Callaways JAWS MD5 Wedge

As I sat down to write this review, I thought back to the original Callaway Mack Daddy wedge.  I remember being impressed with Callaway’s new design and feeling like the brand was sort of reinventing itself in the wedge market.  Fast forward to the latest JAWS Mack Daddy 5 wedges and you realize Callaway was just getting started.  Guided by wedge-designer legend, Roger Cleveland, the Callaway JAWS MD5 wedge offers incredible performance with its new JAWS grooves and soft feel.  The combination of five sole grinds, lofts from 46º to 64º, and progressive head shapes provides a massive range of options bound to fit almost anyone’s game.

The Looks

Callaway offers the JAWS MD5 wedges in two different finishes.  A traditional chrome and a sleek “Tour Grey” which will wear over time, but as Callaway says on the label, the surface roughness will stay intact.  Both finishes come with a white and translucent blue paint scheme which stuns in the sunlight.

In the introduction, I mentioned that Callaway uses a “progressive head shape” system.  This means that the shape of the club head changes as you transition through the lofts.  For instance, the 46º wedge will blend into your short irons better with more of a compact “pear” shape and pointy toe.  When you start getting into the higher sand and lob wedge lofts, the shape is a little fuller and rounder.  That said, regardless of which loft you go with, the designs are very appealing and expertly shaped.

Also worth noting, Callaway is offering a customization option for the JAWS MD5 wedges which includes paint, stamping, shaft, and grip.

How Does it Feel?

There are a lot of variables to consider when it comes to the Callaway JAWS MD5’s feel.  Given there are five different sole grind options, the turf interaction is going to vary and directly influence the feel.  For this review, I worked with a 54-C with 8º of bounce and a 60-X with 12º of bounce.  The lower bounce of the 54º wedge made the MD5 feel extremely crisp through the turf.  With the meatier 12º of bounce on the 60º, the wedge felt more forceful through the turf and very forgiving.  The actual impact of the ball on both wedges was pleasantly soft off the face (thank you very much, 8620 mild carbon steel), but still provided precise response so I knew exactly where I made contact.

My one big piece of advice is to know your wedge game and make sure you get the correct sole grinds.  This won’t just impact the feel of your wedge, but will have major performance impacts as well.  If you are unsure, the best option is to get fit or at least do some extensive testing.  Additionally, Callaway provides general guidance for each sole grind on their website which is worth looking at.

How Does it Sound?

The Callaway JAWS MD5’s sound is heavily dependent on the type of shot you’re hitting.  Short pitch and chip shots from 50 yards and in have a soft little “pop” to them.  Longer shots with fuller swings take on a smooth “pick” tone at contact.  Like the feel, depending on your sole grind of choice and your specific swing, you may get some sound differences from turf interactions.  My X-grind sole gives me a healthy thump through the turf while the C-grind has a crisp “rip” to it.

On-Course Performance

Let’s get down to brass tacks.  We’re all here for the JAWS MD5’s “spin with teeth,” right?  Callaway is calling the JAWS groove-in-groove tech “the most aggressive groove in golf.”  I won’t say I was necessarily skeptical, but I’ve heard this kind of claim before from various wedges in the past.  Naturally, I was curious to see if this was the one where I really noticed something exceptionally special.

I’ll start by explaining the JAWS grooves.  The main grooves of the wedge have sharp edges that create a high level of friction with the ball all on their own.  To increase that friction, Callaway essentially created small grooves on the surface of the face between each main groove.  These “secondary” grooves are actually elevated lines that run across the face rather than being cut down into the surface.  The end result is more surface roughness which equals more spin.

I’ve made it no mystery that my wedge game is not my strong suit.  I’m not a big zipper of the ball and good spin for me is usually hop and stop with a small trickle of roll out.  Then I hit the JAWS MD5 wedges.  God’s honest truth, I’ve never been able to spin a wedge like I did with the JAWS MD5.  I was able to quickly stop short chips, and longer approaches were landing and biting.  Dare I say it, I was even pulling the ball back a little bit.  Maybe it was just my brain looking for it, but I felt that the increased friction on the face of this wedge was noticeable on every shot I hit with it.  Like the face was just grabbing onto the ball and ripping it around!  Mission accomplished, Callaway.

Final Thoughts – Callaways JAWS MD5 Wedge

So the million dollar question – does the Callaway JAWS MD5 wedge in fact provide a more aggressive spin?  From my testing, I’d say it’s an absolute yes.  I saw more spin on the monitor but the difference on the course was obviously apparent.  Once you figure out the right combination of grinds and lofts, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better performing wedge from a major OEM.  Safe to say, I was really impressed with the JAWS MD5 and I think it’s easily Callaway’s best wedge yet.  Don’t be surprised if when they end up in my bag next season.

Stock Callaways JAWS MD5 Wedge Specs

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