When high toe wedges were first brought to the market, I hated everything about them. They looked ugly – it was as simple as that. However, after testing them out a little and learning more about the reason why so much R&D went into this design, I started to change my mind. I don’t currently game high toe wedges, but I can definitely understand the desire to.
In case you haven’t done your basic research yet: high toe wedges move the center of gravity higher. That results in lower launch and higher greenside spin. The main benefit comes from thicker rough, as traditional wedges would make contact too high on the face resulting in poor distance control.
Many golfers find that they are more comfortable keeping the clubface open and cutting across the ball aggressively with the high toe wedge. With a traditional wedge, keeping the club face open may lead to a toe strike, which would lead to a HUGE decrease in spin. The result? Probably a chip/pitch shot that rolls well past the hole and potentially off the green. With the Hi-Toe wedge, though, the ball would have had enough spin to stop quickly enough even from the toe contact.
Anyway. Here’s my honest, unbiased review of the TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges.
Appearance
Let’s be real. It takes some time to get used to. But rest assured this isn’t just a club for those that struggle with hitting the center of the club face. Lots of tour pros have added the TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedge to their bags and won on tour. Hell, Dustin Johnson won his first week with the club in the bag.
After a while, it actually became very reassuring at address. As someone that has had a history with shanking chip shots for whatever reason, it was nice knowing that I can favor the toe a little and get away with it without any drawback. Actually, the main drawback was that it was kinda difficult to go back to my traditional wedge. Either way, if you struggle with shanking chip shots, I’d highly recommend a hi-toe wedge like the TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedge.
Performance
TaylorMade wedges are far underrated. When it comes to performance, they are right up there with Titleist Vokey and Cleveland wedges, which are the two big dogs when it comes to wedges.
I truly enjoyed trying out the TM Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges. I really like the feel and spin around the greens. I could stop short flop shots quickly and easily. Being able to keep the club face open easier without worrying about releasing the club head was a huge benefit. Truly, if money weren’t an option, I would pick up a set of 2 high toes wedges today.
I noticed that I definitely favored the toe pretty significantly, even with longer full wedge shots. Like I mentioned earlier, that’s mainly because I’ve dealt with some random shanking troubles, even as a low single digit handicap. As a result, it lead to an increase in confidence over the ball, which is a HUGE plus.
Also, their new milling process has really improved distance control compared to the older casting process. All low handicap golfers know how important distance control is, especially with their wedges. Taking advantage of birdie opportunities with a wedge in your hand is a huge part of scoring well.
Options
The TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges come in three colors: black, bronze, chrome, and raw (which will rust naturally).
They come in 7 lofts, from 50 degrees all the way up to 64 degrees. I won’t lie to you: I love 64 degree wedges. For me, it’s so much easier to use 64 degree wedges and keep my hands forward at impact than to get very handsy with a 60 degree wedge around the green on delicate shots. That’s especially true when playing in tournaments, where nerves can oftentimes play an important role on risky shots.
The TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges come in three different soles/grinds. The standard sole for wedges with lofts of 50-54 degrees is great for longer full wedge shots and longer bump and run shots. The 4-way sole for lofts 56-60 degrees has a little more bounce for those with steeper swings. Lastly, the ATV sole is for wedges with lofts of 58-64. It has even more bounce and is great for sliding through sand and discourages any digging into the ground on chip and pitch shots.
A Better Value Alternative (~$40 Less)
If you are looking for a similar wedge for a lower price, consider the Wilson Staff Model HT (High Toe) wedge. Practically the same design as the TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe Wedge, but around $40 less. Like TaylorMade, Wilson wedges are highly underrated and overshadowed by bigger companies with higher advertising budgets. In our opinion, you can’t go wrong with either of these two wedges.
