Thank you for your work, Bob! As a 69 yr old, who just started the game a few years ago, with, obviously a high handicap, and quest for learning the Game, and for improving steadily, what wedge "quiver" would you recommend? And, should I follow "norms" that I read about or would fitting answer such questions? I still have problems with hitting from firm-ground approaches to greens.

For those of us that play extended length clubs, what is the best way to remove weight from the clubhead to get the correct swingweight?

I currently have SM 6 wedges, 54/10/S and 58/10/S. I filed just a tad off the heel of the 54 and enough off the heel and toe of the 58 that it looks like a D grind. I have gone through the on line fitting and hit the demos. I am stuck on the comfort of staying with S grind’s and putting my “home touch” on them or keeping the 54/10/S and changing the 58 to an D grind with 12 degrees of bounce - thoughts are welcome

Do you use production machines when making new wedges or do you have an area with manual machines to sculpt and modify/create custom wedges before production tooling machines to make the new SM8 wedges?

Mr Vokey,
Thank you for taking my question. I currently am a 16 handicap player. A friend gave me a Vokey/Titleist SM4 ( 56-11 ) wedge. I am getting better with it out of the sand traps and on occasion, I am able to hit a good flop shot with it. Would you recommend I continue with it or move to different loft and newer version wedge?

Thank you
John J

Hi Bob, wonderful opportunity to ask you a question!

When considering different grind options of your wedges, what element of your decision making process dictates what wedge grind you will apply to a particular loft and degree?

Mr. Vokey, at what age would it benefit a junior golfer to start using the newest technology, like the SM8, and not just any old wedges rom a "junior" set? Thank you!

Great question. It has more to do with how strong the player is. My best guess is in the little league age, 10-12 years old. We can reduce the weight a little bit with a light weight shaft, and we can shorten the length as well.

Finally, we can weight port to remove some weight from the head. It’s important to make sure that the weight isn’t changing how the player swings the club.

The different finishes you’ve created with your wedge designs over the years awards personal preference to any golfer. What is your favorite and why?

In the design process, what part is your favorite? Getting pro feed back, validation, a new idea coming to fruition.

I’ve always said, I have the best R&D department in the world, the PGA Tour. Working with the players when we have prototypes is a lot of fun. But what really keeps me going is hearing from you – I remember being at a Tour event and a player saw my hat (which says VOKE on the back), and they called me over.

They said that their game was so improved after being fit for our wedges. That is the most enjoyable part for me, knowing that the average player is enjoying the wedges.

Question
All my clubs are 2degrees flat. If I bend a new wedge flat will it effect the way the club goes through the turf

Hi Bob, I need clubs that are an inch over standard how do you build the set for me and keep the weight down to a standard weight for a wedge. Do you counter balance the grip with lead or just a heavier grip ?
Thank you

What would be your recommended grind/bounce options for people who play a variety of conditions? I want to be versatile with my wedges.

I would recommend looking at the entire wedge set, and preparing yourself for those conditions.

Do you think the finish really makes a difference in the performance of a club? If you kept on wedge in your bag which one would it be?

Thank you and keep up the good work.

Mr. Vokey - I live in Upstate New York. Firm and fast fairways and greens usually don't occur until late July or August. Please give me your opinion on the bounce/grinds to order for my new SM8 wedges (gap, sand, and lob). Thanks!

Hi Bob,
I’m a huge Vokey wedge fan and have played them all. I’m currently playing the sm7’s, which I think is the best wedge ever made. Looking at the 8s, it seems to me as if there is more offset. Is this accurate or is it just the shape difference? Thanks!
Scott

When a fitting for the new wedges is performed what are the adjustment differences compared to fitting irons?

How much of the process of developing a new wedge, like the SM8, comes from player feedback (Pro’s and Am’s alike) vs personal testing and exploration within the Vokey R&D team?

We do all of what you mention. Early on in the process, like right now with SM9, we spend a lot of time privately with my team at the Titleist Performance Institute. We test all sorts of ideas, and a lot of them don’t work.

Once we have a few prototypes that seem to do what we want them to, then we will take them to the tour, and also have a larger number of amateur players and club professionals come out to TPI to test the wedges.

Mr. Vokey, I know every release you start the process of trying to make a better wedge, so what was the initial thought that your team wanted to work on to improve the SM7 going into the SM8?

Bob,
I play golf usually in conditions where the grass is wet. How have you addressed the issues that change between dry and soaked? Really don’t want to change. Thanks for your input to the game of golf.

I'm getting ready to turn 69 next month. I live in the desert west of Phoenix. My index is 0.8. My question is....fairway height changes so much here season to season and so does my shot pattern with my wedges. I'm presently playing 60 - 10, 56 - 12, and 50 - 13 wedges. When the fairways are firm and low cut, it is so much easier to hit shots and control height and spin. Would a change of loft or bounce make it easier when the fairways are long?