Reviews
In-Depth Review: Titleist Vokey SM6 Wedges
Pros: A new, progressive CG design helps the low-lofted wedges fly a few yards farther, and improves the feel of the high-lofted wedges while boosting consistency. With lofts from 46-62 degrees and five distinct grinds, most golfers will be able to find an SM6 wedge that works for them.
Cons: At $149, they’re $20 more expensive than SM5 models.
Who they’re for: All golfers.
The Review
- Price: $149 (MAP)
- Lofts: 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62
- Grinds: F (46-56), S (54-60), M (54-62), L (58-60), K (58-60)
- Finishes: Tour Chrome (plated), Steel Gray (plated) and Jet Black (QPQ)
- Stock Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S200
- Construction: Cast (8620 carbon steel)
A glance at Vokey’s new SM6 wedges reveals that something is different. Some golfers will understand the science of why the wedges look like they do, but many won’t. Unlike a lot of new golf club technologies, however, golfers won’t need to be in the know to be impressed. I don’t talk about the “cool factor” in many of my reviews, but the SM6 wedges certainly have it.
Those curves on the back of the SM6 wedges? They create what’s called a progressive center of gravity (CG), which means the weighting of the SM6 wedges varies based on loft. The lowest-lofted SM6 wedges (46-52 degrees) have the lowest CG, the mid-lofted wedges (54, 56 degrees) have a higher CG and the highest-lofted wedges (58-62 degrees) have the highest CG. The three different CG positions match the desired impact area on each wedge’s club face — lower-lofted wedges are generally contacted lower on the face, while higher-lofted wedges are generally contacted higher on the face — to improve trajectory, feel and consistency.
Low-Lofted SM6 Wedges
If you’ve ever wished your Vokey 46-, 48-, 50- or 52-degree wedge flew a little farther, SM6 models will. Vokey says the low-lofted SM6 wedges create about 1.5 mph more ball speed and 3-4 yards more distance, and I buy their claim after testing SM6 wedges that were built to the same specs as my SM5 models on Foresight GC2.
“Distance doesn’t matter with wedges,” you might be saying, and you’re correct in theory. Who cares if your gap wedge goes 110 or 113 yards, as long as you hit it a consistent distance. That’s not the issue, though. Improvements in golf equipment technology have irons flying farther than they ever have, which means more golfers need a club — and maybe even two clubs — between 46-and-52 degrees to bridge the gap between their shortest iron and mid-or-high-lofted wedge.
I’m one of those golfers who needs two wedges to fill the gap. I use a 9 iron that measures 41 degrees and carries about 150 yards. I also use a 54-degree wedge (bent to 55 degrees) that carries about 105 yards. I fill the gap with a 46-degree wedge (bent to 45 degrees) that carries about 135 yards. I prefer its look and feel to the pitching wedge from my iron set because I can vary trajectory more easily with it. I also carry a 50-degree wedge that carries about 120 yards.
An issue I had with the SM5 wedges (46-08 F Grind, 50-08 F Grind) is the same one I’ve always had with other low-lofted wedges. Many times when I tried to hit them a little harder to make them go a few yards farther, they didn’t. Shots often just went higher due to excess spin. I’ve seen countless golfers experience this problem, especially better players.
The biggest improvement to the low-lofted SM6 wedges is that they create a more iron-like ball flight. It’s slight, but their faster trajectory is a little bit less likely to balloon. To me, they also feel slightly softer than the SM5’s at impact.
Probably just as important as the new progressive CG design of the low-lofted SM6 wedges is something that isn’t new — the different bounce options Vokey offers in its 50- and 52-degree wedges. Both the 50- and 52-degree models are offered in F Grinds with effective bounce angles of 8 and 12 degrees. Most manufacturers offer multiple bounce options in their mid- and high-lofted models, but it’s rare to see two different options in low-lofted models.
In July 2015, I traveled to Titleist’s Oceanside, California Test Facility to learn more about the company’s 716 iron line. During the downtime, Titleist offered me an opportunity to be fit for SM5 wedges by the man himself, Bob Vokey. My steeper angle of attack theoretically made me a better fit for the 50-12 F Grind (a 50-degree wedge with 12 degrees of effective bounce), but my results were better with the 50-08 F Grind.
Vokey explained that the reduced bounce helped me contact the ball slightly higher on the face, and that improved my ball flight. That moment cemented how important it is for golfers to be fit for not just their lob wedge, but for as many of their wedges as possible.
Mid-Lofted SM6 Wedges
The mid-lofted SM6 wedges (54 and 56 degrees) are most similar to the SM5 models, as they do not have the weight pads used in the low-lofted and high-lofted wedges. That’s because, according to Vokey representatives, the CG of the mid-lofted wedges was pretty much where it needed to be.
For that reason, the biggest change golfers will notice if they switch to an SM6 from an SM5 is the shaping. Unlike the low-lofted SM6 wedges, which are significantly smaller than SM5 models and have shorter hosels, the mid-lofted SM6 wedges are roughly the same size. There’s no denying, however, that the shaping of the SM6 wedges gives them a more streamlined look. Their toes are more rounded, their top lines are thinner and their par area, the part of a wedge’s top line that conjoins with the hosel, blends more seamlessly.
I’ve given my SM5 and SM6 54-14 F Grind wedges (bent to 55 degrees) to several golfers and had them hit shots with each one to see if they could notice a different in feel. Some told me the SM6 felt softer, while others told me the SM5 felt softer. For that reason, its hard to make an absolute statement about a change in feel in the mid-lofted wedges. I’ve had a few golfers tell me the SM5 wedges look better at address, but many more have preferred the look of the SM6.
Before moving on to the high-lofted wedges, I want to point out two more things; one is specific to the mid-lofted models, one that is not.
SM6 wedges use Vokey’s new TX4 grooves that feature a parallel face texture to increase spin and consistency.
- Like SM5 models, both the 54 and 56 are available in three different grinds (F, S and M). For the SM6 line, however, the popular M Grind has 2 degrees less effective bounce to make it more versatile from a wider variety of lies.
- All SM6 wedges also feature Vokey’s new TX4 grooves, which use a machine-milled, parallel face texture that Titleist says can increase consistency and sharpens groove edges to add as much as 200 rpm of spin. The SM6 wedges also use the same progressive groove design as the SM5 wedges. The lower-lofted wedges (46-54) use narrower, deeper grooves to displace more debris on square-face shots, while higher-lofted wedges (56-62) use shallower grooves that create more friction on open-face shots.
High-Lofted SM6 Wedges
With a slightly higher CG, the high-lofted SM6 wedges do seem to launch shots slightly lower and with a little more spin than SM5 models, and that’s exactly what most better players want their high-lofted wedges to do. But the change likely won’t be noticed by the majority of golfers. What they will notice, however, is how much better the high-lofted SM6 wedges feel at impact. Every golfer has experienced the “clank” that occurs when a wedge shot is hit too high on the face, or toward the heel or toe at impact. With the high-lofted SM6 wedges, those shots felt softer and more solid.
Due to their higher CG, the high-lofted wedges also seemed to be a little more consistent in my testing on Foresight. Especially when hitting 50-yard shots, I saw that the 60-degree SM6 M Grind wedge seemed to land a little closer my target on mishits. Sometimes it flew 1-2 yards farther than I expected when I contacted a shot slightly on the toe or the heel; sometimes shots just held their line just a little bit better. The difference is small, but can make an difference. We’re all better at making 6-foot putts than we are 9-footers, aren’t we?
As for shaping, the new wedges don’t look the same as the SM5’s at address. They appear slightly larger, and have the same general appearance as the other wedges in the new line.
At Address: A Vokey SM6 lob wedge (60-08 M Grind)
No discussion of a Vokey high-lofted wedge is complete without mentioning their four distinct sole grinds, which Team Vokey continues to tweak based on its work with Tour players, as well as average golfers. Despite the several improvements to the new wedges, the grinds continue to be one of their main selling points. That’s how powerful using the proper sole grind can be.
Again, it’s best to get fitted, but if you can’t, the chart and list below offers a few starting points.
- If you struggle from the sand, try the K Grind (available in 58, 60). It has the widest sole of any Vokey wedge, and can work well for golfers with steep attack angles. Compared to SM5 K Grind wedges, it has 1-degree more effective bounce to help the wedge better resist digging on square-face shots.
- If you play courses with extremely firm turf conditions, try the L Grind (available in 58, 60). It has the lowest effective bounce (4 degrees), and slightly more camber than SM5 models to goflers resist digging.
- The M Grind (available in 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) will work best for golfers who like to manipulate the face open or closed, while the S Grind (available in 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) is better for golfers who tend to play more square-faced shots. The 58 and 60-degree S Grind wedges have 3-degrees more bounce than SM5 models.
Vokey Custom Options
As noted above, I don’t use a standard SM5 wedge. At Oceanside, Vokey fit me for a V-Grind that’s offered through the company’s Hand Ground Program. According to Titleist representatives, Hand Ground SM6 wedges, which make available Tour-only grinds and enhanced customization options — will be released to the public at a later date.
Do I really need a V-Grind wedge? I must admit, with a little practice I could probably use the SM6 M Grind and hit all the shots I need to hit. But I liked the performance V Grind enough to pay the extra money for it (Hand Ground wedges start at $350 each).
For golfers not willing to pay that much for a completely custom wedge, Vokey offers more affordable custom options to standard SM6 wedges through its WedgeWorks Services. Through the program, golfers can customize the shafts, grips, shaft bands, ferrules, stampings and paintfill of their wedges. I’ve had several wedges customized through WedgeWorks, and the work is always A++.
Should you Upgrade?
If you’re currently using a set of properly fit SM5 wedges, your transition from them to the SM6 models should be an easy one. Many golfers will see certain benefits from the newer wedges, as I did, but they may or may not warrant an immediate upgrade, especially if their grooves are still fresh.
An aside about buying wedges: Many tournament players purchase two sets of wedges at a time. They practice with one set and use another on the golf course, which keeps their grooves as fresh as possible for tournaments. While it doubles cost, it helps their gamer wedges last longer and adds peace of mind that they’re getting the best possible performance from their wedges on the course.
More questions?
What else do you want to know? I’ll do my best to answer your questions in the comments section.
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Accessory Reviews
Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line
On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”
The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.
The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:
“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”
The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?
As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.
The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.
As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.
As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.
The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.
Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.
Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.
See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here
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The menu of grind options just got more expansive for Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks consumers, with the addition of a “60A” wedge to the lineup.
Previously, Vokey offered seven main grind options for players with various needs:
- T Grind: The narrowest sole option, which is widely used by PGA Tour players, and has low bounce
- L Grind: The lowest bounce option, with heel, toe and trailing edge relief for maximum versatility
- F Grind: An all-purpose grind that’s best for full wedge shots played with a square face
- S Grind: A neutral grind, best for full shots played with a square face
- M Grind: A versatile grind that’s for players who want to open and close the face for various shots
- D Grind: A higher-bounce wedge that’s for players with a steep swing angle, but want to play shots from various club orientations
- K Grind: The highest-bounce wedge option, with heel, toe and trailing edge relief for versatility
Titleist has now added the “A” grind, which has actually already been played on the PGA Tour by golfers such as Tom Kim, who used an A-grind to win three times on the PGA Tour, Wyndham Clark, who won the U.S. Open using an A-grind, and Max Homa, who used an A-grind at the 2023 Open Championship.
According to Titleist, the Vokey WedgeWorks 60A wedge is a low-bounce option that’s for golfers with a shallow angle of attack, and who play in firmer conditions. It has a “smoothed-out” sole for a faster feel through the turf, helping some golfers slide under the ball easier at impact.
“The most important club for me, probably in my bag, is this A grind,” Clark said, according to a Titleist press release. “I use the SM9 60-degree A grind, which is a low bounce 60 that is very versatile. I’m able to – on tight lies, rough, wet lies, firm lies, whatever it is – hit the shot I want, and with the amount of spin I want, trajectory and everything.”
Apparently, Geoff Ogilvy played a large part in the A-grind coming to life.
“I spoke with Geoff (Ogilvy), and we got on the topic of Australian golf courses and how they compared to courses in America, and around the world,” said Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill, in a press release. “I asked him some specific questions, which resulted in an idea to design another lob wedge grind option that complemented the firm links-style conditions that players face – not just in Australia and Europe – but globally. Geoff has always been a low bounce player in his 60-degree, so I took his 60.04L wedge and removed the ribbon, resulting in a grind that moves through the turf quickly with very little resistance.”
The new Vokey A-grind will be available on Nov. 7, selling for $225 each. Custom options include up to six toe engravings, 10-15 character stamping options, the Flight Line alignment feature option, and custom shafts/grips/ferrules are available.
Click here to read more about why the bounce/grind of your wedge actually matters
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Last month, four GolfWRX forum members traveled to The Grand Golf Club at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California, to test the Full Swing KIT launch monitor and to see how it stacks up against other launch monitors. If you’re not familiar with the Full Swing KIT, development began when Tiger Woods requested a launch monitor he could trust on the range as much as he trusted his Full Swing simulator in his own home. Later, the KIT earned Tiger’s seal of approval and has been seen with him at every tournament he’s played in since its release.
Check out the video below to see if the KIT can earn the seal of approval from our four WRXers — @zap311, @double or triple?, @hatrick11, and @SwingBlues — just like it did from Tiger Woods himself.
GolfWRX members on the KIT’s accuracy
zap311: “The Full Swing team seems obsessed with accuracy when it comes to the KIT – The team talked about how this product officially shipped about 18 months ago and they are already on firmware release #20. They said they are regularly releasing updates (overnight via WiFi) to continuously improve accuracy and performance. That is pretty awesome and it’s nice to hear that they are not a company that “ships it” and moves to the next thing. I think they are on the right track since I saw virtually no differences in the data when testing vs. GCQuad and Trackman today.”
double or triple?: “In some cases the difference was less than half a degree on launch and less than 50 rpms on spin.”
hatrick11: “The differences were statistically nonexistent. I think it’s hard to believe for a lot of people when you think about the huge price disparity, but I can’t state enough how close the Full Swing was to trackman every single time, for each of us.”
“Outside, the data is just really really accurate. I know my numbers and know this particular range very well and the KIT was spot on all day. I also had some very variable quality golf balls in the bucket I hit and there was really only one spin rate in the whole session that had me raising my eyebrows at all.”
SwingBlues: “The GolfWRX Full Swing/WRX Experience showed Full Swing KIT produce numbers the same as the GC Quad (GC4) and the Trackman4. Dollar wise, both LMs are easily north of KIT, so this is HUGE to stand up there with the bigger boys on the Podium. For me, it seems more “apples to apples” to compare KIT to GC3. My own testing validates what we saw at the Experience. It shows critical data points like spin, carry, ball speeds are dead on or almost dead on for 40 yards and up on both GC3 and KIT.”
More on the Full Swing KIT
zap311: “The versatility of viewing data is impressive – Depending on usage, everyone has different preferences for viewing data. You have on-device, phone, tablet, monitor, smartwatch, or audio/headphones. I’m pleased to say that Full Swing covers all of these. You can use the app on iOS devices (they said Android is planned for the future). This includes viewing your last shot on the Apple Watch with a few options and turning on audio playback of your preferred metrics following each shot. I’ll post screenshots of this later. You can also choose between 4 data points or 1 data point on the device itself. It was easy to use the app to customize the top 4. For example, I was able to quickly change from launch angle on irons to swing path on driver.
“The KIT was very easy to use – Once you spend a few minutes learning the app and settings, it is very simple to select a club, line up the target line, and fire away. You don’t have to use a level or a laser to line up. KIT uses the built-in camera to tell you where to line up within the app or on-device screen. I was also able to boot up the KIT in less than a minute and drop it down on the tee box for our on-course trial today. Because of this simplicity, I can see it being more practical to bring to the course…
“The Full Swing team really thought through usability for the KIT. You can see up to four data points on the device’s OLED screen. You can see all 16 data points on your iPhone/iPad along with a video replay of the shot, you can view one primary metric from your Apple Watch, and you can enable audio playback for any of the 16 data points. For me, this was a dream as a full iOS user. One other feature I like is that you can star a particular shot to save it. You can also send shot data + the video recording to your coach if you want.”
double or triple?: “I was able to meet the teaching pro at the range I’m using for testing – PGA teacher/member Ryan Kolk. He and his team have 4 units amongst themselves and use them both personally and with their students during lessons. Ryan spent time dialing in his knowledge of the range balls vs proV1x (gamer) to better understand the FSK and he believes the consistency is there with the FSK and within trackman and GC/Foresight models. His preference is to use FSK while testing shafts and new product before using them in his personal playing bag which as a GolfWRX member is 100% appreciated. For his better students, he believes the information like Face to Path and Club Path that FullSwing Kit offers is great to help them understand what their swing is doing and use that information to better themselves.”
hatrick11: “It’s nice to know I can get super useful practice sessions in at my house, and can do in in ~20 min stints; with two little kids at home I can’t just go out for frequent or lengthy range sessions, so this is super valuable and I think will help me keep my game from degrading and allow me to spend my limited free time enjoying the occasional round with friends. In particular with the KIT, as opposed to the cheaper monitors or the other “mid tiers” like GC3, seeing path and face-to-path data is the key item that makes my practice sessions useful…when I am grooving it my path is almost always between 0-2* out to in, with face control being the main thing I need to work on. When my game goes sideways I start coming more in to out, and combined with face consistency being an ongoing issue, that brings the bad left miss into play. Previously I have struggled getting real use out of net practice, because the feels don’t always match reality. This data and video evidence really helps keep me honest, so it was great to see that I was eventually able to get that piece dialed in with KIT.”
SwingBlues: “One feature I am really starting to like is how easy to see the video of each shot. My buddy was not hitting it well, we went to the video and we could see the takeway was too far to the outside.”
“Using the app, it will display all 16 data points. Below is an example of one of my iron shots. Pretty impressive data captured by KIT. On KIT itself, the launch monitor display can be configured to show a single data point, or it can show a grid of 4 data points where the golfer choose which ones to display!”
Head over to the thread for more comments, reviews, and future updates as our members continue to test the Full Swing KIT. Don’t forget to become a member today for future opportunities like this, plus product member testing and giveaways!
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SirBigSpur
Jun 1, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Ok so two questions for the Author:
(1) I’m a 14hcp and I’m looking to replace my 60 degree. I currently have a 52 and 56 Titleist SM5 and SM4, respectively, and my 60 is an older Nike VR Pro Dual-sole (which I really like). I see value in having wedges all be from the same manufacturer, so I’m looking at switching to Titleist. I really like my SM5 52 and was thinking of getting that as a 60 (on sale for $110), but reading this article is making me consider the SM6, even though it’s $40 more. Do you REALLY think I’ll see enough additional benefit from the SM6 to justify the extra $?
(2) As I noted, my current 60 is of the dual-sole variety and has only 4 deg bounce, which looks to be a lot like the M grind. I rarely use my 60 out of sand or manipulate the face for chips/pitches. I’d say I hit about 40% full shots with it and it’s pretty much the only club I use around the green, regardless of the shot. I have a bit of a steep/digging swing so I’ve found that the low bounce is great if I hit is clean, but is devastating if I hit it even an few millimeters fat. I’m thinking about going with the K grind as it has the most bounce but still allows you to open the face if you need to for a particular shot. What are your thoughts on the bounce options and what should work best?
Thank you!
Zak Kozuchowski
Jun 1, 2016 at 3:28 pm
K Grind sounds like a great option for you. It’s hard to value the SM5 v. the SM6 for everyone. For some, $40 is a small price to pay for the latest technology. For others, it’s a lot of money. I’m still using the SM5’s, and will until the grooves wear out.
SirBigSpur
Jun 2, 2016 at 9:14 am
Thanks for the quick response Zak! One other thing I like about the SM5s is the gold finish… I REALLY wish the SM6s had that option.
Mark
Mar 29, 2016 at 3:30 pm
Bit the bullet. Our local store is selling them as same price as SM5s so not sure they have got the invoice yet…..58.10. S Grind. Plenty of grip and easy to knock down. Sole works well off wet soil and in sand. However the feel is the same as the SM5 and SM4. Harsh. Not a patch on my 588s or old MacDaddy 2…..absolutely no reason for the massive price hike. 7/10.
(KCCO) is this.....
Mar 20, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Is this not one of his old designs (curve cut on back) he did in a limited release I have in indigo blue? I know they’re weren’t as many grind options, but the actually cast appears the same, so kinda just seems like a print dug up from fairly recent past. If I could post a pic, I would…I’m sure someone else on here has them as well.
As for a forged wedge, may just be me….but having one jdm forged wedge in mix sometimes, after hitting thousands of balls, I’ve found (and may just be the material, and can’t say they were hit exactly the same amount of times, but literally a few thousand balls practicing around green) but wore a little faster than a cast wedge. And also agree, why no raw? Or even somehow allow groove/face to rust.
***i go through a wedge every 2 seasons, before its grooves look melted/dent in face, just to give an idea of wear per my wedges
jgpl001
Mar 14, 2016 at 6:02 pm
WHY WHY WHY no RAW option???????
Do we have to get to the SM10 before Titleist listen??????
matt_bear
Mar 13, 2016 at 3:00 pm
Question for the author- what is your relationship with Titleis? I feel like some disclosure is needed. It’s the same exact author reviewing every Titleist product. Every review is 5 stars and go buy….now it’s go buy 2 sets. I’m a full bag Titleist user, but even I can read thru this a bit. It’s a nice comparison picture collection though. I do appreciate that.
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 14, 2016 at 8:22 am
Matt,
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed our in-hand comparison photos, as well.
I am the reviewer of the SM6 wedges, and the editor of GolfWRX. I have no affiliation with Titleist or any other equipment brand. Our readers have made it clear through the years that they want detailed Titleist equipment reviews, and in-depth reviews are my specialty. That’s why you’ve seen my name on so many Titleist review stories.
No GolfWRX reviewer, whether it be an editor, staff writer or contributor, solely determines the score a product receives. All of our equipment editors meet to decide if a product receives a 5-star rating, and it has to be unanimous for a product to earn the rating. If you visit our review page — http://www.golfwrx.com/category/equipment/reviews/ — you’ll see that the distinction is only awarded to the top-performing products we test.
You’re not the only one who has expressed confusion over our reviews, however, and we’re going to do a better job of explaining the process going forward. That’s why I appreciate feedback such as yours. It helps us get better.
Bogeypro
Mar 12, 2016 at 11:04 pm
Is Vokey taking lessons from Scotty on how to market products? 150 for a cast wedge that is already at the limit of the groove rule is stupid.
DTrump
Mar 12, 2016 at 6:03 pm
$149 for non-forged wedges with a design ripped off from somebody else. You can get a Mizzy forged wedge for $129. I don’t see the justification by Titleist.
Marcus Rogers
Mar 13, 2016 at 10:19 am
Who wants a forged wedge?
SirBigSpur
Jun 1, 2016 at 10:44 am
No one wants a forged wedge unless you plan to replace them twice a season. Forged metal, by its nature, is softer, and of course may feel better to some people. But that same softness is what makes it not a great choice for a wedge… the grooves will wear out much quicker, which when talking wedges, is a big deal. I would definitely recommend forged irons if you can find a set that fits your skill level (i.e. don’t go buy Mizzy blades if you’re a 20hcp, just b/c they FEEL good), but for wedges, I’d stick to cast for durability. This is especially true if you’re going to be dropping $150 for a brand new one! There’s a reason Titleist always has one of if not the best performing wedges out there… if being cast was a bad thing, that wouldn’t be the case.
Double Mocha Man
Mar 12, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Only the price of gas goes down.
Other Paul
Mar 11, 2016 at 9:01 pm
“We would rather have a 6′ then a 9′ putt”… What if instead of landing 6′ past you know landed 9′ past. Your logic.
Marcus Rogers
Mar 11, 2016 at 8:34 pm
Ripoff. Thanks PXG. Titleist charges this much because they know they can. Titleist fans are loyal…just check the witb section of the forum. And now with spieth’s and Scott’s success…they are back on the map. I’m playing PING wedges now and have no plans of changing for a couple years. However if I were to get new wedges id go with the poor man’s titleist….Nike, or mizuno if I found a deal.
John doe
Mar 11, 2016 at 8:45 pm
“Back on the map”?
When was Titleist off the map?
Marcus Rogers
Mar 12, 2016 at 3:59 pm
You are right they were never off the map, however for a brief stretch the lacked some presence with the top players in the world, especially after Rory switched to Nike.
Joshuaplaysgolf
Mar 11, 2016 at 7:06 pm
I highly appreciated this review…the detail about spin rate differences is valuable to me, and is what I found during my fitting last week between the 6’s and 5’s. I appreciate the attention to detail that is put in. A lot of people get upset because it isn’t tailored to the ‘average golfer’, but as it clearly states, the differences are somewhat minimal between models, and good players who are playing/practicing daily and competing regularly are looking for these minimal improvements that help them take their game just a little further. If you only hit your wedges 5 times on the range before you play your once a week round, you can probably stick to the 5, get similar results, save some money, and stop complaining to all of us about how expensive golf clubs are.
SB
Mar 11, 2016 at 4:20 pm
S or F for my 56… That is a though question
M
Mar 11, 2016 at 3:38 pm
Zak,
Any word on when Raw SM6 will be available on WedgeWorks and will they have all of the lofts and grinds this year unlike the SM5 only starting at 54*
and any further info into what hand grind options there will be?
Thanks
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 11, 2016 at 6:08 pm
No update on this, M. We’ll post a story when we know more.
Shawn
Mar 11, 2016 at 3:25 pm
Elaborate on different finish options.
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 11, 2016 at 6:10 pm
Both the Tour Chrome and Steel Grey are plated, so they’ll look new the longest. The Jet Black finish is a QPQ, so it will wear the fastest. The finish will fade to silver on the club face and sole, and those areas will rust over time. Some people strip the finish to get a raw, rusty look.
Golfinggal
Mar 11, 2016 at 3:18 pm
I believe the SM5 brochure recommend players change their wedges every 70 rounds. I would like to think they figured you would practice a bit between and before rounds . I play 70 rounds in about 3 1/2 months. I think your suggestion of two sets and theirs of changing them so often is just to sell more wedges. Maybe they need to come up with a more durable metal that keeps it’s groves sharp for many more rounds especially as the price keeps increasing.
RL(Nihonsei)
Mar 11, 2016 at 2:58 pm
Great review! I didn’t hear a single thing about loft, lie, CG, or who pays for them in last night’s GOP debate? Oh, ask Bernie? I’ll get right on that, 2 wedge sets for All!!!
Sam
Mar 11, 2016 at 12:38 pm
I wonder why they didn’t have oil can finish as an option? Miss those wedges that rust.
RG
Mar 11, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Everything reviewed on this site gets 5 stars.
Bryan K
Mar 11, 2016 at 11:28 am
149 for cast wedges is pretty high. Forged feel way better. Vokey has forged wedges for the Japanese market.
Weekend Duffer
Mar 11, 2016 at 11:04 am
$450 drivers, $300 3 wood…now $150 for a wedge cmon. Guess us poor folk will have to stick to the used rack.
scott
Mar 11, 2016 at 4:19 pm
As long as it is the used wedge rack under 70 rounds.
Leon
Mar 11, 2016 at 10:15 am
I have several Vokey SM4 and SM5. They are OK wedges. Perform as expected but feel just so so. I am bagging a few bridgestone J33 wedges (11 years old…) which perform extremely well with much softer feel. They are forged wedges with a more affordable price ($30 each). But if you are looking for some new wedges, give Mizuno and Bridgestone a shot. Their wedges are forged and feel way better, plus a more reasonable price. Vokey and Scotty Cameron are over priced for sure. But it is your call
Ryan
Mar 11, 2016 at 10:03 am
I thought that I heard, from our Titleist Rep, that SM6 was not going to be available through wedge works. He said that SM5 was still available but that the SM6 was not going to be offered. Can anyone confirm or deny that?
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 11, 2016 at 6:13 pm
SM6 wedges are available through WedgeWorks. At this time, they are not available through Vokey’s Hand Ground Program, but they will be. We will post an update as soon as we hear when.
LB
Mar 11, 2016 at 9:17 am
Great job Zak. Best reviewer in the industry.
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 11, 2016 at 9:26 am
Thanks so much, LB. This was a fun review to tackle, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.
killerbgolfer
Mar 11, 2016 at 9:04 am
These look like great wedges. I doubt the accuracy of one of your last statements though, regarding “many” tournament players that but two sets of wedges, one for the bag and one for practice. I’ve played in tournaments from local clubs up to state ams for 20 years and have never heard of a player purchasing a separate set of wedges just to practice with. That might work for the pros who don’t pay for them, but it erodes the authenticity of the review and makes it read more like an elaborate advertisement. Appreciate what you do though I know many of us look to this site regularly for more information on all the new equipment.
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 11, 2016 at 9:25 am
killerb,
I was also put off the first time a fitter recommended I buy two sets of wedges, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense to me. And I’ve gotten the same advice from several fitters and top instructors since. If you’re really serious about short-game performance and practice a lot, why would you beat up your gamer wedge week after week in the practice bunker?
I went back and forth about adding this into the review, but decided that it could be valuable for someone out there who may not hear it otherwise. The key is making sure you’re properly fit for your wedges and comfortable with them on the course before you splurge on on back-up set.
Tom
Mar 11, 2016 at 8:59 am
Which wedge is the one that rusts this year?
Zak Kozuchowski
Mar 11, 2016 at 6:14 pm
Jet Black.
Tom
Mar 11, 2016 at 9:17 pm
Thanks Zak!
2Short
Mar 11, 2016 at 8:46 am
Gee another 5 star review, go figure.
Dj
Mar 11, 2016 at 8:35 am
149? It’s a wedge. They’ve increased their prices on everything this year
David Camp
Mar 11, 2016 at 12:23 pm
Hey it’s getting a lot more expensive to operate in California these days.
DatSliceDoe
Mar 11, 2016 at 7:35 pm
total rip off. No reason for that kind of increase given the SM line is the high water mark in wedge pricing as is…except the failed TM TP EF Spin Groove…that’s a mouthful.
Anyhow, these look great, and if I get can get them for $70 used after a few hits by a fool who played them for two rounds like I got my SM5, maybe I’ll be a taker.
Double Mocha Man
Mar 12, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Only the price of gas goes down.