50 Words or Less
The Callaway Opus wedge is one of the highest spinning, lowest launching wedges I’ve tested. Four soles provide a fit for a range of players. Grinds favor versatility over anti-dig properties.
Introduction
Opus is defined as “any artistic work, especially one on a large scale.” That’s certainly how Callaway is positioning their new wedge, referring to the use of their “most Tour-validated shapes” and the new Spin Gen Face Technology. I tested a set to see if they can help you create your masterpiece around the greens.
Looks
At address, the Callaway Opus wedge is compact. It’s nearly identical in size to the PING s159 [review HERE] and a bit smaller than the Vokey SM10 [review HERE]. The shape of the club varies across lofts. The lower lofted wedges have straighter leading edges and shorter heel heights for a more iron-like look. Moving to the highest lofted wedges, the leading edge is very round as is the face shape. The photo above shows the 54 degree wedge, which has a balanced appearance.
In the bag, this wedge looks clean without being boring. The black and white paintfill on brushed chrome is a timeless look. “Callaway” and “Opus” branding are moderately sized – noticeable but not overwhelming. This leaves room for the eye to appreciate the different finishes and the geometry of the back.
The Callaway Opus wedge is available in three finishes. Brushed Chrome and Black Shadow are available at retail, and a Raw finish will be available through Callaway Customs.
Sound & Feel
Striking a Tour-quality golf ball, the feel of the Callaway Opus wedge is outstanding on center. It’s medium-soft with a crisp “click” and a strong feeling of connection from the ball to the hands through the club face. However, that premium feel is reserved for premium strikes.
Hitting shots that are merely good gets a feeling that’s in the middle of the soft-hard continuum. The sound turns to a duller “thud.” This feedback is not a bad thing, especially for a Tour-style wedge. Better players need to know when their short game is off. The Callaway Opus wedge does provide a great sense of exactly where the ball struck the face.
Performance
The feature that is front and center on the Callaway Opus wedge is the Spin Gen Face Technology. Per Callaway, this is a suite of three elements: having more grooves on the face, offset groove-in-groove, and a new face blast treatment. In my launch monitor testing, I saw spin that is at the elite level. More important, the Callaway Opus is among the best wedges I’ve tested for spin consistency. I would regularly hit a mediocre shot, look down expecting a poor spin number, and find one that had barely moved from the quality shot hit previously. This level of spin consistency makes it a lot easier to predict the outcome of your wedge shots.
Another thing that stood out about the Callaway Opus wedge during launch monitor testing is the low launch. Callaway bills this wedge as “Mid-Low with Control.” I saw it launching a degree lower than comparable wedges on half shots and up to three degrees lower on full swings. While this could be related to the shaft – I tested with the stock Dynamic Gold Mid 115 – I’m more inclined to think that Callaway moved the CG up substantially to get this low launch and high spin. Like the spin, I found the launch to be very consistent, leading to predictable carry distances.
For even lower launch, check out the Callaway Opus Platinum wedge HERE
Moving to the sole, the Callaway Opus wedge offers players four grinds: T, C, S, and W. This is a change from the Jaws Raw [review HERE] which had C, Z, S, X, W. The S Grind is the all-purpose sole, best for square-faced shots and offered at every loft. Available in almost every loft is the W Grind, which has the widest sole and the most bounce to prevent digging. Both the T and C Grinds are only offered at 58 and 60 degrees. They are low bounce designs with extensive relief in the heel, toe, and trailing edge. These are best for players with shallow angles of attack or those who play on firm turf.
In my testing, I found that the three soles I tried – S, W, and C – performed as billed but leaned toward versatility over dig insurance. The W Grind provided the most protection, but it still took a healthy divot. It also kept the leading edge as low as any “wide” sole I can recall. With the C Grind, my strike had to be fairly precise, or I’d stick the club in the mud. The benefit is that on firmer turf, this sole can be opened up as much as you want without any fear.
Conclusion
For the skilled wedge player in search of a Tour-style ball flight, the Callaway Opus wedge is a winner. It launches the ball on a strong trajectory with high, consistent spin. The four sole options are meaningfully different and off a lot of versatility and shotmaking options.
Support Plugged In Golf, Buy HERE
Callaway Opus Wedge Price & Specs
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.
- Performance Golf Click Stick Training Aid Review - October 18, 2024
- Callaway Opus Platinum Wedge Review - October 17, 2024
- When to Take a Break from Golf - October 15, 2024
5 Comments
Nice wedge review Matt. Golden question…how would you compare to Edison wedges…think they may make it into your bag????
Brian,
The shape of the blade is substantially different in the higher lofted wedges and the soles are different.
I won’t be changing out my Edisons at this time.
Best,
Matt
On photo, C grind does not seem to have extreme heel grind? How does it compare to Mizuno’s X grind?.. to date thats my all time favorite with extreme relief at both ends
Peter,
The grind does not look as extreme as others, but there is very little bounce.
Best,
Matt
Never was a fan of Callaway wedges. Swing coach was a staffer for 5+ years but refused to play their wedges because he hated them so much. Maybe these will be different, always felt clanky to me