Review: Cleveland CBX Zipcore Wedge
By Golf Expert
Alan Gregory
Cleveland CBX Zipcore Wedge
from:$119.99
$149.99
20% off
21 photos
The Curated Take
4.6/5
The Cleveland CBX Zipcore Wedge is designed for mid-handicap golfers who prioritize short-game improvement. This wedge offers a cavity back design that ensures forgiveness on less-than-perfect strikes. Its high spin rate enables golfers to hold greens effectively, while its design assures good turf interaction from various lies. It is an excellent choice for golfers seeking a blend of forgiveness and control, especially in approaches, pitches, and chip shots. The CBX wedge's larger design and cavity back, coupled with Zipcore technology, make it an ideal choice for those looking to improve their scoring with more forgiving clubs.
Ideal for
- Cavity back design and is exceptionally forgiving
- High spin rate allows balls to hold greens with ease
- Turf interaction is very good from a variety of lies
Not ideal for
- Not as versatile as blade wedges
Greenside Spin
The Ultizip design, which features sharp and deep grooves, does a great job at creating backspin, even if I don't do a great job compressing my chips and pitches. I'm...Read more
Spin
I've never learned how to properly compress my iron shots, which is where a lot of spin comes from. So, I'm pleased with the spin performance from these wedges when...Read more
Full Shots
Full disclosure: I don't typically hit full shots with my 54° wedge, but I do hit full shots with my 48° wedge. When I look down on the club, I...Read more
Sound
Sound with my wedges is not something I think about very much, and I wouldn't unless they sounded really clicky or strangely loud. The sound of the CBX Zipcore wedges...Read more
Feel
While the CBX wedge features a hollow cavity design that allows the entire face to be more forgiving, Cleveland designed the Gelback insert, which absorbs vibration. This feature gives the...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Alan Gregory
About the wedges
- Model: Cleveland CBX Zipcore Wedge
Test conditions
- Where I’ve used them: I've played these wedges on a variety of courses in Maine.
- How many times I've used it: 50
Expert Reviews of the Cleveland CBX Zipcore Wedge
Alan Gregory As a mid-handicap golfer who doesn't spend much time practicing my short game, the Cleveland CBX Zipcore Wedge has been a revelation. I game the 48° gap wedge and the 54° sand wedge. I hit more greens in regulation with full and 1/2 to 3/4 swings. The CBX wedges are slightly larger than bladed wedges and are, therefore, more forgiving on less-than-perfect strikes, which result in smaller misses. Also, the spin rates are very high based on how the ball holds the greens on full swings and how the ball bounces and checks quickly on shorter approaches. Out of bunkers, the CBX wedges don't have quite as much versatility as a bladed wedge, but for me, that's not an issue. My main goal is to get out of traps and onto greens, and I can do that without manipulating the clubface. The wedges are very reliable, and because of that, I have far fewer trap-related mishaps when hitting out of bunkers. The bounce and sole grind are designed for forgiveness and solid turf interaction. Finally, while these wedges are on the game-improvement end of the spectrum, they look great in the bag. I recommend giving the CBX Zipcore wedge a try.
Product Specs
| Gender | Men's |
| Used (Y/N) | No |
| Club Type | Wedges |
| Shaft launch | Mid |
| Grip name | Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 |
| Model year | 2022 |
Review Ratings
Greenside Spin
5/5
Alan Gregory gave 5 of 5 stars. The Ultizip design, which features sharp and deep grooves, does a great job at creating backspin, even if I don't do a great job compressing my chips and pitches. I'm kind of a "picker" with all of my iron swings, and I find that when I hit a short shot, the ball seems to hop and stop really well.
Spin
5/5
Alan Gregory gave 5 of 5 stars. I've never learned how to properly compress my iron shots, which is where a lot of spin comes from. So, I'm pleased with the spin performance from these wedges when I hit my typical "picker" swing on approaches to the green.
Full Shots
5/5
Alan Gregory gave 5 of 5 stars. Full disclosure: I don't typically hit full shots with my 54° wedge, but I do hit full shots with my 48° wedge. When I look down on the club, I feel confident seeing the slightly larger-than-usual face of the wedge. Additionally, the ball flight is quite consistent, even if I hit the shot off the toe, which is my typical miss. I've seen a massive difference in getting the ball closer to the hole on the greens over my previous blade-style wedges, and I can say that I'm never going back.
Sound
4/5
Alan Gregory gave 4 of 5 stars. Sound with my wedges is not something I think about very much, and I wouldn't unless they sounded really clicky or strangely loud. The sound of the CBX Zipcore wedges is fine and similar to what I've experienced with my previous Mizuno blade-style wedges. That says it all.
Feel
4/5
Alan Gregory gave 4 of 5 stars. While the CBX wedge features a hollow cavity design that allows the entire face to be more forgiving, Cleveland designed the Gelback insert, which absorbs vibration. This feature gives the club its soft feel, although it's not as soft as a forged club like my previous Mizunos.
FAQs
What do you love about this product?
Alan Gregory As mentioned, I only spend a little bit of time practicing my short game and would sometimes struggle with my bladed wedges, so I purchased some Cleveland CBX wedges and am very happy I did. The CBX wedges have a larger, cavity-backed design, giving me more forgiveness while retaining great spin. Even though they are larger than a typical wedge and feature a cavity back design, they still look great in the bag and at address.
Why did you choose this product?
Alan Gregory I chose the Cleveland CBX Zipcore in 48° and 54° because I am changing my bag to more forgiving clubs, and these cavity-back wedges fit the bill. Their slightly larger faces and Zipcore technology, which moves the sweet spot more toward the middle of the face and increases stability, have been game-changers for me. That, and the bounce and grind of these clubs, has enhanced my ability to use these scoring clubs to score lower.
