Callaway Jaws Raw Wedge Review
We give our verdict on the new Callaway Jaws Raw wedge
The new Callaway Jaws Raw wedge delivers loads of spin and looks stunning from all angles. There are also plenty of loft and bounce options available to suit a variety of techniques. The feel is a little firm, which might split opinion.
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Incredible levels of spin
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Inspiring looks
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Easy to flight
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Feel off the face quite firm
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Swing weight a little light
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Slotting into the Callaway Jaws wedge line-up is the new Raw edition. Designed by Roger Cleveland and said to feature the most aggressive grooves in golf, I was keen to put it to the test to find out how it compared to the best wedges on the market.
To do this, I headed out to Royal Troon, the ideal location to thoroughly assess every aspect of performance. But before delving deeper, the first thing to mention is that, from every angle, this wedge looks incredible. Whether you prefer the chrome or black plasma finish, you will not be disappointed.
Over the ball, the classic shaping, straight leading edge and minimal offset combine to inspire confidence, while from the back, the subtle style touches and weight system make it a wedge that also sits pretty in the bag. I’ve already noticed some rusting on the chrome model which I think gives it an extra edge.
Onto the course, and I was really impressed by the spin on offer from the milled micro-grooves and Raw face. Removing the plating allows for a more direct contact and I saw this in action across every length of shot. Specifically, the spin on even short chips blew me away. Whether floating the ball a little higher or chasing something close to the ground, the level of control was as good, if not better than anything I’ve tested this year.
This was helped by the introduction of the new “Z Grind” that has been designed to skid rather than dig into the turf. It enabled me to nip the ball off the firm links ground with ease, as well as escape bunkers that didn’t have as much sand in them.
In addition, I also tested the standard “S” sole design in the 52° and 56° - both with 10° of bounce - and it was versatile enough to deliver solid performance from tight lies and out the rough, making it comfortably one of the best wedges for chipping.
Moving further away from the green, squaring the face up when pitching and hitting full shots was a dream. I’ve always been a pretty good wedge player but even when swinging flat out, I seemed to flag almost everything I hit in testing. Long may that continue.
There were, however, a couple of things I wasn’t so keen on. First, the feel and sound at impact is quite firm. I found the same when testing the PXG Sugar Daddy II wedge, which also features weights in the back of the head, so perhaps there’s something in that. It didn’t impact the control I had but it would deter me from putting it in play as things stand.
Additionally, I found the swing weight to be on the light side. Many will probably prefer that characteristic, but as someone who regularly has to contend with strong winds, I like to feel the weight evenly distributed from top to bottom.
In terms of specs, it’s available in lofts from 48° through to 60° and in four grind options: S (standard), W (wide), Z and X. In total, there are 17 loft and bounce combinations per finish, meaning there is something to suit every technique.
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A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he went on to enjoy a spell freelancing for Stats Perform producing football reports, and then for RacingNews365 covering Formula 1. However, he couldn't turn down the opportunity to get back into the sport he grew up watching and playing and now covers a mixture of equipment, instruction and news for Golf Monthly's website and print title.
Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.
As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.
What's in Andy's bag?
Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)
Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro '19 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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