Throughout the past decade or two, Vokey Wedges have been a staple in the game of golf. Mainly because their dedication to quality and research is second to none.
I am a PGA Professional, and have been for the last 8 years. I’ve tried and used a number of different brands throughout my career, yet still always find myself keeping the Vokey Wedge by Titleist in my bag.
With advancements in technology, and constant research, I firmly believe that Titleist has made their best wedge set yet with the SM8. Between all the variations in grinds, bounces, lofts, and other options, they have thought of everything.
If you’ve played golf somewhat seriously, you’ve definitely heard of going to get fit for a set of irons or your woods, but very rarely do you hear of getting fit for a wedge set or a putter. I think the fitting community should change the norm and advertise getting fit more for putters and wedges, rather than irons and woods, because golfers use these scoring clubs more often, and it’s the fastest way to drop your scores. My fitter was incredibly knowledgeable on the short game, the Titleist wedge, and combining the customizable options to better suit, not only my game, but the course conditions I usually play on, too.
Are you a “Digger” or a “Picker”?
I consider myself a bit of a “digger” when it comes to my wedge play. I’ve been trying to get away from it, and become more of a “picker,” however, sometimes under pressure, my chest stops moving a little bit which causes the club to dig into the ground, creating more ground disturbance and steeper divots than recommended. So, during my fitting, I was told that more bounce throughout my wedge set will help eliminate those steep divots automatically. Now, I still believe I need to fix this flaw, but having a wedge that will help me eliminate the big divot is a huge help. The different grind options will cater to your swing type, as well as the type of conditions you play on.
Technology Behind the SM8
Without getting too scientific or mechanical, Titleist has made some changes to their wedges in a number of ways. They added a little tungsten in the head for better feel, moved the CoG (Center of Gravity) higher and away from the face which will help square up the club face easier through impact (increasing control), which is also aided by the longer hosel in the higher lofted wedges.
Their different grinds are meant for all the different types of wedge shots that are played. From open face greenside shots, to full swings, in addition to your style of divot (Digger or Picker) and the conditions of the courses you usually play on, a set of Vokeys can be fully customized based on all this information.
THE GRINDS
M Grind is meant for the shot makers around the greens. So, if you have a gifted set of hands, or just like to play those open-faced, “crowd pleasing” shots, this grind will suit your game the best.
D Grind is meant more for a player like myself that tends to dig a little more than others, and paired with a higher bounce, will almost eliminate the feeling of the wedge getting stuck in the ground at impact.
F Grind is meant for versatility – more ideal for square faced, full swings and is the most used grind across all tours.
K Grind has the highest bounce available and fullest sole that they offer. Ideal for diggers and those that like to use the highest loft out of the bunkers.
RESULTS
50 Degree Wedge
54 Degree Wedge
58 Degree Wedge
CONCLUSION
Finally, I went from a 52 – 56 – 60 degree SM7 set to a 50 – 54 – 58 degree SM8 set because my pitching wedge in my current set is 46 degrees and I really don’t need a 60 degree. I mostly play on soft conditions in South Florida, and I tend to dig at the ball, so I was fitted for the F Grind in my 50 & 54, and the K Grind in my 58 degree.
I’ve noticed a huge difference around the greens, gained more control on the mid-range pitch shots, and have so much of a cleaner divot than I used to, which allows me to control the spin on shots that need more of a full swing.
My “Full Swing” yardages were 52 degree – 119 yards / 56 degree – 109 yards / 60 degree – 92 yards. Now, since my pitching wedge normally flies around 148-150 yards, that was a huge gap that needed to be closed. My 50 degree now is around 127 yards, 54 degree – 115 yards, and my 58 – 104 yards. As suggested with all new clubs and setups, I’m going to need to work on the inside 100 yard shots to get my distances down, however, having the confidence to step up from inside 125 with a Vokey in my hand, instead of taking something off my 46 degree pitching wedge, will definitely translate to more flag hunting in the often-talked-about scoring area.
MICHAEL MIDGETTE
Guest Writer
Mike is a PGA Member, Assistant Professional at Hempstead Country Club on Long Island, teaches the game regularly, and competes in tournaments at the National Level. He plays around 175 rounds a year, and practices 4-5 times a week. He has 11 victories at the Professional level since turning pro in 2012 and his scoring average the last 3 years is 70.13.
