My full swing is too long. I know this. Practice swings are fine. On the range, I can sort of control myself. But on the course, over the ball, I make John Daly look disciplined. It’s mental. And so am I.

As a result, I miss a lot of fairways and greens. And, as a result of that, I hit a lot of shots with my wedges. A lot. So if I want to score decently, I need to be pretty good with those wedges.

Earlier this season, everything came together and I shot a 73. Well, almost everything came together: I still missed a majority of the greens. But it was the first round I’d played with my new Cleveland Golf RTX 4 56-degree (sand) wedge, and nearly every pitch and chip ended up within tap-in range.

(top row, left-to-right) Grind options, finish options (bottom row) Glamour shots of my new love

What’s new with the RTX 4?

Cleveland’s RTX 4 wedges ($140) feature several new design innovations. First, the clubheads are slightly more compact and there’s less offset between hosel and head. This design feature appeals to better players and, in my opinion, helps less skilled players (like myself) focus a bit more.

Second, the company’s patented Rotex grooves and face milling is even more aggressive, producing even more spin and control.

Third, and most importantly, is the extensive selection of custom grinds available. The FULL Sole grind is offered in 56 through 60 degrees, the MID Sole grind is offered in 46 through 60 degrees, the LOW Sole grind is offered in 56 through 64 degrees, and the XLOW Sole grind is offered in 58 and 60 degree lofts.

The grind you choose will depend on your typical turf conditions, the kinds of shots you usually play, and your own swing, I chose a MID Sole grind, as it seems like the most flexible, suited nicely to full shots, increasing and decreasing the loft at address, and opening the face for flops shots out of higher rough around the greens.

Interestingly, reading through testimonials from Tour pros, the full range of grinds is represented among elite players. Some prefer more custom grinds for specific shots (like flop shots), whereas others are more like me in that they want a more all-purpose, all-condition grind. If you’re really serious about your short game, this would be a great time for a custom wedge fitting (with a clubfitter who specializes in Cleveland clubs, of course!).

The verdict

Easiest verdict I’ve ever rendered in a club review:

After that 73, which included a chip-in birdie and all those one-putt tap-ins, my new Cleveland RTX 4 sand wedge is staying in my bag for the foreseeable future.

Now to work (apparently forever more) on shortening my swing….