Callaway Opus Platinum Wedge Review

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The Callaway Opus Platinum wedge has the same Tour preferred look of the Opus but with lower launch.  Exclusive Z Grind and stunning blue finish.  Soft, traditional feel.

Introduction

There may not be a more satisfying shot in golf than the low wedge that grabs the green like lint on velcro.  To help more golfer hit that Tour-style approach, OEMs have been slowly moving the center of gravity of their wedges higher and higher.  The Callaway Opus Platinum wedge represents a big jump in that direction thanks to the use of tungsten high in the head.  I tested a set to see how much this design will change the wedge game of a recreational player.

Looks

Just like the “standard” Opus, the Callaway Opus Platinum wedge has a compact, Tour-approved look at address.  Callaway notes a “higher toe peak,” though I find the shape very conventional.  Similarly, the “radius in the leading edge” is gentle, softening the club’s appearance without making it cartoonish.

As you’ll see in the picture below, there is a noticeable difference between the lofts.  At 54 degrees (left), the face is a bit more iron-like.  The 60 degree wedge is slightly taller in the heel, making the face more rounded.

The Callaway Opus Platinum wedge is offered in two finishes: chrome and blue.  Callaway’s blue finish is one of my favorites to date because of how dark it is.  At a glance, you’d think it’s black.  Though I love blue generally, Crayola blue wedges feel unserious to me.  This finish is serious and seriously cool.

Comparing the Callaway Opus Platinum Wedge to the standard Opus [review HERE], both have a similarly clean look in the bag.  One difference is that the Platinum trades the staggered stripe for mill marks across the entire back of the blade.  There’s also the tungsten weight across the top of the blade.

At address, the two wedges are almost identical.  The more I stare at them, the more I think that the face of the Callaway Opus Platinum wedge (right) is a little shorter, which makes it look longer from heel to toe.  However, when I measure them, I can’t find a difference.

Finally, while both Callaway Opus wedges use a Dynamic Gold Mid 115 shaft, there are two differences.  Most obviously, the Opus Platinum’s shaft has a gunmetal finish, which, in my opinion, looks great.  Second, the Opus Platinum wedge gets the “Tour Issue” version of this shaft.  In the language of True Temper, “Tour Issue” simply means that the shafts are weight sorted to be precisely on spec, so you’re 115 gram shaft shouldn’t weigh 117 or 112 grams.

Sound & Feel

Hitting the Callaway Opus Platinum wedge side by side with the Opus, I was hard pressed to find a difference in the sound and feel.  That’s not a bad thing at all.  Both wedges provide a pleasant, medium-soft feel to your hands when striking a quality golf ball.  Mishits do firm up a bit, though the feel is never harsh or stinging.

The sound of impact is where the Opus Platinum can be demanding.  Good shots produce a quiet, dull “thud.”  If you’re looking for the rewarding, crisp “click,” you need to find the precise center of the face.  That sound will also change quite a bit depending on the ball you’re using.  A firmer ball will “click” across more of the face; softer balls can “thud” even on top tier strikes.

Performance

The primary thing that sets the Callaway Opus Platinum wedge apart from the Opus is the tungsten weighting in the top line.  Callaway placed this heavier material high in the club to raise the center of gravity even more.  A higher CG creates shots that launch lower and spin more because of gear effect [learn more about gear effect HERE].

I was able to test the Opus and Opus Platinum head to head to see how much impact the tungsten made.  For me, the Opus Platinum launched about one degree lower across a range of shots from pitches to full swings.  I didn’t see a difference in peak spin production, but the Opus Platinum had more consistent spin.  Finally, I’ll note that the gaps I saw in my testing may be smaller than most because I am already a low launching player who tends to strike the ball lower on the club face.

It’s not surprising that the Opus Platinum and Opus share similar spin characteristics as both have the same face technology.  Spin Gen Face Technology is a suite of three elements: more grooves on the face, offset groove-in-groove, and a new face blast treatment.  From pitches to full swings, the Opus Platinum is among the best wedges for spin creation.

The Opus Platinum has fewer options for lofts and soles than the standard Opus.  Starting with lofts, Opus Platinum is only offered from 54 to 60 degrees.  This makes sense because there is less benefit to the higher CG at lower lofts.

Turning to the sole, there are two grinds available: S and Z.  S is the standard, do-it-all sole with 10 or 12 degrees of bounce.  The Z Grind is exclusive to Opus Platinum, and it has 8 or 10 degrees of bounce.  Callaway calls it “a friendly low bounce option,” which I found to be apt.  It’s similar to a C Grind but less extreme and with some relief near the leading edge.  For me, the Z Grind made it easy to open the face, but it also took some of the dig out of my heavy strikes.

Conclusion

If you want to see your wedges fly on a more penetrating trajectory with higher spin, make the Callaway Opus Platinum wedge part of your next fitting.  These wedges look and feel traditional, but the Metal Injection Molding construction gives them cutting edge performance.

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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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