Equipment
Raw Vokey SM6 wedges now available
Jordan Spieth plays the same Vokey SM6 wedges golfers can currently buy in stores with one exception; Spieth’s wedges have a raw finish — technically no finish — while off-the-rack SM6 wedges have one of three finishes: Tour Chrome, Steel Gray or Jet Black.
Related: Jordan Spieth WITB 2016
That changes today, when golfers will be able to purchase SM6 Raw wedges that will rust just like Spieth’s. They’ll cost $195 each, and are available on Vokey.com in six different lofts and four different grinds.
“Raw means there is no additional finish applied to the wedge, which is made of 8620 carbon steel,” says Bob Vokey, Masters Craftsman for Titleist. “It has what I like to call a satin appearance that will start to rust after some use. On tour, the raw heads give us the flexibility to grind wedges based on a player’s needs. But guys just love the look of that raw steel – some players like it even more as it rusts, kind of like a trusty hammer or another tool. These are their scoring tools.”
The Lofts and Grinds
- 50.08 F Grind
- 52.08 F Grind
- 54.08 M Grind, 54.10 S Grind
- 56.08 M Grind, 56.10 S Grind
- 58.08 M Grind, 58.10 S Grind, 58.12 K Grind
- 60.08 M Grind, 60.10 S Grind, 60.12 K Grind
Every SM6 Raw wedge can be customized through Vokey’s WedgeWorks program, which allows golfers to choose custom stamping of up to eight characters and one of 12 paintfill colors. Golfers also have their choice from a variety of custom shafts, grips, shaft bands and ferrules.
To learn more about Vokey’s SM6 wedges, read our official review.
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Equipment
Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.
However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.
“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”
Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.
Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.
Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.
One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play one degree upright to help dial in his desired launch.
We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!
- Check out the rest of our pictures from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
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Whats in the Bag
Zac Blair WITB 2024 (March)
- Zac Blair what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade M5 Rocket 3 (14 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolution V1 X
Utility: Titleist U510 (3)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 85 X
Irons: Ping i210 (4-6), Miura MB-001 (7-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 58-08M @57, 60 @61), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (52-M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 X
Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
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Whats in the Bag
Martin Trainer WITB 2024 (March)
- Martin Trainer what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Wilson Staff Staff Model (6.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 70 TX
3-wood: Wilson Staff WLabs Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 80 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Staff Model (2, 4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Wilson Staff Staff Model (52, 56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Bobby Grace Greg Chalmers Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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MikeA
May 18, 2016 at 10:22 am
The prices of golf clubs have reached the ridiculous point. So we the consumer pay outrageous prices for clubs that provide for multi-millionaire professionals to get their clubs for free. I’m not buying it…
Paul Adams
May 14, 2016 at 6:12 am
Or you can buy the black finish, just like the SM5s, and place them in CLR for 3 hours and its takes the finish off, leaving you with a raw wedge. did the same to all of mine. don’t let the Titleist machine take your money folks
MP-4
May 12, 2016 at 2:55 pm
What is the point in having only one of your wedges with no finish?
Titleist Raw finish wedges should be offered MOTO in all the lofts and grinds.
No luck if you need 46, 52.12, or K grinds.
Hope you like M grinds.
MP-4
May 12, 2016 at 6:22 pm
oops, they do make them in K grind.
Steve
May 11, 2016 at 6:21 pm
Charge more for doing less work. I love this country. Alot here will buy it, have too Spieth uses it
Rwj
May 11, 2016 at 6:24 pm
Exactly, people will buy because the name. More money for no finish
Busty McGoo
May 13, 2016 at 2:36 am
Agreed. Incredible how many products cost more because they have less features or are ‘limited edition’. And yet, they’ll sell like crazy. Like the $89 bikini my girl wants. Got to be what, 7 or 8 square inches of fabric there? I digress. The clubs are nice looking but the golf industry just doesn’t seem to get it if they are aiming to grow the sport and get the poor kids out there.
MI6
May 11, 2016 at 4:51 pm
they chunked into the drink on 12 at Augusta so I’ll pass…
jgpl
May 11, 2016 at 4:37 pm
I just bought 2 black ones last weekend – sucker
Really annoyed about this and especially the fact raw is not a std option
Solution: this weekend €3 for 2 litres of Coke ans a plastic bucket….it better work!
Bryan
May 11, 2016 at 8:37 pm
I soaked mine in CRL for a couple hours and then used a green scrub pad. The finish comes right off with a little elbow grease and they look great. The black finish is a little more durable than the old oil cans, coke may not work. Hope this helps.
MattM
May 11, 2016 at 11:47 pm
I don’t think the coke will work on the black wedges. The coke is meant to be used for rust since the acidity will help dissolve the metal oxidation which is the rust. The finish on the black Titleist wedge is PVD which is a similar process to chrome but it is meant to wear off to a degree. CLR is a better option to try to weaken the PVD but that still won’t work hence the elbow grease. If he was scrubbing it that hard then I would say the CLR very little. The strongest acid you will get over the shelf and without some EPA permission for non-commercial use is Muriatic Acid which is the same stuff you use in pools to balance the p.H. You can but it at Home Depot or Lowes for about $7-10 per gallon. Soak the wedge in that for a few hours to see if it does anything. Then, take a fine sandpaper (over 200 grit) and start on the sole to see if it will come off easily. I would then use an even finer sand paper on the face. Make sure to rub in the direction of the grooves and never up and down the face. I would then take a re-grooving tool and make sure they are nice and sharp and you are ready to go!
By the way, the oil can finish was to stop the rusting at the stores so people weren’t buying “rusty” clubs. The finish is meant to wear so the final product after a few months was to look like the raw wedges you see on tour. I have a couple of sets of the oil cans that I refinish every season and reapply the oil can look with browning chemical. I have owned the same wedges for 6 years and my numbers on trackman or GC2 or no different than a brand new set of wedges. Once you raw them, you can continue to rehab them back to life. It is a beautiful thing! I hate having to buy new clubs because the finish goes. I think that is one of the reasons why they sell them for more to be honest. Most people who buy raw or oil can wedges buy fewer wedges in the long run because they look the same after 6 months or 3 years unless you hit a massive rock or do something stupid! Titleist has gotta get paid son!
norcalgolf
May 12, 2016 at 11:06 am
The Jet Black finish is a QPQ treatment, not PVD! The PVD finish was on the last TVD blk ion wedges. You can remove QPQ, but its not as easy as the oil can or blk ox finishes of the past. Also the QPQ finish seems harder and tougher to bend in my opinion.
Blake
May 11, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Wow! titleist screwed this one up. this should be a standard option since every wedge is raw originally
Offensively priced
May 11, 2016 at 11:14 am
What did the (19)5 fingers say to the face? SLAP.
James
May 11, 2016 at 10:41 am
I don’t get it. Every single wedge out of the factory is raw. Why charge more to save them the trouble of adding a finish?
Nolanski
May 11, 2016 at 9:24 am
Cant you just buy some black ones and take the finish off?
rechlo67
May 11, 2016 at 1:27 pm
Yes you can, it even says on the shaft band that the black finish will fade and rust over time.
You can strip them easily for under five bucks. put them in a bucket and pour coke and fanta on them and let them sit for a couple of hours.
SHANK
May 11, 2016 at 9:20 am
Vokey is insane charging these prices anymore. The oil can that rusted was the same price as their other wedges and they got rid of them. Why? Probably $$$$
Beau Foster
May 11, 2016 at 8:57 am
So you cut out the finishing step(s), but are charging $50 more? How many suckers are gonna buy these because they rust?
Steve
May 11, 2016 at 8:07 pm
Way too many
Weekend Duffer
May 11, 2016 at 7:56 am
$200 each lmao
David Labbe
May 11, 2016 at 8:31 am
$200 each and I heard they don’t work very well on the 12th hole at Augusta.
YYCKL
May 11, 2016 at 9:47 am
NOW THAT’S FUNNY!!!