It’s easy to look at the lob wedges on Tour and assume everyone is playing something with low-bounce characteristics. Lowering the leading edge makes picking the ball clean from firm turf conditions easier, something pros can do on command with surgical precision. Throw an average golfer in the same situation and they’d likely bury the leading edge in the turf, leading to the dreaded chunk.
Wedges with more bounce are less prone to digging, but that doesn’t make it a scoring tool for hackers. Many pros embrace the benefits of additional bounce in certain situations, including Billy Horschel.
The 37-year-old pro has been playing Vokey’s V Grind (60 degrees bent to 62 degrees) for years and prefers the increased bounce the wedge provides on square-faced shots.
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“I love this grind,” Horschel said. “When I hit full shots, there’s enough bounce there that it doesn’t slide underneath the ball. The bounce saves me and the ball, you want to hit it in a certain spot. It’s hitting right up in the second or third or fourth groove when you’re hitting full shots.”
The Tour-only V Grind will soon be available through Vokey’s WedgeWorks program that combines current SM10 technology with grinds created through feedback from golf’s elite.
While the wedge provides a high measured bounce forward in the sole — to prevent digging — opening up the face moves the leading edge noticeably lower. This is accomplished through heel, toe and trailing edge sole relief, allowing the wedge to get underneath the ball. Consider the V Grind a Swiss Army knife for golfers who need their lob wedge to do it all.
According to Vokey Tour rep Aaron Dill, the wedge is a perfect option for golfers with a steeper attack angle who play in normal to soft conditions.
“V Grind players are often a little steeper in their deliveries,” said Dill. “They have a little more shaft lean which means they’re delofting and taking some bounce away. The V Grind also really suits them in softer conditions, or if they’re playing on courses with grainy turf. That’s where the forward bounce comes into play.”
Vokey’s WedgeWorks 2024 V Grind retails for $225 and is available in two lofts (58 and 60 degrees) with a raw finish. Through the program, golfers can select from eight toe engravings, stamping options, custom paint fills, loft and grind markings and more.
Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
