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5 things you need to know about Titleist’s new Vokey SM7 wedges

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We first spotted Titleist’s new Vokey SM7 wedges on Tour all the way back in October, and many of the big name Titleist staffers have already made the switch (Titleist reports that over 100 Tour pros are currently using the SM7 wedges). For many pros actually, they switched so long ago that it’s now a distant memory.

That being said, since October, the public has been in the dark about technology, the new designs, the new “D-grind,” release dates and pricing. The wait is over, as Titleist has finally announced the launch of its new SM7 wedges.

Read below for the 5 major things you need to know about Titleist’s new SM7 wedges, and see what GolfWRX members are saying about them in our forums.

The CG shift continues

A 46-degree F grind: SM6 (left) vs. SM7

With its Bob-Vokey-designed SM6 wedges, Titleist introduced a progressive center of gravity (CG) design throughout the set, which was visible by the curvature on the back cavity of the wedges. That meant in the lower-lofted wedges, CG was lower in the club head to increase ball speed and produce a more iron-like ball flight, while the CG in the higher-lofted wedges was placed higher in the club head in order to increase spin and lower ball flight, providing greater control around the greens. These CG locations were also meant to be placed in the area that golfers struck at impact — a bit lower on the club head in the lower lofts, and higher on the higher lofts — for a better feel.

Titleist says it didn’t go far enough with the CG shift, however. So with the new SM7 wedges, CG is even higher in the high-lofted wedges, and even lower in the low-lofted wedges. That will mean more spin with the sand and lob wedges compared to the SM6 wedges, and more ball speed with the pitching and gap wedges.

More spin… in some

With the new SM7 wedges, Titleist is reporting up to a 100 rpm increase in spin due to tighter tolerances with its Spin Milled machining process… but only with the plated wedges (Tour Chrome and Brushed Steel), as opposed to the Jet Black raw wedge. The new black finish has gotten even blacker with black paint fills and graphics, but the grooves in the black wedges do not utilize the spin-increasing, groove-cutting process.

Like Vokey wedges of the past, a proprietary heat treatment is applied to each of the wedges to increase durability and spin throughout the lifetime of the wedge.

The new D-grind

Along with the familiar F, S, M, K and L grinds, Titleist has a new D-grind in its SM7 line. Titleist says the “D” relates to the nomenclature of the “TVD” grinds of the past. More specifically, Titleist says this grind is a mix between the grinds of its previous TVD-M wedge and the SM4 58-12 wedge.

The D-grind has a high measured bounce, but also has a crescent-shaped grind to offer the player greater versatility (open-faced shots, different shots around the green, etc.). Think of the D-grind as a hybrid between the high-bounce K grind and the versatile M Grind — you get the benefits of higher bounce, with the versatility of a crescent-shaped sole.

Titleist says the D-grind was modeled after the most popular custom grind that Aaron Dill (Titleist’s PGA Tour rep and wedge maker) would grind for his Tour players each week. Now, it’s a stock option for the consumer in the 58 and 60 degree options.

Fitting expansion

What’s the point of having a bunch of grinds and bounce options if you don’t get fit, or at least try them out first before you buy?

Titleist has long stressed the importance of fitting for the serious golfer, and it says the short game is an area that can see rapid improvement in a short time. As such, the company is expanding fitting availabilities for consumers as part of the SM7 wedge launch.

In 2018, Titleist’s Vokey Scoring Kit — which includes 13 different wedges with different grinds and a shag bag full of Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls — will be available at over 1400 facilities. The company will also be running over 5,000 events, with access to a trained Titleist fitter, so golfers can get dialed in with the correct wedges. Lookout for events and “Titleist Thursdays” near you to get fit for Vokey SM7 wedges.

Pros are switching in droves

Titleist staffers Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Bill Haas, Webb Simpson, Brian Harman and Andrew “Beef” Johnston have already switched into the SM7 wedges. If you want to know what specific wedges they each switched into, with thoughts from Aaron Dill about why each of them switched, click here.

Also Patton Kizzire recently won the 2018 Sony Open using three SM7 wedges. Click here for his specs.

Release Date and Pricing

Titleist’s new SM7 wedges, available in three different finishes and in 23 different loft-grind-bounce options, will hit stores on March 9, selling for $149 each. They can also be customized for specs and personalization on the Vokey website.

Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about the wedges in our forums

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He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Don

    Jan 22, 2018 at 8:42 pm

    My first shank rating. Not that these wedges aren’t gorgeous and spin like crazy around the green, but enough already with the money grabs. All the marketing speak for the SM6s is regurgitated with the SM7s ‘but better!’ and yet the data tells a different story.

    I got fitted this summer for the SM6s and the Cleveland RTX-3s. Wound up buying the Clevelands due to more consistent full swing outcomes. The SM6s were harder to hit straight and the distances varied more depending on where you hit it on the face. They were incredibly hi-spin around the greens (skip-skip-stop) though, and I’m thinking of getting a 58 degree SM6 now that the price has dropped to $119 but no way I’d buy an SM7 at new wedge prices. Those days of buying the newest offering ‘just because’ are over.

    • Ollie

      Jan 23, 2018 at 10:11 am

      +1
      WIMB
      Ping G400 LST 10 deg (set at 9.4) Tour 65X
      Titleist 917 f2 16.5 deg (set at 15.75) Diamana Ltd White 80X
      Calloway Apex Hybrid 19 deg Kuro Kage Black Stiff
      Titleist 718 T-MB #4 Project X PXi 6.0
      Titleist 718 CB 5-PW DG S300
      Titleist SM6 50.12F, 56.08M, and 60.08M S200 FOR NOW
      33″Odyssey White Hot Rx #1Putter OR 35″ Scotty Cameron Del Mar Limited Edition Buttonback Putter
      Bridgestone B330S

  2. ParGuy

    Jan 22, 2018 at 4:26 pm

    Can I get a couple of these wedges in zinc die-cast…. for $50 each?

  3. Kevin Sparby

    Jan 22, 2018 at 2:54 pm

    All I got from this is that SM6 wedges will be marked down for clearance now! WOO HOO! Daddy’s gettin’ new wedges!

  4. Cornwall1888

    Jan 22, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    100rpm increase in spin? Wedges spin at over 10,000 so this is a less than 1% increase

    I don’t think there is much more they can do with wedges ‘technology’ wise

    If you need new wedges fine but if not they are basically sm6 with a different look

    • ParGuy

      Jan 22, 2018 at 4:28 pm

      How about a hollow wedge filled with elasomer jello that will muffle my miss-hits?!! 😛

  5. Kurt

    Jan 22, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    These are the ultimate wedges and I intend to buy every one of them for my WITB show and tell bragging rights. :-p

  6. vern urich

    Jan 22, 2018 at 1:18 pm

    CAN NOT WAIT!!!

  7. Brian

    Jan 22, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    $150 for cast wedges. That’s all I needed to see.

    • Stephen Finley

      Jan 23, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      Had no idea they were cast. Are they really?

  8. Josh

    Jan 22, 2018 at 11:42 am

    Typo alert: “Aarol Dill”??

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Equipment

Cobra launches new limited-edition Darkspeed ‘season opener’ driver

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Cobra Golf has today introduced a new limited-edition Darkspeed season opener driver in celebration of golf’s first major.

The new Darkspeed season opener limited edition driver combines a unique colorway with azaleas on the sole and Augusta green highlights for a festive, spring feel.

The driver comes paired with a matching limited edition head cover and a Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black shaft in choice of X, S, or R flex and 9- and 10.5-degree loft options.

The Cobra Darkspeed season opener driver is available in X and LS models and retails for $649. It is available now on cobragolf.com.

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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/29/24): Mint Miura MB 101 irons

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a set of Mint Miura MB 101 irons.

From the seller: (@Citixen): “MINT Miura MB 101 5-PW KBS $1700 + Shipping. Miura MB 101 irons 5-PW with KBS C-Taper Lite X Stiff shafts +0.5″, Standard Loft and Lie. Mint condition, includes magnetic head-covers.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Mint Miura MB 101 irons

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Whats in the Bag

Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX

3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX

Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.

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