TaylorMade Wedges: MG5, Hi-Toe 5, Grinds and Bounce Explained

Two wedges, two different jobs

TaylorMade’s current forged wedge family is built around two models with distinct purposes. Milled Grind 5 (MG5) is the all-round wedge — the sensible default for most golfers and most shots. Hi-Toe 5 is a full-face design aimed specifically at golfers who play open-faced, high-toe shots: flops, bunker shots and creative pitches from tight lies.

Buying a wedge means choosing loft, bounce and grind, not just a model name. Most golfers pick the model and let a shop decide the rest, which is how people end up with wedges that dig on every shot.

Bounce: the number that matters most

Think of bounce as how aggressively the sole pushes the club back out of the ground.

• Low bounce. Suits firm turf, tight lies, shallow divots, and golfers who sweep the ball. Punishing on soft ground.
• Mid bounce. The safest choice for most golfers and most conditions. If unsure, start here.
• High bounce. Suits soft turf, fluffy sand, steep attack angles and deep divots. Can feel like it “bounces off” firm ground.

Match bounce to your divot and your course, in that order. A steep player on soft turf needs high bounce. A sweeper on links turf needs low.

MG5 versus Hi-Toe 5 in practice

MG5 suits the golfer who plays mostly square-faced full shots, chips and pitches, and wants one wedge shape that behaves predictably from most lies. It’s the right starting point for most bags.

Hi-Toe 5 earns its place when contact regularly happens high on the toe because the face is open — a common outcome of flop shots, bunker shots off tight sand, and lob shots that need to stop instantly. The full-face grooves extend spin consistency to those strikes in a way a standard sole doesn’t.

If your short game is mostly conventional, one MG5 model covers you well. If it’s creative and you open the face a lot, at least one Hi-Toe 5 in the mix is worth testing.

Finishes: mostly cosmetic, with one exception

Plated finishes resist rust and hold their appearance. Unplated or raw-style finishes oxidise over time, and the claimed benefit is a slightly rougher surface and marginally more spin, particularly in wet conditions.

Be realistic about the size of the effect. Groove condition and a clean, dry face matter far more than finish. An unplated wedge also requires a little more care and will look weathered quickly.

A sensible setup

1. Check your pitching wedge loft first — modern sets vary enormously.
2. Space wedges roughly 4–6° apart from there.
3. Give your most-used wedge the bounce that matches your turf.
4. Choose Hi-Toe 5 for your lob wedge slot if you play a lot of open-faced shots.
5. Consider a higher-bounce option on your sand wedge for bunker performance.

Coach’s tip: Test wedges from the actual lies you face — a tight fairway lie and a fluffy greenside lie. Hitting wedges off a range mat tells you nothing about bounce.

Model names current as of September 2026.