Bob Vokey is the Master Craftsman at Titleist and is known for his signature Vokey wedges. I have been a competitive golfer for years, but I have never paid any attention to the grind of my wedges and only have looked at the loft when picking them out.
I had the pleasure of getting to work with Vokey himself and we went through the wedge-fitting process at the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, California.
I’ll admit that I was embarrassed by my lack of knowledge when it came to how certain wedge soles are ground and what they do. He assured me that I wasn’t alone and this was common among high-level players.
Vokey gave me one of three different 60-degree wedges, but wouldn’t tell me which one I was hitting. He was noting my feedback, facial expressions and divot patterns. Some grinds made the club dig more in the grass and some less, but the most important thing was what felt good to me.
We ended up settling with an S grind SM9 Vokey wedge and I holed out two balls in front of the master himself.
The S grind has a fairly straight sole, but a portion of the heel has been grinded out to make it easier to open up. The S grind is the most forgiving out of the three.
Vokey showed me the importance of getting properly fit for wedges. I never would have thought that the grind of a club could make such a difference, but it is important to find a wedge that fits your game.
