50 Words or Less
The Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges continue to deliver short game precision for skilled golfers. Six sole grinds help you to get premium contact on every swing. Plenty of spin. Controlled launch. Excellent feedback.
Introduction
When I first got into golf seriously, I was an outstanding short game player. My tool of choice: a Vokey SM4 lob wedge [more on my lob wedge obsession HERE].
Twenty years later, my short game is much more hit and miss thanks to adult responsibilities. But, like so many players on the PGA Tour, the one thing that hasn’t changed is my wedge. I spent last season playing with the Vokey SM10, and this year’s frontrunner is the Titleist Vokey SM11 wedge.
Looks
Vokey wedges have been #1 on Tour for as long as I’ve been playing golf, so they’re not about to go deviating wildly from their uber successful formula. At address, this is the prototype for the Tour-style wedge. [See Price / Buy]
These wedges are compact from heel to toe, and the shaping changes subtly as you move up in lofts. Above, you can see the 50 degree Titleist Vokey SM11 wedge on the left, the 60 degree on the right. The 60 degree wedge has a more rounded leading edge and is taller in the heel. This makes the face more rounded in the higher lofted wedges, more teardrop-shaped in the lower lofted wedges.
Above, you can see the Vokey SM11 (left) next to the Vokey SM10 [review HERE]. These are two 50 degree wedges. If there are any changes, they’re too small for me to notice.
This is the Vokey SM11 60 degree (left) next to the SM10 60 degree. If I stare long enough, I can convince myself that the leading edge on the SM11 is a little straighter, but the difference is pretty subtle.
The Titleist Vokey SM11 wedge comes in four finishes: Chrome, Jet Black (most pictures in this review), Nickel (below), and Raw. Matt Meeker reports that the Nickel finish does a great job minimizing glare while still having a distinctive look. The Raw and Jet Black finishes will rust over time, and they get the cool shaft sticker you see above.
In the bag, the story is the same: the Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges look similar to the SM10. The winged “BV” logo sits on top of a mirrored section. One difference is that the mirrored portion doesn’t have the model name; that’s been shifted to a hosel engraving which is one of my favorite aesthetic details about the SM11.
As you’ve no doubt noticed, Matt Meeker and I both took full advantage of the Vokey SM11’s customization possibilities. There are eight different stamping styles available, allowing for up to 20 characters of text. From there, you can customize the paint fill across the entire wedge, choose a toe engraving, and pick from over a dozen shaft stickers.
Matt Meeker took a mixed approach for the shaft labels on his Mitsubishi MMT shafts [review HERE].
I adorned all my Nippon Modus wedge shafts [review HERE] with a black and blue WedgeWorks sticker to match the finish and paint fill.
Sound & Feel
In the short game, the difference between good and great (or good and awful) can be very small. This puts a premium on precise feedback, and that’s exactly what Matt Meeker and I found in the Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges.
On center, these wedges produce a crisp “click” and a feel that I like describing as transparent. It’s not that these wedges are super soft; it feels like there’s no impact at all. The wedge feels like a ghost passing through the ball.
When you miss the center, the sound ratchets up several decibels and gets a little more assertive: a firm “knock” rather than a polite “tap.” Your hands get a clear sense of exactly where the ball struck the face and a firmer impact feel. For players trying to dial in the most precise shots, this level of feedback is invaluable.
Performance
Vokey wedges are synymous with high performance sole grinds and lots of them. That has not changed with the Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges: there are six sole grinds for players to choose from. The F and S Grinds are fuller soles, best for square faced shots. F Grind is the only option from 44 degrees to 52 degrees, and it’s also available at 54 and 56. The S Grind is offered from 54 to 60 degrees. [See Price / Buy]
For shallower swingers, the M Grind and T Grind remove substantial material from the heel, toe, and trailing edge. The M Grind is offered from 54 to 60 degrees; the T Grind is available only at 58 and 60 degrees. On the other side of the spectrum are the D Grind and K Grind. The D Grind has relief but starts with more bounce. It’s offered in 54 through 60 degrees. The K Grind – often seen as a specialist for bunkers – is unique in that it’s offered in both high and low bounce versions at 58 and 60 degrees. It has a wider, cambered sole. You can find more detailed descriptions straight from Titleist HERE.
If you think that’s a lot to take in, you’re not alone. That’s why Titleist has numerous fitting options. You can find an in-person wedge fitting HERE or use their online Wedge Selector HERE. Matt Meeker and I both used the Wedge Selector and found the results to be outstanding. You answer ten questions – many of them very simple and objective – and you’ll get a recommendation for Titleist Vokey SM11 wedge lofts and grinds.
Matt Meeker’s Titleist Vokey SM11 wedge set is 48-F, 54-S, 58-M, and my set, as you can see above, is 50-F, 54-D, 60-M. The differences in grind selection reflect our playing conditions and how we use our wedges differently. Meeker said, “I can create a variety of shots with both clubs by opening the face, making the shaft more upright, and/or changing the placement in my stance.” My clubs are slightly more specialized with a higher bounce 54 degree wedge for bunkers (or unusually soft conditions) and my lower bounce 60 degree as my primary club for short game creativity.
Turning to the basic elements of launch, spin, and distance, the Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges are high performance short game tools. Meeker noted that they’re “repeatable and reliable on full or partial swings.” It should be noted here that Meeker’s short game is very strong. These are Tour-style wedges, so they’re not going to take your big mishits and deposit them next to the flag. You will see variation in distance and ball flight as you move your strike around the face.
In my launch monitor testing, I saw spin levels similar to the SM10 and equal to most other Tour wedges. They launch on a controlled trajectory but are capable of hitting any window. When contact stays between grooves 2 and 5, the ball flight and distance are completely predictable, allowing you to take advantage of your scoring opportunities.
Conclusion
Even if your short game isn’t as dazzling as Meeker’s, finding the right grind will help you to make better contact and get better results. Whether you get fit in person or online, no one makes it easier to find the right grind than Titleist. If you’re in the market for new short game tools this year, be sure to consider the Titleist Vokey SM11 wedges. [See Price / Buy]
Buy the Titleist Vokey SM11 Wedges HERE
Titleist Vokey SM11 Wedge Price & Specs
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
