A recent post in The Sand Trap forum got me thinking about wedges and rust. Over the last decade, the number of wedges on the market that are “raw” and “meant to rust” has grown steadily. Why would you want to spend money on something that will rust? Does the rust increase spin or feel? Read on and find out.
Most premium, traditionally designed muscleback wedges are made in roughly the same way. Soft carbon steel is either forged or cast into the desired shape, then a thin layer of hard chrome is applied. But some tour players find that the shiny chrome can be distracting in sunny conditions. No one likes getting blinded by the glare off their sand wedge when they open the clubface to hit a flop shot, after all.
Wedge design guru Roger Cleveland – founder of Cleveland Golf and current head of design for Callaway Golf – came up with a way to customize his popular 588 wedges for tour players in the early 1990s. Cleveland decided to leave the chrome off the wedge, leaving the 8820 carbon steel used in the 588 wedges in what is called a “raw” state. This was a tour-only option that, combined with a special sole grind, came to be known as the RCG: the Roger Cleveland Grind. In the mid-1990s, Cleveland Golf made these wedges available to the public as the RTG: Raw Tour Grind. The RTG caught on, and now nearly every OEM has raw wedges in its product lineup.
Look at the noticeable difference between a rusty wedge and a mirror-chromed wedge. The face of the rusty wedge hardly reflects any light, while the chromed wedge gives off plenty of glare.
Leaving the metal raw means the clubhead will be a dull gray color – at first. Without the protective chrome, moisture will quickly cause the wedge to rust. This typically starts as a few dots of rust, and can quickly spread across the entire clubhead. This gives the clubhead a dark brown appearance, like a fine patina on an antique. The rust tends to wear away from the sole and face when you hit out of a bunker, creating a club that is always subtly changing in appearance.
The only advantage to rusting your wedges is cosmetic. You eliminate the possibility of glare, of course. There are also many golfers who think that the darker color of the rusted clubhead makes it easier to frame the ball and square the clubhead at address. And the rusty wedges look cool, period.
Many believe that unchromed wedges may also feel a bit softer than chromed wedges. The thin layer of chrome is harder than the steel underneath it, so eliminating that layer does away with some firmness. But this is a matter of degrees. If you play a two-piece distance rock, using a raw wedge isn’t going to make you think you’re hitting an old-school balata – and I doubt that even the top players in the world could tell the difference in a blind feel test.
There are some disadvantages to rusty wedges, too. Because they lack the layer of chrome, they are less durable. The grooves are less protected, and more likely wear out more quickly. If you play and practice a lot, you could conceivably wear down the grooves in your raw wedges in just a season or two.
Also, there’s a wives’ tale that rusty wedges increase spin. The theory is that the rust creates a rougher surface, and that friction leads to more spin. That’s bull. The spin is the same for a rusty wedge as it is for a chromed wedge – when they’re both new. Once the wedges start wearing down, you’ll lose some spin, and that will happen faster with a raw wedge than with one that is chromed.
Two other minor, and funny, disadvantage to raw wedges. The first is that rust can be messy. If you leave a rusty wedge in your bag, it will transfer that rust to whatever it leans up against in your trunk: Other clubs, towels, your golf bag, shoes, etc. Rust stains, so be careful. Second, rust costs more. When you buy a raw wedge, you’re paying more – usually about $10 a club – for less. You’re not getting the chrome, but you’re paying more for the novelty of the raw finish. I’ve never understood this, other than the fact that people tend to pay more for what they perceive as special, even if it costs less to make. [Ed: like people paying more for CDs when cassette tapes cost 3x as much to produce.]
Raw wedges tend to rust on their own. In different areas of the world, they’ll rust at different paces. It’s all about humidity. If you have a raw wedge and it isn’t rusting as fast as you’d like, you have some options. Some people leave their wedges outside in the rain. I’m not a big fan of that idea. I prefer using saltwater. Take a towel (one that you won’t mind getting rust-stained) and soak it with water. Then liberally sprinkle salt all over it. Salt is a rusting agent that will start eating into your carbon steel in a hurry. Wrap you clubhead tightly in the towel and let it sit overnight. Or, fill a small container with salty water and submerge the head overnight. Either way, you should have a very rusty wedge in the morning. If it isn’t rusty enough, let it sit longer.
Titleist’s 200 series of Bob Vokey wedges are available in three finishes, including an “Oil Can” finish designed to rust and a “black nickel” finish designed to reduce glare without rusting.
If the rust is too orange or uneven, take some steel wool or a Scotchbrite pad and lightly rub the wedge to even out the rust. Or take the club out to the range and hit a couple dozen balls out of a bunker. You’ll be ready to go.
If your wedge ever gets too rusty, or if you want to take all the rust off and get back to the dull, raw steel, you have a couple options. You can use steel wool or Scotchbrite, as mentioned above, and some elbow grease to rub it off. Or you can soak the clubhead in Coca-Cola for a couple hours. Coke will eat through just about anything (it can clean blood stains off concrete), including the lining of your stomach, of course.
Personally, I prefer to play raw/rusty wedges. I currently have a 54° Callaway Forged wedge and a 58° Titleist Vokey wedge with an Oil Can finish. The Callaway wedge is dark brown with rust, with the rust worn off the sole and the middle of the face from use. I love the way it looks. The Vokey wedge is starting to rust where the Oil Can finish has worn off, and it also has a rich look.
One other thing I like about rusty wedges is that they have sentimental value from the way I’ve rusted them. I have an old Cleveland 588 RTG 56° wedge that has been soaked in the waters of the beach next to the Old Course at St. Andrews, where the beach scenes from “Chariots of Fire” were filmed. The Callaway Forged wedge I use now has been baptized in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Carlsbad and in Crystal Lake, the site of a yearly vacation (where I’ve played some of my best golf). Pulling these wedges out of my bag remind me of these places, and that’s always a cool feeling.
It’s almost worth the extra $10.
Thanks for laying it out about the wedge rust issue.
Its nice to differentiate between marketing huh-bub and reality.
Keep up the good work.
Hi,
Will the rust on your wedges spread to your irons and cause them to rust as well? I want to get raw wedges but i DON’T want them to spread their rust ro my irons. Please email me back!!!
i like the look of my oil can wedge, can i just use wd40 or a silicone cloth to prevent it from rusting
Here’s a question for ya…
Is it against the rules to rust a non-raw wedge? (I figure it’s possible, since my true temper stainless steel shafts gained plenty of the stuff just by spending the night in the trunk of my car… 😆 )
Thanks for the part on how to make the wedge rust faster, I’m tire of waiting.
Hey man,
Thanks for the insight on “rusty wedges”. I kinda like the rusted look myself. It gives the club (and the golfer) a little character. I’m not very fond of the sparkling clean clubs and the all white outfits some of the guys show up with. Besides, looking good does’t make you a good golfer.
Anyways, my question is this. Can you make a wedge that has a black oxide finish rust? I have a Cleveland CG10 56* that I love and would like to “rust it up” a bit.
Keep up the great work !
Fairways and greens Brad
so, i can leave my wedge in water for a bit and let it rust? I will then get more spin on the ball right?
Did you read the article? No, you won’t get more spin. You might even get less.
thanks
i like this article
yeah, i always thought the rust spin thing was a load of crap
because i never thought the rust would dig in or bite the ball enough to really affect the spin at all on a already grooved wedge
i also agree with the sentimental thing, i have a raw mizuno wedge
mine had a black ox finished
ive soaked it in pepsi (lol they had no coke at the store) and now its got a plain steel look that makes it seem like its a one of a kind wedge made a long time ago
i was checking around to see if there was a faster way to get the rust off, because i like the raw wedge, they reflect less light and look rugged, but i dont like all the rust because i think it looks a bit dirty
I just got the rust off of my new to me Cleveland 588 regular because i thought it was bad but after some research I am going to go back and rust It. I agree i like how it looks and it makes it look old and valuable
Ther is a faster way but be careful.. i did this to my TOTALLY rusted wedge.. get some hydrochloric acid and put the clubhead in that for about 5 minutes.. totally got rid of all the rust.. then just neutralised it with some soapy water and polished it up.. looks awesome.. now its starting to rust again 🙂 but i like it
People pay more for CDs because they have higher fidelity and are more convenient to use. You get to pick tracks, skip around, and such, so not quite the same as someone paying more for a wedge without the chrome. Great article though, informative.
Great insight.
however,is there any other writer and critic that claims rust increase performance? can u let me know where is the article for my own education and seee wha the opposites say please.
Rust does not increase performance, so anyone claiming that would be wrong. I doubt you’ll find comments like that from knowledgeable people (i.e. not those passing on something they heard) anywhere.
hi, great article 🙂 so i have some mizuno mp-t10 white satin wedges but i really want them to get rusty !!! so how could i do that ???
“Your slate finish X Series JAWS CC Wedges are raw, meaning that the carbon steel is not plated. With time and use, your slate wedges will rust, which will add roughness to increase spin and provide a non-glare surface.” – ROGER CLEVELAND
Why would he make such a statement? Would you imply that Mr. Cleveland is compromising his ethics in favor of potential sales? What qualifies you to say the rust is “only” cosmetic? Or a “wives tale”? One of the best, proven on tour, club designers in the world, says otherwise. According to you, though, he is full of “bull”.
Quote: “Also, there’s a wives’ tale that rusty wedges increase spin. The theory is that the rust creates a rougher surface, and that friction leads to more spin. That’s bull.”
This statement has troubled me for some years. When Roger Cleveland made the claim that Shakeology quoted above, was he blowing smoke? When Cleveland Golf minus Roger back in 2010 came out with wedges with laser etched lines between grooves, were they blowing smoke when they claimed the lines imparted more spin?
Are grooves functional in inducing spin? Are grooves irrelevant to spin rate? Are etched lines? A roughened clubface? A rusty clubface?
Does applying vasoline to the clubface really make for a lower-spinning, longer ball? Yes, I am aware that “Search for a Perfect Golf Swing” reported research that grooves did not contribute to spin and that the USGA did more recent tests showing that grooves had no effect. But how thorough was that research? And if the only function of grooves is to clear debris, then why the fuss about groove design?
Wasn’t Roger Cleveland aware of the tests by the USGA in the 1980s? The folks at Golf Digest who bought into the claim that laser etched grooves had an effect on spin?
Anybody want to sue for false advertising? Wonder how many claims about golf equipment improvements would hold up in court.
Does it make sense that a coating of oil or vaseline would reduce spin? If so, then surely the roughness of the clubface would have some effect. And so it continues…
Ole_Tom_Morris, some facts as I know them:
Thanks, Erik.
I can understand wedges but the new Taylormade Patina putters, as the name suggests, are meant to oxidize. I love the light copper look and the nice out of the box finish but I would not want to have a green film on the sole and edges of the putter. I could be wrong and love the finish but I’m afraid to purchase it unless I do what I can to prevent the oxidization. It just sucks how they make lines of clubs but give them an undesirable finish. The Hi toe wedges also come in a beautiful bronze but I’ve seen that after only a couple hits the finish shows a huge amount of wear even though it’s performance is the same. I’m sure some love it though, I’m just not a fan.