Buying Cleveland Wedges Used: What to Check

Why the used market is strong

Cleveland sells enormous numbers of wedges, so the second-hand supply is deep. Previous-generation RTX and CBX models turn up constantly at prices well below new.

The catch is that a wedge is the one club where condition matters more than model. A worn current-generation wedge is worse than a fresh one from three years ago.

Check the grooves first

This is the whole decision. Run a fingernail across the face. It should catch on every groove, sharply. If it glides over the lower grooves — the area between the second and fifth groove up, where most contact happens — the wedge is worn.

Ask the seller for a straight-on photograph of the face in good light. A worn face shows a visibly polished band where the grooves have rounded.

Check the loft and bounce stamping

Cleveland stamps loft, bounce and grind on the sole. Read them. Sellers routinely list a wedge as “56 degree” without mentioning that it is a low-bounce version that will not suit you.

Also check whether the club has been bent. If the stamped loft and the measured loft differ, the bounce has changed too.

Check the shaft

Wedges are often reshafted or come from a set with a non-standard shaft. Confirm what is in it. A wedge with a lightweight graphite shaft will feel entirely different from your irons.

What is safe to ignore

Bag chatter on the crown, scuffs on the sole, a worn grip. None of these affect performance and all of them reduce the price. A wedge with a scarred sole and sharp grooves is a good buy.

The models to target

RTX 6 ZipCore and RTX ZipCore in the tour range, CBX2 or CBX ZipCore in the cavity-back range. All are recent enough to be technically current in every way that matters and cheap enough to replace when they wear.

Buying tip: Budget for a new grip on any used wedge. It costs little, and a wedge is a club where grip pressure and feel matter more than almost anywhere else in the bag.

Model names current as of September 2026.