By Nate Lammers
On April 30th 2019, the Miles of Golf staff had the pleasure of listening to Mr. Bob Vokey speak about his history, the wedge, and how it should be properly fit to a player. This was our experience and an in depth description of the Vokey SM7 and how it all came to be.
Canada, 1939 the world gave us Bob Vokey. His father Walter was an experienced tool, and die maker, and devoted golfer. Walter would tinker with golf equipment in his spare time, and Bob would observe diligently and help with his father’s club designs. At age 25 Bob left Canada for Carlsbad, California where he gained a desire for the game. He lived near a golf course and started playing competitively. While competing Bob developed a passion for working on equipment as his father did before him. Vokey soon realized that his ability to work with his hand was going to take him further than his talent in playing the game.
“I played golf, but realized my talent was only going to take me so far.”
-Bob Vokey
Mr. Vokey opened his own golf shop in 1976 called Bob’s Custom Golf Shop at Fallbrook country Club in San Diego and in 1980 he moved to a larger location in Vista, California. As his name became more, and more well known in the world of professional golf as a personal clubmaster for some of the biggest names in the game, it led to Vokey closing his shop in 1986 to join Taylormade. After a few short years at Taylormade, he left to help start Founders club. The company specialized in metal woods with help of Gary Adams (“Founder of Taylormade & the Father of the metal wood”). When Founders club was not as successful as envisioned Vokey joined Titleist in 1996 to assist in the making of the 975D driver. The driver went on to be one of the most popular drivers ever on professional tours and with amateur golfers alike.
Titleist wanted to now get into High performance wedges, and Mr. Vokey was up to the challenge. Titleist allotted the resources to produce the best product he could. Bob did and still does most of his R&D with the players of the PGA Tour with the goal of better understanding what they need around the green to help perform at the highest level. Bob believes he has the best R&D facility in the world- The professional tours.
Vokey wedges have been a prominent presence on all tour players since 2004 with roughly 40 percent of all scoring wedges each week on tour. With all that being said Vokey understands that we are not all tour pros, and amateurs can benefit from great wedges as well as the best players in the world.
“The thing that really motivates me is talking and working with tour players and amateurs and listening to them tell me how our wedges have helped improve their scores.”
-Bob Vokey
Now we have discussed a brief history of the legend that he truly is, let’s get to what makes the current line great and how you should choose your next wedge/s.
SM7
The current spin milled 7 wedges are the most current wedge from Vokey on the market. What set the SM7 apart from other wedges is a progressive CG design, optimized spin milled grooves and tour validated grinds.
The progressive center of gravity varies slightly between differing lofts. Vokey Design SM7 wedges feature a progressive center of gravity, optimized for each loft, bounce and grind for improved distance control, tighter shot dispersion and exceptional feel throughout the wedge set. That being said the CG changes as follows; 46-52 have the lowest CG to promote similar full shots to the shorter irons (8i, 9i, PW), 54-56 will have a mid CG to optimize spin, distance and trajectory control. The lob wedges or the 58-62 will have the highest positioned center of gravity to promote the lowest launch and highest spin for maximum spin and distance control for all short game shots.
The grooves on the SM7 as stated from Titleist.com for I cannot say it better myself. Vokey’s Spin Milled process is unique to each finish and loft for the sharpest, most consistent groove edges. Vokey Design SM7 wedges feature a Parallel Face Texture for more consistent groove edges, tighter quality tolerances, and maximum spin. SM7 wedges also feature a distinct groove design between lofts: low lofts (46°-54°) are designed with narrower, deeper grooves, while higher lofts (56°-62°) have wider grooves. The result is superior spin and control on all wedge shots.
Vokey Grinds
For the Vokey SM7 line-up Titleist offers six grinds and 23 loft and bounce (the angle from the leading edge to the trailing edge and back) configurations to accommodate a player’s tendency on full swings and around the green. The grinds and lofts are as follows:
• F-Grind (FAXON) – This grind is a full sole design with mild camber and mid high bounce for full swings and square face shots. Due to this design it is the only grind available in 46-52 wedges. The 46* & 48(Pitching Wedges) have one bounce option of 10 and the 50* & 52* have a mid and high bounce option of 8* & 12* of bounce. The higher bounce option is for those with a steeper angle of attack and may take slightly larger divots than normal.
• S-grind (STRICKER) – The S is best for square face shots with more versatility for shots around the green and for differing lies and conditions. The versatility is due to a touch of heel and trailing edge relief to allow the club to open without raising the effective bounce excessively. Vokey recommends this wedge to those with simple mechanics. Lofts available in the S-grind are 54, 56, 58, & 60 with 10* of bounce.
• M-Grind (originally the MF) – The M is the most versatile grind in the line-up with drastic toe, heel, and trailing edge relief. This relief allows players to play a multitude of shots with varying face angles (opening or closing) around the green. This is Mr. Vokey’s personal favorite. The M is available in 54, 56, 58, 60, & 62* with 8* of bounce.
• D-Grind (Aaron Dill) – The D is a higher bounce version of the M grind for those player with a steeper angle of attack, but still would like the ability to play an array of shots nearer to the green. The D is available in 58, & 60 with 12* of bounce.
• K-Grind (Tom Kite) – The K is the highest bounce wedge of all the grinds Vokey offers. With the widest sole and most camber (curvature of the sole) the K is great for bunkers, thick rough, and softer conditions. Vokey considers this the most forgiving wedge of all the SM7 grinds. The K is available in 58, & 60 with 14* of bounce.
• L-Grind (Lefty) – The L Grind features a narrow crescent shape (Similar to the M & D grinds) allowing maximum green side versatility, but it is the least forgiving wedge in the lineup due to its low bounce. The L is available in 58, & 60 with 4* of bounce.
*All models available in RH and LH with Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel, Jet Black, and Slate Blue finishes, and in RH only with Raw finish. LH models available with Raw finish are 50.08F, 52.08F, 54.10S, 56.10S, 58.08M, and 60.08M.
“Wedges need to be versatile and every player is different. It’s never one size fits all for wedges. That’s why we have many grind options.”
-Bob Vokey
Fitting
When fitting a wedge system for a players bag there are a few components to focus on:
• Determining length and lie angle of the wedge. Typically same length and lie adjustment made on the irons. In some cases the lie of the wedges can be slightly flatter than the shortest iron. The reason for the flatter lie is for shot and spin control.
• Figuring out the gapping between clubs; Vokey believes checking with the 9 iron allows to see if there are any major gapping issues going down and determining whether or not the pitching wedge with set or a Vokey pitching wedge is best for how the player plays there full and ¾ shots. Generally yardage gaps for irons and wedges are 8-12 yards to allow for best consistency. In some cases we can allow for 15 yards at the bottom end of the set if there is larger hole in the back end of the set which would mean the addition of a hybrid, long iron, or high lofted fairway metal.
• Lastly but most certainly not least is turf interaction and choice of grind. This part of the fitting is extremely important for impact consistency, trajectory control, and to maximize spin off the face. When bounce and grind are proper the ball will impact the face between groove line three and four more often. When the ball is struck there it places the balls center of gravity just below the wedges which promotes the lowest launch and maximum spin for best green side and full shot control.
Now that we have discussed the history of Mr. Vokey, the SM7 wedge, and how to fit the wedge properly I would like to share with you what occurred on April 20th 2019 when Bob came to visit us at Miles of Golf. On that date I was lucky enough to fit one of our Titleist loyalists Andy Kotarba for wedges and gapping alongside Bob Vokey. This was my experience.
We had brief wedge seminar before the fitting with Bob Vokey and Jeremy Stone (VP of Market for Vokey wedges) explaining how Vokey got started, the wedge technology and how to fit the wedge, very similar to how I’ve constructed this essay. There were roughly 20 people in attendance ranging from Miles of Golf employees, Titleist staff teaching pros, college golf coaches/players, and some loyal Titleist customers. This makes the largest audience that I have conducted a fitting in front of which was a cool atmosphere to be a part of (I can’t speak on behalf of Mr. Vokey, but I’m sure he enjoyed it as well). The gentleman being fit (i.e Andy Katarba) was a little nervous which was to be expected because of having to perform in front of a crowd let alone Bob Vokey himself.
To help calm Andy down, I ask him how do you like your current equipment? In response he mentioned how he recently had been fit for new irons and wedges. When looking at the 9 iron through his highest lofted wedge I noticed that the gaps should be good based on the lofts the clubs are and the fitting should go pretty smooth. The lofts are as follows; 9i (38), PW (43), GW (48), 52-12F bent to 53* SM7, and 58-12D SM7. Once the equipment was evaluated Bob and I started examining the gaps by using TRACKMAN 4 launch monitor. To begin the gapping process we had Andy hit his current 9 iron through 58 to get an accurate yardages for each club.
Once we were able to get quality quantifiable data behind each club, Bob and I were able dive deeper into the examination of what would need to change to help Andy score better. We notice a few interesting data points; Andy was carrying his 9i 145.1 yds, the 43* 126.8 yds, 48* 120.8 yds, 53* 105 yds and 58* 93.8 yds. So some gaps were fine, but others were becoming dangerously close to each other. The only way Andy was able to reach a proper gap with his 9i & 43* was when he pulled the 43. I decided first that some lofts and lies could be changed and the gaps should began to work and Mr. Vokey agreed with a nod, so off I went. Took and bent the 9i from 38 to 39* and the 43-44 and adjusted the lie 1.5 flat. The gap between the 9i and now 44* are 139.7yds and 123.7.
The big issue was still was that the 48* was still going 121yds so it was much too close to the 44. I looked and Andy and said “we need to consolidate two wedges to one”, and once again I got the nod from Vokey. “In the back of my mind I’m thinking to myself this is amazingly cool. Bob Vokey the man that made the wedges I’ve been playing most of my life is agreeing with my suggestions and saying very little. So now I tell myself to stay calm and keep doing what you have been trained to do”. I run and grab a SM7 46-10F and bent it to Andy’s specs and have him hit about five or six times, and BOOM 123.3yds and fill the gap we were looking for. Andy now can put another hybrid in the back end of his bag to round out the set.
With the gaps being correct Bob and I looked deeper into the numbers and see that Andy may not be spinning his 52-12F (bent to 53-13F) constantly and balls speeds were a little up and down. These factors were affecting his distance control. Vokey looks me and says “how about a sand wedge grind?” So now I nod at bob and quickly go and grab a SM7 54-10S and bent it 1 strong and to Andy’s lie of 61.5*. Andy grabs the wedge and with the first swing he strikes ball with a familiar sound to Bob “THWACK” a high pitch sound that the ball and club make when the ball hits between groove line three & four and the bounce meets the ground perfectly. The spin rate went from was consistently at 8000 rpms with better distance control. I think to myself “Holy Crap” everything Mr. Vokey and Jeremy talked about during the seminar played out during an hour wedge fitting as crowd watched it happen.
*Here is Mr. Kotarba’s TRACKMAN Report from the day:
Andy Kotarba 2019-05-23 Multi Group Report
At the end everyone was shaking hands and asking and asking their final questions to Bob and Jeremy before they had to head to the next destination. Then Steve Lenett our Titleist Rep had one last request, a picture with Mr. Vokey and some of the Miles of Golf staff
“Wedges need to be versatile and every player is different. It’s never one size fits all for wedges. That’s why we have many grind options.”
Bob Vokey, Master Craftsman
THANK YOU MR. VOKEY FROM EVERYONE AT MILES OF GOLF, AN EXPERIENCE WE WILL SURELY NEVER FORGET.
Nate Lammers
*Information referenced from Titleist.com and the wedge seminar conducted by Bob Vokey