Cleveland CBZ wedges blend tour-style shaping with the forgiveness of cavity-back design

AI-assisted summary
• Cleveland Golf's new CBZ wedges combine a tour-inspired design with cavity-back forgiveness.
• The CBZ wedges utilize technologies like ZipCore and Gelback for enhanced feel and stability.
• HydraZip grooves and micro-milling optimize spin performance based on wedge loft.
• Various sole grinds and full-face options cater to different playing styles and turf conditions.

Gear: Cleveland CBZ wedges

Price: $179.99 each with KBS Tour Hi-REV 2.0 steel shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip.

Specs: Cast stainless steel with vibration-damping insert. Available in standard and high-toe models and three sole grinds. Even lofts from 44 to 60 degrees.

Available: September 5

Who it’s for: Golfers who want the look and control of a traditional wedge blended with the forgiveness of a cavity-back design

What you should know: The CBZ blends tour-style shaping with hidden perimeter weighting and face technologies borrowed from Cleveland’s better-player wedges to provide more spin and stability on off-center strikes.

The Deep Dive: Cleveland Golf built its reputation shaping wedges for the world’s best players, but scoring clubs don’t need to punish average golfers when they make a less-than-perfect strike. With the new CBZ line, the company is trying to thread a needle and let golfers look down at something that resembles a compact, tour-inspired wedge while quietly wrapping a bit of forgiveness under the surface.

Although the CBZ wedges are made from the same proprietary Z-Alloy that Cleveland debuted in its flagship RTZ wedges earlier this year, the CBZ was crafted with a cavity-back design. Weight is pushed toward the perimeter to stabilize the head on strikes made low on the face or on the toe, which are common miss locations for mid-handicap golfers.

A vibration-damping thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) insert has been added to the back of each head to redistribute mass and improve feel. According to Cleveland, this Gelback insert is 94 percent larger than the insert found in the CBX 4 ZipCore wedges, so it should sound and feel significantly softer.

The CBZ wedges also feature ZipCore, a technology Cleveland uses that replaces heavier steel in the hosel area with a lightweight, vibration-absorbing material. This allows engineers to move more mass to the toe and perimeter of the head. By repositioning weight this way, ZipCore increases the wedge’s moment of inertia (MOI), helping it remain more stable and produce more consistent spin and launch even when shots are struck slightly off-center.

Spin remains a focal point with the CBZ. Cleveland uses CNC-milled grooves to create its HydraZip grooves, but there is a unique micro-milling pattern between the grooves that increases face friction. The groove geometry and the microgroove pattern both change as lofts change because golfers need different types of spin and performance from different wedges.

• 44-48 degrees: Pithcing wedges, which are used most often from the fairway with full swings, have less face roughening and fewer microgrooves.
• 50-52 degrees: Gap wedges, like the pitching wedge, tend to be used more on fuller shots, so these clubs have only slightly more face blasting and microgrooves.
• 54-60 degrees: Sand wedges and lob wedges have the most-aggressive face-roughening treatment and the most tightly-packed microgrooves to help get water and debris off the hitting surface so spin can be maximized.

The Cleveland CBZ wedges are available in both standard and Full Face versions, with the Full Face wedges featuring a higher toe and grooves that cover the entire hitting area. Both shapes are available in three different sole grinds:

• V Shaped: Available in 44 through 52 degrees, this sole is designed to cut through the turf cleanly for full-swing wedge shots with a neutral to steep attack.
• S Shaped: Offered in 46 through 56 degrees, this shape has a slightly wider sole and moderate bounce to suit a broad range of swings and turf conditions.
• C Shaped: Found in 48 through 60 degrees, it features heel and toe relief to help golfers open and close the face for creative short-game shots.
• V Shaped Full Face: Ranging from 50 to 60 degrees, this combines the narrow V sole with full-face grooves for added forgiveness on toe strikes.
• S Shaped Full Face: Available in 52 to 60 degrees, this wider full-face option blends forgiveness and versatility from bunkers, rough and tight lies.
• C Shaped Full Face: Offered in 54 to 60 degrees, it pairs aggressive heel-toe relief with full-face grooves for golfers who like to manipulate trajectory and spin around the green.

Ultimately, the CBZ wedges are envisioned as a bridge between Cleveland’s bladed tour models and the brand’s most forgiving cavity-backs. That makes them a compelling option for golfers transitioning out of game-improvement irons or for confident wedge players who want a touch more insurance — without giving up the appearance and shot-making flexibility of traditional scoring tools.