Equipment
Bob Vokey reveals the 2 most amazing things he’s ever seen a golfer do with a wedge
Few people on the planet know wedges better than legendary designer Bob Vokey. Throughout his career, he has designed some of golf’s most popular club families with his Vokey Spin Milled (SM) series, and he’s also worked closely with the game’s greatest short game players ever.
In a recent Q&A with GolfWRX, Vokey provided his insight on the latest iteration of SM wedges – the new Titleist Vokey SM9 wedges for 2022. Vokey, who is ever passionate and always gracious with his time to talk short game, also took a moment to answer a few miscellaneous questions about his experiences throughout his decades in the industry.
Vokey has seen it all when it comes to wedge play. He’s worked with everyone from the legends and major champions, to everyday golfers who shank balls sideways on simple chip shots.
With a moment to pick his brain, I wanted to know what the most amazing thing that Vokey has ever seen a golfer do with a wedge. In response, he provided two quick stories of absolute gold, and, given the players involved, his answers should surprise no one.
1) Seve practiced his weaknesses
Seve Ballesteros, a 9-time PGA Tour champion and 50-time European Tour champion, is regarded by many golfers as having the best short game of all time. His other-worldly skill was matched by his confidence and flair for the dramatic, too.
While Seve could make the ball sing and dance on the greens like no other, it was a simple moment that stood out to Vokey, and it says so much about Seve’s true talent and bravado.
“I remember seeing Seve practicing greenside, and he’s hitting all these difficult shots. I said to him, ‘What are you hitting those for?’
“He said, ‘I can make all the other shots. These are the ones I can’t make.'”
It’s such a simple story, but it says so much about Seve’s short game genius and mettle.
2) Lee, the spin master
Most golfers want to spin the ball more with their wedges around the greens. Not only does it look cool when the ball comes running in low and then suddenly stops on a dime, but spin control also allows a golfer to get the ball closer to the pin more often.
And then there’s Lee Trevino.
As Vokey tells it, not only could Trevino impart impressive backspin, but he could control the direction of the spin when it hit the surface, with seemingly no difference in the swing itself.
“Lee Trevino was another. I was watching him at (The Citrus Club at La Quinta Resort) many years ago.
“And he could hit a shot, same motion, same everything, a little bump and run. One shot would land and kick left. Then, with the same motion, same everything, he’d hit another one, then it’d land and kick right. And I’d go, ‘Wait a second, that’s amazing.’ But [those players] could do that. That was back in the balata golf ball days, too. The golf ball’s a little different now, it comes off a little quick.'”
To read Vokey’s insights on the new Vokey SM9 wedges for 2022, click here!
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- Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 Max (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X
Irons: Ping i230 (3-PW)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: Ping Si59 (52-12S, 58-8B)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Ping Cadence TR Tomcat C
Grip: SuperStroke Claw 1.0P
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Pavon’s gear here.
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Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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We enter week 4 of Thursday night men’s league feeling a little more confident in the game. BK is hoping to go a little lower and reduce the mistakes out there with these clubs in the bag. Watch the video for the full breakdown of why these clubs are getting the starting nod this week!
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, neutral setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Lin-Q M40X TSPX Blue 7F5
7-wood: Ping G430 Max (-1 degree, flat Ssetting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 S
Iron: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi 4
Shaft: Aerotech Steelfiber hls880 S
Irons: PXG 0317 Tour (5-PW)
Shaft: LA Golf A-Series 105 Low (4)
Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM10 (50-08F)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Dart V 105 F4 Wedge
Wedge: Ping S159 (56-10H)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Wedge: Ping S159 (60-08B)
Shaft: Ping Z-Z115
Putter: PXG Battle Ready II Brandon
Shaft: BGT Stability Tour Spec One
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
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I know donkeys
Feb 1, 2022 at 9:59 pm
Matt Kuchar is a big donkey!
Heehaw, heehaw, heeha….
Joey
Jan 31, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Click bait
Ronnie Mundt
Jan 31, 2022 at 2:55 pm
The best part is they did it without the use of the magic Vokey wedge. See kids, practice, not purchase.
mondo
Jan 31, 2022 at 5:11 pm
*cough cough he ground them custom wedges before he had a deal with titleist…But I see what you mean lol
I. Vote Shank
Feb 1, 2022 at 6:13 pm
He copied a bunch of grinds. I have wedges from the 50s, 60s, and 70s that have the exact grinds we still use today. Solheim was the last “innovator” of wedges.
mick
Jan 31, 2022 at 7:27 pm
100% fact !!