Cleveland's RTZ 2 wedges are all about purity and precision

More than half a century since Roger Cleveland changed the short game for good with his, the most legendary name in wedges is back in his rightful home.

Already, we've seen inklings that Cleveland is a brand keen to get back to its roots as a result. It's first release since their founder's return in 2025 was a lovingly crafted revival of the 588 Tour Action. 

Now, it's the turn of the RTZ 2, which will serve as the brand's new flagship tour wedge line, and most importantly sees Roger Cleveland's return to the very cutting wedge of wedge manufacturing once again. Naturally, people are excited. Here's what you need to know.

The Cleveland Connection

With this being the first full flagship range Cleveland have launched since their founder's return to the fold, the brand has been sure to sound the horn on how involved he was bringing this range to life. Per the brand, "Cleveland returned to work alongside Cleveland Golf engineers and Tour players on the redesign of RTZ 2. Every sole grind was revisited, while every transition and turf interaction refined. The result is a lineup that feels familiar to longtime Cleveland Golf players while offering more versatility and performance than ever before.

"I've been fortunate to design wedges that have been trusted by generations of golfers, but the work is never finished,” says Cleveland himself. "RTZ 2 reflects everything we've learned along the way, combining classic wedge design principles with modern performance to help golfers play their best scoring shots."

What's new?

At first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking not all that much. The RTZ 2 range is very much a refinement rather than a total teardown of its predecessor, as evidenced by both the name and its similar, very clean aesthetic look.

Most of the refinements have been made to the choice of grinds on offer, with each one getting a bit of a rework under Cleveland's direct supervision. The three core choices remain the LOW, MID and FULL grinds, made for different swing types and shot variations, while an ADAPT Full Face grind is also available for those who really want to open the face up and play aggressively.

Most notable is the return of one of Cleveland's most iconic innovations, the legendary 588 grind. Designed for shallow to moderate swings, the 588 provides versatility and precision both on full pitch shots and finesse shots around the green.

The other main tweak has been made to ZipCore: an innovation that replaces heavy material in the hosel and heel with a lightweight core to optimise CG and forgiveness. The new version, ZipCore iQ, refines this approach further, subtly tweaking the balance of each wedge according to the shots it's most likely to be used for.

What's not?

Much of the core build of the RTZ2 wedges are the same. They have the same Z-alloy construction as the former RTZ and CBZ models, and the same clean, curved design at the back.

Also carrying over are the core technologies Cleveland uses to generate tour-level spin. HydraZip uses loft-specific face blasts and laser-milled lines to help maximise spin in wet conditions, UltiZip grooves feature sharper, deeper geometry for more consistent spin from the fairway, rough and bunker, and Rotex Milling adds a roughened face texture to promote predictable spin and stopping power.

How do I get some?

The full Cleveland RTZ wedge range will hit the market on September 4, starting at £159 each