50 Words or Less
The TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 Wedge, otherwise known as the MG4, continues to be one of the best wedges from a major OEM. More sole options than ever before. Strong, consistent spin, even in wet conditions.
Introduction
TaylorMade’s fall releases are all about building on their most successful franchises. While it’s not as high profile as the P790 irons [review HERE], that certainly includes the Milled Grind wedges. Now in their fourth iteration, these wedges have consistently been some of the best from the big OEMs, and each version has added something new. Let’s dig in to find out what the TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 brings to the table.
Looks
In the bag, the TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 wedges looks very similar to the MG3 [review HERE]. There’s not a thing wrong with that, because that wedge was ultra sleek and looked great in the bag. The small changes for the MG4 are the paint fill (now an attractive dark green) and the movement of “Milled Grind” to the toe. There is also a subtle change to the shaping of the back. The wedge’s milled sole is still a visual trademark.
The shape of the TaylorMade MG4 wedges changes as you move through the lofts. At the lower lofts, the full-sized face hits a middle ground between round and teardrop. TaylorMade notes that there is an “increased belly” to the leading edge, but it’s still fairly straight. As the lofts get higher, the face becomes taller in the heel. This expands the hitting surface and gives the face a boxier shape.
If you want to make your wedge one of a kind, TaylorMade offers the MyMG4 program. Finishes include black, chrome, aged copper, and raw (Tour Satin Chrome is the only stock finish). You can also engrave one of fifty logos, your initials, or a seven-character phrase. Finally, there are fifteen different paint fill options. MyMG4 customization adds $50 to the cost of the wedge.
Sound & Feel
Starting with the MG2 [review HERE], the TaylorMade Milled Grind wedges have featured a raw face. This is done primarily to increase spin, but the lack of finish also helps to soften the feel of the 8620 carbon steel.
On center, the TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 wedges feel soft with a crisp “thud.” It’s not “melted butter,” but it’s satisfying and clearly communicates that you hit a quality shot.
Mishits deliver a firmer feel through the hands, but it’s not a stark difference. On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being pillow-soft, pure might be a 7.5 and off-center is closer to 5. The sound of mishits is also a little more snappy, but it’s never ugly. This club provides clear feedback to the user, but no one else will know the quality of your strike.
Performance
If you’ve followed the TaylorMade Milled Grind wedges since their inception [OG Milled Grind review HERE], you know that every iteration adds something new while retaining the best of the older models. For MG4, that starts with the namesake feature, the milled sole. TaylorMade mills the sole of each wedge to maximize consistency from club to club. This eliminates the concern that some golfers have when replacing their wedges – that the new one won’t feel the same in the turf.
From the MG2, the TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 wedges get the raw face. This unplated section will rust over time to preserve consistent spin. TaylorMade also states that the raw face provides better performance in wet conditions.
Check out the new TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 wedges HERE
The new things that TaylorMade has brought to the MG4 wedge are Spin Tread Technology, Progressive Toe Pad, and an expansion of sole offerings. Spin Tread Technology is TM’s name for the laser etching between the grooves. We’ve seen similar tech in other wedges, and the goal is the same here: to preserve spin in wet conditions. I tested this, spraying both the ball and wedge with water before hitting shots, and found the tech to be very effective. The loss of spin in wet conditions was insignificant.
Another change in the Milled Grind 4 wedges is the higher CG, dubbed Progressive Toe Pad by TaylorMade. This continues the trend we’ve seen industry-wide of OEMs moving the CG of their wedges higher and higher. The purpose of this change is giving the player a lower, more consistent ball flight with higher spin. In my testing, I saw high spin that was extremely consistent. On a series of good strikes, the spin only moved a few hundred RPM up or down. Similarly, the launch angle was predictable even from pure to slightly thin strikes.
Finally, the number of sole options in the TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 wedge is much larger than with any previous MG wedge. The MG4 wedges comes in lofts ranging from 46 to 60 degrees, and every loft has a Standard Bounce sole with between 9 and 12 degrees of bounce. There is also a Standard Bounce C-Grind at 58 and 60 degrees. TaylorMade has two low bounce offerings – Low Bounce and Low Bounce V-Grind – offered at 56, 58, and 60 degrees and 58 and 60 degrees, respectively.
Appropriately, there are two high bounce options, too – High Bounce and High Bounce W-Grind. The High Bounce, often used by Rory McIlroy, is available from 54 to 60 degrees. The W-Grind is limited to 58 and 60 degrees. Finally, the Tiger Woods Grind is offered at 56 and 60 degrees, just like the GOAT plays. The 56 is a “dual sole with heavy heel relief” and the 60 has “extremely high bounce on the leading edge with a shaved heel.”
For this review, I tested the Standard Bounce at 50 and 54 degrees and the Tiger Woods Grind at 60 degrees. As a standard golfer who plays standard courses, I found that the Standard Bounce worked well in almost any situation. It was excellent on full shots and chips and offered the ability to open the face a bit on pitches.
I had the most fun with the Tiger Woods Grind 60 degree. The “shaved heel” let me open the face and set my hands low while the high bounce leading edge gave me the freedom to swing aggressively without fear of digging. Did Tiger’s wedge make my short game GOATed? Of course not, but I had a great time swinging it.
Conclusion
TaylorMade’s Milled Grind wedges continue to improve and demand the attention of golfers. With the expanded range of sole options in Milled Grind 4, there’s no excuse not to give these a try. From the aesthetics to the feel to the performance, they’re on par with the game’s best.
Visit TaylorMade Golf HERE
TaylorMade Milled Grind 4 Wedge Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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7 Comments
Solid review Matt! I got a set of MG3 and love ‘em. I can make a ball mark with shots inside 30 yards now.
I am looking for a new 54 degree sand wedge and will check this one out. Generally speaking, how much does shaft affect wedge feel and performance? Do you put the same premium on wedge shaft that you do on iron shafts? I noticed your wedge shafts matched your iron shafts in your WITB. Thanks
George,
Great questions. Yes, I put a big premium on the shaft with the wedges, just like with the irons. There are a lot of different philosophies regarding wedge shaft: people argue for heavier, lighter, or the same weight as your iron shafts. Same with softer, stiff, or the same flex. I play the same shafts – weight and flex – in my wedges and irons because I like the consistency of feel.
Best,
Matt
I am looking to update my ~54/60 wedges and on the fence between the Mizuno S 23 Copper Cobalt’s and a MG4 54 and Hi Toe 60. Feel and forgiveness being paramount priorities, would you rate the MG4’s as being close or even equal to the S23’s for feel and forgiveness?
I’m currently gaming a Mizuno 923 Forged iron set, with Taylor made Stealth 1,3 X.
Thanks!
Karl,
I have a full review of the S23 wedges here: https://pluggedingolf.com/mizuno-s23-wedge-review/
-Matt
Matt,
2 questions. First, for a golfer who has an early release/ gets a little flippy and tends to have their low point right at the ball or behind the ball an inch or 2, does a slightly thinner sole with medium bounce like a Vokey S grind 10 degrees of bounce tend to work better than a F grind with a full sole and 14 degrees of bounce.
I personally feel the full soles like the F and K grinds bounce into the ball when I try them, but I am always told that a thinner sole and medium to lower bounce is only for better ball strikers?
Second, for a golfer who has a quick, very aggressive transition and an early release/ gets a little flippy and tends to have their low point right at the ball or behind the ball an inch or 2. In general, for this type of swing, a shaft with a higher bend point near the grip and a stiff tip section tends to be better correct?
Thank you Matt and I love your website and reviews!! You guys do an excellent job in your reviews!!
~ Joe
Joe,
Thank you.
There are not many rules I subscribe to or promote, and you’ve just illustrated why that is. On paper, someone who hits behind the ball should use more bounce, but but you’ve found that doesn’t work as well for your swing. Especially with wedge fitting still in its infancy, my best advice is always to go to a quality club fitter and try a lot of things. Don’t worry about what is supposed to work, just go with what actually produces results.
Best,
Matt