Vokey wedges have been the number one played wedge on the PGA Tour every year dating back to 2004. In many eyes, they are considered the gold standard of wedges. Their track record of producing a high-quality product that suits both the best players in the world, as well as the weekend warrior, is rather impressive. While it has not exactly been a secret, today, we mark the official release of the Vokey SM9 wedges.
Dating back with the SM6, we’ve seen Vokey work to move and manipulate the center of gravity (CG) location on their wedges. They have been at the forefront of utilizing a progressive center of gravity design, giving a lower CG to the lower lofts and raising the CG as the lofts get higher. Those innovations remain in place with the Vokey SM9 wedges, as does their forward CG design. Vokey discovered that pushing the center of gravity to the front of the wedge helps players square the clubface, resulting in better contact and more consistent results. With the way SM8 was received on tour, it’s not a shock to see that SM9 offers more refinement instead of being a complete overhaul.
“It sounds simple, but having the correct wedge and knowing when to use it has a direct impact on scoring performance,” says Bob Vokey. “The most important thing for golfers at every level is to know when and where to use the variety of wedges in their bag. That can be achieved by being properly fit based on swing and style of play, and understanding the roles for each.”
For the SM9, a new Spin Milled cutting process was engineered, allowing Vokey to tighten their tolerances, resulting in sharper grooves generating a more consistent spin. The groove design changes slightly throughout these wedges based on the loft and finish. Lower lofted wedges (46°-54°) are equipped with a narrower, more profound set of grooves, while the higher lofts (56°-62°) receive wider, shallower grooves. In between all those grooves are individually cut micro-grooves. These are present to help maximize spin on those partial shots that are so crucial to one’s success in any given round. Also, as part of this process, Vokey utilizes a proprietary heat treatment that helps increase the longevity of the grooves, thus making them the most durable groove in golf.
“It is important to fit your wedges to your swing type, style of play, and course conditions,” added Vokey. “That selection process should begin by determining the proper grind for the shots you hit most. The correct grind provides the best turf interaction, contact, and shot performance.”
With the importance of finding the perfect wedge for your game, Vokey continues to offer an impressive amount of loft, grind, and bounce options. For SM9, Titleist offers six Vokey Tour-Proven grind options, including F, S, M, K, L, and D. Below is a quick synopsis of each grind. Instead of just guessing, it is best to look at the wedge selector on the Vokey website or head to your local Titleist fitter to confirm your choice.
F Grind: Full sole grind designed for full swings and square-faced shots
S Grind: Full sole grind with trailing edge relief
M Grind: Built for versatility, features heel, toe, and trailing edge relief
K Grind: Widest sole of the bunch, great option out of the bunker
L Grind: Lowest bounce and narrowest sole, offers extreme versatility
D Grind: Similar to the M grind, only with more bounce
My fellow staff member, Dan Edwards, recently spent some time with the new SM9 wedges while visiting the THP Tech Studio. To hear his thoughts, check out the video posted below.
Vokey Wedges take pride in being what could be considered the most complete wedge lineup on the market. With those six different grinds and lofts ranging from 46° to 62°, there is bound to be an SM9 that would fit perfectly in everyone’s bag.
More information on the new SM9 wedges can be found at www.vokey.com.
The Details
Available: Pre-Order Feb. 17, 2022 and in stores March 11, 2022
Price: $179
Finishes: Multiple finish options
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S200
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 White
