As iron lofts have gotten stronger over the years, golf’s newly desired length has created problems with gapping between irons and wedge sets.
The wedge experts at Titleist’s Vokey Design have seen this trend, offering 48-degree, and since 2012’s SM4, even a 46-degree stock for players to replace their pitching wedge or fill a gap between their irons and wedges.
But while Titleist’s own T100 irons have a pitching wedge (46 degrees standard) that matches the Vokey retail 46.10F, the rest of the manufacturer’s T-series irons fall out of concert with Vokey’s retail offerings. The T150’s pitching wedge is 44 degrees, while the T200 and T350 pitching wedges are an even stronger 43 degrees.
Now that’s about to change. Vokey is taking aim at helping players with stronger lofted irons gap their wedges with the introduction of the Vokey WedgeWorks 44F pitching wedge.
“The Vokey 46 has been such a valuable club for so many, Tour players and amateurs alike,” Vokey Tour rep Aaron Dill said in a press release. “It offers the profile the Vokey wedge player loves, the bounce and grind that creates the right launch and spin, and consistency in carry numbers. With the lofts getting stronger in iron sets, we needed a lower-lofted head to avoid the sacrifices that came from strengthening a 46.”
What is it:
The Vokey WedgeWorks 44F pitching wedge is a stronger lofted version of the company’s 46.10F pitching wedge that will help players with stronger-lofted sets improve their gapping throughout the bag.
“The 44F was a much-needed option for our players globally,” said Dill, “as it helps achieve the right yardage with the correct look, feel and performance.”
The sole is the same 10-degree bounce F-grind found on Vokey’s other pitching wedges and gap wedges designed to enhance turf interaction on full-swing shots.
Why it’s cool:
Many of Titleist’s Tour players prefer to use a Vokey pitching wedge because of the spin benefits of Vokey’s grooves, which help to prevent fliers and add bounce on the sole for better turf interaction.
Previously, if a player needed a pitching wedge stronger than 46 degrees to match the lofts of their iron set for gapping, they would have to take a 46-degree head and bend it strong, which increases offset and removes bounce, making the wedge more prone to digging.
“When a player doesn’t have enough bounce, often the vertical impact location can be higher up on the face, which results in less spin and more height,” said Dill.
Now players have a 44-degree option while increasing bounce and decreasing offset.
Who’s it for:
If you have a set of irons with a pitching wedge at 45 degrees or stronger and you have enough skill to play a blade-like pitching wedge or like to use your pitching wedge exclusively as a short game club, the new WedgeWorks 44F may be for you.
The 44F is already in the bag of PGA Tour winner Wyndham Clark. Several other tour pros have also inserted stronger lofted Vokey pitching wedges as they’ve taken advantage of stronger lofted iron sets.
“Wyndham was originally in 46.10F bent strong, which decreased bounce. In softer conditions, his strike would tend to be higher on the face than optimal, which is what we were trying to eliminate,” Dill said. “The 44F bent slightly weak was a perfect fix. It gave him more bounce and helped keep his flight down, and we stayed in a profile that fit his eye. It added confidence, as he knew he could aggressively strike the turf and trust that he would get the result he was looking for. It’s a tweak we couldn’t have made with a 46-degree head.”
The 44F was also in Lydia Ko’s bag when she won this past weekend at the LPGA’s HSBC Women’s World Championship.
Specialty pitching wedges are certainly not for everyone as they can be less forgiving than the pitching wedge that comes in a typical game-improvement set. But for those who are consistent enough, it can be a real aid for precision.
Specs, Price and Availability:
Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks SM10 F Grind Custom Wedge
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The Vokey WedgeWorks 44F is available now on Vokey.com and Fairway Jockey in both Tour Chrome and Raw finishes for $225.
As with all WedgeWorks exclusives, True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S200 shaft comes stock, but the club can be customized with several different shafts and grips. Length, lie, loft and swing weight can also be customized in the ordering process.
The Vokey WedgeWorks 44F also carries over all the same technology from the SM10 retail line, like the progressive CG which is lower in the 44F to help transition from irons to wedges, and TX9 grooves that are individually cut for each wedge loft and finish.
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