When I first heard that Callaway was releasing the new Opus SP wedges, I was immediately intrigued and excited to get my hands on them. The original Opus wedges offered superb control and were known for their clean aesthetics and impressive spin, so could the SP wedges live up to the hype created by their predecessor?
The "SP" on the new wedges stands for Spin Pocket, a new two-piece construction that shifts the center of gravity a little higher in the head to produce a lower, more controlled ball flight while maintaining the high spin that was evident with the original Opus wedges. I took these wedges straight onto the golf course to see if they could be considered some of the best wedges released this year.
From a head shape standpoint, I really like the Opus SP design. I feel as though the wedges could be visually improved if they had a cleaner look on the back, but looks of course are subject to opinion.
The Opus SP wedges are offered in two finishes - brushed chrome and black shadow, the latter was the one I conducted my testing with in a 56° head. Down behind the ball, the shape has been designed with tour-player feedback and is fairly compact, which is exactly why the Opus SP wedges were the fastest tour conversion of any Callaway wedge, meaning that more tour players, such as Xander Schauffele and Jon Rahm, put these wedges in play quicker than any of the previous wedge designs.
These wedges offer progressive shaping in the gap wedge, which creates a seamless transition from your irons to your wedges, making the whole set blend smoothly, creating a more consistent look down behind the ball.
The feel of the Opus SP wedges is where the Spin Pocket technology really shines. On both full shots and delicate chips, the wedges feel responsive, yet firm enough that they offer precise feedback. The ball feels as though it grips tightly on the face through impact, offering high levels of spin and this was evident when I tested it with my Foresight Sports GC3 Launch Monitor.
I put the Opus SP to the test against the original Callaway Opus wedge to determine if there had truly been any significant performance gains. However, it's worth mentioning that when looking at the data above, the original Opus had seen a fair bit of action, and so comparing the data to a wedge that was fresh out of the wrapper has to be taken with a pinch of salt.
On average, I saw my spin sit around 7400rpm, which is a solid amount over a 50-yard pitch shot. When moving into fuller swings, the ball flight stayed a little lower than the previous model, which took some getting used to at first, but once I got comfortable with the window it was coming out in, I gained so much confidence and control.
The main story with these wedges is, of course, the Spin Pocket, but Callaway didn't stop there. The Opus SP wedges feature a new Spin Gen 2.0 face that boasts grooves that are set at a 17° angle and packed tighter together for maximum spin. The face is also cross-hatch lasered under the coating of the wedge to enhance spin on open-faced shots, but also to make the face more durable.
Overall, I found the performance and the aesthetics of the Opus SP wedges rivalled a lot of the wedges I have tested recently, especially those considered the best wedges for chipping. The six different grind options allow golfers to customize their wedge set-up depending on their attack angle and the turf they typically play on, and the two color finishes mean you can keep a traditional look with the chrome or opt for a more stealth-like approach with the black shadow.
The Callaway Opus SP wedges are available worldwide and come to retail for $199/£179 with a slight upcharge for graphite shafts.
