Callaway Golf X-20 Wedges

The 45-degree pitching wedge plays with almost as much feel as a forged club and is strong even by contemporary standards.

The cast design of the X-20 pitching wedge provides game improvement technology in its perimeter weighting and expanded sweet spot. Counter to traditional thinking, this club provides almost as much feel as a forged club and, while designed to provide a straight trajectory, still allows the player to work the ball a little depending on need and ability.

The benefit of the strong loft is that the ball flight is more driving, allowing the club's sharp grooves to spin the ball to a stop on the green. But it leaves you a gap between your pitching and sand wedges. The Callaway approach wedge (about 52 to 54 degrees) could fill the gap quite well.

While the X-20 Irons were typically sold as a set, the X-20 lob wedge (RH 60-degrees) was commonly sold individually. The X-20 lob wedges include the same specs as the rest of the X-20 irons. The line is made of stainless steel and includes Callaway's VFT (Variable Face Thickness) design and a variety of shaft options.

The X-20 lob wedge is a notch-weighted, modified cavity-back iron with a 360-degree undercut channel. The result is a modified heel-toe weighting feature, which distributes weight to the perimeter of the head, including the face. The low center of gravity and weighting system focuses on the hitting area, enlarging it for better feel and forgiveness.

Patterned after the classic Callaway S2H2 Bore-Through design, the X-20 60-degree lob wedge has a short, slightly offset, bored-out hosel, which encases the entire shaft tip, extending it through to the back of the sole. The shaft is tip-plugged for better feel, reduced vibration and optimal shaft performance.

While not part of Callaway's specialty wedges, the X-20 (Standard and Tour) is a solid club. Around the green, it has soft feel and puts nice spin on the ball. With a wide sole, the X-20 is also explosive out of the sand and deep rough, resulting in nice trajectories. Its head isn't as progressively aerodynamic as its X-Forged or X-Tour specialty counterparts, but the X-20 gets the job done just as well as some top-line, premium wedges.

The X-20 irons come standard with a wide choice of shaft from extra stiff Project X steel rifles to much softer, graphite lightweight or senior shafts. The lightweight and easy flex is designed to provide extra yardage to slower-swinging players but also requires very smooth swing action to keep your club on plane throughout.

The X-20 is a very straight-hitting club. Even with the strong loft of the pitching wedge, it requires significant effort to "work" the ball, making the straight shot the club's ironic "weakness." The best advice to X-20 players is to take dead aim at your target--typically the flag--and presume that's the more likely shot.

As a discontinued club, the X-20 is most often available at discount and online retailers. The Callaway pre-owned website offers excellent access to used clubs and sets at quite reasonable prices. Even if you've lost your pitching wedge and need to replace it, it's a good bet the Callaway pre-owned site will have one.