find another new wedge or keep my current gamer? Will I love this wedge taking in all the endearing if not different qualities than my current gamer? Let’s dive in and find out. Oh, and please don’t expect a Pulitzer prize winning piece here. You’ll just, for sure, be let down.
Let me try and objectively explain my current game. I started this project at a 9.5 USGA handicap. Two months later and presently I’m an 8.8. Boom! There you go. Was it the wedge? Or was it the scrutiny of the short game? Who knows? But I’m going to say some of the credit does in fact go to the wedge and not perhaps for reasons you may theorize.
I have a strong swing speed and quick tempo. I’m not smooth and I’m not out of my shoes when swinging. I’m Goldilocks. I think. I have a relatively steep down swing and could be considered a digger. I’ve been called worse. Obviously. I digress. See my swing in action in various environments such as the launch monitor and courses in the upcoming video. I have a tendency to be a mid-trajectory hitter with lots of backspin.
Strengths of my game are Driving. I hit it relatively far with an ARCCOS caddie average of 280 yards and hitting fairways 50% of the time.
I hit my irons relatively normal distances with a 5 iron average of 196yds., 7 iron 178yds., 9iron 152yds., and this wedge at 58* 75-85 yards on full swings. I have tendency to draw my short irons such as 9 iron down to gap wedge at 45*. I do like to take aggressive angles with my Driver as my length allows for that and at times with my irons below 7. My 100 yard club is my 54* Callaway MD4 wedge.
I currently play Callaway Mac Daddy 4 and I “fit” myself as I have a membership at a PGA Tour Store where I have unlimited launch monitor usage. I bought the current gamers approximately two and a half years ago. Competing against the MD4 were the Cleveland RTX 4 and the Vokey SM7 and the Mizuno S-18.
My 58* wedge is my go to club for chipping and pitching. That’s why this ZipCore is being scrutinized so intensely. I need a consistent club that I can confidently stop at pins from within not only 70-85 yards but also within 50 yards in and even from just off the fringe. What I needed vs. what I wanted in this wedge are two distinctly different things. What I needed was consistency in green side flight distances and roll distances. What I wanted was a club that would feel soft. Needing a club to do so many different yardages is tricky if not ignorant. I have focused recently with all this testing trying to manage different back swing lengths and speeds. Sometime less hinge and more torso rotation. Sometimes open stances and open faces. It’s been fun and frustrating as well. Alas, the process has helped and this wedge has proven to be quite the tool to learn with.
First Impressions
My first impressions were how gorgeous this wedge is. The lines flowed without sharp angles or bright reflections. A major complaint of my MD4 is the massive amounts of glare. At address the ZipCore has a tear drop shape that fits nicely behind the ball with a roundish leading edge heading up to the toe. One thing I am a huge fan is their milling on the toe. This larger milling than on the scoring area diffracts the light and minimizes glare exceptionally. In sharp contrast is the telescope grade mirror shine of the toe of my MD4 which I hate! This wedge has brushed Nickle or a “satin” look that is cleverly and minimally accented with shiny chrome. It truly has the luxurious look of a finely hand-crafted sculpture. The Font and black infill of the RTX and ZipCore are of perfect proportion and placement high on the toe. I really enjoy the large numbers on the sole for easy visibility. Not sure the “Mid” and “10” need to be there though. I preferred the dot system of past Cleveland wedges designating bounce.
Interestingly the tech of this wedge is almost all invisible. Present day golf club design is about hiding the tech inside the club and less about showcasing the advancements. There are no inserts, no visible welds between carbon steel and Tungsten. There are no screws functional or ornamental. We can’t see the “low density” material inside. We can’t see any remnants of the heat treatment to increase durability. The Rotex milling and laser etching are hard to see in contrast to the face of the recent TaylorMade Wedge faces which look like an excel spreadsheet. And, I guess that was the goal here. They claim game changing performance with the classic preferred look. Well they got the look just right which leaves the following questions. How does it spin? How is it controlled? Will it last longer? Does it provide effective feedback while remaining soft?
When I heard of the low-density material coupled with their marketing photos of this pinkish material in the hosel and heel I immediately considered it to be another “goo” such as in the Taylormade P790 and TwistFace drivers as well as the competitor Cobra and PXG irons. I thought it would make the club face a bit more in flexible in the attempts of making the club feel more like a forged wedge with the durability of a cast. And, as I found out, something in this wedge does make it feel soft. Can there be a too soft? How can a club be soft and have a more durable face? Seems like an oxymoron. I chose this 58* to be compared directly with my current gamer which is a 58 degree in the S grind. I went with “Mid” grind here thinking it most closely resembled the S grind with 10* bounce. I think offering three bounce/grinds is a solid game plan as so many consumers are confused by the loft offerings of Vokey and Callaway.
I play in and around Phoenix AZ. I played classic parkland courses as well as true target and modern desert golf courses with forced carries and rocky, firm, and hard dirt in the off fairway areas. I tested this wedge at courses ranging from Phoenix municipal courses that were dry and thin. I took it to ultra-premium courses where the turf was sweet and manicured perfectly such as Troon North Monument Course, Quintero, and Verrado Founder’s Course. These were all middle of summer rounds. The heat during these two months ranged from 100-116 degrees. Conditions during these months mean greens and fairways being faster and sand traps dry and thin. The heat does have an effect on the ball making it fly, seemingly, farther and certainly rolling farther.
The total number of rounds I played was lucky 13 in two months. I also spent an hour each in three different Foresight GC2 launch monitor sessions comparing the ZipCore to new offerings such as the Vokey SM8 and directly against my Callaway MacDaddy 4. In addition, I spent about 30-45 minutes in practice sessions outside at my local course practice area several times. Don’t hate. I’m a teacher. I have summers off. Golf is cheap in the summer. Golf is hot in the desert in the summer. Go hard and hot or not at all. Oh boy… All of the above mentioned are shown in my video review to come in the next 24-48 hours of this posting on Oct. 4th
What I found in launch monitor sessions was that this wedge does not provide any more spin compared to my two and a half year old MD4 which has worn down grooves. In fact it has less spin. Although the MD4 has the raised inverted grooves which may counter the wear overall.
Average Metrics ZipCore:
Ball speed: 69.3mph Carry=78yds Launch Angle=33.4* Descent=49.3* Backspin 10,985rpm
Peak Height: 20 yards
Average Metrics Callaway MD4:
Ball speed: 69.3mph Carry=78yds Launch Angle=33.7* Descent=49.* Backspin 11,369rpm
Peak Height: 19 yards
As you can see, the metrics are pretty damn close. So much so that I would argue the differences are negligible. Below I get a little more detailed with what I think the strengths and weaknesses of this wedge are.
Grading:
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
As mentioned in detail earlier in the report I think this wedge looks amazing. It is classic with modern touches like the satin finish and the fonts size and style. The extra milling on the toe reduces glare and the leading edge at address sits nicely behind the ball. The scoring lines vertically and grooves horizontally frame the ball nicely when contrasted with the milled toe. People have asked when they’ve seen it what it is and mentioned how nice it looks.
Sound & Feel (6 out of 10 points)
I don't know if I like the softer sound and feel of the ZipCore compared to the abrasive and almost offensive MD4. The soft feeling of the ZipCore leads to less feedback, however. After hitting full shots I feel that perhaps the shaft may have something to do with the lack of feedback. Without question the head of this club feels softer than the head of the MD4. It is certainly quieter. The MD4 has a very hard and very pronounced click on the ball that I could hear and it annoyed me for the first year of playing the club and that is with Urethane Srixon Z-Star XV balls. The first few swings felt lighter than the MD4. I wonder if the core material makes it feel that way. Taking away metal from the hosel, heel, and sole no matter where they repositioned the metal mass has to have some effect on feel.
Initially the sound and feel were so quiet and so muted compared to the MD4 I was off put by it. I mentioned several times in the thread this feeling. I just didn’t have much feedback and I suppose I had gotten used to the harder and rougher feel of the MD4s. Early on in testing I focused on green side chipping and pitching and there just wasn’t the feedback I needed. I attributed that to it being new and looking and sounding so different that it was in my head. But the numbness and muted sound did affect my play as I didn’t know how hard to hit the ball in short finesse shots. Certainly the sound and feel did affect my performance early on in testing. In the last three weeks however I am coming around to its feel. The sound is still so muted I don’t know what the ball will do but I am getting a bit more sensitive to the feel and face impact. On full swings it feels soft as well but I can tell quickly with the trajectory how the ball came out. However, I would prefer sound and feel feedback prior to the visual. I’m still confused about feel and sound despite how off put I was early on by how numb and muted it was/is.
Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)Something good that has come of using this wedge is the confidence I have when hitting between 75-85 yards. I swing and it goes that distance. Seemingly it is very consistent. Now, I don’t exactly know if I hit it just right due to the lack of feedback but the net result is where I want it to be. The trajectory for me is medium high. 20 yards peak average height is fine for me as here in the desert I don’t typically have to hit over trees higher than 20 yards. I must say that while the feedback is muted it seems to be more consistently forgiving than my MD4. Is that the tradeoff? Forgiveness over feel like with irons? I feel confident that if it is a straight line I can get the ball to the green within smaller circle of dispersion. And I’m coming around to the fact that I might prefer forgiveness and consistently hitting that target than I do feel. With 58* I’m not really looking to control the shape of the ball flight. Straight, high, and at the number I want is great and so far, this club is providing that for me.
The Mid bounce at 10* is the same as my MD4. However, the V-grind of the ZipCore is helping me stay square at impact and therefore on line in flight to the target. I like that.
I've improved my G.I.R. Note for Picture below: I had to label this club as a 60* wedge in ARCCOS as not to delete my 2 years of data with my gamer 58*.
On-Course Performance (25.5 out of 30 points)
The club works from the fairway, rough, and fringe. Where it seems to struggle is the sand. The V-grind doesn’t seem to open as much as my S grind on the MD4. It looks like it needs more heel relief. However, this isn’t the end of the world. I could possibly get a 61* sand wedge. I’m looking to get a new set of irons and if so, I may need a new set of wedges for gapping purposes and with loft jacking it could be a possibility. I like the grind. It helps me in full shots and keeping the face square in less than full shots like ¾ or ½ shots. This club seems to be strongest for me in full swings. It has performed as most new clubs do for me. It shows great promise and is ultimately just going to take a little time for me to get settled. I had played Cleveland wedges for 18 years prior to the MD4. The quality of the club overall is not a surprise to me in any way. I’ve always had a strong regard for Cleveland golf from back when I played their TA3 Form Forged Irons and David Toms and Vijay Singh were their players.
If I had to change one thing absolutely it would be the Spinner shaft.
I like the shape and the look from address and wouldn’t mess with those at all. If something is to change it may be the metal they use or a composition change in their “core” material to add back some feedback feel. Too soft may be the problem. In the end I believe the club made me a better putter. I do feel I got in my target circle more often and that the circle got smaller therefore making easier putts more frequent.
One thing to recall....according to launch monitor the ZipCore does not spin more than my two and a half year old Callaway MD4. In actual playing conditions I found that to be true also. The following pictures are of the results of two full swing shots approximately 80 yards out on the same day at the same course, albeit different holes. Look at the disparity between the two!
Miscellaneous (7 out of 10 points)The little things matter, and in this case while I was fortunate to be selected, I was sent a stock club. Something that has to change immediately is the shaft, yet I didn’t change it because I wanted to test it as is sold. It feels whippy and adds to the lack of feedback. I don’t feel it brings any extra spin and therefore no tradeoff exists. It’s numb and didn’t provide any performance benefits.
One thing I did change was grip. I’m not a Golf Pride guy. I’m a Winn Grips guy and having this club with a Winn grip mid size is what I needed and had installed. I’ll probably have the shaft changed out as well. Not sure to what. At time of the start of this review there were no other finishes. I prefer a gunmetal finish. The new black offering looks pretty sweet! The raw finish doesn’t look as luxurious or clean. It was shipped very fast and in a typical triangular box for a single club. Their customizable options don’t look as clean or have as many options as the TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 offerings.
Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points)
I have to keep it. My overall game and short game got better with it in this short two months. I’m going to change shafts and then I think I’ll be closer to absolute commitment. If that doesn’t bring me better feedback and I find I just can’t be that numb regardless of the results I’ll send out to another MGS member.
Conclusion
The expectations are high. Cleveland has themselves and their marketing department to thank for that. This club, I have found, is much like a new boss. I don’t necessarily have to like the boss to benefit from their style and substance. Despite the fact that the new boss doesn’t check off everything on my “perfect boss” list doesn’t mean they are a bad boss. If I am getting better at my job, have no resentments at the end of the day, and can sleep at night eager to go back to work the next day then I have to take the overall win and like this boss.
The Cleveland ZipCore wedge looks great and has great results with forgiving and accurate performance. It doesn’t sound right but it’s not offensive. It doesn’t feel right but it’s not punishing. This wedge works and over time with more work and with some changes in the shaft it might just end up being the perfect wedge. I’ve gotten better with this club. I suspect others will as well. It’s not a “game improvement” wedge but it did that for me and seemingly for other testers as well. The Vokey and new Callaway Jaws play more like a true blade iron giving lots of feedback when you miss the dime spot more often. Sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss. So if I can’t feel how flush I hit it, the green surely will when the ball lands in the target circle. In the end, I’m happy I tried it and am eagerly anticipating a fruitful relationship. I’ve gotten better because I’m more confident with what the end result will be. That’s a great feeling. A feeling that the wedge provides me.
Final Score: (84.5 out of 100 points)
Thank you, again, to My Golf Spy and to Cleveland Golf and to the other testers whom helped me as this was my first review for MGS. Well done everyone!
- Kenny B, fixyurdivot, MattF and 4 others
-
7
-
19 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:
That's the other possibility I was considering. Probably will all come down to how I hit them. This option might be easier to gap too. Do the 6 & 7 HM 1* weak and 8 Forged 1* strong. 22-26-30-35-40 for 5-9.
Waiting is always the hardest part. I wish they were just available already so I could go hit them.
A proper fitting should help
-
40 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:
What do people think would be the logical break point for a mixed set of hot metal and forged? Probably going to do a 5-GW set.
5-7 HM 8-GW Forged?
-
13 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:
A couple thoughts on the comments that some don’t see enough of a change in the 921 vs 921.
1) Have you actually held the 921 in hand to actually see the comparisons? We all know history’s has taught us Pre Release photos often don’t do the iron justice.
2) Not worth the upgrade from 919. Mizuno isn’t targeting those who just bought 919 upon its release. More like those who in the market, that haven’t bought irons in several years.
its funny how so many people think to automatically say its not worth changing from last years model.
Afterall not everyone is me
It’s merely speculation for the sake of speculation and community Banter. Is it not?
-
Perhaps there is a little less mass on the toe of the 921. But looks incredibly similar to me. So I’m just curious if there is enough of a positive change to warrant the new retail price. Sort of like with the Taylormade P790. Seemingly the new iteration of it was strictly cosmetic yet they raised prices.
-
I have JPX-850 Forged and love them. I’ve had them for 5 years considering a new set. But these look too similar to the 919 Forged. IMO Same toe mass Look, same stability frame with badge going into hosel, even the badge is not that different so the only major difference is the forged Chromoly. Yes chromoly is stronger than 1025 steel but so was the boron infused steel. Some grumblings that the boron made the steel too stiff and not as buttery as people expect mizunos to be. Unless the forged chromoly has a softer feel than the boron infused with the same distances don’t see why I should pay full price when I can now get a set of 919 forged sub $1000
Golf Talk
in Breaking News and Debate
Posted
Golf podcast about Dustin Johnson minus 30, Phil Mickelson winning on Champions tour, LPGA major The Open winner Sophia Popov and the pushcart queen Lindsey Weaver. We talk about the Fed Ex playoffs, Adidas apparel, and my new Cleveland ZipCore wedge. Miguel gives a shout out to Yootopeagolf.com