Say hello to the new 2020 Callaway Jaws MD5 wedges from Callaway Golf. Redesigned from the ground up to create ultimate performance on all shots, the new Jaws wedges are being marketed as the most aggressive grooves in golf.

It’s been almost 10 years since we’ve seen the Jaws name used as part of the Callaway wedge lineup, but with the introduction of the new MD5 (Mack Daddy 5) Jaws wedges and their completely rethought-out groove design, Callaway felt that if there was a time to bring it back, it’s now!

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Callaway Jaws MD5 wedges: The story

The Rules of Golf have limits set on everything, but when you have a lot of smart people trying to solve problems, those limits just mean you have to get creative with design. That’s exactly what the engineers have done with the new Callaway wedge and its Jaws grooves. By changing the overall shape compared to all previous models, they have increased not just spin but total control. That’s probably the most overlooked part of the wedge equation: creating greater control and consistency. Sure, more spin is great, but if it fluctuates from shot to shot, you are in no way better off.

The new proprietary groove design of the Jaws wedge is a change to the whole shape, including a different way to get the contact radius right to the limit, and when we say right to the limit, we mean it. In fact, when initially prototyped and brought to Callaway’s manufacturing partners for scaled-up manufacturing, the initial response from the factory after test runs was “sorry, we just can’t do this.” The reason? Fail rate was close to 50 percent becoming nonconforming which is a big no-go in the world of manufacturing. Such a situation would drive cost (because of losses) through the proverbial roof, especially when you consider each wedge’s face takes 10 minutes of machine time—not including the microgrooves.

The solution for Callaway? Changing the cutting tool every 15 wedges. Sure, you could attempt to get more life out of each tool, but when you have everyone from recreational players to the world’s best putting them in play, you can’t make sacrifices.

The end result is the MD5 Jaws spins over 10 percent more on shots hit around the green compared to the Callaway MD4 and launches lower by one degree (for those wondering if one degree matters: yes it does). Lower launch might not seem like something you want with a wedge, but if you talk to any short game coach with a launch monitor, or Roger Cleveland in Callaway’s case, you will quickly realize that being able to control launch with a wedge is just as important and is it with a driver. A lower-launching wedge means the coefficient of friction is higher since the ball isn’t riding/sliding up the face—and boom, you have a greater ability to hit the better-player-preferred “low checker.”

Now beyond the grooves, Callaway and the wedge team re-evaluated the whole shape and profile of the MD5 Jaws, along with the grind options. As the trend of more players swapping their stock pitching wedges for wedges that match the lower end of the bag (up to 45-46 degrees). Callaway designers decided to reshape the lower lofted wedges from the 46-56 degrees to have a smaller profile and flow better from the lowest to highest loft in the wedge set. Don’t think this is just for looks either—smaller heads allow for more concentrated mass and with a smaller shape comes better workability. There is no sense in trying to replace your stock set pitching wedge with a less versatile option.

The other reason for this change in the MD5 Jaws wedges is that data and player testing shows the 46- 56-degree clubs are used a lot more often for full shots compared to the higher lofted wedges, which are more likely than not to be hit with a more open face. This creates the ability to flight and control the ball better with the “full swing” clubs, yet still gives more face surface area to hit when the higher lofted “around the green” clubs and opened up. It’s a “best of both worlds” design philosophy. Instead of committing to a single size and shape for the whole line—which from a manufacturing perspective is less expensive—Callaway pulled out all the stops in making the Jaws wedges better, not just newer.

With all the talk of reshaping, the last part of this puzzle are the sole grinds. From the C Grind to the W (wide) sole wedges, everything has been tweaked. One of the best examples of this tweaking is the new lower bounce W (Wide) sole wedge. Mr. Roger Cleveland himself was doing a lot of customizing for tour players to tweak the stock MD4 W Grinds to reduce bounce and width of the soles, and after seeing this trend, the most popular tweak has now become a stock option on the MD5 Jaws.

There is even additional heel relief to help those players that want to open the face up for shots around the green. The opposite could be said about the new C Grind; with more effective bounce thanks to a wider center of the sole—but more playability with aggressive heel and toe relief. What seem like small changes are really a commitment to continued improvement by the wedge team at Callaway Golf, and I think with the MD5 Jaws wedges they have a winner destined to take a BITE out of the wedge market (Give me credit for taking this long to make a shark pun).

• More photos of Callaway MD5 Jaws wedges in the forums. 

Customs

With the new MD5 Jaws, Callaway is upping its Customs game with 10 different “zones” to choose from, including the paint fill on the sole, the hosel, new medallion options (including emojis), and the back of the club. More ways to customize your wedge than ever before!

Callaway Jaws MD5 wedges: Availability and options

Shafts

Steel: True Temper Tour Issue 115 with a blue and silver shaft band

Graphite: Project X Catalyst 80g

Grip: Lamkin UTX Blue

Price: $159.99

• More photos of Callaway MD5 Jaws wedges in the forums.