The brand new TaylorMade MG4 wedges are in the identical place as any band that ever took the stage proper after the Beatles, Sinatra or, should you’re a teenage lady, Taylor Swift.

How the hell do you observe an act like that?

The TaylorMade MG3 (MG for Milled Grind) wedge is the one back-to-back winner of MyGolfSpy’s Most Wished wedge testing. It ran away and hid from the remainder of the sphere in each 2021 and 2022, scoring highest for accuracy and spin and performing effectively in our wet-conditions testing.

On high of that, our testers liked the design and the texture.

MG3 was, briefly, no joke.

“It put us within the dialog with customers and with our Tour gamers,” says TaylorMade wedge designer Greg Cesario. “This was a unique wedge than they’d ever seen from TaylorMade. And it put us within the 14- to 15-percent market share for wedges for the primary time in our historical past.”

How do you enhance on that?

Fastidiously. Very rigorously.

TaylorMade MG4 Wedges: What’s New?

When you’ve got the top-performing wedge two years operating, your first aim is the wedge designers’ model of the Hippocratic Oath: Don’t f**ok it up.

And should you can enhance spin, really feel, shaping and add some new bounce choices whilst you’re at it, all the higher.

“Wedges are all about spin,” says Cesario. “The extra you’ll be able to have a singular and improved spin story, whether or not it’s in dry or moist situations, you’ve bought one thing {the marketplace} will take note of.”

Particularly, TaylorMade is making an attempt to enhance MG3’s moist efficiency (fifth general in 2022) whereas increasing becoming choices with three new bounces and enhancing the seems and really feel. The advertising and marketing departments name it “Tour Impressed,” however Cesario says Tour participant suggestions makes a distinction.

“As you’re employed with Tour gamers like Rory (McIlroy) and Colin Morikawa, these guys have refined, little issues they need to see in a wedge. A few of these issues got here out over the 2 years of MG3 being of their baggage.”

The Spin on Spin

TaylorMade’s MG wedge franchise dates again to 2017. Again then, nobody paid a lot consideration to moist efficiency.

“No one talked about it,” says Cesario. “It was a problem, however individuals simply performed round it. Tour gamers knew they’d be hitting excessive knuckleballs in moist situations. However even the most effective gamers can’t change the results of water, regardless of how good they hit it. They’re going to lose spin.”

MyGolfSpy’s wedge testing exhibits that each wedge loses spin in moist situations, save for the unicorn referred to as the PING Glide. Over the previous six years, practically each severe wedge maker has made strides to mitigate spin loss with varied face therapies.  Cleveland launched HydraZip in its RTX 6 wedges this 12 months whereas Mizuno’s Hydroflow Micro Grooves date again to 2019. PING’s secret sauce is its distinctive Hydropearl end.

TaylorMade’s MG4 wedges characteristic one thing known as Spin Tread Expertise.

“It’s an aggressive laser-burning course of,” says Cesario. “Once you wipe your fingers throughout the face of those wedges, you’re going to really feel what we name burrs and the way aggressive they’re.”

Earlier than you scream in regards to the USGA, know these wedges are totally conforming. What TaylorMade did was last-cut a collection of 45-degree cavities on the face between the grooves. The thought is to create new paths to get moisture out of the way in which.

Do They Work?

The MG3 was a stable performer in our wedge testing however is Spin Tread Expertise a considerable enchancment? It’s no shock to be taught that TaylorMade’s personal testing exhibits emphatically that it’s.

Utilizing a 56-degree wedge as a benchmark, TaylorMade says each the MG2 and MG3 (each with uncooked faces) have been within the 10,800 rpm vary with a 28-degree launch angle when dry. When moist, each misplaced roughly 28 % value of spin with the launch angle leaping to 32 levels.

The brand new MG4 with Spin Tread know-how has mainly the identical launch and spin traits as its older brothers when dry. However moist spin loss is just 14 %.

Positive, moist spin retention with a brand new wedge is great. However wedges put on. TaylorMade examined the MG4 in opposition to the MG2 and MG3 over 200 fairway/tough photographs and 80 sand photographs which the corporate says equates to roughly 40 rounds of golf. After the take a look at, the used MG2 misplaced practically 1,300 rpm value of moist spin in comparison with a brand new wedge. The MG3 misplaced 300.

The brand new MG4, nevertheless, misplaced solely 92 after the simulation.

The asterisk, in fact, is that that is the corporate’s personal testing.

“USGA regulates grooves and face roughness,” says Cesario. “The groove contributes about 70 to 80 % of spin management. However once we get into moist situations, the grooves want some assist.”

TaylorMade MG4 Wedges: Seems to be and Really feel

Yeah, seems and really feel are solely subjective and don’t actually matter relating to precise efficiency. However they do matter in that six-inch golf course between your ears. So it’s honest to ask: what does a wedge must really feel like?

“It must really feel stable,” says Cesario. “It must really feel mushy and it must really feel constant throughout the face. As Rory likes to say, it must really feel like a deeper hit into the top with out vibration.”

How do you do this with a single hunk of metallic?

“We repositioned a good quantity of mass behind the ball and decrease behind the ball,” says Cesario. “We didn’t have an effect on launch or spin however we did deliver the CG (heart of gravity) down barely.”

And if there’s one factor TaylorMade has nailed with the MG wedge line, it’s seems. By all accounts, it’s a fairly wedge.

“That’s most likely probably the most vital a part of wedge design that I might say is typically missed by many designers,” says Cesario. “Both they don’t have the attention for it or they don’t perceive the refined variations that shaping can have on participant efficiency.”

Particularly, the MG4 includes a barely darker chrome satin end to reduce glare. And the forefront options just a little bit extra of a stomach so it can sit higher while you open the face. And that mixes with some changes to circulation from the hosel to the highest line to the toe.

“You may see just a little greater look head in comparison with MG3,” says Cesario. “You’re undoubtedly going to see a extra rounded look. However, general, it’s a refined, good enchancment.”

Three New Grind Choices

Extra so than another membership in your bag, wedges must work for various swing sorts in numerous turf situations. To spherical out the road, TaylorMade is including three “sub-bounces” to its customary LB (Low Bounce), SB (Commonplace Bounce) and HW (Excessive Bounce) grinds.

“We realized that we’re now a severe contender within the wedge market,” says Cesario. “So let’s introduce some further grinds that match into every of these three buckets.

Particularly, TaylorMade is including an LBV grind, an SBC grind and an HBW grind, obtainable in 58- and 60-degree lofts solely.

LBV stands for Low Bounce V-sole. It’s low bounce for greenside versatility with a slender sole and aggressive modern bounce and is designed for firmer situations.

“That is for guys like Scheffler and Fleetwood,” says Cesario. “Man with nice fingers enjoying tight lies that choose the ball and depart very shallow divots.”

SBC is Commonplace Bounce with a basic C-grind sole. It’s extra versatile with extra bounce and camber in the midst of the only however with a softened trailing edge.

“It has type of a hidden C-grind,” explains Cesario. “It’s all about opening the face on this sole.”

And HBW stands for Excessive Bounce with a large sole for softer situations and straightforward bunker play.

“Good gamers can play this excessive bounce as a result of it has a phenomenal, symmetrical camber to it,” says Cesario. “Unbelievable bunker membership, nice off mushy lies. A really versatile membership.”

 The MG4 will even embrace a TW grind. It’s Tiger’s wedge and it’s not for everybody.

“He doesn’t like every offset,” says Cesario. “(The TW Grind) has a really small, slender modern bounce. It doesn’t shield you from digging however Tiger doesn’t want that.”

Last Ideas, Value and Availability

Changing a back-to-back Most Wished wedge is a dicey proposition. The Mr. and Mrs. Havercamps amongst us gained’t discover a lot distinction. However Tour professionals who’ve loved success with the MG3 will invariably say one thing like, “Make it higher, simply don’t change something.”

In different phrases: Don’t f**ok it up.

The minor tweaks and refinements TaylorMade is giving the brand new MG4 wedge observe that playbook. Whereas there’s no main departure in look, the three new grinds are welcome. We’ll put our samples by way of our personal MGS dry and moist testing however probably chopping wet-spin loss by 50 % is an attention-getter.

The MG4 wedges are available in customary lofts from 46 to 60 levels in two-degree increments. The 46- by way of 52-degree fashions are in Commonplace Bounce solely. Low Bounce is offered in 56 by way of 60 levels whereas Excessive Bounce is offered in 54 by way of 60 levels. The brand new LBV, SBC and HBW grinds can be found solely in 58- and 60-degree fashions.

The Tiger Grind is offered in 56- and 60-degree fashions.

In order for you a touch of pizzaz, you’ll be able to customized order MG4 in a black, copper or uncooked end, with customized stamping and paint fill.

The inventory TaylorMade MG4 wedge line retails for $179.99. They’ll be obtainable at retail on Sept. 8.

The MyMG4 customized line retails for $229.99 and is just obtainable through TaylorMade’s web site.

For extra data, go to TaylorMadeGolf.com.