Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 5 Wedges Review

Technology
PGA Tour players started testing Titleist’s new Vokey wedges last October – and in March they will become available to the public. The Spin Milled 5 (SM5) wedges feature new ‘TX3’ grooves, which the company suggests in the 46˚ to 54˚ models are deeper and narrower, as well as seven per cent larger in volume. It means the larger grooves can channel away more grass, sand and debris from non-fairway lies, while the groove edges can grip the ball more effectively from the rough, reducing the risk of ‘flyers’ when grass is trapped between clubface and ball. Titleist says most players will experience up to 500rpm of additional spin on full shots from the rough with the lower-lofted SM5 wedges. TX3 grooves in the 56º to 62º lofts maintain the same width as the previous wedges, but are deeper, with seven per cent more volume, for up to 400rpm more spin than the SM4s. “We received a lot of feedback from Tour players regarding ‘flyers’,” said Aaron Dill, who works on the Titleist Tour van, building and grinding wedges for PGA Tour players. They don’t want them. On Tour these guys have to aim to a lot of small targets. They need to trust their ball will travel the exact distance they need it to, even from a tough lie in the rough. The deep and narrow TX3 groove helps push the grass down better, which gives you that increased edge radius contact for more spin and consistent distance.” They are available in 21 different loft/bounce/grind combinations and six Tour-inspired sole grinds, appropriately slotted into low, mid and high bounce categories to fit all swing types, shot-making styles and short-game conditions. 

Looks
The new, brighter Tour Chrome has a dark blast face for better contrast and framing; Gold Nickel aids rust prevention and durability; Raw Black will rust during the course of play. Vokey’s popular personalisation and custom options have also been expanded. The six Tour-inspired sole grinds are derived from Vokey’s work with top players. The S grind, for example, has a full sole with a straight trailing edge and moderate heel relief. It was inspired by Steve Stricker, who likes to play his wedges in a square position with the shaft leaning away from the target. Jordan Spieth is one of more than 30 players who have already switched to the new wedges. He made his 2014 PGA Tour debut with two in the bag, finishing runner-up at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. “I’m looking for a lot of versatility. I’m looking to be able to hit it high, hit it low, hit shots that are going to spin back or drop and stop.”

TG Tester Reviews:

James Ridyard
The M grind has a nice camber on the sole with bounce two-thirds of the way back, making it quite versatile. A slightly softer and lighter wedge flex shaft gets the head kicking forwards. A package of feel, versatility and consistency makes the SM5 my wedge of choice.

Duncan Lennard
When you pick this wedge up, your hands feel directly connected to the clubface. That’s an instant confidence booster, enhanced by the neat, compact look, a responsive feel and flight consistency. Grind choice offers great customising options, but it’s important to choose the right one for your game.

www.vokey.com