Review: Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges
Our Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges review took place at the brand’s national fitting centre at St Ives Golf Club and at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi.
The fitting at St Ives gave us a chance to learn more about the different grind and bounce options so I could get the right wedges for my game.
And the fitted Vokey SM7 wedges arrived in time to travel with us to Abu Dhabi for some warm weather testing.
Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges review – First impressions
Like with much of Titleist’s new gear, we’ve seen it on tour for a while. Their seeding process always starts very early.
The Vokey SM7 wedges first appeared at the Shriners Hospital for Childrens Open in November and within a couple of weeks they were the most played model on tour with 123 SM7’s in play at the RSM Classic.
We first got our hands on them when we went to get fitted at Titleist’s National Fitting Centre.
From a looks point of view, there’s not a huge amount to notice that’s different from the SM6.
Titleist added progressive centre of gravity locations in the SM6 and we can see these being deployed again with more mass near the sole of the club in the lower lofts and more near the topline in the higher lofts.
They look clean, they look classic, they look like what you’d expect from a Vokey wedge.
Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges review – The technology
So this is very much a case of refining and tweaking the technology which we’ve seen in previous Vokey wedges.
The CG locations are even more precise to get more consistency.
There are now six grind options – F, S, M, K, L and the new D.
We caught up with Bob Vokey himself to see how all the different grinds work and it’s very much a case of being fitted into the ones which suit your swing and home course conditions.
And with the Vokey SM7 wedges we have spin milled grooves which are cut at even tighter tolerances. Titleist say plays should get 100rpm more spin on average than with the SM6.
The wedges are also heat-treated to make them more durable but Titleist say you will start to notice drop offs in spin after 70 rounds.
We’ve got three finished with the Vokey SM7 wedges – tour chrome, brushed steel and jet black.
Titleist have also added more personalisation options so you can get your name or lucky motto stamped on in the colour of your choice.
I went a bit crazy and got J.S stamped on mine. A bit left field, I know.
[skylab_video id=”102963″]Bob Vokey Interview – PGA Show 2017[/skylab_video]
Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges review – The results
Well, let’s start with my fitting which is a pretty intense testing process in itself.
I currently have a 48˚ gap wedge in my Titleist 718 AP1 set and I do like to use this for chip and run shots around the green.
So we went for a 48˚ in the F-grind which is a full sole and ideal for full shots. The F-grind is also players who like to keep the face square.
I found the Vokey SM7 48˚ offered me a bit more finesse on the half-shots than my 718 AP1. I’m not going to lie though – I still find the SM7 a bit intimidating on full shots.
[skylab_video id=”136131″]Vokey SM7 Wedges review YT[/skylab_video]
It was great to be able to get fitted into the same shaft as my 718 AP1 irons – the AMT Black S300.
Next up, I was fitted into a 54˚ F-grind which has 12˚ of bounce. Now this is a club that I like to use a lot anywhere from 80 yards and in.
I’ll use it out of the bunker and chipping around the greens. I see it as a versatile club which will probably get more use than any other club (apart from the putter) during a round.
Again, the fact I like to always keep the face square rather than opening it up means the F-grind is ideal for me here.
But the standout wedge for me in my new set is the 58˚ K-grind which has 14˚ of bounce and a really wide, forgiving sole.
This works fantastically well out of the rough and the bunker. It feels to me like this is a club which does a lot of the work for you because it glides through the turf and sand so easily.
I have been fitted into 60˚ wedges before but I found they got very little use out on the course.
[skylab_video id=”133839″]Vokey bounce and grind[/skylab_video]
With my 54˚ and 58˚ I feel every shot is covered and I feel they will both get plenty of use.
So what are they like to use on said golf course? Well, they look fantastic and the sound and feel is superb too.
They have a lovely soft sound and feel and were giving me lots of spin and check – both in the fitting and the on-course testing.
Titleist Vokey SM7 wedges review – NCG verdict
Are the Vokey SM7 wedges a huge improvement on SM6? I’m not sure it’s fair to say that they are.
But they are still an improvement nonetheless which is a fantastic achievement for a product that was so successful.
It’s definitely a case of subtle tweaks and refinements rather than ground-breaking changes like we saw from SM5 to SM6.
As a mid-handicapper, I’m far happier chipping around the greens with the Vokey SM7 wedges than I am playing full shots.
But around the greens is where shots are gained and I feel like these wedges can help me knock a few shots off each round.
And with the bounce and grind options, I think that golfers of all ability levels can get a set of Vokey SM7 wedges that works for them.
Yes, these are wedges designed for the Jordan Spieth’s and Justin Thomas’ of this world but with the vast array of options available, mid-high handicappers can have success with them too.
[skylab_video id=”133834″]Bob vokey bounce wedge fitting you tube[/skylab_video]
Take the 58˚ K-grind which I was fitted into – it’s a really forgiving wedge with lots of bounce and a chunky sole which doesn’t require tour-level ability to use.
If you purchased a set of SM6, you may not want to rush out and get a set of SM7 unless you really need fresh grooves.
But if you’re still on the SM5, then I suggest booking yourself in for a fitting immediately.
Vokey SM7 wedges details
SRP: £150 per wedge
On sale: March 9, 2018
More information can be found on the Titleist website.
Equipment: Vokey SM6 wedges video review
Titleist Vokey wedges – bounce and grinds explained
Video: Titleist wedge fitting with Bob Vokey himself
Jack Backhouse
Jack is a PGA Golf Professional who specialises in coaching, teaching golf to beginners and top-level amateurs for 10+ years. He also loves his golf equipment and analysing the data of the latest clubs on the market using launch monitors, specialising in blade irons and low-spinning drivers despite having a chronically low ball flight.
Although Jack has no formal journalism training, He has been reading What's In The Bag articles since he started playing at 12 and studying golf swings since his dad first filmed his swing to reveal one of the worst over-the-top slice swings he reckons has ever been recorded, which set him off on the path to be a coach. His favourite club ever owned was a Ping G10 driver bought from a local top amateur with the hope that some of the quality golf shots would come with it (they didn't), and worst was a Nike SQ driver he only bought because Tiger was using it.
Jack is a member of Sand Moor Golf Club and regularly gets out on the golf course to prepare for tournaments. Jack uses a TaylorMade BRNR Mini driver, a half set of TaylorMade P7MB irons, MG4 wedges and a TaylorMade TP Reserve putter.
