MEMBER REVIEWS - RENEGAR RxF WEDGES!

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

 

 

The wedges are here, and it's time for our testers to get to work!  Do these forged Renegar RxF wedges perform? Does our testers experiences match up with the manufacturer's claims?  Can't wait to find out!!!

 

We'll start with a series of Unboxing posts and then get right into the reviews.  Please feel free to ask any questions you may have have the Renegar wedges, especially about that unique sole grind!  We have a nice variety of testers, so at least one of our guys can give you some information that will be helpful to your game. Enjoy!!!

 

Here's the linup:

 

Fireinthehole:                      Unboxing                Review

 

Big Stu:                                Unboxing                Review

 

youngen:                              Unboxing                Review

 

Golfspy Bones:                    Unboxing                Review

 

 

 

For more info, check out the Renegar Golf website

[Fireinthehole]

Part 1- Unboxing 

 

Since the announcement of being selected to test, and review these wedges, I have anxiously (if not obsessively) been running home during lunch and after work, looking for the box! Unfortunately, no doorstep photo oppurtunity was presented as the box was awaiting me in my golf room. Let me begin by acknowledging the sleek black box with crisp red logo and contrasting white font. Presentation gets A+ all around. 

 

I opened the box with the eagerness of a kid on Christmas- but the restraint of an adult who understands there is precious cargo inside. I found the packaging to be very simple, nice bubble wrap around each wedges head and plastic covering the wedge head and grip, with some simple wraping paper to fill the space.

 

After removing the packaging and plastic, I was greated by a very beautiful wedge. The back of the wedge was a little busier than what I was use to with the Mizuno MP T-5 wedges I have been gaming, I only felt this way because of the angled script/ writing on the back. I want to point out- that does not really bother me, but I know it does for some. Looking down at the wedge the groves look like they have a matte, almost sand blasted appearance, compared to the more metallic wedge body- I like the way it frames the ball however. I believe in the sun it will have less glare than the wedges I currently have when opening up that face.

 

Onto the sole, the grind looks very familiar with the exception of that cutout. It is shallow enough that I wouldn't worry about anything getting stuck in there or it being hard to clean. To be honest I am very excited to see how it works out. You will also notice there is only a designation of G, L, S- no bounce degree or loft degree indication anywhere.

 

The toe looks a little rounder, as does the leading edge when compared to my Mizuno's- it sits low however. Looking it over the blade length is a little longer than what I have been using and the hosel is both noticebaly larger in diameter and shorter as well, but that just feels like nit picking. It has a very pleasing appearance. 

 

I mean just look at how sharp they look!!!

 

As you can see from the above photo- they came paired with KBS wedge shafts. I have only had dynamic gold's in wedges, so this was interesting to say the least. They felt heavier in the hands vs my Mizuno's which felt heavier in the head.

 

I don't know what kind of voodoo is being used, but these Renegar wedges feel perfectly balanced. I could tell where the head and my hands where during practice swings. I have used KBS tours in irons and it is not the same feeling. Hooneymoon phase with something new? I don't know, but man- these things feel great in the hands. 

 

Onto the grip. It was paired with a Lamkin grip which is longer than the golf pride Z cords I use in wedges. The grip does have the renegar name under the hands and two dots- which I assume are there if you want to grip down (which I never do). For a stock offering this is a pretty good feeling grip. It has actually made me rethink using such a firm grip on wedges.

 

 

Because I know I have alway's thought this when reading reviews/unboxing- Comparison photos to your current wedge would be nice. I tried to do a mashup between the Renegar's and the Mizuno's I am using, that will show what I was referring to earlier in the post. If I have posted too many photos, please forgive me- whats the expression? A picture is worth a thousand words and I need more than that some times! I reduced the size dimensions to not take further space.

 

[Fireinthehole]

Part 2. The Review...

 

I want to begin by thanking Renegar for supplying the wedges that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and that have been my excuse for even more golf. These were tested in the condition they were sent to me. I utilized a Callaway Speed Regime 3 ball, all throughout testing.

 

 

A little bit about me:

I am a playing to an 11 HCP right now due to some recent swing changes, but until June/ July I had gotten down to an 7 and as high as 18 by August. I have an aggressive swing at times that gets steep with wedges. 

 

I have been a straight forward wedge player for the most part, full swings, half, chips, and flops out of bunkers- The End. I prefer to chip and love hop and stop performance. I have done well enough with that simple short game I don't consider it a weak spot for me.However: These wedges have given my short game a new found swagger. Often employing that lovely flop shot (even if it wasn't the wisest choice). 

 

I had never properly gapped my irons with a -50-54-58 wedge set instead opting for a 52-56-60, so I was looking forward to these! I have a steep angle with the low irons and wedges, but have utilized low bounce wedges (Per stamping)- with a lack of that information on the Renegar wedges I headed for the course. 

 

Calling my shot- The full shot was not a particular shot requested by Renegar, but it is one that I often employ with my wedges and wanted to throw it out there!

 

Full swing Wedge shots.

 

These wedges had the KBS wedge shaft which felt good with shots at contact, but at various times I felt I lost where the club was in my swing. The grind and sole of this club excels for people like me with steep swings as it had a tendency to glide through the turf without issue. What I should mention is that on full swings I was about 4-6 yards shorter than my current set of wedges- not a real issue as you aren't looking for distance in a wedge, but worth mentioning as my previous wedge's are all 2* weaker with Dynamics Gold shaft (Rest of my irons have Project X 6.5s).  I never saw moon balls with these wedges, even though I had them suck back at times. The flight on full wedge shots was very pleasing.

 

60 yard lob to a tight pin- I normally play this shot with a half gap wedge shot. That is not to say it wasn't doable, but my full swing with a lob wedge is around 96 yds on average and 74 on a 3/4 shot so getting to 60 took a fade instead of draw. What this wedge produced can only be described as poetry. A well lofted shot that had my preferred hop and stop performance. It took some time to get adjusted with the KBS shaft (I will mention this again), but the wedges sole gave me confidence in this shot regardless of lie! I practiced this shot and then challenged my friends to a closest to the pin contest at the practice area. That would be me next to the flag stick. 

 

 

30 yard pitch with roll out-  Full disclosure my preferred short game shot has a high flight and little roll out. I executed this shot with a sand wedge. Whenever I found my self near the green with some branches in the way, this made getting close to the pin easy. With the grooves still pretty new + the Callaway SR3, there was less roll out, but I won't complain. At times I did lose feeling of where the club head was, and that did lead to some inconsistencies, both short and long. 

 

Short bunker explosion- This is my favorite short game shot! I didn't think it could get more fun. That funky little notch in the sole works. I played some high shots to close pins that stuck, and some that ran, but this wedge cut through the sand like a hot knife through butter (might be technique, humble brag). Even when I played in wet sand this wedge just powers through- it didn't feel like hitting sand with a sledge hammer, a feeling I could do without.

 

Lob shot from a tight lie- Channeling my inner Phil Mickelson I took this wedge through its paces. Now I prefer a leading edge that sits nice and close to the ground, and while this wedge performed well with this shot, there were a few skulls while trying to get used to how it sits on the ground. I appreciated the longer blade length with this shot, as I tend to hit these shots out near the toe. These wedges provide a great amount of spin, there were several shots that just stuck like darts. I attempted to take some photos of the lob wedge laid wide open, I apologize for the blurriness apparently my playing partners do not appreciate my amateur photo shoots during rounds. 

 

Longer bunker explosion- I have not hit a fairway bunker in the 3 years I have been golfing-but I have hit enough green side bunkers to more than make up for it! I love bunker shots, because it is one of the few times a really aggressive swing can be rewarded. I utilized the lob through gap wedge with this shot and none disappointed, much like short bunker shots these wedges just glide through sand and with the non chrome or satinized ( is that a word???) finish, these wedges are still in pretty good shape. 

 

Greenside buried lie bunker explosion- The fried egg. I am a big fan of eggs and these shots! Is that sick? A little. These wedges do perform well with this lie and I just love that unique sole grind. I was not a big fan of the KBS shaft with this shot. Every time I practiced this shot, I was left with the feeling that I was going to look down and see a bent shaft. I do want to say that I would like to throw a dynamic gold shaft in this wedge, try this shot again and see the results.

 

Chip from just off fringe- I did not like the light head weight and at times was left frustrated with the mixed results. There were times the lighter weight made me feel as though it would easily snag and at other times like I was going too fast and had to slow down. But after some more practice I became tolerant of it. The height and spin was consistent and that flatter leading edge was perfect for the softer conditions I find myself in now, there was no unwanted digging.  I want to also make note that though the grip was long enough for those who grip down, I did not utilize the two dots at the bottom of the grip. 

 

 

Pitch from deep rough- Now this is where all those work outs come in handy. These wedges do not dig or snag - though I guess if you wanted to you probably could get them to do just that. That flatter leading edge in conjunction with that fancy sole grind left me with a renewed confidence in this shot. I got shots to come out hot and with enough spin it left my golf partners dumbfounded how I didn't fly off of the green. Even lead to one coining the phrase "Cortes spin,"

 

Flop from rough- This shot was tricky for me at first because if i got too aggressive I had a tendency to lose the head and "wuss out" on the shot. BUT! once the puzzle was solved It was easier to have confidence on the bounce of the club to do the work. There was no catching in the grass and the longer blade length helped with those shots that were out on the toe. The Renegars did better than my Mizuno's with this shot and because of this I have added the shot back into the routine and have enjoyed using it to get over bunkers.

 

 

Downhill and Uphill pitch-chip-  My biggest problem used to be those down hill pitches and chips, where I would stick into the turf- these wedges just glide out of that. Uphill pitches and chips were a little trickier they felt a little hollow and I just seemed to hit these "A groove to low" on more than one occasion. I felt that using the gap wedge was a better option for these.  

 

The bottom line

 

Would I buy?! Yes! in fact I am 90% convinced that I want a 46* wedge to accompany this set. At the risk of ruining a good thing, I want to tinker around, by installing a dynamic gold in one wedge to see if my familiarity with that wedge shaft has blinded me, just to be sure that I had no doubts about pulling the trigger on these.  I can only imagine if they were personalized more to my preference i.e. grip/ shaft/ SW. But as far as "stock offering" goes, I haven't tested a wedge that was as consistent in every category as these, they exceeded my exception's out of bunkers and with the turf interaction. 

[BIG STU]

 

The Renegar wedges arrived today. They were waiting on the porch when the wife got home but she put them by the front door where I would see them as soon as I arrived. First impressions and I know this may sound funny but pretty nice box. The wedges were packaged perfectly. Not only were the heads shrink wrapped or vacuum sealed if you prefer but they had additional protective wrap as well. Opening them up and getting the protection off and they were stunning to say the least. Damn!! Almost too pretty to hit but I am. The sole grinds are impressive at first sight. Now you guys know curb appeal and feel go a long ways with me. From the outset they feel like they are balanced good and they darn sure look good!! You also know I am a forged man and by God they are forged! Right now I am in the process of checking the lofts and lies on my machine and the swing weights. Also will be checking the lengths. I will also give you the stock specs and info for me on my old Cleveland 588s and a set of Wishon 2015 PCF Micro groove wedges I have been experimenting with. I may be able to hit them tonight but we are having inclimate weather and will continue to have so through the weekend. Also was told they wanted me to hit some speficic shots with them but I have not got a list yet. Believe me I do have my own club testing program that I have honed over the years so that will be in place too.
So far first impressions it seems to be a well made and balanced club and the machine work is excellent.

 

 

Now these do have a KBS Tour Wedge shafts in them. I have always been a TT DG man but so far they seem balanced. I have had one experience with the KBS Wedge shafts and that was in a T-Mag ATV wedge I traded for. Never did like that wedge. But I have been experimenting with FST 90s in the Wishons so I am somewhat familiar with the feel. Ok I am going to eat supper and then after I will post my preliminary findings.

 

 

 

Up front I had the specs already on the Cleveland 588s since I have had them for years and have gamed them a while. The Wishon PCF wedges I also had specs on already since I have been doing my own R&D on them on and off for several months. Here are my specs for the Cleveland and Wishon wedges. Now neither are "stock" weight I have them heavy for me via lead tape. Also the Cleveland 60 does not have a "stock grind" I have modified it for me with a Scratch type JLM-EGG grind
588 60* loft--- lie 64.5* SW-- D-6.5--- Length 35 1/2 inches
588 56* loft--- lie 64.5 SW--D-6.5---- Length 35 3/4 inches
Now I do not carry 4 wedges but I carry my old Macgregor PW that goes with my irons. Specs are as follows Loft 47* Lie-64.5 SW-- D6 length 36 inches. All above wedges have TT Sensicore shafts soft stepped 1x
Wishon PCF Micro grooves ( 2015 CC conforming) Note : Unlike the Cleveland and Renegar wedges these are NOT forged.
52* -- Lie 64*--Length 36 inches SW-- D-5
56*-- Lie 64*---Length 36 inches SW-- D-5
60*-- Lie 65*---Length 36 inches SW--D-5
All my wedges I use Golf Pride Tour Wraps standard size.
Ok preliminary specs on the Renegar Wedges straight out of the box straight off the trailer.
Gap-49* loft lie 65* length 35 1/2 SW-D-5
Sand- 53 1/2*loft lie 63 length 35 1/2 SW- D-5
Lob-58* loft lie 63* length 35 1/2 SW-D-5
Ok there are the compairsons of what I am used to playing vs the new out of the box Renegar wedges. I am actually very impressed with the Renegar's raw specs out of the box. All lengths are dead on it and the weights are all matched and feel evenly balanced when handling them. notice with my wedges I do keep consistant weight through the set and consistant length. I also did some leading edge calculations on the Renegar wedges with a Maltby Triangle wedge guage and a protractor with straight edge. I will not complicate matters with all the measurements but I will say I am impressed with the way they set up. For the techies I did all my lofts and lies on my Silvestri Model 2002 A loft and lie machine that I have used for years. In fact Scratch Golf used to have 2 of those pretty accurate machine. That 2* on the gap wedge lie is well within tolerance levels and with a manual machine I can be off eye ball wise myself.

 

 

 

Now it is raining here but you know I could not resist I did hit the 60* off my mat in the back yard into the net and I did use some practice Pro V 1x balls. It felt great and it had a crisp sound when making contact. I am curious to get them in the real world on a real green to see if they stop like the Wishons which have very (but legal) aggressive grooves. They are conforming but I don't know how in the hell they are. but the Renegars have a more traditional type groove but seemed to spin the ball good. I did scuff a couple of covers but that is expected with new wedges. I actually can not get over how balanced so far the Renegar wedges feel stock out of the box. Also going by the gaps If I end up front line gaming them I will pull out the Macgregor VIP PW and replace it with the Renegar gap because with my traditional lofts there is only a 2* difference and I can live with that
Hope I did not lull anyone to sleep but since I was chosen to do this and the folks at MGS and Renegar chose me I am going to do a through job. This is basically the procedure I go through with any club I am experimenting with whether I build it myself or purchase it. Trust me more to come hopefully the weather will clear up STU
Edit Forgot one thing The Wishon wedges have FST-90 shafs that are stiff tipped-- too complicated to explain here but simply trying to get head weight feel without gobs of lead tape took them out to hit them and realized off the bat they were too light for me and the lofts and lies would not work for me. After hitting some of the shots they wanted me to do I really realized it so I made the following changes

Gap- Stock 49* loft 65* lie changed to 48* loft and kept the 65* lie

Sand Stock 53.5* loft 63* lie changed to 56* loft and 65* lie

Lob- Stock 58* loft and 63* lie changed to 60* loft and 65* lie

Now weight wise they still felt too light for me to work and I had 2 of the assistant pros at my club hit them some and they felt they were too light. On my own clubs I never swing weight them on the scale I just go by feel. I added approx 4 grams of weight to each wedge via lead tape because I absolutely cannot stand a club slugged in the hosel or tip weighted. Sorry these are beautiful wedges but for me if I did not do this they might as well be wall hangings. However I think for the average player the stock weight may be ok. I play my wedges really head heavy because I learned the game with older heavier wedges.

Took them out for a small test session mainly concentrating on feel and ball flight. With my mods they set up great for me. I was really impressed On to the outlined tests that Renegar wanted done

[BIG STU]

Actual tests: All tests were ran at two different faculities; My home course Indian Wells Golf Club Garden City SC and Tupelo Bay Golf in Garden City SC

 

Test balls: My regular gamer balls Bridgestone Trio Soft of course in the spirit of brand new wedges brand new balls

 

Test 1- 60 yard lob to a tight pin. Hit about 40 shots from various lies and angles and used several different face positions. I used the Sand wedge 56* because this is the club I would normally use in this case. Ball launched a lot higher than any of my other wedges and stopped well.really spun good. i actually got pretty well aggressive half way into that test because I had the confidence in how it worked

 

Test 2 30 yard pitch with roll out. Normally for me that is a PW so I used the Gap in the set for this. Hit about 30 shots or so. At first I was not getting any roll out and the ball was checking too quick. I remembered I was using a new wedge not my worn out one so I closed the face a little more than usual and then that worked good. I could hit a good one hopper drop and stop with it. I think I am falling in love.

 

I combined the sand tests # 3 5 and 6 since I had to drive up to Tupelo Bay and had reserved the small bunker practice area. The short bunker explosions the lob was impressive got the ball up quickly. On the buried lies I did them about the same distance as the short bunker ones around 30 yards. they brought the ball out good. the sole design really cuts through the sand well. The long bunker explosion I shot 2 types a 80 yard which I used the gap wedge and  60 yard which I used the sand wedge on. Again they brought the ball out good with the sole doing it's thing really cutting through the sand.

 

The ball also sat good on the green. I tried to post a pic and I am having computer trouble. Now I will note i got a lot of interest from the tourist hacker types that frequent that place an got a lot of looks and questions on those wedges. Let a few folks hit them and I gave them some info as to what they were. My 2 hours were up quickly and they opened up the area to the public and they were swarming so back up the road I went to my home course Indian Wells to do the rest.

 

#4 Lob Shot from tight lie. I did it again from about 35 yards. Actually I had to modify my technique a little to get the wedge to work because it seems to get a little more bounce than I am used to but got that worked out after about 20 shots. Again the wedge performed flawlessly.

 

#7 Chip from just off the fringe. Usually for me it is either the PW or 56* (SW) depending on what I need to do. Note the 56* is usually my workhorse. I could get the SW to sit and check pretty well even down hill. Now the gap I absolutely love I can hit a release bump and run or a check shot simply bu manulipating the face. Hit about 25 balls with both the Gap and Sand wedges respectively.

 

Now the deep rough test #8 I went ahead and did it from 30 yards and 60 yards. Since it was a pitch test I used the Gap wedge again and also tried the Sand Wedge too. I liked the pitch action of the Gap better because it was more predictable than the Sand. The Sand wedge seemed to lift the ball higher and thus more of a flop than a pitch. Now talking about cutting through thick Bremuda rough these wedges did it. The ball seemed to really check up well and the divot was through. These wedges seem to cut like a knife through hot butter.

 

Test #9 Flop from the rough- I got down behind a hill where I would have to get it upstairs quick and stop it. I used the lob for that from 40 yards. Again thick Bremuda rough. Did not really have to open the face too much to get it up and drop it. Ball after ball came out dropped and stopped. Again the sole design cut like a knife through hot butter. Probably hit 20 shots with these

 

#10 down hill pitch chip. I assumed on this the ball was on a downhill lie. I set it up in one of the few places where i could get an extreme down hill lie at about 50 yards. Now on these shots I tend to get too steep and chunk or blade it. I decided to use the Gap again and deloft it some. After about 15 balls I finally got my timing on to make it work. again the sole design did it's job once the dummy swinging the club figgured out how to work it. After I got used to the wedge i could figure out my roll out and really got confident with it

 

Test 11 Uphill Pitch chip- Now I love that shot because I dead hand it. Got it on a little hill going up. Decided to use the Sand Wedge for this because the lob would get it up too quick and drop it too quick and get no roll out. I did try the Lob for about 5 shots and this was true. Normally I use a 56* for this shot so thus the sand wedge. As with almost every shot I have hit the ball came out high and dropped and stopped good.

 

Now on full shots on the range I set up the lob for 50 yards and was using range balls. Hitting them to the range green even those hard range balls had spin. Actually got unbelievable spin off all those clubs on full shots. One thing I noticed on full shots and little nip shots those wedges have a click sound sorta like a Mizuno when you flush it. And these wedges are soft feeling. I could tell they were soft when I adjusted the lofts and lies. Now do not misconstrue this. All these tests were not run in one day they were run in the course of a week and a half.

 

Now Baptism by fire-- One of  the regulars in my group called and said we were getting up a money match yesterday. I thought what the heck carry them break them in good. Now do not think I am that stupid the only reason I carried them in a money match was that I had absolute confidence in them. absolutely knew with out one doubt what they could do and what I could do with them. Don't take that lightly either those old 588s have been in the bag a long time and have saved my bacon on more than one occasion.

 

I ended up having a good driving day but could not hit a green from the fairway oh but those wedges helped save us. I ended up hitting some great shots that i am sure Mr. Renegar and staff did not dream of.

 

On the second hole I hit a 8 iron left jerked it into a lilac bush. Now with this bunch we were playing the ball down. Now this ball was sitting pretty in the top of the bush about 40 yards left of the green and it was sitting about 3 feet high but I had no restricted backswing. Pulled the SW out choked up on it and hit it to about 15 feet. Actually it stopped instead of some roll out as I had planned. LOL it cut through the lilac bush like that hot knife again. Missed the slider down hill putt.

 

Next hole ended up about 110 out from the green on a hard pan lie took the Gap and hit it to about 20 feet. Nothing spectacular happened until the 13th hole. it is a dogleg and instead of my usual cut I tugged it into the pine straw at a bad angle with a tree restricting my angle of attack. Pulled the Gap and hit a lay up and the Gap got its first battle scar. I caught the tree on the back swing with the toe and scared it a little. It got me set up to hit a mid iron into this par 5 and I did make par.

 

Two holes later I got a chip in birdie on a par 5 with the Gap a little up the hill bump and run. On the 18th I tugged the driver again on this difficult par 4 over water. took the Gap again hit a layup. Was about 110 yards out up the hill over water and hit the gap again to 10 feet drop and stop and zip! made that putt for par.

 

Overall these wedges are impressive period. Fell in love with the gap it reminds me of a beloved Spalding 10 iron I had many years ago. Yep I think the gap may be the workhorse wedge now.

 

Another observation as many balls as I have hit testing these wedges in our sandy salty environment the have yet to show any signs of wear on the faces or soles. I am overall impressed with these wedges and that says a hell of a lot because you guys know me I tend to be old school as heck and stick to old stuff that works for me. Something has finally kicked my rusty 588s and worn out VIP wedge out of the front line bag.

 

I promise pics will follow I am having computer or phone problems and my computer guru is out of town but i wanted to get this report up because I said I would and I am really stoked on these wedges

[youngen]

Un-boxing/Initial Impressions

 

So, I received my new Renegar RxF wedges last night. I guess they were delivered while I had run to the grocery store to grab a couple missing ingredients while my wife was preparing dinner. She avoided telling me until after we had finished eating before saying “Did you even notice you have a package?” Wait, what?  I hadn't even noticed it sitting there, as the nice black box looked much less obnoxious than standard tan cardboard blending in next to our couch. I probably could have brought the package into a different room or moved it onto the dining room table for a better background, but I just felt like I had to open that box right there on the living room floor.

 

 

These wedges seem to have a lot of care put into their packaging. The first layer after opening up the box was standard brown packaging paper. I slid each club out of the paper to see that each head was also wrapped in 3 layers of plastic. There was plastic wrap over bubble wrap over the final layer of plastic wrap like you typically see left on in retail stores when the wedges sit on the rack. The grips also had a layer of plastic on them that was easily removed by pulling a red strip that reminded me of opening a pack of gum. I remember thinking how thoughtful that was as I've had some brands of clubs that made it much more strenuous of a process to do without the red pull strip. At that point I picked up the wedge to stand with it at address and was surprised once more as the stickers disappeared on the shaft! Renegar actually took the time to position the shaft label, UPC barcode, and product label stickers all on the underside of the shaft where they were completely unnoticeable at address. Should someone be tempted to leave them on, they could do just that without bothering even the pickiest of golfers when looking down to line up a shot.

 

 

My first impressions of the actual club, in the shortest sense of it, were “Wow” and “Very well thought out”.  I say this because, for me at least, it had so many features that I look for in a wedge:

·         Low leading edge

·         Versatile sole grind

·         Tour-satin like finish (I hate dark wedges)

·         Premium shafts (KBS in wedge flex)

·         Extended-length grips for choking down easily

·         Exact lofts I usually play (50°, 54°, 58°)

The looks are fairly clean and traditional. The sole stampings are not cluttered, and are just enough of them to let you know what you have without being distracting or trendy.

 

 

 

 

 

These wedges look fantastic! I haven't even played these wedges yet and I've contemplated ordering the 45° P wedge to round out the whole set. Alas, my better judgement stopped me and said “Just demo them, you can always order the other one in the winter for next season”.

 

[youngen]

Review:

 

I'll start out with just a little bit about my wedge game, to help anyone with relating to my opinions in the review. I have played golf for 20 years and have been as low as a 6 handicap but am currently about a 14 handicap. My game has two major strengths: driving and green-side wedge play (except sand). I love being creative with my wedges. I have always done my best work with 56° or 58° wedges that have low leading edges and versatile grinds with low bounce. My current wedges are Cobra Tour Trusty 54° and 58° models completely stock off the rack, along with my Wilson Ci7 Gap wedge that is part of my iron set. After a couple seasons of playing them, Renegar has a tough task to try and remove them from my bag.

 

Sand Play

 

As I briefly alluded to above, I'm not much of a sand player. I will approach the fat part of a green and attempt a 60 ft. putt before going after a pin even remotely tucked behind a bunker. I also struggle with it due to not being able to ground the club first. I most often come in too deep and behind the ball digging into the sand way too much.

 

Short bunker explosion – I was pleasantly surprised by the Renegar sand wedge's ability to keep from digging less than my Cobra's. I won't say that I was knocking down flag-sticks, but after a few reps I was much more consistently making it onto the green instead of staying in the bunker or flying it over everything. The added confidence it gave me allowed me to focus more on my swing and distance control without worrying about digging in for a big duff shot. The Renegar definitely won this challenge over the Cobra.

 

Long bunker explosion – This situation played out almost identically to the short bunker explosions. My typical miss with the Cobra sand wedge when trying for longer distances is to pick it too cleanly. I am usually too focused on not digging in to avoid losing distance resulting in a zinger that flies or rolls right off the other side of the green. By this time I had gained confidence with the Renegar's sole, resulting in getting a fuller contact on the ball and more shots that stayed on the green. In both bunker situations I didn't have too many easy putts from the results, but I will ALWAYS take a medium or even long putt over staying in the bunker or chipping from the other side of the green!

 

Buried bunker explosion – This is a situation I am a little more comfortable with using my Cobra sand wedge. It has a thin sole that cuts into sand quite well. Because of my comfort level with this shot, I would say the Renegar and the Cobra tied in this match up. The Renegar had a decent amount of spin to comfortably stop on the green softly and satisfactorily.

 

Pitch and Chip Play

 

 

I typically use my Wilson 50° gap wedge for these shots so it was quite easy to substitute the Renegar 50° gap wedge into its place. I've always known that having an actual wedge as compared to a set included iron of the same loft would make a beneficial difference. I've just always been too cheap to replace the Wilson with an aftermarket wedge.

 

30 yard Pitch and Roll –This was not a hard challenge for the Renegar to win. With the Renegar sitting lower to the ground it made a much nicer contact with the ball. This allowed me to really fine tune the point that I landed the ball before running it towards the cup. The Wilson Ci7 series irons were produced the last year that U-grooves were still available. It is about the only reason that I haven't upgraded irons in the last 5 years. Despite this, the Renegar gap wedge still spun and stopped shorter, and more consistently. The Renegar also allowed me much more control in altering the trajectory higher or lower and to run the ball more or less afterwards. The sole grind is just as versatile as it gets for manipulating club setup and shots.

 

Uphill Pitch-Chip – Again the sole grind of the Renegar plays into this shots ease of execution. You can lean the shaft forward to de-loft the face a little and the initial bounce surface on the leading edge keeps you from digging into the hill to glide through and push the ball down your line. Occasionally, in the past on these shots I've been a little thin and went by the hole too far. Not once did this happen with the Renegar wedge. Also, to note: I really loved the extended length grip on the RxF for choking down on the club in this situation.

 

Downhill Pitch-Chip – Before this review I would have never used my Wilson gap wedge on a downhill lie for anything less than a full swing shot. Its thicker GI iron sole is just not suited for it. Normally I would have opted to use my 58° Cobra and just flop it up to the green. But, I decided to give the Renegar gap wedge a try and play the shot more like a normal chip instead of a flop. The cut out on the sole really helped in making a swing on this and keeping under the ball without opening the face up. Another excellent result from the Renegar wedges.

 

Chip from Fringe – My favorite club to use on these shots is actually my 3-wood. Since I don't carry a hybrid it is the only metal wood I have other than my driver. But, this is only if the green is relatively flat so I can just roll it right at the pin. I use a wedge when dealing with undulations so I can carry the ball and then roll it if necessary. I actually tried this with each of the Renegar wedges just to see which I liked best for the shot. My go to shot would usually involve my 58° Cobra for more height and less roll but the Renegar 50° wedge actually proved to be so consistent in its pitch and roll out finesse, that I have found a new favorite club for these shots.

 

Lob Shots

 

60 yard Lob to a Tight Pin – I will honestly say that on the couple courses I played over the weekend while demoing these clubs, there were really no good, tightly placed pins. The best scenario I found was a pin that was deep with not much room behind it. I walked off 60 yards, making it more like a 50 yard to the center of the green length shot. Once I started shooting, I actually found the Renegar to play a little longer than my Cobra of the same 58° loft.

 

Trying to focus on the feel of the club and contact, I have decided that it is due to the point of contact on the face, and hence, the CG location relative to that contact point. What I mean is, I feel the Cobra sits just a small amount lower than the Renegar at address. So, on a 3/4 swing shot like this the Cobra sends shots soaring into the air and they practically stay in the divot they make upon landing. The Renegar wedge sitting just that minuscule amount higher made contact at a point on the face that still achieved plenty of height and spin, but traveled just a couple more yards of carry before one-hopping to a stop. And honestly, that didn't bother me one bit. It almost made me question whether I was playing the Cobra too high into the air to get consistent distances.

 

The RxF was super consistent and easy to control. In fact, I may venture to say it was more consistent because a couple times I caught the Cobra a little too high on the face and shorted the distance by several yards. During a round this just translates into a longer putt, and I don't think much of it. But, now knowing what I feel is the reason why it happens, I appreciate the better trajectory of the Renegar lob wedge.

 

Lob from Tight Lie – This shot took a little more time for me to adjust to than most of the others. I am very used to my Cobra lob wedge, and this is one of my bread and butter shots with it. I feel the Cobra sits lower and has lower bounce than the Renegar, allowing me to really use my typical shallow angle of attack to my advantage on tight lies. With the Renegar, I found that once I forced myself to get just a little bit steeper, I could use the sole grind more effectively to get under the ball without digging. If I go that steep with the Cobra, I dig too much. I was pleased with the results and spin once I made the adjustment, but I definitely need more time to really master the Renegar wedge in this shot scenario.

 

Flop from Rough – In the cooling weather here, the grass has begun to get a little thinner. However, I did manage to find some rough that was just thick enough to play this shot. I thought starting out that my comfort level with the Cobra would shine again, but I was nicely surprised by the Renegar. When the ball is buried in the rough, I felt the Cobra had an easier time popping it out. But any time the ball sat up even a little bit in the rough, the Renegar made beautiful work on popping it out as good or better. Generally in the midst of summer my shallow angle of attack gets stuck in thick rough more often than not. That is one of the main reasons I have loved the thin cutting edge of my Cobra wedges. In this thinner fall rough I had no problems pulling shots right out and getting decent stopping spin on the green when it landed. So, I may have to wait until next season, or take a winter golf trip south, to really test the Renegar under a similar situation.

 

Conclusions

 

I want to thank Renegar and MGS for this awesome opportunity. I sign up for every contest and tester chance I can, but this was one that I truly wanted to be a part of. I have spent and lost too much money over the years finding wedges I thought I would like, didn't, and trading them in towards more.

 

I thought I was happy with my setup before this. I can say that I have found some solid clubs whose versatility in all shot situations has impressed me. I have only ever carried 12-13 clubs all my life and appreciate a club I can use in multiple situations with results as good as I found in Renegar's RxF line of wedges. The 50° gap wedge and 54° sand wedge are firmly in my bag for the foreseeable future. Until I can really play more with the 58° wedge I will keep it in the bag next to my Cobra Tour Trusty. I have a feeling it is only a matter of time and familiarity before the 58° RxF is alone in that slot as well. I will recommend these wedges to anyone who asks, and will be more than happy to let a playing partner try some shots with it, too. The technology works, the feel is great, and I hope Renegar sells a ton of them so more people can find a new life in their short games.

[JBones]

I have been on a quest for seems like the Holy Grail......wedges and a putter that work for me.  My short game that I once prided my self on has been suffering greatly, since I have been rotating wedges like it was my job, trying to find something that worked.  I was very excited when my colleague Barbajo asked if I'd like to give the Renegars a go.  I didn't have any expectations, as I didn't really know much about Renegar wedges.  Of course I started researching as soon as I found out they were coming my way and started getting really excited.

 

I actually had the day off to play golf the day that the wedges were arriving.  I tried to hold off as long as possible before leaving the house, but couldn't hold off any longer on a much overdue trip to the course.  I'm glad I didn't, because the wedges didn't arrive until about 5:30PM.

 

(Anyone with daughters knows that as soon as a camera comes out, they WILL be in the picture)

 

I'm sure I wasn't alone, when I acted like a kid on Christmas, but I tried to calmly open the package, so it wasn't completely destroyed.

 

I was very pleasantly surprised when I removed the wedges and got an up close look at them.  I was concerned about the look of the sole; I understood the functionality, but the pics I had seen made them look kind of gaudy.....they are not, in hand.  I also like a wedge with "simple" stampings and not a lot going on, these appeared to be filled with markings, which they are, but it's done in a classy way.

 

Pretty excited to try out the KBS Wedge shaft that comes stock in the wedges.  I swing hard, so I have always played with the same shaft as my irons (KBS C-Taper XS or DG X100), which don't give the feel I want in a wedge.

 

I'm a Best Grips leather guy, so I will be changing the grips, but the stock grips do look and feel good.  They do seem like they are a mile long, but that could just be me.  I have compared them to a standard grip.

 

I'm looking forward to putting these wedges through their paces (if I can ever get a day off of work again).  Hopefully my search for the Holy Grail will be over.......for the wedges at least.  Stay tuned for the full review.  Hopefully my new camera will be here, so I can get some decent pics.

[JBones]

 

 

 

JBones official Renegar wedge review

 

The Setup

I hit a series of shots with the GW, SW, and LW, in various conditions.  All tests were performed with no changes being made to the wedges, from the way they were shipped.  The ball used for all tests was the MG Tour C4 (except for a couple test shots that will be outlined below).

 

The Subjectives

Here is where I break down the things that are based on my individual preferences about the wedges.

 

Looks

I touched on this in the First Impression post.  I love “clean” looking wedges, meaning theres not a whole lot going on, on the sole and back of the wedge.  These wedges are very clean, with only a letter on the soles toe and the placement of the company name and logo is elegant.  I could do without the “Tour Proto” and “Forged” stamps, but it doesn't take away much from the appearance.  The one thing I wasn't a fan of looks wise, is the grip, which is pretty insignificant.  Compared to my preferred grip, it looks twice as long, it's not, but it looks that way.  Overall, they are some of the best looking wedges I've had in my bag for the past 5+ years.

 

Feel

These may be the softest feeling wedges I've ever hit.  Every single shot feels like butter……I even shanked one from the rough and it felt soft.  To make sure the ball wasn't the main factor in the feel, I found a Rock Flite XL and hit a couple shots…..still felt soft.  Didn't matter what the lie was or if it was a full or half shot, they were “butter” soft.  I didn't put the wedges on my swing weight machine, but they felt much better than my Vokeys, in terms that I could feel where the head was throughout the swing.  This could be caused from a variety of things, the heads could weigh more, the shafts and grips could be lighter, and the fact that I have hard stepped KBS C Taper XS in my Vokey wedges definitely plays a role in that.

 

The Shots

We were provided a list of shots to hit, to show the versatility of these wedges.  While I did hit those shots, I don't think it speaks anything to the versatility of the wedges.  In my opinion the majority of the shots were skill shots……could they be pulled off with the wedges, yes, but you either can or can't hit that shot with your skill set, no matter what wedge it is.  I'm instead going to touch on the areas where I believe the wedges really shined.

 

Bunker Play

I have always struggled with bounce in bunkers; too much and the club bounces into the ball, too little and club just digs.  It was too the point where I was avoiding bunkers like the plague, because I just wasn't very good from them.  I don't know the science behind how the Renegar sole design works, but it just does.  I'm now pin hunting from bunkers, instead of just trying to get the ball out.

 

Tight Lies

Another area I have always struggled with is tight lies, specifically on less than full shots.  Whether it's a tightly mown fairway or hard pan, I've mostly just played the lower spinner; that's not always an option and more often than not, trying anything else would lead to a skull over the green.  Again, the sole on the Renegars just works for these type of lies.  During testing I was able to pull off any shot I wanted from a tight lie, other than the flop from hard pan, which I'm convinced is impossible.

 

Wet Conditions

This was the final condition I wanted to play with these wedges in and what delayed the review for so long, being that I had to wait until February to get the conditions I was desiring.  It's easy to play wedges from perfect conditions, but the true test of a wedge is in less than ideal conditions.  Again, being able to play from slop is dependent upon ones skill set, but some wedges are better than others at performing in these conditions.  Yes, I still chunked chips and pitches from the muck with these wedges, but that is mostly due to user error.  I can tell you that I didn't dig the leading edge 3” into the mud, as I have with other wedges that I have owned and to me, that is a small victory.

 

 

 

Overall

I have to admit that I probably would have never given these wedges a chance, if not for this opportunity.  That has nothing to do with the wedges themselves, I've just always played wedges that I can walk into Dicks and grab off the rack.  I'm so glad I got this chance, because these are the best wedges I've played since the original Callaway Jaws, which are still my favorite wedges of all time (and also now illegal for competition).  The only Renegar wedge that will not be in my bag for the upcoming season is the GW, because while it matches the versatility, it just can't beat the forgiveness of my RBladez GW.  Hopefully this review will convince some people to give the “small guy “ a chance….you won't be disappointed if you do.

 

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

First unboxing posts are up...

 

Fireinthehole

 

youngen

 

We're off to a good start boys!!!

[RookieBlue7]

Those remind me, sort of, of Solus wedge soles

[BIG STU]

Post deleted.

[BIG STU]

OK I could not resist LOL I did take a pic of the Renegar wedges in my bag. It sure looks different from my rusty Clevelands.

 

 

OK they are loaded in the experimental bag ready to go to the range and practice area. Also have a R-7 driver I have been working on and also the Wishon wedges to compare. I always carry the blade KZG 4 iron in this bag to get my swing grooved with and besides that thing is a blast to hit

 

[BIG STU]

Sorry I put the first pic upside down hey I am new to this stuff

[KCLeo12]

Those remind me, sort of, of Solus wedge soles

That's because the Renegar wedge are made by Bob Renegar who designed the Solus wedge.

[KCLeo12]

Can't wait to read more on these new wedges. I may have to upgrade from the RX-12s I have been playing recently.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Big Stu's Unboxing post is up!  Well done lads!!!!

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/14654-member-reviews-renegar-rxf-wedges/?p=181405

 

Reviews will be coming soon!!!!

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

GolfSpy Bones' Unboxing is up!!!

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/14654-member-reviews-renegar-rxf-wedges/?p=181417

 

Reviews to start rolling in soon.  Definitely psyched to read what our boys have to say...

[null]

Love the marks on the grips for choking down.

[KCLeo12]

These things looks sweet!!! I know someone has played a round with them give us a little bit a feedback so far.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Big Stu's review is up!  Pictures to come, but he gives you a very thorough evaluation of his experiences!

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/14654-member-reviews-renegar-rxf-wedges/?p=181406

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Fireinthehole's Review is up!!!!

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/14654-member-reviews-renegar-rxf-wedges/?p=181382

[KCLeo12]

Stu and Fire those are some pretty amazing reviews. Can't wait to see the rest.

[BIG STU]

Un-boxing/Initial Impressions

 

So, I received my new Renegar RxF wedges last night. I guess they were delivered while I had run to the grocery store to grab a couple missing ingredients while my wife was preparing dinner. She avoided telling me until after we had finished eating before saying “Did you even notice you have a package?” Wait, what?  I hadn't even noticed it sitting there, as the nice black box looked much less obnoxious than standard tan cardboard blending in next to our couch. I probably could have brought the package into a different room or moved it onto the dining room table for a better background, but I just felt like I had to open that box right there on the living room floor.

 

 

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These wedges seem to have a lot of care put into their packaging. The first layer after opening up the box was standard brown packaging paper. I slid each club out of the paper to see that each head was also wrapped in 3 layers of plastic. There was plastic wrap over bubble wrap over the final layer of plastic wrap like you typically see left on in retail stores when the wedges sit on the rack. The grips also had a layer of plastic on them that was easily removed by pulling a red strip that reminded me of opening a pack of gum. I remember thinking how thoughtful that was as I've had some brands of clubs that made it much more strenuous of a process to do without the red pull strip. At that point I picked up the wedge to stand with it at address and was surprised once more as the stickers disappeared on the shaft! Renegar actually took the time to position the shaft label, UPC barcode, and product label stickers all on the underside of the shaft where they were completely unnoticeable at address. Should someone be tempted to leave them on, they could do just that without bothering even the pickiest of golfers when looking down to line up a shot.

 

 

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My first impressions of the actual club, in the shortest sense of it, were “Wow” and “Very well thought out”.  I say this because, for me at least, it had so many features that I look for in a wedge:

·         Low leading edge

·         Versatile sole grind

·         Tour-satin like finish (I hate dark wedges)

·         Premium shafts (KBS in wedge flex)

·         Extended-length grips for choking down easily

·         Exact lofts I usually play (50°, 54°, 58°)

The looks are fairly clean and traditional. The sole stampings are not cluttered, and are just enough of them to let you know what you have without being distracting or trendy.

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These wedges look fantastic! I haven't even played these wedges yet and I've contemplated ordering the 45° P wedge to round out the whole set. Alas, my better judgement stopped me and said “Just demo them, you can always order the other one in the winter for next season”.

Depending on your set up that will be the thing to do. The only reason I do not is because I play older clubs with traditional lofts and my 9 iron is 44* anyhow. The way I set the Renegar wedges for me took care of my lofts. But the old 9 iron is getting worn some and I may consider it in the future seriously

[BIG STU]

Love the marks on the grips for choking down.

IMHO they are probably good for a regular player in fact nothing wrong at all with them. I seldom choke up on anything because it leads me to tugging it. Now when I was in the lilac bush I choked all the way down on the steel because basically I was taking a baseball swing like a kid takes playing Tee Ball. I am probably going to play those grips until they wear out or get real slick and then put my standard grip on which is the Golf Pride Tour Wrap in standard size. Also I saw right off those grips were longer than a standard grip and I measured them to be sure my eyes were not messing with me. Yep they were so you could have a good grip when choking down

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

youngen's review is up!!!!

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/14654-member-reviews-renegar-rxf-wedges/?p=181414

[BIG STU]

Ok another saga in the Renegar wedge story. I did a little more work on them and they more than exceeded my expectations. Now basically I have never liked the feel of Lamkin grips not saying anything bad about Lamkin but they do not feel right for me. Ended up putting my standard grip which is the Golf Pride Tour Wrap standard size on them. After weighing the Lamkin grips they were heavier than the GP grips. the change made the heads with all the lead tape too heavy so I had to start over to balance them which I did. Took about 3 grams of tape off those heads. Practiced them first thing thing this morning. I for once hit the setup right off the bat. With my mods they felt and hit even better.

Played in a 9 hole shootout thing this afternoon on a very soggy and wet course. the ball was not going any where. Two of the par 4s I hit good drives on and could not reach in 2 but those wedges save me got up and down for par on both. Now they had redid all the traps after the flood 3 weeks ago and they drained good. I got in a trap on another par 4 with semi wet sand due to rain the last 3 days but that 56 (sand) brought the ball out and stopped it dead cold 3 feet from the pin. LOL must have hit some rocks in the trap because I scarred the bottom of the sand wedge some but What the heck they were made to be played. Ended up shooting 38 (+2) but it could have been worse. Ended up winning the shootout with 8 players. I need to change my signature because they are in the bag replacing my beloved 588s. Both rounds under fire they have performed well. I knew they had the potential for performance when I first saw the pics posted on MGS and I was correct. with a few personal tweaks I made good clubs even better

[BIG STU]

Now they are in the signature officially. You know what that means; they have passed all of my tests been tested under fire and are in to stay for a while. You guys know me well and know that says a lot. 

[McaseyM]

STU, your review is ridiculously thorough, thank you. I wish I could afford to pull the trigger on these, maybe one day. I think I need to invest in more practice/lessons first. But I appreciate your work

[BIG STU]

STU, your review is ridiculously thorough, thank you. I wish I could afford to pull the trigger on these, maybe one day. I think I need to invest in more practice/lessons first. But I appreciate your work

Thanks-- If it was not for Mr. Renegar and MGS I would not have them myself because I could not afford them either. I figgured that if they had enough faith in me to test and give an honest comment I would put my best foot forward and I did. I liked those wedges when I first saw the pics on here because of the design. I have been in golf all my life and know clubs. I knew if I got my hands on them and tweaked them for me they would work. Actually after running the tests they exceeded my expectations. My tests were conducted over 1 and a half weeks of through testing. I had to have faith in them to put them into play first thing in a money match. Not a big money match (those days are over for me for now) but still a money match. My buddy who is a Miura dealer asked me the other day if I was still in love with them. I told him I loved that 56 so much I would not trade it for 2 Miura wedges of any kind. I have ran R&D for a couple companies in the past (not for any blogs) for hire and even though I have some of their clubs still (part of the deal) you do not see them in my bag. I have had opportunities to test other equipment like everyone else has on MGS and other blogs but never applied due to I knew off the bat I could not use the stuff and be objective and personally I felt it would not be fair to other members and the supplier. Like I said I knew from the pics that the Renegar wedges would work because of the sole design. Reminded me of the dual sole Macgregor and Wilson wedges I had played in the past with the combo of the old Console wedges of days gone by. In fact I was fixing to pull my beloved 588 because it was really getting worn. I was going to replace it with a Wilson Staff 1965 vintage Triple Duty which is in pristine shape that I found at Goodwill for $2.99. In a nutshell I think those wedges will work well for any player because they take the confusing bounce thing out. they just have to practice them some to get the gist of what fits their game