TaylorMade have the most incredible stable of tour players of all the equipment manufacturers, so when you see that the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson are all using these wedges then you know that they will be worth a closer look.
The Milled Grind wedges are now in their third generation, and if the box they arrive in is anything to go by then I'm expecting to be Tiger-like in my touch around the greens.
The Tech
Like the previous Milled Grind 2 wedges, the Milled Grind 3 again features a raw face which has been designed to rust over time, and when exposed to moisture will it should increase friction with the ball at impact. TaylorMade say this is their highest spinning, most consistent wedge ever.
The use of the milled grind process provides much higher tolerance levels than a human is able to achieve. The precisely crafted grind on each wedge is also designed to create optimal turf interaction to help you hit your pitch and chip shots more consistently.
A ZTP-17 groove has steeper side walls and a sharper edge to maximise spin, whilst the new raised micro ribs are situated in between the grooves to produce a more abrasive surface area which generates more spin onto the ball.
The wedge is also said to benefit from a thick-thin design which is a thinner topline to look down upon, but with additional weight added towards the top of the head to help control the ball flight and create those low spinners that we love to watch Dustin Johnson play from 60 yards out.
The Milled Grind 3 wedges are available from 46 to 60 degrees and in three different bounces (low, standard, high) with the option of a special 'TW' Tiger Grind in honour of the man himself, which is a 56 degree model with 12 degrees of bounce.
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TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 Wedge Review
Looks and Feel
The chrome satin finish has been introduced in the new MG3 wedges just like in the P790 irons, so they will fit very nicely into your bag if you're already a TaylorMade iron player.
You can also get these wedges in a black satin finish, and I really like both options as they reduce the amount of glare you're likely to get on the course when playing in sunshine.
There's nothing worse than trying to look down at your wedge behind the ball and the sun making it impossible to see what you're doing - it can make the simplest of short game shots a nightmare!
In terms of looks, the MG3 reminded me of a Cleveland wedge in its shape - a little like the RTX 3 from a few years ago. The head is narrower around the hosel and seems to stretch out in size towards the toe, in contrast to something like a Ping Glide wedge which is more 'bubble-like' in shape.
As with the previous Milled Grind 2 wedges you have to peel back a sticker to expose the raw face which will start to rust after the first couple of times you use it.
The design of the head is simple, with a 'T' logo rather than the full TaylorMade badge.
I did notice a little more thickness to the back of the head which is a weighting strategy that lots of wedge manufacturers are using these days to try and improve the consistency of ball flight and spin rates.
The hosel length varies depending on the loft of the wedge, which TaylorMade says allows them to get the CG in the optimal position for each loft, as well as giving you a better transition from your irons into your wedges.
The head felt beautifully crafted although it was just a little too heavy for me and I could never quite get comfortable with it - especially on longer shots.
Striking the ball off the face, the ball didn't grab as much I would have expected. I didn't feel it run up the face or stay on there a fraction of a second longer due to all of the friction being produced from the technology.
I've recently tested the Callaway Jaws Full Toe and Ping Glide Forged Pro wedges recently and the MG3 wedges just didn't give me that same 'spinny feeling' like they did.
One big positive was the Lamkin Crossline grip, it was great quality and really added to the feel when executing shots.
Performance
As I mentioned earlier the MG3 wedges felt heavy, which was something that I don't usually like in a wedge. It made my short shots look clumsy as the extra weight meant that I was consistently hitting them a little too hard.
This was also causing my fuller shots to pop up in the air, so unfortunately I'm not sure that I could agree with TaylorMade that their Thick Thin Design is aiding ball flight - I just didn't see it.
I hit some full shots with the 52 degree wedge and was only achieving carry distances of 80 yards, when my usual number is 87 yards. The flight and shot shape was consistent, but the ball flight was just too high and I couldn't get comfortable with it.
On shorter chip and pitch shots around the green I just felt a little heavy handed due to the extra weight, but I didn't feel like the spin rates were as impressive as I was expecting either.
There were a number of occasions where I was expecting the ball to check on the second bounce but instead the ball tended to release out. Compared to the Callaway Jaws Full Toe these had nothing like the levels of spin. I would be interested to try these again once the face has started to rust as I wonder if that would give them a little more zip.
Hitting bunker shots was probably where these wedges performed best for me.
I think the combination of the heavier head and shaft actually helped me here and I found it very easy to get the ball up and out with good levels of spin.
Lob shots are the weakest part of my game so I always like to hit a few with new wedges to see whether they can help to improve things. In all honesty I completely lost my confidence when hitting the MG3 as the ball was continuing to pop up and travel shorter than I expected, which meant that I ended up putting the ball in the bunker rather than over it and on to the green.
TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 Wedge Verdict
The Milled Grind 3 wedges look lovely both in the bag and down by the ball. I get the feeling that Tiger may have had a bit of an influence in their design as they are so clean and uncluttered.
They're ideal for pairing up with your TaylorMade irons too, especially the new P-Series iron range, and should make transitioning from your shorter lofted iron into your wedges easier than ever.
TaylorMade also spoiled me a little with the presentation of the wedges - the groove cleaning tool was a personal favourite of mine.
Having said that my performance with the wedges was poor, I struggled to actually produce the shots that I wanted to out on the golf course.
I'd like to go back again to these wedges once the face has rusted a bit more in order to really see how the wedge's main feature is able to perform over time.
I know that much of the poor performance was down to me rather than the wedge directly, but I just wasn't inspired by them and they certainly didn't help me out much. I didn't see one shot that really made me feel like it was offering something I wouldn't get with a Vokey or Callaway Jaws wedge.
TaylorMade say that their Thick Thin Design is supposed to give you lower flighted shots but I really struggled to keep these wedges down, particularly on the fuller shots, which was frustrating.
TaylorMade clubs usually stand out in terms of looks and performance but these wedges just didn't.
Who Are They Aimed At?
If you're a big TaylorMade fan and you like to use the same gear as the best players in the game, then these are a good option as you're going to be seeing plenty of them on the PGA Tour over the next year or two.
If you already use TaylorMade irons these will also fit well at the bottom end of the bag, and if you prefer a heavier feel in the head of your wedges then these could suit you also.
Would I Use Them?
As you can probably tell, I wouldn't use these wedges as I just couldn't get on with them during my testing. Though I'd like to try the wedges again with the rusted face, in general I'm not a huge fan of my wedges rusting either as I find it ends up rubbing off on my towel, headcovers and glove which I've never been a fan of either.
Pros
- Satin finish looks great
- Lamkin grip is excellent
- Will blend perfectly with your TaylorMade irons
Cons
- Ball flight was too high and 'poppy'
- Didn't spin as much as other brands
- Confused by RAW face technology
If you enjoyed this, you may also like:
TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Wedge Review
Callaway Jaws Full Toe Wedge Review