REVIEW: The Callaway Opus Wedges are FOR REAL

The Callaway Opus wedges are for real, and after a few weeks with them on the range and out on the course, I am fairly certain that I have found what I believe will be the mainstay in my bag for a long time.

For years, I’ve tried to buy a different manufacturer or model of wedge when it was time for new ones. The first brand new set of wedges I bought for myself was surprisingly just four years ago when I used a friend’s Tommy Armour wedge; I enjoyed the feel so much that I decided to go buy a 52-degree and a 60-degree, replacing hand-me-down Vokey SM5 wedges that were gifted to me by a family friend.

I also had a Callaway Mack Daddy 56-degree in the bag for several years, another club that was given to me after a friend bought it, had it for a week, and decided it was not for them.

So this year, I decided I was going to switch up my setup — going from 52-56-60 to 48-54-60. I wanted one more long club in the bag, so I felt comfortable enough ridding myself of the 52 and 56 and going with something that was smack dab in the middle. The 48 was already in my bag as a gap wedge. I went with a 54-degree SM9, and I bought a 60-degree SM8 earlier this year for a bargain price before the SM10 was out. 

Callaway sent the Opus about a month ago, and when they asked, I did decide to stick with the same grinds:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First Impressions

Spin Expectations

Callaway really focused on the increased spin with the early press of the Opus, so I was truly excited to have that. For what it is worth, I switched from the Pro V1x to the AVX this year to focus my game on a lower ball flight and a soft feel ball as I was getting too much spin and too much height with the former option.

Admittedly, I had not truly focused on what ball was probably best for my game, I just kept playing with a ball that had given me quite a few good rounds, and superstition set in. The switch helped me gain yardage and confidence, but it also cost me spin, especially with ~100-yard shots.

I had to completely change how I played with my wedges because I was simply not getting the stopping power anymore. I partially blamed the AVX, but not enough to switch. I partially blamed my Vokeys, but not enough to drop $400-$600 on a new set of wedges.

Titleist Golf Balls: Which Model is Best for Your Game?

My expectation was that the Opus would solve my issues with spin. Given that Callaway truly focused on maximizing spin, I thought this would be my best bet because, in all honesty, I would rather switch a club than a ball (as crazy as that sounds).

Callaway talks about its Spin Gen Face Technology on the Opus wedges:

"Spin Gen Face Technology provides spin and control in your wedges by combining 3 key elements on the face; an all-new tighter pitch which puts more grooves on the face, offset groove-in-groove for spin when opening the face, and a new aggressive face blast providing spin and bite on partial shots. These three elements work in conjuction to provide a crisp, tour level spin."

Feel

The Opus wedges are definitely heavier than the Vokeys are. My friends and family, who I have played with since going to the Opus have picked them up and said, "These really have some weight to them."

I agree.

I was unsure of how I'd feel about this because I always shied away from certain irons because of too much weight in the head. I play the T100S from Titleist, and what turned me onto them mostly was the lack of excessive weight near the ball, which made me feel like I had more control and had to rely less on gravity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Performance

Turf Interaction

The first thing that truly stood out to me was the turf interaction with the Opus. While I am playing the same grind as the Vokey, I feel much more confident with the Opus. I know a lot of people are not necessarily convinced of a solid strike over the ball when taking a full swing with a 60-degree, because I was one of those people at one point.

I can't say I have that same reaction anymore. I know that if I have a 75-90 yard shot, the 60-degree is what I'm going for, and I can full swing it and get somewhere in that range, depending on lie. I can also manipulate the length of my swing and how hard I go at it to get every yard I can. I just feel confident with it in that range. 

Spin

I also have experienced the spin and stopping power that I had with the Pro V1x in the past, but I am still playing the AVX, which does not have as much greenside spin as the Pro V models.

It holds greens more often, and I feel much more confident about attacking pins with the Opus wedges because I know the ball is going to spin and stop.

Final Thoughts

Golfers are one of two ways: they are totally loyal to one brand, or they don't care what they put in their bag. I am definitely the former: I simply like Titleist. That doesn't mean I am totally that way because 1) my bank account won't allow me and 2) when I find something I really like, I stick with it. It's why I still play the OG Stealth 3 wood.

But I won't lie, Callaway has blown me away this year. I took the Stealth driver out of my bag in favor or the Paradym Ai Smoke. 

The Opus wedges have been in my bag for a while now and I've played quite a few rounds on them. I really don't think they will be replaced anytime soon. They're just excellent, offer a lot of spin, and I really like the weight of them as I just feel more confident.

If you're looking for extra spin and want a heavier feel wedge, I suggest you go with them!

Cover Image via Callaway