Vokey Design wedges have been the most played on the PGA Tour every year since 2004, and now Bob Vokey says his new SM9 wedges deliver the most complete lineup of loft, grind and bounce combinations to fit golfers of all skill levels.
With the new Vokey Design SM9s, the master craftsman has developed what he calls the “ultimate in optionality” with his most versatile, accurate and forgiving lineup that offers six grind options and a total of 23 different models ranging in lofts from 46 to 62 degrees for precision fitting.
“The most important thing for golfers at every level is to know when and where to use the variety of wedges in their bag,” said Vokey, whose website provides a selector tool to help golfers select the most beneficial options for themselves. “It is important to fit your wedges to your swing type, style of play and course conditions. That selection process should begin by determining the proper grind for the shots you hit most. The correct grind provides the best turf interaction, contact and shot performance.”
Vokey’s six tour-proven sole grinds – F, S, M, K, L and D – allow golfers of all skill levels to be precisely fit for their swing type (steep, neutral or shallow), shotmaking style (sweeper or digger) and course conditions (firm, neutral or soft).
A new spin-milled cutting process in the SM9 models produces consistently sharper grooves resulting in higher and more consistent spin. Micro-grooves are individually cut in between grooves, which the company says maximizes spin on partial shots. Lower lofts (46 to 54 degrees) are designed with narrower, deeper grooves while higher-lofts (56 to 62) have wider, shallower grooves.
Vokey’s research has determined that the optimum strike position on a wedge is between grooves 2 and 5, producing a lower, more consistent flight with higher spin. The new SM9 improves on the forward center of gravity introduced in the SM8 – a position it says actually hovers in front of the wedge face – to produce a solid-feeling wedge that squares up at impact. The CG has been raised by adding weight to the topline design.
The wedges are available in three finishes – tour chrome, brushed steel and jet black – with raw as a custom option.
A number of top PGA Tour pros immediately adopted the new SM9 wedges.
“It went straight in the bag,” said Patrick Cantlay. “When you’re testing a new wedge, you want to see that it’s interacting with the turf the right way and able to perform no matter what kind of shot you’re hitting. And I feel very comfortable that this wedge does that.”