Any Vokey K-grind users?

[mizunotpz]

Have no place to demo wedges around here, but are very curious to try a K-grind in 58 since its supposed to be more forgiving and still loved by players like Adam Scott and Tom Kite. But my question is would it be easier to top a K-grind wedge, cause it kinds of sits higher up? I play mostly in rather soft, fluffy conditions. Been having the yips for a few years but last two seasons Ive been practising a lot and I have changed my technique into a more shallow, using the bounce style and the problems seems to have gone away but Im thinking that K-grind might allow me to be more aggressive and I can dig some, especially its soft conditions. Whats your ideas?

[2Down]

Top it cause of bounce?  I wouldn't think so.

 

you might consider second swing or the like and get a cheap one to try out.  

[mizunotpz]

I have F grind on my 50 degree and a PM grind 56 so Im pretty used to higher bounce options. I use both of them around the greens for those low spinny ones.

[bpdhlbrg]

I have a 60/14/K and I don’t think I’ve ever topped a shot with it. Great out of the sand and thick rough. Probably not the best for hard pan, but I don’t really chip or hit approach shots with it. 

[mizunotpz]

2 minutes ago, bpdhlbrg said:

I have a 60/14/K and I don’t think I’ve ever topped a shot with it. Great out of the sand and thick rough. Probably not the best for hard pan, but I don’t really chip or hit approach shots with it. 

So you never used it much on the fore green, if its fluffy softer grass?

[Nateyeight]

I have a 58 K grind. I only use it in soft bunkers and think fluffy rough around the greens. I use other wedges for tight lie situations.  

[JJgolfwrx]

39 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

Have no place to demo wedges around here, but are very curious to try a K-grind in 58 since its supposed to be more forgiving and still loved by players like Adam Scott and Tom Kite. But my question is would it be easier to top a K-grind wedge, cause it kinds of sits higher up? I play mostly in rather soft, fluffy conditions. Been having the yips for a few years but last two seasons Ive been practising a lot and I have changed my technique into a more shallow, using the bounce style and the problems seems to have gone away but Im thinking that K-grind might allow me to be more aggressive and I can dig some, especially its soft conditions. Whats your ideas?

 

The short answer is if you are saying you take a deeper divot and your equipment is not allowing you to make your natural swing because you have too low of bounce, then yes getting a wedge for more bounce like the K-Grind will be a great option. The reason being that your "yips" are most likely caused by you compensating because of your equipment not being correct.

[mizunotpz]

3 minutes ago, JJgolfwrx said:

 

The short answer is if you are saying you take a deeper divot and your equipment is not allowing you to make your natural swing because you have too low of bounce, then yes getting a wedge for more bounce like the K-Grind will be a great option. The reason being that your "yips" are most likely caused by you compensating because of your equipment not being correct.

I think that makes a lot of sense. I stopped trusting the wedges I was using and when I went to higher bounce seems like I found something. But question is how extreme do I wanna go. Maybe I should consider the D-grind as well as the K-grind.

[JJgolfwrx]

@mizunotpz K-grind if you are in softer conditions and have a deeper divot because of the wider sole width it has (what your tendencies are). D-grind if you are in harder conditions and have a less deep divot because of the thinner sole. 

 

Fun fact: divot size and depth are often associated with your angle of attack (how much down or up you hit on it). They are related but I have seen people who hit down on their irons as much as their wedges but have a smaller divot and vice-versa!

[Nateyeight]

14 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

I think that makes a lot of sense. I stopped trusting the wedges I was using and when I went to higher bounce seems like I found something. But question is how extreme do I wanna go. Maybe I should consider the D-grind as well as the K-grind.

My set up is 50-F-8, 54-S-10 and 58-K-14. You could maybe go a D grind instead of the S. Versatility is your friend.

[mizunotpz]

10 minutes ago, JJgolfwrx said:

@mizunotpz K-grind if you are in softer conditions and have a deeper divot because of the wider sole width it has (what your tendencies are). D-grind if you are in harder conditions and have a less deep divot because of the thinner sole. 

 

Fun fact: divot size and depth are often associated with your angle of attack (how much down or up you hit on it). They are related but I have seen people who hit down on their irons as much as their wedges but have a smaller divot and vice-versa!

So you wouldnt say the D-grind is for softer conditions? If you open the D-grind up the bounce must decrease. I think it was James Sieckmann who said that a M-grind has high bounce if you play it square, but the D-grind has a similar construction just more bounce, whats the effective bounce on a D-grind then if you play it square? I dont mind opening my wedges up a few degrees on normal pitch shots.

[mizunotpz]

Can you open up a K-grind? Or will that push the leading edge to high up and resulting in tops? Thats one of the things I shouldve asked from the start. Sorry,

[JJgolfwrx]

Just generalization at the end of today.  however all I am saying you are more likely to be a k-grind. If you want to open up the face, then an m-grind/d-grind could work. On tour they will take a k-grind and put that m-shape to it so you can have the advantages of opening it up as well.

[mizunotpz]

17 minutes ago, JJgolfwrx said:

Just generalization at the end of today.  however all I am saying you are more likely to be a k-grind. If you want to open up the face, then an m-grind/d-grind could work. On tour they will take a k-grind and put that m-shape to it so you can have the advantages of opening it up as well.

Yeah like a custom grind? Apparently through wedge works you can buy a low bounce option of the K-grind which is supposedly popular on tour. They play a lot of firmer conditions.

[millerj]

25 minutes ago, mizunotpz said:

Can you open up a K-grind? Or will that push the leading edge to high up and resulting in tops? Thats one of the things I shouldve asked from the start. Sorry,

Off of tight lies I've never had success opening up the face on my 58 K grind, but could be my technique is trash. Like others have said bunkers and rough it works like a charm, I've had no issues chipping with it as well.

[mizunotpz]

5 minutes ago, millerj said:

Off of tight lies I've never had success opening up the face on my 58 K grind, but could be my technique is trash. Like others have said bunkers and rough it works like a charm, I've had no issues chipping with it as well.

even chipping on short grass? Like a normal lie?

[JJgolfwrx]

@mizunotpz yep that's correct. They make low bounce  K grind because when open up the face the bounce increases and the leading edge would be exposed. You will see some witb with a low bounce k and then the grind away the back into more of an m-grind shape

[mizunotpz]

16 minutes ago, JJgolfwrx said:

@mizunotpz yep that's correct. They make low bounce  K grind because when open up the face the bounce increases and the leading edge would be exposed. You will see some witb with a low bounce k and then the grind away the back into more of an m-grind shape

Pretty much like an s-grind works, you get 10 bounce with square face and then you increase bounce if you open it.

[Valtiel]

I will always evangelize for the low bounce K-Grinds with a little heel relief. The wide sole gives a high effective bounce which prevents digging and makes it great out of bunkers while the low measured bounce reduces the amount that larger sole and leading edge will want to skip up into the ball. Adding heel relief simply lets you open it up a bit without adding a ton of bounce. 

As for topping the ball though, no equipment will cause or prevent that outside of something so poorly fit that it causes you to make a poor delivery. Wedge soles/grinds should be chosen based on technique and conditions. The aforementioned low bounce K setup for me is a jack of all trades that is only slightly tricky in really wet conditions, but the wide sole still makes it playable. 

[Hawkeye77]

Never liked the K grind at all and I don't really agree with their descriptions as hard and fast prescriptions for "diggers", etc.  I don't play them any more, but when I bought my SM6s, we went through all the various combos "blind" to see what worked best and, like before, I ended up with F in a 52, and S in the next two.  Firm or soft turf or firm or fluffy bunkers, they were fine.

[Hawkeye77]

2 hours ago, mizunotpz said:

Can you open up a K-grind? Or will that push the leading edge to high up and resulting in tops? Thats one of the things I shouldve asked from the start. Sorry,

If you are worried about "tops" you need to worry about your technique, not the grind. You may like the look at address or may definitely get some specific benefit from a different grind, but topping wedges isn't a grind issue, IMO and I don't think you are using the bounce correctly if you are really worried you are sliding the leading edge into the upper middle of the golf ball.

[JJgolfwrx]

For sure, technique and equipment go hand in hand. Wouldn't say it is just equipment or just technique. To each their own.

[kizdoc]

2 hours ago, Valtiel said:

I will always evangelize for the low bounce K-Grinds with a little heel relief. The wide sole gives a high effective bounce which prevents digging and makes it great out of bunkers while the low measured bounce reduces the amount that larger sole and leading edge will want to skip up into the ball. Adding heel relief simply lets you open it up a bit without adding a ton of bounce. 
 

100% why I use a low bounce K-grind.  Love my 200 series 60 degree Vokey.

[dwboston]

I like the older Vokey TVD K-grind vs. the retail K grinds they've released.  The TVD version was a little more versatile to me.  D-grind is a higher bounce version of the M-grind.  The M-grind never worked for my swing - it felt like I drop-kicked everything.  The D-grind is very versatile.

 

The K-grind isn't meant to be opened up.  There was a discussion here years ago, where a few folks insisted that instead of opening up the K-grind, one should drop the hands back at address to expose more of the bounce.

[mizunotpz]

5 hours ago, dwboston said:

I like the older Vokey TVD K-grind vs. the retail K grinds they've released.  The TVD version was a little more versatile to me.  D-grind is a higher bounce version of the M-grind.  The M-grind never worked for my swing - it felt like I drop-kicked everything.  The D-grind is very versatile.

 

The K-grind isn't meant to be opened up.  There was a discussion here years ago, where a few folks insisted that instead of opening up the K-grind, one should drop the hands back at address to expose more of the bounce.

Aha, if its not meant to be opened up maybe its not for me, cause I do like to look down on a little open face rather than a square face while chipping/pitching. I use more of a Faxon technique and use a little forward press so it might be the D-grind Im looking for.

[mizunotpz]

7 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

If you are worried about "tops" you need to worry about your technique, not the grind. You may like the look at address or may definitely get some specific benefit from a different grind, but topping wedges isn't a grind issue, IMO and I don't think you are using the bounce correctly if you are really worried you are sliding the leading edge into the upper middle of the golf ball.

No Im not topping them anymore, just afraid moving to K-grind wouldve result me going back to tops cause my history of the yips, so instead of moving into a more forgiving option it might backfire with a K-grind. Part of the reason I dont have the yips anymore is cause I started to use the bounce more, releasing the club a little more through impact. But many good ideas here now so thankful for that.

[dwboston]

7 hours ago, mizunotpz said:

No Im not topping them anymore, just afraid moving to K-grind wouldve result me going back to tops cause my history of the yips, so instead of moving into a more forgiving option it might backfire with a K-grind. Part of the reason I dont have the yips anymore is cause I started to use the bounce more, releasing the club a little more through impact. But many good ideas here now so thankful for that.

 

Don't be afraid of the K-grind - the wider sole makes it really forgiving.  Just realize that it's meant for certain use cases: bunker shots and pitches around the greens with a mostly square face, and it works great in regular to soft turf conditions.  The D-grind is probably a better bet if you want higher bounce but with the versatility to play more open-faced shots.  It's not as automatic out of the bunkers as the K-grind is, but it's a good option.

Edited January 15, 2022 by dwboston

[flaghunting1987]

I prefer the M grind...little less bounce (still a full sole), but doesn't have exposed leading edge as much as the K.

 

K was only best in soft bunkers, but M overall does more. 

[mizunotpz]

7 hours ago, dwboston said:

 

Don't be afraid of the K-grind - the wider sole makes it really forgiving.  Just realize that it's meant for certain use cases: bunker shots and pitches around the greens with a mostly square face, and it works great in regular to soft turf conditions.  The D-grind is probably a better bet if you want higher bounce but with the versatility to play more open-faced shots.  It's not as automatic out of the bunkers as the K-grind is, but it's a good option.

Ok great info buddy! I dont really need a bunker club, my PM grind 56 works great in the bunker and I have never had any issues with bunker shots, its one of the stronger parts of my game. D-grind might be what Im looking for.

[WipeyFade]

Old thread I know, but I am curious about the K grind. I’m pretty neutral through the balls on short pitches when I have a good fairway lie, not a tight lie but also not fluffy either. When I have a tight/firm lie I play the back in my stance and hit a low shot with spin. I only open the face to get through sand/rough. On full shots I’m around 3-4* down, sometimes a little more. My worst wedge shots come from short pitches around the green where I have a soggy or into the grain (Bermuda grass) lie. Is there a possibility the K grind would work? I carry a half set so this will be the only wedge with more loft than my pitching wedge.