TaylorMade MG5 Wedge Review

A couple of months ago, we spotted that a prototype TaylorMade wedge had made it in to the bag of a few PGA Tour players. Now the brand have officially released the latest generation of their milled grind range, with the New TaylorMade MG5 Wedge.

Over the last few years I think the brand have produced the highest-spinning wedges in golf. This is due to the raw face, which feels rougher and more grippy than pretty much anything else out there.

In the latest model, they’ve taken all of these technologies and combined it with a new forged head. They’re aiming to provide a premium feel along with the performance too.

Not many other brands currently offer a forged wedge, so let’s see how it gets on…

Who Is It Aimed At?

TaylorMade’s Milled Grind wedges are aimed at all golfers really, with the caveat that you should only be using bladed wedges like this if you’re pretty confident in your short game. They also offer Hi-Toe options which are more forgiving. So if you struggle around the greens or already use game improvement irons, they might be worth considering.

In the past, the MG line of wedges have produced really high spin levels even on shorter shots. So if you often play on firm, fast greens, or you love the idea of wedges landing and ripping back down the green, these could be for you.

The new forged head is going to feel softer than previous generations of TaylorMade wedges. This might take it a little closer to their players irons like the P7CB.

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The Tech

The main difference between the MG4 and MG5 wedges is the fact that the new model is forged from a soft carbon steel. This came from conversations with TaylorMade’s tour players, including Collin Morikawa. He essentially told the brand that you can’t make a wedge that feels ‘too soft’.

The process also helps to provide more consistency in the finish of the wedge. Precision forging and machined grooves, grind and face tightens the tolerances so that every wedge lives up to expectations.

Saw-milled grooves allowed TaylorMade’s engineers to design steeper, sharper shapes. This is said to encourage even more spin than in previous generations, even in wet conditions.

Like previous models, you get the Raw face with Spin Tread technology. This helps to channel moisture away from the face, to try and keep spin rates up. It acts like all-weather tyres on a car, to give you more friction at impact.

Combining the saw-milled grooves with this technology means that the MG5 spins 13% more than the MG4 in wet conditions.

In total there are six different grinds this time around. This includes more options in the ‘mid bounce’ range, where most golfers sit:

LB – Features a leading edge close to the ground, promotes a variety of face positions. Built for shallow swing styles, and tight conditions.

SC – For ultimate greenside versatility in a wide range of conditions. Stable on fuller shots, as well as heel and toe relief for manipulating the face.

SB – Ideal for a huge range of swing styles and ground conditions. Built for smooth turf interaction, as well of forgiveness on pitch and bunker shots.

SX – A new grind with the widest sole, encouraging easy turf interaction whilst still being consistent from bunkers.

HB – A high bounce option with heel relief and extra bounce at the toe. Ideal for soft conditions or those with steeper swings.

TW – A continuation of Tiger’s own wedge grind, updated to match his most recent preferences. The new leading edge design is a little more player-friendly than previous generations.

The MG5 Wedges are available in Satin Chrome, as well as a new Charcoal finish which is said to reduce glare.

TaylorMade MG5 Wedge Review

Looks and Feel

The MG5 is really similar in terms of design compared to the MG4. The only real difference is the placement of the MG logo this time around.

It looks like a really premium wedge, as you’d expect, and the design seems to tie in nicely with TaylorMade’s P-Series irons too.

The new Charcoal finish looks great, but there’s also a standard chrome finish too if you want to keep things more traditional.

One thing to bear in mind with the charcoal finish is the durability of that colour, especially when coupled with a softer forged head. If you don’t like your wedges to look too worn, you may be better going for the chrome finish.

This leads me on to the Raw face, which is hidden away under a sticker to protect it from the elements. It adds a nice bit of drama when you first unpackage it, and the face feels as rough as always which just fills you with confidence that it’s going to spin.

After the first couple of rounds you’ll see the face start to rust up, which TaylorMade says provides friction and is also handy at reducing glare too.

Down by the ball, the shape of the head is pretty similar to the previous MG4. It’s perhaps slightly more rounded, with a relatively friendly blade length too which I was a fan of.

The forged head did feel a little bit softer too. I’ve used the MG4s for a few months and they aren’t the softest wedges in the world, but I’ve grown to quite like the click they give you at strike.

The MG5 has improved on that, and there’s a nice muted sound at impact too, but it’s not quite as buttery as I was expecting.

Performance

As you’d expect from a premium wedge made by a big manufacturer, the MG5 performs. That was never really in question, but I have to say a few things really stood out to me during my testing.

Firstly, the combination of saw milling and raw face provides really high levels of spin. This is always the case when you get new wedges, but I even saw wedge shots pitching and spinning back off the front of the green.

I’m not usually a very high spin player, so this was really impressive to see – even in slightly damp conditions.

Long shots launch with a penetrating ball flight that seemed to perform better in the wind. The distances felt nice and controllable. If you’re someone who struggles with wedges, you can find more forgiving wedges for long shots, but they’re great for precision and consistency.

I tested the SB grind, which is a versatile option for lots of golfers in varying turf conditions. It has a slightly larger sole width, which for me is great when hitting from bunkers or opening up the face.

It felt really easy to keep the club moving through the sand on bunker shots. Combine this with all that spin from the face and you should be able to really commit to these shots.

On pitches and chip shots, I still saw really nice levels of grip. The ball launched low, which I liked because it felt like it was easy to control.

The SB grind does still give you the ability to open up the club face too. There are six grinds in total, so depending on your own swing type and turf conditions you may find something that works best for you. For example if you’ve got a steep swing, the SX or HB could be a better option.

TaylorMade MG5 Wedge Verdict

There was once a time when TaylorMade struggled to get their wedges into the bags of the game’s best players. Scottie Scheffler, despite being a TaylorMade player, still uses Vokey wedges.

This latest generation of the MG range is evolution rather than revolution, with improvements made to an existing product.

The forged head will suit any golfers who use forged irons and prefer that softer feel, whilst having more grind options should help them to compete with the likes of Vokey.

The spin rates were excellent, the wedge looks great, and I was really impressed by the consistency too. I’ve tested more forgiving wedges in the past, but it’s still a great all-round option.

If you’ve already got the MG4 I’m not sure you should rush out to upgrade, especially at an RRP of £179. The feel has improved though, so if that really matters to you, the investment might be worth it.

Would I Use It?

Having used the MG4 wedge for a while, the new MG5 seems to provide all of the same performance, but with a slightly softer feel. so I’d definitely use it!