A personal review of the Protoconcept RR Forged Wedges.
When Protoconcept sent over two custom RR Forged wedges—a 56-degree and a 60-degree—for me to test and evaluate, I was eager to see if their Japanese-engineered hype translated to real-world grass. Sitting in the editor’s chair at Golf Tips Magazine and having spent over 32 years as a golf professional, I’ve put countless scoring clubs through their paces. I have a strict standard for what stays in my bag, but these had my immediate attention right out of the box.
The In-Hand Experience
Out on the range and around the practice greens, the first thing I noticed was the sheer quality of the feedback. Protoconcept precision-forges these heads from premium S20C soft carbon steel. The result is arguably one of the softest, most responsive feels you can find in a wedge today. Hitting delicate touch shots and taking full swings into the green, the dense, vibration-damped impact felt phenomenal in my hands. Overall, they performed exceptionally well, delivering a pure, stable sensation that only top-tier forging can provide.
Specs, Pros, and Cons
Protoconcept has taken a highly unique approach to wedge design, actively moving away from confusing alphabet-soup grinds. They utilize 3D CAD technology to individually tailor the center of gravity for every single loft in the lineup.
Here is how their specs break down in terms of pros and cons from my personal testing:
The Pros:
. Simplified Sole Selection: They offer three specific grinds—NT (Neutral), AG (Aggressive), and SP (Sweeper)—designed to perfectly match your angle of attack rather than just analyzing your divot pattern. Because my delivery varies depending on the shot at hand, having a system tailored directly to swing steepness makes dialing in the right club incredibly easy.
. Wet-Weather Spin Control: The face features both diagonal and horizontal laser milling stacked on top of precision cold-forged grooves. Even when moisture from the morning dew got between the golf ball and the clubface, the spin retention and grab were phenomenal.
. Unmatched Feel: The S20C soft carbon steel forging, combined with an advanced heat treatment process, eliminates harsh vibrations and offers true tour-level feedback on every strike.
The Cons:
. Premium Price Point: At roughly $315 per club, these are a serious financial investment. While the elite performance certainly justifies the cost for a dedicated player, they sit at the very top of the market’s price scale.
. Limited Sole Options in the 60-Degree: While the 56-degree is available in all three sole designs (NT, AG, and SP), the 60-degree lob wedge is only offered in the Aggressive (AG) and Sweeper (SP) grinds. If you are a player who relies on a strictly neutral sole in your highest loft, you will have to adapt to one of the other options.
The Final Verdict
Evaluating the custom 56 and 60-degree RR Forged models was a refreshing reminder of what true elite craftsmanship feels like. Whether I was digging my feet in to execute a crisp fairway bunker shot or actively working on shallowing out my downswing for a delicate pitch over a bunker, the club felt like a natural extension of my arms. The precision engineering directly translated into tighter dispersion and aggressive stopping power.
For any serious golfer looking to upgrade their scoring clubs, I give the Protoconcept RR Forged wedges two very enthusiastic thumbs up.
Visit Protoconcept Golf for more details.
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