First Look: Vokey SM10 Wedges 

The story of Vokey SM10 boils down to three key elements. 

• Versatility
• Distance control and trajectory
• Maximum Spin

They’re what you should expect for most any serious wedge story but it’s important to understand that, while the list is linear, it’s the intertwining of those elements that contributes to optimal wedge performance.

So, in the interest of tying this all together, let’s look at the pieces individually.

Versatility

In the wedge game, versatility is often about giving golfers the ability to manipulate the face around the green. And while the Vokey SM 10 wedge lineup gives you plenty of options to do just that, within the bigger picture, Vokey versatility speaks to providing golfers and fitters with access to a robust set of options ranging from a 46-degreee pitching wedge to a 62-degree lob wedge (with plenty of stuff in between).

In total, the Vokey SM10 lineup consists of six grinds and 25 discrete loft, bounce and grind combinations.

With so much versatility in the Vokey wedge lineup, nearly anyone should be able to find what they need but Vokey isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel (or the wedge) here. Twenty-three of the options are carryovers from SM9’s 24-option catalog.

You don’t have to be particularly good at math to figure out that Vokey added something new to the SM10 mix. And while that is true, the whole of the equation is slightly more complex.

The Vokey SM10 wedge lineup features two new (but not unfamiliar) additions along with one subtraction.

Vokey SM10 54 M

The 54-degree M Grind, which Vokey offered up last July as a WedgeWorks exclusive, slides into the retail lineup where it provides a new low-bounce option for golfers seeking versatility at 54 degrees.

And, yeah, it is kind of weird that one wasn’t already a staple.

Vokey SM10 58 & 60 T

The MyGolfSpy staff favorite T-Grind finally makes its way into the lineup as well.

Historically, the T Grind has moved in and out of WedgeWorks but in recent years it has grown in popularity to the point where it has become the staple high-loft, low-bounce option on the PGA Tour.

The T Grind is now Vokey’s second-most requested wedge on Tour behind the 50/12.

The reason is simple.

“It just does the right things,” says Vokey Wedge rep Aaron Dill. “Other than the fact that it’s probably not the most forgiving option, it is so strong at trajectory, spin and versatility that it’s hard not to put it in your bag.”

Damn near impossible, I’d say.

Bye-Bye L Grind

To create room in the lineup, Vokey’s other low-bounce lob wedge—the L Grind—has been dropped from the retail lineup, though a little birdie told me it’s going to find its way to WedgeWorks.

The Fitting Angle

Wedge fitting is complex, which helps to explain why so few golfers bother. I think that’s maybe because, lost between grinds and that “digger/sweeper” stuff, is that the most critical element of wedge fitting can be distilled down to a single word: Contact

It doesn’t matter what shot you’re trying to hit, “optimal result” starts with “optimal contact” and, while it might be a struggle for some to wrap their heads around, that starts with the grind.

It’s not lost on me that trying to sort through grinds on your own can be confusing and intimidating. When you’re working with a knowledgeable fitter, you don’t need to worry about it.

The larger point is that, while the grind matters, the grind itself shouldn’t be your point of focus.

When I got fitted for SM10 in December, my fitter asked me to try not to look at what I was hitting. I barely look at the ball so not looking at the club? Yeah, no problem there.

Having experienced it, it’s fascinating, even surprising, to see how switching grinds alters the trajectory on full swings. Same loft, same shaft—visibly different results.

It’s wild, man.

We often talk about the grind providing versatility around the green but the grind has a significant impact on full-swing trajectory as well.

So, in that sense, all of the other stuff we’re talking about today—scorelines, center of gravity changes, spin, greenside versatility—it all goes out the window if the grind isn’t right.

A properly fitted wedge allows the grind to do the work, which allows you to flight the ball through the optimal window (dial in your launch and spin) without having to do any extra work to make it happen.

While it’s not regarded in the same way as movable weights and multi-material construction, within the Vokey SM10 lineup, there’s almost certainly a grind that’s going to work for you.

The grind is the technology.

Vokey SM10 Wedges – Revised Shapes

As part of the SM10 Story, Vokey has literally reshaped its wedges.

Iron shapes have evolved over time. And while a wedge still needs to look like a wedge, keeping up with the times meant subtle tweaks to the shape of the SM10 to allow for a more seamless flow (visually speaking) from modern iron designs.

What you may notice is that pitching and gap wedge lofts have a straighter leading edge while sand and lob wedge lofts offer a bit more curvature.

The straighter leading edge is critical for creating a smooth transition from irons like, oh, I don’t know, pretty much anything in the T-Series. The curved leading edge of the higher-lofted options helps the wedge look more balanced when golfers start opening it up around the green.

The most discerning of you may notice that Vokey SM10 toe profiles are a bit more symmetrical as well. Most notably, the peak of the toe (the point farthest from the heel) is now perfectly centered.

Perhaps most importantly, for the first time all Vokey wedges of the same loft have the same shape. That 54 M Grind, other than some small differences in hosel and leading-edge height, should be indistinguishable from a 54-degree F Grind.

Reshaping a wedge doesn’t necessarily improve performance, at least not in the conventional sense, but that’s not to say there aren’t performance implications. The idea is to remove perceptions of how a wedge looks from the fitting equation.

“In a fitting environment where you’re changing models in and out all the time, guys can pick up on those things,” says Aaron Dill. “They’ll say this wedge looks a little different, and that skews the direction you’re going in. You should be able to hand players a 58 or 60 and only see the differences in the lofts. There should be no differences in shapes or offsets or any of that stuff. It should be a simple transition.”

If you’ve ever moved from one grind to another and felt like something didn’t look quite right, you understand why this matters. A few years ago, before the T Grind was available, I tried moving from a 58-degree D Grind to a low-bounce K. Something about the K didn’t look right and I could never get comfortable with it.

The consistent shape approach should allow golfer to focus more on finding the right grind rather than what looks right.

Distance and Trajectory Control

The second key element (or elements) on our list is distance control and, by extension, trajectory control.

The familiar part of the story is that Vokey continues to leverage a progressive approach to center-of-gravity placement. Specifically, as loft increases, the CG gets higher.

Ideal CG placement is always a moving target and, with each iteration, Vokey has moved closer to what is theoretically optimal. SM8 offered the most forward center of gravity while SM9 was Vokey’s highest ever.

With SM10, it split the difference between the two.

Vokey also removed a bit of the draw bias from SM10. With SM9, the offset came out. With SM10, the center of gravity is shifted a bit closer to true center.

There’s still a bit of heel bias and that’s by design as the intent is to match T100 as well as Titleist’s cavity-back and muscle-back offerings.

Vokey’s testing has shown that a slightly heel-ward CG provides increased stability, better feel and it’s what Tour players want and perform best with.

What all this CG stuff means for you

What’s the point? (You may find yourself asking.)

It’s counterintuitive for some golfers but what we’re digging at is that wedges should fly lower, flatter and with plenty of spin.

If you’ve never been fitted for a wedge, chances are you probably don’t have sense of what that looks like.

“If you’re not familiar with what the proper launch window looks like, it can be a bit scary,” says Dill. “In actuality, it’s the best way for us to manage how far that Pro V1 is going.”

Yes, that’s a shameless plug for the ball but because the underlying point is important, we’ll allow it.

To put a number on it, the Vokey team says a good rule of thumb is to look for a launch angle that’s half the loft of the wedge minus two. That means that optimal launch for a 54-degree wedge is around 25 degrees.

Again … if you’ve never launched a wedge at 25 degrees, it’s going to look weird, maybe even wrong, but it’s where you want to be.

Maximum Spin

Our third and final element is maximum spin. Isn’t it always?

As it has been for as long as most of can remember, Vokey’s spin story begins with spin-milled grooves. Like others, Vokey varies its groove geometry based on the loft of the club. Wedges from 46 to 54 degrees offer narrower, deeper grooves while higher-lofted options feature a wider and shallower groove for more bite on shorter shots.

With SM10, Vokey has improved its spin-milling process. Ultimately, we’re talking about tighter tolerances which allows it to push grooves specs closer to the limit.

For golfers, that means more spin.

Greenside spin is further enhanced by micro texture (effectively mini grooves) between the primary grooves. To be clear, this isn’t a spray-on texture that will wear away after a few hundred shots. It’s a permanent feature that should provide benefit over the life of the wedge.

It’s also worth reminding you that Vokey varies its groove geometry based on the finish of the wedge. Not every finish is the same, so if you don’t adjust for each finish, then the wedge will perform differently based on the coating.

Nobody wants that. Well, Vokey doesn’t want that, anyway.

As a part of the manufacturing process, Vokey adds a heat treatment to help prolong groove life.

Finally, every wedge is inspected to ensure that grooves are sharp and that no duds hit the shelves. Vokey would much rather replace a cutting wheel than for you to buy a wedge that doesn’t perform as expected.

Vokey SM10 Finish Options

As it has for as long as I can remember (full disclosure, that’s not much past last Friday), Vokey has offered three finish options. Tour Chrome and Jet Black are staples of the Vokey wedge lineup and carry on with SM10.

The new edition is what Vokey is calling Nickel.

Frankly, I’m conflicted. First, the other finish isn’t Jet Blue, which is well-documented as the best finish. I’m also not sure why Titleist decided to name a finish after my NPG partner Chris Nickel but I’m positive it’s not entirely fair.

(I may change my name to Tony Slateblue just to see what happens next.)

Truthfully, if the Vokey team had the foresight to call the new finish Slate Gray, I’d have nothing but good things to say.

It lands right where Vokey wants it to—a tweener between Tour Chrome and Jet Black—and, in my opinion, it’s a significant improvement over what it replaces (Brushed Steel). It’s a small thing but it’s a bit more durable and definitely does a better job resisting fingerprints (that matters when you have to take pictures of these things).

A raw option is also available through custom.

Vokey SM10 Custom Options, Pricing, Availability

Vokey SM10 customization options include:

• Stamping options | 10-character straight/freestyle stamping, 15 characters around the toe and two lines of 10 characters each
• Custom paint-filled loft, bounce and grind markings and BV Wings logo
• Six unique toe engravings
• Hand-ground options for grind personalization
• Vokey WedgeWorks Flight Lines

Retail price is $189.

Vokey SM10 wedge fittings begin Feb. 15. Retail availability starts on March 8.

For more information, visit Vokey.com.

PS: Don’t want to wait until March? You can pick up the SM9 on sale now for $150.

FAQ

Where can I get fitted for Vokey SM10 wedges?

Your best bet is to visit the Vokey site to find a fitter near you. If there isn’t a fitter for you, or you want to try the DIY approach, our fitting guide can help you find the right wedges.

How often should I replace my wedges?

Vokey’s rule of thumb is after 75 rounds. That’s a rough average. Think of it as a starting point. The truth is most golfers don’t replace wedges as often as they should.

Of the 50 percent of Team Titleist members who carry Vokey wedges, half of them still have SM7 or older in the bag.

Typically, you’ll want to replace your sand and lob wedge more frequently (and more frequently still if you hit a lot of sand shots) but, honestly, your gap wedge is probably fine.

Our best advice is to never change the grip on a wedge. If you need a new grip, you need a new wedge.

Why are the new wedges called SM10 instead of SMX?

“X” would have been more fun, right? From what I gather, it was discussed but Vokey is an American brand so why would it use Roman numerals?

That’s just my guess.

Should I buy a T Grind?

Probably.

I’m kidding (kinda). While the T Grind isn’t what you’d call forgiving (with its low bounce, it has a tendency to dig), we haven’t found a better option for tight lies, bad lies, and all-around versatility.

There’s a reason why it’s become so popular on Tour.