Equipment
Vokey adds SM5 raw wedges to WedgeWorks
Titleist has expanded its Vokey SM5 wedge line with the addition of a new raw finish, which is a favorite of many PGA Tour players.
[quote_box_center]“Raw means there is no additional finish applied to the wedge, which is made of 8620 carbon steel,” said Bob Vokey, the company’s master wedge craftsman. “It has what I like to call a satin appearance that will start to rust after some use.”[/quote_box_center]
The raw-finished wedges were only available through the Titleist Tour Van or the Vokey Tour Department in the past, but they’re now available to the masses for purchase through the company’s WedgeWorks program on Vokey.com for $180 and up, depending on custom options.
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- Photo Courtesy of Titleist
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- Photo Courtesy of Titleist
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- Photo Courtesy of Titleist
Raw wedge heads are used on the PGA Tour to give club makers the ability to customize the sole, shape and weight of the club to a specific player’s needs, but they’re also preferred by players because of their look and feel. Because there is no finish on the clubs, they will rust over time, creating a unique, glare-free look.
Jordan Spieth uses four raw SM5 wedges. 46F, 52F, 56S and 60L.
[quote_box_center]”Some players like it even more as it rusts, kind of like a trusty hammer or another tool,” Vokey said.[/quote_box_center]
The raw SM5 wedges are offered in four lofts (54, 56, 58 and 60) and three of Vokey’s most popular sole grinds (S, M and K) creating 10 different configurations. Through WedgeWorks, golfers can also customize the wedges with personal stampings and up to six characters, as well as one of 12 paintfill options. A selection of custom grips, shafts, shaft bands and ferrules are also available.
Like Vokey’s retail SM5 wedges, which are offered in three finishes (Tour Chrome, Gold Nickel and Raw Black), the SM5 raw wedges have the company’s Spin Milled TX3 grooves.
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- Jason Day what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: TPT Driver 15 Lo
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 80 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 80 X
Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (3, 4), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X Seven
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-10S, 60-04T), Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Tour Rack (56-10 MID, 52-10 MID)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X Seven
Putter: TaylorMade Itsy Bitsy Spider Limited
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X (with Mindset)
Check out more in-hand photos of Jason Day’s WITB here.
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- Ludvig Åberg what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 9 X
Irons: Titleist 718 TMB (2), Titleist T200 (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour Hybrid 105 X (2), KBS Tour 130 X
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-08F, 54-10S, 60-08M, 60-04T), WedgeWorks Proto (60-10V)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey White Hot Versa #1
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Ludvig Aberg’s clubs in the forums.
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We have seen a few new mini drivers from the likes of Titleist and TaylorMade being tested out on tour recently. Now, Callaway looks to be jumping into the mix at the RBC Heritage. We spotted Christian Bezuidenhout testing out a new Paradym Ai Smoke Ti 340 mini driver on the range. We don’t have any details yet but the club clearly states “mini driver” on it, and the “340” could easily refer to how many CCs the head is.
What we do know is that this mini driver has a very similar design to the current Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond 3-wood. The sole looks to be made from steel or titanium, not forged carbon like the Paradym Ai Smoke drivers. It has weights up near the face and at the back of the club. Callaway’s OptiFit hosel is also present on this driver to allow loft and lie adjustments, and if you look closely on the face, you can make out the “Ai Smart Face” text at bottom center. The crown looks to have the familiar carbon fiber weave and Ai Smoke logos we have seen on the current clubs.
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke DUW
The other Callaway prototype that was spotted looked to be a little more of a traditional fairway wood — but with non-traditional weight placements on it. Callaway’s Paradym Ai Smoke DUW looks to have four adjustable weights on it — two on the sole, one on the hosel, and one on the toe. This hosel isn’t adjustable, and I would assume that is to save some weight from creating spots for the movable weights.
It is hard to tell from the photos, but the face looks to be a touch deeper than the traditional Triple Diamond fairways. This deeper face could be where the “DUW” name comes from. With three weights all pushed forward near the face this DUW has to be a very low spinning and launching head. The sole is made from metal and similar in design to the current Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway woods as is the carbon crown.
- Check out more of our photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Jason Day WITB 2024 (April)
Jason Day what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees @10) Shaft: TPT...
Ludvig Åberg WITB 2024 (April)
Ludvig Åberg what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)...
Max Homa WITB 2024 (April)
Max Homa what’s in the bag accurate as of the Masters. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, D1 SureFit setting) Shaft:...
Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2024 (April)
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75g 6.5 Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver...
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Jul 15, 2015 at 6:34 am
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Insurance
Jul 10, 2015 at 6:53 pm
Just. No. The price point for this club is way off the mark. High-volume cast-stamped steel with an upcharge finish? The std wedges are already way overpriced for what they are and now this? Come on Titleist. Gives us tour-grade forged wedges and charge $180, we might just take it.
I will say it looks cool. So they got that part right.
Clemson Sucks
Jul 10, 2015 at 9:37 am
They’ve actually started offering many different bounce/grind combinations in the SM5’s. And they’re wedges.. What do expect?
John Daly
Jul 10, 2015 at 12:41 am
No thanks on $180 wedge that is a rusting pos.
Rwj
Jul 8, 2015 at 8:50 pm
Wedge that is $180 a piece. Cast 8620 steel that size is very cheap, the labor price is high, but hand grinding a wedge is not a two hour process, so not significant. The price comes from the titleist name and brand. The company has a large number of senior vp, then vp’s, then directors, then managers, etc. the overhead is outrageous
Matto
Jul 9, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Doesn’t explain the fact that all (now) 4 Sm5’s are made from the same steel. 3 get get a final process, Chrome, Nickel, Black.
The last of the 4 gets no final process yet somehow costs $50 more.
It’s a rort, pure & simple.
This is a wedge that people can have and now think, “yeah, I got one like Adam Scott & Spetih.” (Looks great though!!!!)
Matto
Jul 8, 2015 at 7:42 pm
Or you could buy mine, all listed online at the moment. 46,50,54,58.
Ping Glides for me now. ????????
Brian T
Jul 8, 2015 at 6:14 pm
Pay an extra $50 for them to not apply an extra manufacturing step? Am I missing something? If anything they should cost less.
Rich
Jul 9, 2015 at 7:31 am
+1
jgpl001
Jul 8, 2015 at 5:11 pm
DAMN I just bought 2 Gold Nickel Vokeys last week because I got tired waiting for a raw version…
How could Titleist not offer the raw version retail from day one???
Clemson Sucks
Jul 8, 2015 at 3:10 pm
Or, you could save $50 by buying the wedge in raw black, then strip the finish off…
Chuck
Jul 9, 2015 at 2:08 pm
Have you actually done that? I recall the process for easily stripping the “Oil Can” finish off Vokeys some years ago, with household products.
But isn’t the black some sort of anodizing? How do you get that off, if it is electroplated on? Of course one way to get it off would be to hit 5,000 bunker shots with it. And the side benefit is that you’d be the best bunker player in your Saturday morning foursome.
But seriously, how do you strip the black finish off?
Clemson Sucks
Jul 10, 2015 at 9:33 am
http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1042473-vokey-sm5-removing-black-finish-down-to-raw-a-how-to-pic-heavy/
Chuck
Jul 10, 2015 at 12:22 pm
How did I ever miss that thread? It’s brilliant; thanks for posting the link.
Steve
Jul 8, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Never liked vokeys, just always felt harsh.
Rusty
Jul 9, 2015 at 11:45 am
Try hitting the ball in the sweetspot. Then they feel like butter 😉
Andrew
Jul 8, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Why no 46/48 or 50??
John Aiello
Jul 8, 2015 at 12:55 pm
You didn’t say when the were going to become available.
Clemson Sucks
Jul 8, 2015 at 2:57 pm
Says they are coming soon, on the website.
Terry Shell PGA
Jul 8, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Finally raw wedges without hand ground price. Now we need the “j” and “e” grinds.
me
Jul 8, 2015 at 12:52 pm
So the standard SM5 are $130, but the “process” of NOT adding a finish to the club adds an additional $50 to the price tag?
Matt
Jul 8, 2015 at 3:20 pm
Supply and demand, baby. Supply and demand.
Rwj
Jul 8, 2015 at 8:47 pm
Doubt fits into supply demand concept. I imagine there are plenty who want finished wedges as much as raw, so demand is probably the same. Supply, the raw wedges are every wedge, finish is added to the raw state, so supply is constant
BustyMagoo
Jul 8, 2015 at 10:37 pm
Yah so we’re paying more for less. It does suck but that is indeed supply and demand. Either way, I’m over paying high prices for clubs.
Chuck
Jul 9, 2015 at 2:12 pm
It’s a fair point! Why pay more, for less?
I haven’t bought a Wedgeworks wedge yet; are there things offered with Wedgeworks clubs that can’t be had with other Vokeys? Shafts? Grinds? Stamping?
Chuck
Jul 8, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Looks like Vokey is reading GolfWRX.com, and I propose to reward Vokey with the purchase of a raw SM5!
Next up; new Vokey remakes of the 400 series wedges. Let’s do this!
Jon443
Jul 8, 2015 at 7:52 pm
The new sm6 look very similar to the 400 series. You will love them if your a 400 lover.