by marrigo
Pros:
The super cool looking sole lowers the leading edge while maintaining bounce, making for an exceptionally playable wedge from all sorts of lies. Surprisingly high spin for a cc wedge. The black head with white shaft is a real eye catcher. Reduced offset a nice plus. Opens up nicely for flop shots.
Cons:
The traditional blade may be a bit too unforgiving for higher handicap players in the lower lofts (48*/50*). The logo up shaft may be a distraction for some. High end graphite shaft ups the price beyond most other popular wedges.
Bottom Line:
I’m a believer. I was incredulous when asked to review these and actually almost turned down the opportunity. After playing them I have to say they are a a top notch wedge that offers a solid feel, high spin, exceptional playability from all sorts of lies (but gets better the closer you get to the green), and looks cool doing it.
CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE RENEGAR RX12 WEDGE IN THE FORUMS
Review:
If this wedge looks somewhat familiar it’s because its designer, Bob Renegar, was also responsible for the Solus wedge, which had somewhat of a cult following. The Rx12′s patented sole lowers the leading edge without reducing bounce. What’s also interesting is that all the wedges share the same specifications except for loft: Length= 35.5 inches, Lie Angles = 63.5 degrees, Swing Weights = D-4, Total Static Weight = about 452 grams. The heads are made for 431ss and have “V-43 Double Milled” USGA conforming grooves that are designed to provide the sharpest legal groove edges and a maximum number of edges. Club head lofts available are 48*, 50*, 52*, 54*, 58*, and 60*. All of the wedges also come with a high bend point, very stiff tipped graphite shaft made by Aldila and Lamkin 3-Gen grip that are an inch longer than standard to allow you to choke down without having to grip the shaft. The head is cast from 431ss and can be bent for lie with a bit of effort (I bent mine 4* up- actually bent it 6* up {oops} then back to 4 up).
Looks:
The Rx12 just looks flat out cool. First time I took them to the course my playing partners all complimented the look of the wedges. The black head with white lettering and white shaft certainly gets your attention, not to mention the special milled sole. After 4 rounds there’s no sign of the finish wearing off. They look great at address with none of the white lettering or logo visible (that was a concern when I first saw them). Reduced offset was a pleasant surprise. The CNC Milled Club Face has visible micro mill marks (if you look close) that, along with the “V-43 Double Milled Grooves”, allows for maximum face roughness creating square groove like spin. The white shaft was not at all distracting, nor was the shaft logos that are positioned up on these wedges. Admittedly some could find the logo up distracting but nothing a quick heat, pull, turn, and epoxy wouldn’t cure.
Performance/playability:
I tested the 50*, 54*, and 58*,which are the same lofts as my current set. After several rounds of testing I have to say they’re on to something here. On normal full swing shots I noticed only minor differences from what I’m used to. In general they tend to fly a little higher, longer, and as accurately as my current wedges. This is probably due to a combination of things including the longer and slightly lighter (105g) shafts. Pitch shots also tended to fly just a bit higher but checked nicely when struck crisply from the fairway. Where these wedges really start to excel is close to the green. From fluffy greenside rough and bunkers the effective bounce really helps get the ball upand out, so much so that I needed to dial back after experimenting in a greenside bunker and watching ball after ball effortlessly blast out of the sand. You would expect that with that kind of bounce that tighter lies would be an issue but that’s where the cool looking sole comes into play (apparently it’s there for more than just looks). The lowered leading edge makes crisp contact a cinch and the ball checks nicely. They open up nicely and the leading edge stays low to the ground letting me hit nice gentle flops on command.
Feel:
I normally play forged wedges so was expecting these cast wedges to be “clicky”, instead I was surprised to find that these have more of a soft sounding “thunk”. Isuspect the combination of the 431 stainless head and the shock absorption ofthe graphite shafts is the reason for the nice solid feel. Although the Rx12 Wedges have a nice soft feel there is still enough feedback to let you know where on the face you hit it. The graphite shaft does not feel whippy at all actually it feels pretty darn stout and stable. The D4 swing weight really feels great on delicate shots; you can really tell where the head is at all times. Overall these offera very solid feel especially when considering these are cast heads.
Overall bottom line:
There’s lots and lots of option outthere as far as wedges go without much to differentiate them except for brandnames. The Renegar Golf Rx12 Wedges set themselves apart with their unique soledesign that keeps the leading edge low while maintaining effective bounce. The design works like a charm with these wedges exceling close to the green and from all sorts of lies. The unique sole, black head, and white shaftlooks awesome and really gets the conversation going with your foursome. Looking for a something different, versatile,that isn’t a brand name and looks cool, then these are the ticket.
CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE RENEGAR RX12 WEDGE IN THE FORUMS
