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The Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges offer a wide array of grinds to fit almost any swing. Tons of spin and great feel.
Introduction
Very few club makers are well known by the golfing public. Bob Vokey is an exception. As the driving force behind Titleist’s short game tools, his name has been synonymous with wedges for years. This spring, Titleist released the latest line of Vokey wedges, the Spin Milled 7.
Looks
When I looked at my set of Vokey wedges, I was struck by how much the shape changes as the loft increases. In the picture above you see the 50 degree wedge, which has a straight leading edge and a more square toe. As the loft increases, the leading edge becomes more rounded as does the toe. This design allows you to open the face without the alignment looking askew.
Titleist is offering the Vokey SM7 in three finishes: Tour Chrome (shiny silver, first picture), Brushed Steel (dark grey, above), and Jet Black (a raw finish that will rust over time).
Sound & Feel
One of the cliches around golf equipment is, “Sound is feel.” Typically I find that to be true, but I had a different experience with the Vokey SM7 wedges.
When using a premium ball, the SM7 creates an impact sound that’s slightly louder than other wedges. It’s a crisp sound that’s just short of being “clicky.”
Usually, this louder sound would be associated with a firmer feel, but on centered strikes I got almost no feel from the SM7 at all. It was almost as if I was hitting a loaf of bread – there was no vibration or rattle, just the sense that the club had run into something. To be clear, I love the feel, it’s just very hard to describe because it defies the usual hard/soft conventions.
Grind Options
The key to getting the most from your SM7 wedges is getting the right grind on each wedge. Titleist offers six sole grinds, three with full soles (F, S, and K) and three with signficant heel and toe relief (M, D, L).
The F Grind is a full sole designed for full swings. It’s the most prominent in the SM7 line – it’s the only grind available in lofts from 46 to 52. It’s also available in 54 and 56, and, interestingly, is the most played sand wedge on the PGA Tour.
Vokey’s S Grind, inspired by Steve Stricker, is a full sole with trailing edge relief available from 54-60 degrees. The final full-sole wedge is the K Grind, available in 58 and 60. It has the most bounce and is described as “the ultimate bunker club.”
The M Grind is the most popular of the “crescent sole” grinds: it is the only choice at 62 degrees, and is also available from 54-60. It offers the ability to open and close the face through relief in the heel and toe.
The D Grind is very similar to the M, but with higher bounce. The L Grind has the narrowest sole and the most versatility but is also the most demanding. Both of these wedges are available only in 58 and 60 degrees.
Performance
With the wide variety of soles available, getting fit for the right grinds is key. I worked with Nick Sherburne at Club Champion to select the right grinds, lofts, and shafts for my swing. For the 50 degree gap wedge, the only choice – the F Grind – also made the most sense because it’s almost exclusively a full-swing club. My 60 degree wedge is the one I use the most, and it’s the one I need the most versatility from. Nick recommended the D Grind to protect against my more common miss (fat shots) while still giving me shot-making options. In the middle, we took a 54 degree M Grind and bent it to 55 degrees to add a little more bounce. We paired each wedge with the KBS C-Taper Lite shafts that I have used successfully in the past.
I was very eager to get these wedges to the course to see how they performed. They did not disappoint. The D Grind 60 degree was an instant favorite because of the way it allowed me to hit a variety of shots while still creating good turf interaction. You know that a club is a good fit when it enhances both your best and worst swings, and that’s certainly the case with these wedges.
When I took the wedges to the launch monitor, I was able to see the benefits of the Spin Milled Grooves. By a small margin, the SM7 is the new king of spin, posting impressive numbers on pitches, half shots, and full swings.
Progressive CG is a feature that more wedges are incorporating because it makes a big difference in ball flight and consistency. In short, the CG is placed higher on the more lofted wedges and lower on the less lofted ones. You can see this in the picture above – the 60 degree wedge is thicker near the top of the blade. This creates more consistent, predictable ball flight and yardage gaps throughout the set. I saw this in the form of consistent peak height on the launch monitor and consistent distance control on the course.
Conclusion
It’s been a while since I’ve had Titleist clubs in my bag, but the Vokey SM7 wedges will have a home there for 2018. The combination of high spin, consistent ball flight, and perfectly fit sole grinds are going to be hard for another wedge to beat.
Titleist Vokey SM7 Wedge Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
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Excellent review. Great looking wedges. Could you do a summary soon of what’s in your bag. It looks like you have made some great selections. With these and the Miura irons. Thanks
Jim,
My WITB is now up to date: https://pluggedingolf.com/about/matt-saternus/matts-whats-in-the-bag
-Matt
I won a drawing for a Titleist Wedge and Ball Fitting, which included 3 Titleist Wedges. Nice prize … and there was more. But let’s get to the SM7s. Wonderful. Never thought about bagging a Vokey Wedge, at least for over 10 yrs. Was fitted into 50-08, 55-9 (56-10 S grind bent to 55), and 60-08 M grind. I have a Nippon Pro Modus 3 125 shaft in all three. Feel is soft, yet with a solid thud – I know, thud doesn’t sound great, but it’s tough to describe – it’s pleasing, the soft solidity. I enjoy using the 50-08 – even opened it up a bit on the fairway for a 3/4 approach with great results. The 56-10 (55-9 for me) is an F with a tiny bit of trailing edge relief – not the most versatile wedge – I only open it slightly, if at all. But it performs out of the bunker. The 60-08 M Grind is versatile – I play in tight conditions and come in neutral – not much divot. It can do everything, although the D grind is easier out of the sand. I later picked up a D grind for very soft conditions, and who knows, I may get more aggressive with my divot. The balance on these clubs is marvelous – just the right overall weight and swingweight. I say, “Get fit and choose your weapons wisely.”
Hi Matt
From what you wrote about the Edel wedges I thought you would have just replaced them. I have had an an Edel fitting but hesitated on the price (and I got on with higher lofts much more than lower). Have you seen any particular advantages from the Vokey’s over the Edels?
Thanks
Ben,
The Edels are great, they’re just worn out after 2 full seasons of play. The Vokeys spin more, but beyond that it’s just preference. I could very happily game Edels again, this was just a change of pace.
Best,
Matt
My SM6 60-08 M Grind needs replacing after 2 seasons of wear. I’ve known and played the M Grind for about 4 years now with a lot of success, but now wondering if the D Grind is a better option. I use my 60 for everything inside 70Y and never a full swing (I’d rather play 80Y+ at a 75% SW with a lower trajectory). Which shots do you find the D Grind benefited you more than the M Grind? Does the added bounce effect the ability to get the leading edge tight to the turf when opening the face?
I thought I could order the M Grind with confidence since it’s what I’m familiar with and prefer the shape, but now the new bounce has added a twist and has me confused.
Adam,
It’s noticeable that there’s more bounce on the 60* D-Grind, but both are versatile. If you dig a lot with the M, the D could be worth a try.
Best,
Matt
Matt, hi, I have just been fit for the KBC C-Taper lite X-stiff in my irons, was wondering how the Vokeys have worked in these shafts, this is a combination I’m keen to look at, would welcome your thoughts.
Matt, good morning, I have just been fit into the C-Taper Lite X stiff at 115g in my irons, I was keen to hear how you have found these shafts in your Vokeys? Thanks for your thoughts.
Matt,
I’m very happy with the C-Taper Lite in my wedges. I put a big premium on matching my iron shafts to my wedges shafts, and I’ve been happy with the consistent feel and flight.
Best,
Matt
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Hey guys,
First of all, great article. I’ve been playing vokeys in progression for the past 4 years. I found all of the info to be spot-on from the feel of the wedges to the grind talk. I had the black sm6’s (52,56,60)and absolutely loved them! Got fitted into the new sm7’s (also black) and find the look of the club from address to be fairly “tiny” in comparison to the SM6 line. Mainly in the lesser lofted wedges 50,52,54. Though the new intro of the “D” grind has made bunker shots like butter… I find full shots with the lower lofts and much smaller look to throw me off a little and are more difficult for some reason. Anyone else notice this or just me? Thought about getting all of them at 2 degrees higher loft and having them bent down to maybe get the benefit of the slightly larger face with the lower loft… But unsure if this would actually solve the issue. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as I do not feel like spending all that $ and no help. Thanks all… And keep up the posts… Great work and you help us all!
Brandon,
That’s an interesting concept, but you’ll need to take into the effect that the bend will have on the sole and bounce.
Best,
Matt
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