Titleist Vokey SM5 Wedges: In-hand pics of all grinds and finishes

[knock it close]

[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1395006712' post='8884967']
[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1394574690' post='8850345']
Could someone explain how each of the grinds actually work? I've read the stuff on the site but it really only says if for digger, slider, etc. I have a really hard time telling the difference between some of the grinds and am curious about how they actually work to differentiate them. Thanks.
[/quote]
Anyone willing to take a stab at my request above? I very much appreciate it.
[/quote] I posted this in another thread.
[color=#282828]L and M are both more of a c grind where as s and k are variations off the full sole[/color]
[color=#282828]L narrow and low foreword bounce surface good off tight firm lies lead edge sits low even when open easy to chunk bad for diggers[/color]
[color=#282828]M more neutral and mid than the L lead edge will sit a little higher still easy to open up[/color]
[color=#282828]s made more for a player that keeps the clubface in a neutral position think stricker (this grind was made for him) trailing edge and heel relief[/color]
[color=#282828]K widest sole most camber best for softer conditions, diggers and bunkers.[/color]

[color=#282828]I haven't seen the sm5 K in person so I don't know how it reacts to opening the face or its playability[/color]

[Rapture25]

[quote name='johnnyscarps007' timestamp='1395007341' post='8885043']
[quote name='Rapture25' timestamp='1394916041' post='8878325']
Just finished jrshelbie's method for removing the raw black finish. Start to finish the process took me about an hour. I'm very glad I went with the raw finish.

[attachment=2120459:image.jpg]
[/quote]
Did you do anything slightly different than his method. Your wedge looks lighter which I like. Looks great btw
[/quote]

I soaked mine a little longer around 50 minutes or so with loctite naval jelly and then scrubbed off the excess with a toothbrush. Next the CLR with a fine scotch brite pad treatment and finally a generic metal polish. All the necessary supplies cost $20. As JR mentioned, the scotch brite treatment is probably the most understated and labor intensive of the three steps. To really even out the finish you need to polish the wedge for ten minutes or so. It's a real fine gun metal matte finish when complete.

[mikes919]

[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1395006712' post='8884967']
[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1394574690' post='8850345']
Could someone explain how each of the grinds actually work? I've read the stuff on the site but it really only says if for digger, slider, etc. I have a really hard time telling the difference between some of the grinds and am curious about how they actually work to differentiate them. Thanks.
[/quote]
Anyone willing to take a stab at my request above? I very much appreciate it.
[/quote]

Here's my best shot:

F grind = Full sole. Standard wedge shape, no significant relief anywhere. Most forgiving shape for 3/4 or full shots, but least versatile. Best for straightforward shots where you aren't manipulating the club face open/closed.

S grind = Trailing edge and heel relief, but no toe relief. Good for playing mostly straightforward shots. Still has a relatively full sole so it's stable on full shots. But has a little material removed to make it a little easier to open up.

L and M grinds = significant material removed from heel, toe and trailing edge. Very versatile, leading edge will stay close to the ground when the club face is opened. Less forgiving on full shots, more tendency to dig. The L grind is a more aggressive, lower bounce version of the M-grind and has a narrower sole.

K-grind = Very wide sole with significant camber. Great for fluffy sand or rough, or heavy diggers. Helps the club "float" over the turf instead of digging. Has some heel relief for versatility, but won't open up as well as the lower bounce M or L grinds.

T grind = similar to L/M but has so much trailing edge relief that it has a sort of "dual sole". Not too familiar with this one.

[Redman]

Mikes919 and knock it close, thanks a lot, I appreciate it. Those are both very good descriptions.

[Puppetmaster]

[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1395012898' post='8885759']
Mikes919 and knock it close, thanks a lot, I appreciate it. Those are both very good descriptions.
[/quote]

Not really much more to add to what those guys said, but there is a brief description of the S grind (and others) in the press release as well.

[url="http://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/archive/2014/01/22/titleist-introduces-new-vokey-spin-milled-5-wedges.aspx"]http://www.titleist....d-5-wedges.aspx[/url]

[quote]
[color=#000000][size=3]Each SM5 sole grind is derived from Vokey’s work with players on the PGA Tour. The S Grind, for example, was inspired by Steve Stricker, who likes to play his wedges in a square position with the shaft leaning away from the target. Available on four mid-bounce SM5 models (54º to 60º), the S Grind features a full sole with moderate heel relief and a medium ribbon ground along the trailing edge.[/size][/color]
[color=#000000][size=3]“Steve has a shallow angle of attack, with little to no wrist action. The S Grind gives him the versatility to hit many different shots around the green, even with his neutral style,” Vokey said. “For players that like to rotate the face open, the M Grind is a very popular option.”[/size][/color]
[color=#000000][size=3]The K Grind, the newest addition to the Vokey Spin Milled family, was born out of Vokey’s recent work with several tour players, including Adam Scott and Jason Dufner. The K Grind features a wide sole with increased bounce and enhanced camber that is playable in a variety of conditions. Last season, both Scott and Dufner played K Grind wedges in their victories at the Masters Tournament and PGA Championship, respectively.[/size][/color]
[color=#000000][size=3]“Both Adam and Jason were looking for a sand wedge that was very forgiving out of the bunker, but still allowed them to hit a lot of different shots around the green,” Vokey said. “When Adam put it into play last year at Augusta National, with all of its tight lies, I knew we’d found it.”[/size][/color]
[/quote]

I think that while you do need to have a general idea of your style to choose a grind, it would really benefit anyone to have a demo session with some of these grinds.

[np78]

[quote name='mikes919' timestamp='1395010548' post='8885451']
[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1395006712' post='8884967']
[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1394574690' post='8850345']
Could someone explain how each of the grinds actually work? I've read the stuff on the site but it really only says if for digger, slider, etc. I have a really hard time telling the difference between some of the grinds and am curious about how they actually work to differentiate them. Thanks.
[/quote]
Anyone willing to take a stab at my request above? I very much appreciate it.
[/quote]

Here's my best shot:

F grind = Full sole. Standard wedge shape, no significant relief anywhere. Most forgiving shape for 3/4 or full shots, but least versatile. Best for straightforward shots where you aren't manipulating the club face open/closed.

S grind = Trailing edge and heel relief, but no toe relief. Good for playing mostly straightforward shots. Still has a relatively full sole so it's stable on full shots. But has a little material removed to make it a little easier to open up.

L and M grinds = significant material removed from heel, toe and trailing edge. Very versatile, leading edge will stay close to the ground when the club face is opened. Less forgiving on full shots, more tendency to dig. The L grind is a more aggressive, lower bounce version of the M-grind and has a narrower sole.

K-grind = Very wide sole with significant camber. Great for fluffy sand or rough, or heavy diggers. Helps the club "float" over the turf instead of digging. Has some heel relief for versatility, but won't open up as well as the lower bounce M or L grinds.

T grind = similar to L/M but has so much trailing edge relief that it has a sort of "dual sole". Not too familiar with this one.
[/quote]

excellent thanks

[Dizz]

[quote name='fedexman' timestamp='1394936014' post='8880115']
I didn't think the gold nickel was bright at all.... Very faint hardly noticeable IMO....that's in fact the one I ordered 54.14 gold nickel From what I was told the Gold Nickel is the most popular. Supposedly it's the softest as well. Due to being treated with 2 coating of the finish.
[/quote]

The first time I saw them I demo'd them on a sunny day and it wasn't bright for me either. It gave off less glare than the Chrome finish which is the reason I chose it. From address it doesn't look that gold anyway-- now in the bag up close it does but in the address position it doesn't look too dissimilar to the tour raw TVD-K wedges I have.

[Yellow Jacket]

[quote name='Puppetmaster' timestamp='1395015986' post='8886145']
[quote name='Redman' timestamp='1395012898' post='8885759']
Mikes919 and knock it close, thanks a lot, I appreciate it. Those are both very good descriptions.
[/quote]

Not really much more to add to what those guys said, but there is a brief description of the S grind (and others) in the press release as well.

[url="http://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/archive/2014/01/22/titleist-introduces-new-vokey-spin-milled-5-wedges.aspx"]http://www.titleist....d-5-wedges.aspx[/url]

[quote]
[color=#000000][size=3]Each SM5 sole grind is derived from Vokey’s work with players on the PGA Tour. The S Grind, for example, was inspired by Steve Stricker, who likes to play his wedges in a square position with the shaft leaning away from the target. Available on four mid-bounce SM5 models (54º to 60º), the S Grind features a full sole with moderate heel relief and a medium ribbon ground along the trailing edge.[/size][/color]
[color=#000000][size=3]“Steve has a shallow angle of attack, with little to no wrist action. The S Grind gives him the versatility to hit many different shots around the green, even with his neutral style,” Vokey said. “For players that like to rotate the face open, the M Grind is a very popular option.”[/size][/color]
[color=#000000][size=3]The K Grind, the newest addition to the Vokey Spin Milled family, was born out of Vokey’s recent work with several tour players, including Adam Scott and Jason Dufner. The K Grind features a wide sole with increased bounce and enhanced camber that is playable in a variety of conditions. Last season, both Scott and Dufner played K Grind wedges in their victories at the Masters Tournament and PGA Championship, respectively.[/size][/color]
[color=#000000][size=3]“Both Adam and Jason were looking for a sand wedge that was very forgiving out of the bunker, but still allowed them to hit a lot of different shots around the green,” Vokey said. “When Adam put it into play last year at Augusta National, with all of its tight lies, I knew we’d found it.”[/size][/color]
[/quote]

I think that while you do need to have a general idea of your style to choose a grind, it would really benefit anyone to have a demo session with some of these grinds.
[/quote]
Unforunately, the K grind is only offered in the 58* and 60*, and the 60* has 11* of bounce. I would think a K grind in a 54/56 with 10/11* bounce would be a great sand wedge, then an M grind in a 60* with 7/8* bounce would make for a versatile lob wedge.

[valmario]

i just picked up the 60* K grind in the black raw finish, love the look of this thing

[nickosbad]

I had a look at all 3 finishes today, defo not wanting the chrome......the black look frickin sweet!!

I was all prepared to go for the gold but the more I looked at it am not sure...it kinda looks cheap....

Gonna try them and see what they feel like first though!!

[Icemanzacw]

Why not chrome?

[Konklifer]

I liked the chrome best out of the three. Don't understand a black finish. Just make it raw and be done with it. Anyway, thinking about a 58 S grind.

[bhard315]

I play a 200 series 56/10 right now that is bent to 58/12. The sole is an F grind or the standard grind for that particular wedge. I'm leaning towards getting the 58/11 K grind in the SM5. Is the difference in sole width going to be a noticeable change even though the bounce is 1 degree apart? My weakness tends to be hitting half shots, pitch, and chips fat sometimes and struggling with distance control on those same shorter shots. I tend to have too much shaft lean at impact that carries over from my full swing. Working on not de-lofting the club as much as I usually do.

[nickosbad]

[quote name='Icemanzacw' timestamp='1395174576' post='8899261']
Why not chrome?
[/quote]

My current wedges are Nikes and have a tour chrome finish so fancy a change, I like the way the black wedges frame the ball, need to have a few more looks though

[nickosbad]

Also gotta figure out if I need 2 or 3 of them

Coming from a 52/56 Nike VR Forged with a 46 AP2 PW

Gotta decide 52/56 again, 52/58 or 50/54/58 (I'd need to lose the 3 iron or 3 hybrid to do 3 wedges though)

Too many choices!!!!

[HiSpeed48]

Saw the wedges in person today. I'm loving the new tour chrome, I like that it looks more like a brushed chrome instead of a dull satin. Also I think it was good idea to mark the type of grind on the wedges, it makes it easier to identify the different options.

[Yellow Jacket]

[quote name='Konklifer' timestamp='1395176304' post='8899453']
I liked the chrome best out of the three. Don't understand a black finish. Just make it raw and be done with it. Anyway, thinking about a 58 S grind.
[/quote]
You don't make it raw because people are dumb and think that rusting means their wedge is defective.

[wangusbeef]

[quote name='Sidetracked' timestamp='1393781522' post='8778338']
[quote name='Philipp' timestamp='1393781021' post='8778274']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1393716111' post='8773792']
Regarding the finishes, I thought the chrome was by far the best stock finish. However I would probably get the black and coke it to raw. I would give this wedge 5 stars in every category if there was no Gold Nickel, to me that fin
[/quote]
You can't "coke" them.
[/quote]

There has to be some way to remove the finish if it is really a raw black finish. Don't know if Coke will work, but I will be trying several options until I figure it out.
[/quote]

Just get some scotch-brite heavy duty scrub sponges. Get them wet with water and start scrubbing. The black raw takes a little more time to scrub off than the previous oil can finish, but it will work. Already did it to some sm5's.

[Puppetmaster]

If anyone cares, I asked VokeyWedges on Twitter about the differences between the SM5 S-Grind 60 and the 200 series available through Wedgeworks and they told me that the grinds are essentially the same, except that the 260.08 has a slightly wider sole. I'm still torn, I love my other 200s, but like the thought of the more aggressive SM5 grooves.

https://twitter.com/VokeyWedges/status/445374923041550336

[pr1mo990]

man you guys did an awesome job taking the finish off of the raw black wedges. I'm really suprised the paintfill didn't get damaged. I like the finish product more than all three stock options and want to see what they look like after some good use.

Is this something that's easy to do for someone who's never messed around doing things like this before?

[Rapture25]

[quote name='pr1mo990' timestamp='1395265552' post='8906807']
man you guys did an awesome job taking the finish off of the raw black wedges. I'm really suprised the paintfill didn't get damaged. I like the finish product more than all three stock options and want to see what they look like after some good use.

Is this something that's easy to do for someone who's never messed around doing things like this before?
[/quote]

This was the first time I attempted removing a finish and it was very simple.

[pr1mo990]

[quote name='Rapture25' timestamp='1395271051' post='8907331']
[quote name='pr1mo990' timestamp='1395265552' post='8906807']
man you guys did an awesome job taking the finish off of the raw black wedges. I'm really suprised the paintfill didn't get damaged. I like the finish product more than all three stock options and want to see what they look like after some good use.

Is this something that's easy to do for someone who's never messed around doing things like this before?
[/quote]

This was the first time I attempted removing a finish and it was very simple.
[/quote]

That's good to hear. Be sure to share some pics in a few weeks so we can see how it's progressed. Thanks for the info.

[shankman92]

for those who have these wedges in play how are you finding the spin around the greenS? Seems to me they bite a bit more than SM4!

[tembolo1284]

Goodness me these are so pretty!!!!!!!!

[zip7111]

I know there have been some questions about the "S" grind, so I thought i'd toss some pics up. The face lays open very nicely, and there is more of a grind than the stock pictures show. Let me know if you need anymore pics, I also picked up a 54S and a 50F.
[attachment=2131597:001.JPG]
[attachment=2131601:004.JPG]
[attachment=2131603:005.JPG]
[attachment=2131605:010.JPG]
[attachment=2131607:006.JPG]
[attachment=2131609:003.JPG]
[attachment=2131613:009.JPG]

[hhems10]

Thanks alot for the grind information. The conditions at my course are usually pretty firm, with usually firm to little soft sand in the bunkers. I like a low bounce in my wedges, as I'm more of a sweeper with my irons. I was pretty confused on the grinds and what they do, even after reading the vokey website. The S grind seems to be what I should be looking at.. Can't wait to demo some soon. (if this snow ever melts in Massachusetts)

[Evolved]

Anyone know if you can get a kbs custom white shaft in the sm5? I know they offer the black shaft but not sure about the white one. Thanks.

[Puppetmaster]

Thanks, Zip. I'm still seriously contemplating an S-grind 60 to see how that works around the greens.

[np78]

wow that black looks great

[SJP1]

I've got a fitting coming up soon, but how versatile do people find the K-grind vs the M-grind?

I'm looking at a three wedge set-up with PW, 52F and a 57* (through either a 56 or 58 bent).

I'm a digger and am just wondering between the K and M grind for what will be the 57, trying to weigh up playability across bunkers, flop shots and tighter lies.

Any input appreciated.