When it comes to wedges, one of the most important aspects for golfers is confidence. Cleveland have been trying to help with this for a number of years through a cavity back option, and this continues in 2025 with the new CBZ Wedge.
If you’re somebody who uses cavity back, game improvement irons, does it then make any sense to have bladed wedges in the bag?
The new CBZ wedges are said to provide a great feel and plenty of spin, without sacrificing any forgiveness. They’ve also introduced a brand new component this time around, said to take performance to the next level…
Who Is It Aimed At?
Anyone who is lacking a bit of confidence or consistency in their short game! If you’re a mid to high handicapper who uses cavity back irons, these are well worth a look.
They also have the option of Full-Face grooves in most of the lofts too, which can help with versatility and better performance from a range of different lies. If you struggle with consistency, these can really help too as they can perform better on off-centre strikes.
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The Tech
Cleveland have added their Z-Alloy to a cavity back wedge for the first time. We saw this earlier in the year with the RTZ Wedge, and it’s a new steel which is lighter and softer than previous generations.
As a result, the CBZ is 25% softer than the CBX 4 ZipCore. This is said to improve feel, forgiveness and consistency.
Also new for the ‘CB’ range is a Full-Face option. The grooves stretch from hosel to toe, with a ‘high toe’ profile. Cleveland says that this helps golfers to receive more spin even when they don’t catch it out of the middle. They’re also said to work better when you open up the face, as there’s more contact with the grooves.
Cleveland keep things simple with three different pre-selected sole grinds depending on the loft of the wedge. The low lofted wedges feature a V-Shaped sole and more traditional shaping to prevent digging on full shots.
The sand wedges have an S-Shaped sole, with increased bounce to help you get through the sand or tough lies on the course without losing speed.
The higher lofted wedges have a C-Shaped sole (which is also available in sand wedge) for more versatility to open up the face on shots around the green.
Like other Cleveland wedges, the CBZ feature UltiZip grooves. These are sharper to cut through debris at impact. They’re also deeper, making space for debris to move out of the way for more consistent results.
HydraZip face blasts and laser-milled lines maximise spin rates when playing in wet conditions. ZipCore uses lighter materials in the heel and hosel, helping to move the CG closer to the strike point and raise MOI.
Finally, the Gelback TPU insert is 94% larger, helping to quieten vibration for a better feel, even on mishits.
Cleveland CBZ Wedge Review
Looks and Feel
My first impressions of the CBZ was that it had a pretty similar design to the previous CBX 4, bar the new branding this time around.
For a cavity back wedge it’s a relatively uncluttered design, with simple chrome and black colouring. It looks pretty good, although perhaps it would’ve been nice to see more of an update to reflect a new era in the CB range.
The wedges have a pretty large footprint and a large blade length too. The overall head shape felt much bigger than my own TaylorMade MG4 Wedges.
In some ways this actually made it harder for me to strike out of the middle at times. The smaller head sometimes helps to concentrate the mind. Having said that, the wide sole instantly gives you confidence that you’re getting a bit of help with your strike. It feels like it’s going to be really forgiving even from tricky lies.
The wedges give you the choice of standard or full-face groove patterns. Personally I prefer the standard model pattern, as it makes it easier to align the ball in the middle of the face. However I can see why it might give some golfers more confidence.
If you’ve been using bladed wedges previously, I think you will notice a difference in the feel. I didn’t get quite the same level of feedback or freedom to manipulate the head.
The overall performance was pretty good, but the feel wasn’t overly soft. It felt almost like chipping with your pitching wedge at times. For some golfers this probably isn’t an issue, but if feel is a big consideration in your game then it’s worth thinking about.
Performance
I started off hitting some chips around the green with the higher lofted wedges. It actually took a little bit of time to get used to them, due to the really large head shape and wide sole.
When hitting chip shots I found that the more aggressive I was, the better the results. It really is hard to hit heavy chips, and even the mishits performed impressively too.
I think they’ll do a great job of getting rid of those chunked chips which finish a foot in front of you.
One of my criticisms of cavity back wedges in previous years has not only been the feel, but also that you don’t get the same levels of spin from the face.
It feels like Cleveland has really improved this in recent years, and I saw plenty of grip even on these shorter shots.
Even when using just a 56 degree compared to my usual 60 in the bunkers, it felt really easy to get the ball up and out.
I actually didn’t have to open the face up too much, and the wide sole of the S-shaped sole seemed to do all of the work for me.
The area that impressed me most was the performance on full shots, where they were really easy to use. I Immediately felt confident standing over the ball, even when hitting from uneven stances.
The forgiveness levels were great, whilst it also felt like the wedges flew as I’d want them to without having to hit them too hard either.
The ball flight was relatively high, with decent levels of spin too. The V-Shaped sole made it easy to strike the ball without getting the club stuck in the ground, as it kept things moving nicely through the turf.
Cleveland CBZ Wedge Verdict
Cleveland are known for the quality of their wedges, and the CBZ lives up to the bill. The wedge performed well in most areas, and definitely will help golfers who are struggling for confidence around the green.
An RRP of £159 puts it in the same price bracket as their RTZ wedge. This did surprise me at first, but I suppose at least it demonstrates the confidence that Cleveland have in the technologies within this wedge.
They’re now saying that it’s just as premium as the RTZ wedge, but simply aimed at a different type of golfer. This feels like a bit of a shift than in previous years, where I think cavity back wedges have always been regarded as a bit of a step-down in quality.
I would also say that you shouldn’t feel like you need to buy a whole set of these. For example, you could consider just using the sand wedge model if that’s an area where you’re really struggling.
They’re a great option to upgrade a problem area of your game, and they may just give you a little extra confidence next time you’re standing over the kind of short game situation that is currently costing you shots.
Would I Use It?
Personally I preferred the workability and feel of the RTZ Wedges. But if you’re looking to gain more confidence with your wedges, they are definitely worth considering!
