Cleveland CG12 Vs. Cleveland CG14

A Cleveland wedge is a welcome addition to any golf bag. The loft of sand wedges ranges from 54 to 60 degrees, with increased loft providing higher flight of the ball. Cleveland's CG12 and CG14 are two immensely popular wedges with minute differences.

  1. Purpose of the Sandwedge

    • The sand wedge is the club most commonly used for playing shots from the sand bunker. The wide sole provides "bounce," which helps the club glide beneath the ball without digging into the ground. While it is normal to take a divot when using this club from the fairway or rough, with the right amount of force the club will still swing through the ball firmly and loft the ball high. Typically, a golfer plays the sand wedge within 100 yards of the hole.

    Cleveland CG12

    • The Cleveland CG12 offers "Zip Grooves," which are deeper than those on previous models, such as the CG11. The design is geared to a more experienced golfer: There is less forgiveness in the grooves. The new zip grooves put more spin on the ball, making solid contact and swing speed more crucial. The increased weight of the club head creates a less passive feel on the backswing, enabling the golfer to "feel" where the club head is at all times.

    Cleveland CG14

    • The CG14 is the latest addition, as of 2010, to the Cleveland line of sand wedges. It features "zip grooves" similar to those of the CG12, but it differs slightly. It is a little more squared at the edges, distancing itself from the more rounded traditional wedges. The CG14 60-degree lob wedge performs well in tight lies because the zip grooves create so much spin on the ball. The "bite" on the CG14 is very active on this club. Clean shots will be much more responsive to your swing because of the zip groove and "Gelback Technology," which refers to the addition of a material placed in the cavity in the sole of the club to reduce vibration through the swing.

    Price

    • The CG12 and CG14 vary minutely in price. The CG12 as of June 2010 is priced from $89.99 new and around $54.99 used. The CG14 is priced between $89.99 and $103.99.

    Bottom line

    • The CG12 and CG14 share similar technology. The zip groove technology is a big selling point for Cleveland wedges in general. The difference between the two clubs lies mostly on the weight and gelback technology of the CG14. The more experienced golfer likely will favor the CG12 because of its playability. The novice golfer may prefer the forgiveness the CG14 offers.