Hopkins CJ-1 Wedge Review [June 2023]

Hopkins Wedge

  • Many custom grind options 
  • Full sole design
  • Made of 8620 carbon steel
  • Milled face pattern

If you are searching for a Golf wedge with excellent features within a tight budget limit, you should go through this article thoroughly. This article will quench the thirst of your discovery for a value for money Golf wedge. So, let’s dive in and read it attentively to know about the Hopkins CJ-1 Wedge Review.

There are many Golf companies out there in the market selling Golf equipment like clubs, balls, tees, etc. There are some big names as well as some new names. Well, today we are going to discuss a Golf company that produces Golf wedges with better features. Greg Hopkins, the founder of the company, creates Golf wedges with a vision. His vision is to bring the customization of the Pro players into the new and regular players.

Every Golfer requires to improve their scores as well as their skill. Greg Hopkins thought about the needs of the Golfer and decided to manufacture a club based on customer requirements. The most exciting part is that, unlike other big Golf companies, they have cut down a few middlemen and started to deliver the Hopkins wedge directly from the factory to the doorstep. For this reason, the price range reduces, and a player could expect a high-quality wedge at a lower price than those of the big branded wedges at an increased price. 


Hopkins CJ-1 Wedge Review: First Impressions

Hopkins CJ-1 Wedge Review

Hopkins Wedge Specifications
Loft56°
ColorSatin Chrome
Hand OrientationRight
Shaft MaterialAlloy Steel
Item Weight2 pounds

Reasons To Buy

  • Fantastic spin
  • Impressive feel
  • Great control around the greens
  • Reasonable Price

Reasons To Avoid

  • Smudged paint and ferrule

Hopkins CJ-1 Satin Chrome Wedge: Detailed Specifications

Design

Hopkins wedges review enlightened us about the features that includes, the whole sole that is even the standard sole design. This entire sole of the CJ-1 Wedge provides an effective medium bounce on the square shots. In addition to that, high bounce is found on the open face shots. The CJ-1 is best played in regular and soft turf conditions. While playing full shots, square-faced chips, and standard bunker shots, the sole of the Hopkins wedge is the most productive. 

The CJ-1 wedge is constructed with many grooves. The grooves help to achieve the ultimate USGA dimensions for getting the extreme attainable spin. Moreover, the milled face of the CJ-1 wedge generates surface roughness up to a maximum limit for extra spin. 

Grinds

Pro players who play in the tournaments use custom grinds on the soles of their wedges to upgrade playability. A standard grind may not be optimal for you in some courses. You can use a custom grind to get advantages from your game there. 

The heel grind eliminates a lot of material from the heel part of the sole. As a result, bounce on square face shots is maximized. On the other hand, whenever the face of the wedge is unlocked, it helps to minimize bounce. Thus, real versatility is achieved in a single club. You should open the face for tighter lies and square it up for the soft conditions. 

Shaft

The shaft of the CJ-1 wedge is manufactured with Alloy Steel. It is 130 grams in weight. Further, the On The Money shaft of the CJ-1 wedge has a low and mid trajectory launch. This shaft is organized to give a penetrating ball flight for good control with a marginally active tip. This results in an elegant feel and utmost spin. Besides offering the On The Money shaft, the CJ-1 wedge comes in True Temper, Project X, KBS, and Nippon. 

A Golfer has the option to choose different Lamkin grips. Even he could prefer ferrules with other kinds. Moreover, the length, lie, and loft could also be altered. 

Loft

The CJ-1 wedge comes in a variety of loft angles. These are 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 64 degrees. Nevertheless, we have reviewed the 56 degrees loft angle for this wedge. 

Look / Feel

The CJ-1 wedge is good to play with for right-handed players. Previously, there were two finishes available for each loft. These are Tour Raw and Black Satin. But with the advancement of the Hopkins company, they have launched a new look of the wedge that is Satin Chrome. The wedge became widely popular among Golfers soon after the launch. All of the Hopkins golf wedges are constructed with 8620 carbon steel for a great feel and rusting purpose. The new Chrome finish gives excellent beauty and durability and is arguably the most popular finish of all time.  

Performance

The Hopkins wedges are exclusively produced with tour-caliber custom grinds to provide outstanding versatility on the Golf course. Each of the Hopkins wedges is designed with specific shapes, lofts, and grinds for a marvelous performance on the course. Moreover, the custom grinds give diverse playability on the course differently on each Hopkins golf wedge. CJ-1 wedge consists of a softer 8620 carbon steel that offers a comfortable feel with great control around the greens. 


Final Verdict​

If you are looking to hit shots from firm bunkers and tight lies, then you should go with the 60 degrees loft with a heel or toe grind of the CJ-1 wedge. The wedge slides through the firm bunkers with great ease. This results in a more excellent spin of the ball coming from the bunker. To get the leading edge under the ball is quite simple with this wedge. 

Hopkins wedges are built with custom personalization with the inclusion of engraving, stamping, and custom colors. A player has the option to choose any engraving they want. 

With the excellent price and limitless customization, you will get what you look for at Hopkins Golf. 

All in all, the Hopkins golf wedges feel incredibly durable, heavy, and most importantly long-lasting. The grips are fabulous, and the bounce angle of the wedge is great for achieving reasonable distance. Last but not least, the first shot on the course with the new Hopkins wedge will be curiously better. 


Frequently Asked Questions​

1. How does the Hopkins Wedge help to achieve the extra spin? 

The CJ-1 wedge is constructed with many tiny grooves. The grooves help to attain the maximum USGA dimensions for getting the highest achievable spin. Moreover, the milled face of the CJ-1 wedge generates surface roughness up to a maximum limit that generally helps to create more spin. 

2. Grinds sound good for the sole of the wedge, but what is bounce?

The trailing edge of the sole is generally lower than the leading edge on most of the wedges. As far as the bounce is concerned, that is an angle between the leading edge of any wedge and the lowest point on the trailing edge of the sole.

3. What is the strategy for the angle of attack into the Golf ball?

Identifying the angle of attack has a vast impact when you are deciding which wedge bounce and grinds you should prefer while playing to better your playability. It would help if you continually keep some things in mind. Are you steep into the ball, taking a big divot and digging into the ground? On the other hand, do you hardly take a divot and later sweep into the ball? If you take a deep and dinner-plate-sized divot, you are a digger. Try to play with a high bounce wedge. If you tend to brush the turf rather than send a divot flying forward, then you are a sweeper. Try to play with a low bounce wedge. And if you fall in the middle of these two categories, meaning the divots are not that heavy and not that much light, you are neutral. Try to play with the medium bounce wedge.

Nasim Ahmad
Nasim Ahmad

About the author

Nasim Ahmad is a content writer at AWL Golf, where he covers writing reviews on several types of Golf equipment. He believes that playing sports keeps a person healthy and stress-free. That's why Nasim is keenly passionate about playing various sports, such as Golf and Soccer. He is a weekend Golfer and regularly plays soccer. Nevertheless, he always encourages others to play any game that helps them stay fit and engage in social activities with people. Interestingly, he is an avid reader and loves reading various novels enthusiastically. Being a passionate lover of books, he turned himself into a devoted blog writer. When not writing, he loves traveling, trying different cuisines, and collecting banknotes from foreign countries.