BGT ZNE Wedge Shaft Review
Breakthrough Golf Technology (BGT) is expanding their product portfolio from only putter shafts and into other areas of your golf bag. Their new ZNE Wedge shaft line promises to provide more control and distance in the bottom half of your bag, which may or may not be something your golf game needs. However, if my experience with the BGT Brava driver and fairway wood shafts is any indication, the ZNE Wedge shafts will not disappoint.
Let’s take a closer look at one of the more unique offerings on the market today.
BGT ZNE Wedge Shaft Technology
When you think of your wedge game, chances are you’re not looking for extreme distance. After all, this is the part of your game that you want to be extremely predictable, especially from 120-yards and in.
However, you’ve also most likely experienced the occasional “flyer” or bladed wedge that travels much farther (or shorter) than your stock yardage. Consistency and quality of strike work hand-in-hand with your wedges, so installing a shaft that can increase either (or both) of those qualities is a benefit.
This is where the BGT ZNE Wedge shaft hopes to make the biggest difference in your game.
To do so, BGT implemented what they call the “Stiffness Stack” shat design, which is an extreme tapered shape that is much thicker toward the grip and mid-tier portions of the shaft, then gradually narrows toward the clubhead. The result, according to BGT, is a shaft that’s stiffest in the middle, optimizing kick point and launch conditions.
The BGT ZNE shaft is available in three weights — 90, 115, and 130 grams — and can be installed in any standard wedge on the market. BGT was careful to ensure that the player will benefit from the shaft’s features no matter which wedge brand you play.
Aesthetically, each shaft features a black ceramic dura-coated bottom tip that eliminates visual distraction from what is otherwise a very unique shaft. Admittedly, observing the raw shaft for the first time made me raise an eyebrow or two. There simply aren’t any wedge shafts on the market that look like the BGT ZNE.
So how do they perform?
Performance and Feel
Installing a BGT ZNE shaft is pretty standard in comparison to any other shaft as long as you have the right tools at home. Otherwise, it is highly recommended to have this done by a certified club builder. Having done many shaft installs myself, I was confident doing so in my workshop at home.
At first glance, the BGT ZNE wedge shaft does look a bit different at address due to the extreme taper shape. However, I wouldn’t call it distracting. The wedge still felt consistent in terms of weight and stiffness, so adjusting to this new look took no time at all.
At impact, the BGT ZNE shaft felt stout and controlled as you would expect a wedge shaft to feel. I definitely noticed more stiffness toward the grip and middle portions of the shaft, which emoted a somewhat “speedy” feel toward the clubhead. This was also true on half-swings and pitches.
In terms of metrics, I also noticed a slight increase in distance and launch on all wedge shots. For example, my stock 56-degree wedge carries roughly 100 yards on full swings. The BGT ZNE shaft bumped that up to a 105 average in carry distance along with a higher peak height on full swings.
Differences in spin rate were also observed as the RPMs increased slightly to coincide with the higher launch and distance. Players with faster swing speeds will need to account for this difference, especially when judging how their golf ball will react when landing on the putting surface.
The biggest highlight for me was how repeatable and consistent each shot turned out. Dispersion was very tight in all aspects (right-to-left and front-to-back), making the BGT ZNE a highly predictable and repeatable golf shaft. This is to be expected in your short game, of course, and this shaft delivers on that promise.
Overall impression
Assuming you can look past the unique design of the shaft, the BGT ZNE is a highly consistent option that feels great at impact and delivers on its marketing. This is absolutely a golf shaft you will need to be custom fit to, however, which might add to the overall cost of having one installed. Take the time (and money) to invest in your game if you are looking for more distance and higher launch in your wedges.
For more information on the BGT ZNE Wedge shafts, including current pricing and availability, visit the brand website here.
