When the original TaylorMade Milled Grind wedges hit the market for the 2017 golf season, the company billed them as a big step forward in the production of wedges.
The story was that the company would use CNC milling technology to precisely mill the sole and leading edge so that no two wedges bearing the same specs would be different. By using CNC milling, the human component of finishing a wedge could be removed and create a wedge more exact than a human.
The wedges were well-received, and so for the next generation, TaylorMade had to improve upon the original Milled Grind. That's what they feel they have in the Milled Grind 2 series.
As with the original Milled Grind, the CNC milling continues on the sole and leading edge. However, a new face-and-groove package, dubbed Raw Face, is billed as creating even more greenside spin and control.
Raw Face features ZTP Raw Grooves that have a sharper radius and are deeper and narrower than the previous generation. Combine the grooves with a rougher, laser-etched surface between the grooves, and there's more control with less skidding. The company says the raw design, meant to rust over time, increases friction so as to reduce how often the ball creeps up the face at impact, leading to more consistent trajectories and results.
TaylorMade's engineering teams changed the head design, too, leaning on design optimization tools. One key was removing weight by using a TPU insert for feel in lieu of metal in the back cavity. The face itself is thicker in the Milled Grind 2, going from 5.1mm in the first generation to 6.5mm.
The Milled Grind 2 line comes in two bounce choices: low bounce (LB) and standard bounce (SB). With standard bounce, the options range from 9-12 degrees of bounce, depending on the wedge loft and golfer preference. In the low bounce heads, built for players who take shallow or no divots with wedges, the bounces are all 8 degrees.
The TaylorMade MG2 wedges are available starting Sept. 6 in Satin Chrome and a sick-looking Matte Black finish for $170 each with True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S200 steel shafts.
