One of my favorite things about testing is not naming a winner. We’re seeing what the data tells us.
Sometimes, the overall winner checks every box. Other times, a club stands out in a very specific area and that can be a more interesting story. That’s what happened to me Cleveland RTZ in our 2025 wedge test.
It didn’t win overall, but it led the field in a category that’s getting the attention of some pros.
Statistics that were thrown from the site
When we introduce moisture into wedge testing, some models lose a bit of spin. Some lose a lot.
of Cleveland RTZ did something different: that GAIN speed in wet testing.
From 50 meters:
- Dry rotation: 6454 rpm
- Wet spin: 6795 rpm
- Retention rate: 105.3%
For comparison:
- Callaway OPUS SP — 84.8% retention
- PXG Sugar Daddy III BP Grind – 84.4%
- Wilson Infinite – 78.4%
- Bettinardi HLX 6.0 – 77.0%
Where it didn’t shine
What he kept RTZ back was the accuracy division.
Accuracy accounts for 50 percent of the MGS score and is based on strokes gained during full swing, 50-yard dry and 50-yard wet shots. of RTZ posted an 8.2 in accuracy, compared to 8.8 for Mizuno Pro T-3 and 8.7 per TaylorMade Milled Grind 5. In such a heavily weighted category, this difference is significant.
Its spin performance was strong, but without a high-end accuracy score, it couldn’t overcome the wedges that produced the strongest overall proximity and hit scores in all three test conditions.
Why is it important to keep the spin wet?
It’s easy to focus on the pure launch monitor numbers like the highest-spinning wedge. The problem is that the playing conditions you face rarely set you up for a wedge shot where spin can be maximized. You will encounter things like morning dew, slightly wet roads, rough and slightly wet conditions.
When friction drops, spin drops and distance control struggles.
Wedges that maintain predictable spin in imperfect conditions allow you to trust a number within 100 yards. Keeping the spin wet is about consistency when the environment changes.
Cleveland RTZ in tour bags
of Cleveland RTZ appears on many bags on the PGA Tour. Some of the notables include JJ Spaun, Ryan Fox, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka and Andrew Novak.
Koepka, Lowry and Reed have excellent reputations for trajectory control and short game performance in tough conditions. Koepka and Reed are not included in the 2025 PGA Tour stroke-association data due to participation in LIV, but we can look at measurable results from PGA Tour players who hold RTZ.
Here’s how they performed in 2025 in the major short game categories.
| Player | SG: ARG (Rank) | ARG Proximity (Rank) | Involvement % (Rank) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Novak | +0.155 (43) | 6’9″ (T9) | 59.42% (93rd) |
| Shane Lowry | +0.042 (78) | 7’4″ (T55) | 62.17% (T37) |
| Ryan Fox | +0.021 (T84) | 7’8″ (T102) | 54.77% (166th) |
| JJ Spaun | +0.017 (86) | 7’5″ (T64) | 60.92% (54th) |
| Sepp Straka | -0.070 (119) | 7’8″ (T102) | 59.31% (96th) |
Takeaway
A wedge doesn’t need to win The most requested test to be good It should fix an issue in your game.
If you’re playing in wet conditions, dealing with morning dew, or battling shots fired when the pitch is wet, this stat may be more important than the composite total score.
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