These golf wedges, like cavity back irons, mitigate off-center strikes to keep you on target and in contention. Like cavity back irons, these golf wedges mitigate off-center strikes to keep you on target and in contention.
In this post, I break down the intricacies of a cavity back wedge and explain why you, as an average golfer, would perform better with one.
In addition, I’ll reveal my 3 favorite cavity back wedges which ensure optimal spin, crisp turf interaction, and an aggressive bite.
What is a Cavity Back Wedge?
A cavity back wedge is constructed using a cast, which enables engineers to create wided`r soles, perimeter weighting, and sharp grooves. This production technique is more affordable than the forging process used to craft blades.
You’ll notice that the wider sole prompts crisp turf interaction from any lie to prevent high handicappers from chunking short game shots. In addition, the perimeter weighting expands the sweet spot and halts spin drop-off for consistent results.
Furthermore, a cavity back wedge sports an advanced moment of inertia (MOI) to promote a square clubface through impact for straighter shots.
Pros of a Cavity Back Wedge
Prevents Spin Drop Off
The perimeter weighting on a cavity back lob, sand, or gap wedge expands the sweet spot to prevent spin drop-off across the face. As a result, you produce consistent revolutions per minute on all shots for consistent, accurate results.
When you play with blades, the sweet spot is set in the center of the clubface, and any off-center hits lead to a loss of spin and accuracy.
Straighter Shots
In addition to preventing spin drop-off, the perimeter weighting and broader clubhead sole combine to stabilize the clubface at contact, ensuring straighter strikes. You’ll find the increased MOI in the club prevents the face from twisting during your swing to keep it square into impact.
Crisp Turf Interaction
You’ll see that a cavity back wedge often contains a broader clubhead sole built to produce clean turf interaction. The wider sole glides over the grass with limited engagement to prevent amateurs from digging the clubhead into the turf and chunking your ship or pitch shot.
Eradicate Vibrations
The cavity back design on wedges allows engineers the space to employ vibration-dampening technology to protect your palms on the heel and toe mishits. Instead of nasty shocks running up your club shaft, the technology drowns them and ensures your hands enjoy a soft feel on every shot.
Suits A Wide Range Of Golfers
Finally, the forgiving, consistent performance of cavity-back wedges makes them an ideal club for a wide range of golfers. The biggest disadvantage of a Cavity-Back Wedge is its chunky profile. These golf clubs are not the prettiest compared to a compact blade profile, but it was the only option to employ perimeter weighting to prevent spin drop-off.
Reduced Feel
In my experience, a cavity design gap, sand, or lob wedge produces limited feedback and feel at impact. I find this makes it difficult to judge the power of your strike to get the ball close to the cup.
Limited Workability
The final con of a cavity back wedge revolves around workability. Most wedges with this construction possess advanced MOI, which helps you square the face at impact for greater accuracy.
However, you’ll notice this restricts you from shaping your shots when you need to induce a draw or fade. The forgiveness, high MOI and consistent spin of cavity back wedges are ideal for mid and high handicap golfers. When your rhythm or tempo is off, and you strike the ball on the toe or heel, you’ll be grateful for the forgiveness of cavity back wedges. Although I feel most golfers can benefit from cavity back wedges, high handicappers stand to extract the most value.
Top 3 Cavity Back Wedge Recommendations
1. Cleveland CBX
Top pick
Cleveland Golf CBX4 – 56 Degrees
Lightweight, low-density cores work in conjunction with the cavity design to reduce vibrations, while also shifting weight, and boosting MOI, for increased feel, consistency, and forgiveness.
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Pros
Produces consistent spin
Enhanced MOI
Forgiving
Combats slices thanks to a toe bias profile
Eradicates vibrations on off-center strikes
Cons
It provides limited feedback
The Cleveland CBX is among the best wedges with a cavity design that provides exceptional leniency and aggressive spin. The Gelback technology protected my hands from vibrations caused by heel and toe mishits. As a result, you’ll experience a limited spin drop-off and enhanced MOI for straighter shots.
Moreover, I appreciated the performance of the Enhanced Feel Balancing Technology, which prompted a toe bias to fight right misses. The Tour zip grooves of the 4th Generation Rotex Face Technology will allow you to produce rampant spinning.
- 2. Callaway Mack Daddy CB
- Pros
- Generates rampant spin
- Enhances traction
Makes it easier for high handicappers to hit flop shots
- Smooth turf interaction
- Increased MOI
Cons
Minimal bounce options
Offers limited workability on full shots
The Callaway Mack Daddy CB wedge is a high-spinning cavity back wedge that ensures advanced forgiveness, a satin chrome finish, and clean turf interaction. The average golfer is able to produce consistent chipping and pitching shots for both ups and downs. Callaway’s machine created 84 contact points by creating four micro-positive ridges between the grooves. In my experience, this enhances friction on shots with an open face producing a high-flop chip shot that sits rapidly.
Moreover, the undercut cavity design enabled the engineers to position mass around the clubface’s perimeter to elevate MOI and forgiveness. The satin chrome finish gives the wedge a beautiful satin finish. Tour Edge Launch Hot Launch – E522
Tour Edge Hot Launches E522 Wedge
The E522 wedge’s super-wide sole, combined with its heavier head weight, helps eliminate flubs and improve contact. The E522 Wedge is designed to be versatile by adding extreme performance to chipping and pitching, explosion shots from the sand or rough, flopshots, bump-and run shots, and flop shots.
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- Pros
- Incredibly affordable
- Limits turf friction by 35%
- It promotes straighter shots, thanks to a high MOI
- Increased spin
Optimal forgiveness
- Cons
- The oversized clubface may deter some players
I experienced issues with a glare at address
The Tour Edge Hot Launch E522 wedge produces the best turf interaction for cavity back wedges, thanks to its exceptionally wide Houdini sole. Tour Edge claims that it reduces turf friction by 35%. I can’t confirm this figure but I noticed a smooth glide on the grass. It promotes clean contact regardless of lie.
In additional, the E522 wedge’s super deep undercut cavities promote a high launch and full shots to ensure a soft, fast landing. You’ll see this wedge features a gigantic clubface which boosts MOI for improved accuracy.
Finally, I admired the work of the full-face maximized grooves, which I felt provided maximum spin on all shots. It also prevented spin loss on off-center hits to ensure consistent performance in the short game. He has seen the ups and downs of the game and is now a professional writer. He has a Postgraduate degree in Sports Marketing. He has been playing golf for 28 year. Current Handicap : 8