The author got fit for a Vokey WedgeWorks V-Grind lob wedge and SM10 54.14F sand wedge.
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Welcome to I Tried It, a GOLF.com series about golf items — apparel,gear, accessories, etc. — that we’ve recently taken out for a spin. We’re here to give our honest, no-frills takes on the latest and greatest golf or golf-adjacent items. So, scroll down to read about what we love about golf’s newest (or new to us) products.
***
Growing up, I was undersized, and the now-defunct golf course I played at didn’t have a driving range, so honing my short game became key for me early on.
I grew supremely confident with my wedges and they became the most important clubs in my bag, but I never really dove into grinds and how wedges interact with the turf. For a while, I used the wedges my dad gave me, before I got fit into a specific grind and stuck with it for several years.
But last winter, I was fortunate enough to go to the Titleist Performance Institute, where I got fit for a set of four Vokey wedges. For this piece, I’m focusing on the SM10 54.14F sand wedge and WedgeWorks 60.V lob wedge — and how getting fit for these wedges improved my game.
The blind grind test
I had been fit for wedges before indoors, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the way the team at TPI fits for Vokey wedges is exceptional.
The process starts with the “blind grind test.” Vokey has more loft, bounce and grind combinations in their retail lineup (27 at last check!) than any other manufacturer. They also have six more grind options available through their WedgeWorks custom program. That gives them tons of possibilities to fit someone into the right wedge because when it comes to wedge fitting, grind is everything.
For a blind grind test, my fitter, Hunter, grabbed a handful of different lob-wedge heads and my preferred wedge shaft, and we headed out to the practice green. To start, I hit several pitch shots of varying lengths and trajectories with the wedge I had brought with me to TPI, which was a Vokey 60˚ K* wedge, a then-recently released WedgeWorks exclusive grind that I had been testing.
That was just for Hunter to get a sense of how that wedge goes through the turf and what kind of shots I like to play.
Then he screwed on a head to a shaft, without looking at the grind on the bottom and asked me to hit the same shots. After I was done, he changed out the head, putting the one we just tested on the ground face up, so neither he nor I could see the grind.
We repeated this process with each head, with Hunter not only noting the results of the shots and my verbal feedback but also listening to the contact and looking at my divots (or lack thereof). Each time, we would rank the heads by their placements on the ground.
At the end of the test, we flipped over the top head to reveal the Vokey WedgeWorks V-grind.
What is the V-Grind?
The author’s Vokey WedgeWorks V Grind wedge.Jack Hirsh/GOLF
The V-grind is a formerly Tour-only grind that is the high-bounce version of Vokey’s T-grind, one of the most popular lob wedges on Tour. Like the T-Grind, the V has a narrow section of bounce forward in the sole, but it’s a higher measured bounce to help players who have steeper attack angles (like me!) or play in normal to soft conditions. It’s the go-to lobber for players like Billy Horschel and Ludvig Åberg.
Extreme relief on the trail edge allows the leading edge to get closer to the ground despite being a “high bounce” wedge, which is great for me, because I like to play from many different face positions.
The V grind is similar to the Vokey D grind, a wedge I had used previously and honestly thought I would be fit into, but it has that narrower forward bounce, which allows me to manipulate the face more.
You’ll also notice there is no bounce number attached to this wedge. There is no industry standard for where bounce should be measured, and with the V-grind, you could get a different number depending on where you measure it, so Vokey just omits it, and calls it a high bounce wedge.
The Vokey Design V Grind, a lob wedge that offers players increased bounce on square-faced shots with enhanced relief for open-faced shots, is now available through WedgeWorks on Vokey.com.
V Grind, the lob wedge of choice of Tour players such as Ludvig Åberg and Billy Horschel, features high measured bounce forward on the sole, which works to prevent excessive digging. However, when the face of V Grind is opened, its heel, toe and trailing edge sole relief allows the leading edge to stay closer to the ground, providing exceptional versatility.
This grind is ideal for players with a steeper angle of attack playing in normal to soft conditions.
V Grind is offered in 58 and 60 degree lofts with a Raw finish.
After we identified the 60.V, we hit a few shots out of the bunker to confirm our findings and then repeated the process to find a sand wedge. For my optimal gappings, I play a 55-degree sand wedge and we found that the 54.14F (weakened one degree) was best for me.
I was shocked that I needed a sand wedge with so much bounce, but when I thought about it, it made sense. Vokey advocates using more bounce in the sand wedge than the lob wedge to make sure that wedge is as forgiving as possible, while your lob wedge is your versatile “get out of jail” club. Scottie Scheffler uses the .14F as his sand wedge but uses a 56.14F head and strengthens it to 55˚, which removes a degree of bounce, whereas I like to take the 54 and add bounce by weakening it.
I’ve had these wedges for six months, and it’s basically been plug and play. While I may call upon the K* to utilize the lower bounce and wider sole when I go overseas to the UK, every other grass type or condition I’ve encountered, the V grind has proved to be a versatile and consistent weapon.
Firm bunkers, soft bunkers, thick rough, light rough, bent, rye, bermuda, zoysia: whatever I’ve been presented with, the V-grind has helped me get out of it.
For every shot, every lie, every course, there’s a grind fit for your swing. Finding the right grind to match your swing and playing conditions will give you the best turf interaction, contact and shot performance. Master Craftsman Bob Vokey has spent decades crafting, developing and improving his tour proven grinds to fit players of all levels.Anyone can manufacture a wedge, but it takes a master to turn a piece of high-performance technology into an instrument of creative control. Bob’s six tour-proven grinds are designed to offer maximum creativity, versatility and consistency, all meticulously developed through years of working with the best players in the world.
PROGRESSIVE CENTER OF GRAVITY
SM9 features a progressive center of gravity (CG) throughout the lofts, which optimizes ball flight, accuracy and forgiveness. Using tapered top lines and varied hosel lengths, the Vokey R&D team has raised the height of the CG in the higher lofts, which promotes a lower, more controlled flight.The CG is also forward of the face, resulting in increased MOI, exceptional feel and a club face that simply wants to square up at impact.
SPIN MILLED GROOVES
SM9’s patented Spin Milled grooves are meticulously engineered through a new cutting process to maximize spin and durability. The process starts by cutting the face perfectly flat with a high-speed saw. Then every groove is individually cut based on loft and finish; low lofts (46°-54°) are designed with narrower, deeper grooves, while higher lofts (56°-62°) have wider, shallower grooves.Micro-grooves are individually cut in between grooves, which maximize spin on partial shots. A proprietary heat treatment is applied to the impact area which doubles the durability of the groove without impacting feel, making it the most durable groove in golf. The process is only complete when every Vokey wedge is 100% inspected for utmost quality and performance.
With the high bounce F-grind on the sand wedge, that’s become such a useful club for long bunker shots and pitch shots with lots of green to work with. Thanks to the bounce, I can hit shots with little fear of taking much, if any, turf with me.
I would never have acquired this knowledge without a blind grind test. And now my trusty short game is even better.
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
