Bob Vokey, the Master Craftsman at Titleist, is well-known for his Vokey wedges. Although I’ve been competitive golfer for many years, I never paid much attention to the grind of my wedges. I only looked at the loft when I picked them up.
Vokey was a great friend and I had the opportunity to meet him at work. We went through the process of fitting wedges at the Titleist Performance Institute, Oceanside, California.
I will admit that I was ashamed of my ignorance about how certain wedges were ground and their functions. He assured me I wasn’t the only one, and that this was a common practice among top-level players.
Vokey gave me a 60-degree wedge of three different grinds, but wouldn’t let me know which one. Vokey was taking notes of my facial expressions, feedback and divot patterns. Some grinds caused the club to dig more or less in the grass, but what was most important was what felt good.
We settled for an S grind SM9 Volkey wedge, and I shot two balls in front the master.
The S grind is a straight sole with a small amount of heel sanding. The S grind is the most flexible of all three.
Vokey taught me how important it is to get properly fitted for wedges. It is crucial to choose a wedge that suits your game.
