The TaylorMade Milled Grind wedge was first released in 2017 and, as the name suggests, was centred around machine milling of the sole and bounce for better consistency.
Whilst we were fans of the wedge, it did come across as being one that would suit the better player, with the emphasis on creating something that their tour players can use to directly complement their irons.
It has now received it's first upgrade and includes the latest CNC milling technology on the sole, similar to the Tiger Woods inspired P-7TW Irons, along with some pretty interesting new groove technology.
What's It All About?
The key feature of the new TaylorMade MG 2 Wedge is the raw-finish face, which feels rough to touch and is designed to add friction as the ball hits the face, optimising spin and producing a more consistent, stable flight thanks to less skid.
This is achieved thanks to sharper, deeper and narrower raw ZTP Grooves compared to the original Milled Grind, and this combines with laser etching in between each groove for an even more 'aggressive' face.
The CNC milling, which is visible along both the sole and leading edge of the club, is a much more accurate method than the traditional hand-milling and is also more consistent, producing much higher tolerances to avoid variation between different models.
There has been a slight remodelling of the head, which is particularly evident on the back cavity, to create a cleaner and more streamlined look.
I thought the original MG wedges were pretty good looking clubs but I think these have surpassed them - although when I was testing I couldn't help but think that the compact head may not fill some higher handicappers with a great deal of confidence.
Finally, there is a new TPU Insert placed into the back cavity. As well as looking very smart, bearing resemblance to the P790 Irons, it actually has a pretty important role.
It removes a little weight from the head to allow for a thicker face, as well as providing vibration dampening, which all adds up to a better sound and feel at impact.
TaylorMade Say
Bill Price, Senior Director of Product Creation, Putters & Wedges:
Our Tour Players have long benefited from the performance raw wedges offer and it's great to now be able to offer these performance gains to golfers of all levels. We're confident they will enjoy the look, feel and performance that a raw face has to offer.
The Test
To conduct this test, I wanted to follow a similar route to that taken when I recently reviewed the Callaway MD5 Jaws Wedge. As they are bound to be two of the most popular offerings on the market over the course of the next two years. This felt like a great opportunity to discover how they stacked up against each other.
I first headed down to The Range in Central Manchester to gain some data from the launch monitor there, before heading to Withington Golf Club to put the MG 2s through their paces out on the course.
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Wedge Review
The raw face on MG 2.0 feels almost like sandpaper when you touch it and is protected by a seam-sealed sticker when you first get it, which helps to protect the face from rusting before you actually start to use it. As soon as it becomes exposed it starts to oxidise and rust.
It's quite a cool feature, even if it might be a little gimmicky, but it gives you that extra sense of intrigue as you peel back the sticker and get your first proper look at the face.
The face was very 'aggressive' and actually started to cut up my ball almost immediately, leaving marks on the face within the first couple of shots. Having plenty of spin is all well and good but I'm not sure how I feel about that if I was to use these wedges week in week out.
Having said that I did actually like the look of the raw face at address. It helped to frame the ball nicely and minimised some of the glare you get with a fresh chrome wedge, which was pretty severe on the rest of the head.
I was really impressed with the performance of the sand wedge out of the bunkers, as the sole seemed to really easily glide through the sand and it was very easy to get up and out.
I tested the wedges with SB (Standard Bounce) sole grind, which is intended to be a versatile option for golfers who like to manipulate the face a little around the greens, whilst still performing well when pitching into the green from further out.
In terms of spin rates, I saw better levels from the Callaway MD5 Jaws wedges on the shorter shots but the control on the pitch shots and full shots was good with the MG2.
These wedges gave me the confidence to throw the ball all the way to the pin, even when positioned at the back of the green, safe in the knowledge that it would stop up quickly providing the strike was good.
The numbers on my range session, with a sand wedge from 56 yards, showed that I was able to find pretty good consistency with yardages and heights, which I like to see. A large part of pitching is based around controlling ball flight so that you can judge how the ball comes into the green, so you need to be able to trust that the ball will fly as you intend.
I was also a little surprised to see that my spin rates with MG 2 were significantly higher than the Jaws wedge when hitting the same shot, averaging 8688 RPM compared to 7337 RPM with the Callaway, despite the rest of the figures being very similar. A big tick for the new ZTP Groove and raw face then.
If you're looking for a bit of extra zip on the greens, these are definitely worth checking out.
In terms of the raw face, I have had the MG 2 sand wedge in the bag for the last month and have played four rounds of golf with it. The picture below demonstrates what the raw face currently looks like, and according to TaylorMade, this will continue to oxidise further over time for an even more pronounced rust finish.
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Tiger Woods Grind Wedge Review
For the 2020 season, TaylorMade has added a brand new Tiger Woods Grind (£169/$199.99) to the wedge, which mirrors the sole and grind setup of the 15-time major champion.
Complete with the same Dynamic Golf S400 shafts and corded Tour Velvet grips as the wedges Tiger currently has in his bag, this latest release may help your short game move one step closer to the man himself.
Tiger believes that the additional bounce on his wedges is something that every amateur golfer should look to have as it provides more forgiveness and stops golfers from manipulating the face too much and becoming unstuck.
"Wedges have always been very personal to me. Back in the day, I would test dozens of wedges and hit hundreds of shots before finding the one that would make it into my bag. I'd hand grind the sole myself after each session to make sure it was absolutely perfect."
"MG2 Tiger Woods Grind wedges are the result of all those years of testing and competing across the globe. The grinds are truly unique and complex, designed by me to perfectly fit my playing style."
The 56 degree sand wedge comes with 12 degrees of bounce, and a dual-sole grind that has relief in the heel area. The benefit of this is that it allows you be quite versatile around the greens in the same way that Tiger is when he plays.
Throughout his career, Tiger has been known for his creativity around the greens and he is a master of manipulating the club face to slightly alter the loft in order to play lower bump-and-runs or higher flop shots.
The Tiger Grind wedge continues that theme as it provided enough forgiveness to allow you to feel confident playing any shot around the greens, as well as giving the opportunity to open or close the face a little bit too in order to control trajectory.
We already know that the spin rates on these wedges are very impressive thanks to the new ZTP grooves, and I felt during my testing that the Tiger grind almost felt like it made the sole seem much wider whilst still producing the same results in terms of spin and feel off the face.
I really enjoyed using this wedge out of the bunkers as the shaved grind allowed the club to simply slide under the ball in the sand with impressive consistency.
Of course it's always worth trying to get a wedge fitting wherever possible in order to ensure that you have the right setup for your own game and swing, but if you're looking for forgiving versatility then the Tiger Grind is a great place to start. Besides, who wouldn't want to share the same equipment as the GOAT?!
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Wedge Verdict
Overall the MG 2 wedge feels as though it is aimed at elite players. From the looks down to the P-7TW-style milling on the sole. I get the sense that TaylorMade has looked at the irons that their stars are using and tried to create a wedge which complements them well. This makes perfect sense given the fact that TaylorMade claim to have designed these new wedges with direct help from Tiger Woods himself.
This isn't particularly a bad thing as it means that you're getting a high quality product that looks and feels good, but I think it does narrow the range of golfers who should be using it.
If you're a higher handicapper who is looking for a bit more versatility than their set wedge, with a bit more spin, but wants to retain forgiveness levels then this might not be for you. I would suggest that the new Callaway MD5 Jaws is a little more forgiving whilst still giving you the same performance benefits, which is why I've knocked a star off the MG 2.
But if you're a good golfer who is confident with their wedges and wants to get some seriously impressive spin rates, with a wedge that blends perfectly into a blade or muscleback iron set, then TaylorMade's MG 2 could be for you. As always, ensure that you are fitted properly to your own specifications and you should see the benefit.
Would I Use It?
I would, because I think that they look great and I was really impressed with the amount of spin I could generate. As wedge play is one of the strongest parts of my game, I am confident that despite the compact profile I could still use them with relative success, but I would be wary at the same time that I'd have to be precise with my strike.
The feel of the wedges were probably the best aspect, as you get a nice amount of feedback off the face with a good, crisp sound as you clip them away. If you're particularly precious about the condition of your golf balls it's worth bearing in mind that the raw face does do a bit of damage, but that's the price you pay for the extra zip around the greens.
Pros
- Looks great
- Good feel and feedback
- Excellent amount of spin
Cons
- Very rough face does some damage to your golf balls
- Aimed at the lowest handicappers
