The clean lines, tour-inspired shaping and raw-faced fun of TaylorMade’s Milled Grind wedge range continues, with a formidable fourth generation ready to hit the shelves.
The Milled Grind 4 wedge follows on from the MG3 wedge —TaylorMade’s most popular to date — with a predominant focus on improving spin and feel.
A slight reworking of the head shape and a revised groove design improves the consistency of spin while the introduction of a lightweight shaft is aimed at enhancing feel.
The MG4 will be offered in four different grind options: standard bounce, low bounce, high bounce and a model with TW stamped on it… yes, the legendary Tiger grind returns!
Australian Release Date: September 09, 2023
RAW FACED SPIN
The Milled Grind 4 story begins with TaylorMade’s RAW face technology, which has been part of the Milled Grind narrative since the MG2 wedge entered the fray in 2019.
For a quick refresher, a raw face oxidises, or rusts, over time.
But the rust isn’t what creates the extra spin; the theory goes that the absence of any plating or finishing coat preserves the geometry of the grooves, which subsequently bite into the ball more efficiently to generate extra spin.
The new raw face design on the MG4 has been modified to handle better in wet weather.
A deep laser etching pattern in between the grooves works much like the treads on a car tyre by funnelling water away from the face at impact.
TaylorMade call it the Spin Tread Groove pattern and it has the effect of maintaining spin rates in wet conditions, leading to more consistent and reliable spin rates in any weather.
MILLED GRIND PERFECTION
When the original Milled Grind wedge was released, TaylorMade heralded its machine-aided sole grinding process as the most infallible in the game.
By machine milling the sole, every curve and radius remained authentic to the original bounce and grind profile and removed the inconsistencies often associated with hand finishing.
That remains unchanged in the MG4, however, there have been several improvements in other areas of the head design.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
While the trademark teardrop shaping is still abundantly clear, things are a little more rounded in the MG4 wedge.
The top line is slightly more curved compared to the MG3 while the leading edge has been beefed up.
Both features enhance the flow of the MG4 into the hosel to create a smoother appearance and shape.
On the rear of the MG4 wedge, which is crafted from soft 8620 carbon steel, the flange has been made chunkier.
Mass has been shifted from the toe pad to directly behind the strike zone, enhancing feel and sound when shots are struck across the width of the club face.
Meanwhile, a new shaft — a 115g True Temper Tour Issue — is another significant inclusion to the MG4 wedge.
Its lightweight properties offer a more refined feel that works in conjunction with the redesigned clubhead.
TWO FINISHES
TaylorMade offer a new matte black finish in the MG4 line-up alongside the traditional satin chrome option.
Milled Grind wedges in the past have been offered in a chrome black finish but the new Tour matte black finish minimises glare off the head in what TaylorMade call an “aggressive look”.
The satin chrome MG4 wedge features a raw-like finish that also reduces glare but unlike the MG4’s face, its head won’t rust.
FOUR GRINDS
TaylorMade’s Milled Grind 4 wedge comes in three different bounce patterns —standard, high and low — and a limited-edition Tiger grind that replicates the exact sole profile of one Eldrick “Tiger” Woods.
Sporting a classically versatile C-grind sole, MG4 are split into bounce profiles: standard bounce (9-12°), high bounce (12-14°) and low bounce (8°).
The MG4 Tiger grind features heavy relief out of the heel area in both the 56° and 60° models, which makes it easy to play open-face and flop shots around the greens.
The MG4 range comes in lofts of 46-60° in intervals of two degrees.
MILLED GRIND 4 WEDGE SPECS
- Australian Launch Date: September 09, 2023
- Hand: Right/Left
- Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue (steel)
- Grip: Lamkin Crossline 360
- Finishes: Satin Chrome, Matte Black
- TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 wedge loft/bounce combinations:
- Standard Bounce grind: 46°/9°, 48°/9°, 50°/9°, 52°/9°, 54°/11°, 56°/12°, 58°/11°, 60°/10°
- Low Bounce grind: 56°/8°, 58°/8°, 60°/8°
- High Bounce grind: 52°/12°, 54°/13°, 56°/14°, 58°/12°, 60°/12°
- Tiger grind: 56°/12°, 60°/11°