Bob Vokey joined allegiance with Titleist in 1996 and not long after the Titleist Vokey wedges were brought to life. Since their inception, Vokey wedges have been considered the pinnacle when it comes to wedges, offering premium looks and exceptional performance. Titleist has designed the new SM10 wedge to continue to extend the well earned reputation of being considered the best wedge and continue to be the most used wedges in professional golf. Last year on the PGA Tour, more than half the wedges put in play week-on-week were Titleist Vokey Wedges.
So if the previous SM9 Vokey wedges are considered the pinnacle, what changes have been made to the SM10 wedges to enhance their performance? Truth be told, the aesthetics of the SM10’s have changed very little in relation to their predecessor when seen at first glance, but there are a few subtle differences.
The SM10 wedges feature progressive shaping which I think gives these wedges a superb look at address in all loft options. The stronger lofted wedges, such as the 46° through to 52° are actually a little smaller in head shape compared to the more lofted wedges and feature a straighter leading edge compared to the sand and lob wedges in the line-up. The straighter leading edge is something I really like the look of when it comes to wedges and so the progressive shaping design is something I’m a big fan of. While the more lofted wedges have a more rounded leading edge than the stronger lofted SM10 wedges, they still appear a little more sharp at address compared to the previous years model. Other than that, wedges with lofts 54°-62° have a marginally larger footprint which certainly will help give golfers more confidence when standing over tricky short sided chip and pitch shots where playing a lofted shot is a necessity.
The Vokey SM10 wedges will be offered in three different finishes - a traditional chrome, the matte black that was available on the SM9 wedges and a new nickel finish which is my personal favourite. Titleist set the standard when it comes to wedge set-up options with 25 different combinations of loft, bounce and grind. There are six tour-proven grind options, including the T grind, which has replaced the low bounce L grind option - definitely one for the more confident player or a golfer with much shallower pitching action.
While the Vokey SM10 wedges appear to have seen minor changes cosmetically compared to the SM9's, under the hood, Bob Vokey and the engineers at Titleist have been hard at work to make these the best performing wedges they have ever created. The SM10 wedges have been designed to fly slightly lower, spin more and have improved feel over the SM9 wedges. I conducted my initial testing indoors using Titleist Pro V1 golf balls on a Trackman 4 launch monitor at My Golf Matters, Berkshire, before heading out on the course to see how the SM10 wedges performed in different conditions.
On average with a 50 yard pitch shot, I saw both wedges perform very similarly with spin rates separated by only 50rpm’s (revolutions per minute) with the SM10, registering slightly higher than the SM9 wedges at 6750rpm. The SM10 began to distance itself in regards to spin when it came to a 75 yard shot, picking up nearly 200rpm more than the SM9. Hitting shots from this distance out on the course was where I noticed the significantly lower ball flight on offer from the SM10 wedge. The added spin I saw produced by the SM10 wedge is probably down to individually cut TX9 grooves, which differ based on the loft or finish of the wedge. Micro-texture between the grooves creates added friction on the face helping create further spin and therefore provides more control around the greens. Heat treatment is applied after the grooves have been cut to actually firm up the face and make the grooves supposedly last double the duration of previous designs - time will tell on this.
Like with the shaping of the SM10 wedges, Titleist has incorporated progressive CG placement throughout the range of lofts available. The CG has been moved towards the center of the blade and away from the heel of the club, as well as further forward to help bring the flight of the ball down. Longer hosel lengths as well as a slightly thickened top line have been introduced but without becoming intrusive when the wedges are placed at address. For those left confident with their short game, it may also be worth considering some of the most forgiving wedges. These changes have been made to help square the face quicker and provide more control with that lower flight. I much preferred the lower ball flight as I feel far more in control of my distances this way. The lower flight and higher spin combination allowed me to attack tucked pins and know I was going to have enough spin in the ball to keep it on smaller areas on the greens.
The Titleist SM10 wedges have progressed from the popular SM9 wedges albeit in a minor way. In a market space where you are already considered the industry leader, I think improving your product even a little deserves a lot of praise. The lower flight and heightened spin is something I feel will drastically improve my wedge play this year and I’m certain will do the same for others.
Golfers will be able to be fitted into the Titleist SM10 wedges from the 15th February - something we highly recommend, while the general on-sale date is the 8th March. The SM10 wedges will retail at $189 and will come equipped in a True Temper Dynamic Gold S200 shaft and new Titleist universal 360 grip.
