Ladies and gentlemen: The one we’ve all been waiting for.
And by “we”, I mean “me”, but maybe you, too.
Regardless, the point is that Vokey has finally made the SM10 V Grind lob wedge available through WedgeWorks. And, yeah, maybe finally is a bit over the top considering that SM10 only hit retail in March and the last V Grind didn’t make to WedgeWorks until a full year after the SM9 release.
FYI, that V Grind sold out fast and then sold out again when Vokey re-upped the inventory. Some of you definitely know what’s up.
Anyway, for my money the V Grind is the one the Vokey lineup has desperately needed (because I wanted it).
A quick look at WedgeWorks
If you’ve been keeping up at all over the last few years, you know Vokey has made a habit of leveraging its WedgeWorks platform to launch new loft/bounce/grind combinations that fall outside the confines of the standard retail lineup.
Case in point: this year has already brought us the Low Bounce K, previously stock L, and the new A+.
In past years, we’ve sometimes been gifted a new finish option as part of the offering but mostly WedgeWorks has been about extended the grind catalog.
In my perfect world, Vokey would make all grinds available at all times but that would present some challenges for retailers while simultaneously limiting Vokey’s ability to keep things fresh and fun and exciting by dropping a new grind three or four times a year.
I don’t love it, but I get it, and as long as I finally get a V grind … bygones.
T before V
As far as WedgeWorks grind stories go, the V is one of the easier stories to tell but we do need to start with the T Grind.
Over the past several years, we’ve written quite a bit about Vokey’s T Grind. Available in 58 and 60 degrees with four degrees of bounce, the T has the lowest effective bounce of any wedge in the Vokey lineup.
The defining characteristics of the T grind is aggressive relief in the heel, toe and trailing edge. The relieved areas help the T Grind sit tight to the ground whether it’s sitting square or wide open. That versatility is likely the reason why the T Grind is the most popular lob wedge grind on the PGA Tour.
The ugly side of the T Grind
The trade-off for the T Grind’s versatility is what might be described as a lack of forgiveness. Its tight leading edge means the chunk is always a risk, especially for those of us with less than Tour-level short-game skill.
That problem is exacerbated when we get our swings get a little steep or conditions get a little soft. Speaking for myself, the odds of winning a wrestling match against a grizzly bear are better than the chances of making clean contact with a T Grind on a wet fairway.
But what if a T Grind had 10 degrees of bounce?
Enter the V Grind
The official word from Vokey is that the V Grind “offers increased bounce on square-faced shots with enhanced relief for open-faced shots.”
That’s relative to the T Grind.
I’d summarize it like this:
The V Grind is the T Grind for the really steep player. It’s the T Grind for when you need more bounce out of a bunker.
And, if you’re like me and live in a place where the leaves are starting to turn colors, I can simplify all of this and tell you the V Grind is the T Grind for fall golf.
It’s the reason why you might want to think about buying the V Grind as your extra “sometimes” wedge.
Your golf bag’s spare tire
Now it’s not lost on me that wedges are expensive so suggesting you buy one more than you can use on a regular basis might be a big ask but I’m a believer in the benefits of having an extra lob wedge at your disposal to account for changing conditions.
You carry a spare tire in your trunk, why not a spare wedge?
The T Grind is in my bag 90 percent of the time but if it’s raining or the course is soft because it rained or because that’s just how it is in the fall, I make the swap for the V Grind.
Sure, it doesn’t sit quite as close to ground but, for the conditions it’s in the bag to handle, it’s also less likely to find itself under the ground on a less than perfect swing.
Vokey WedgeWorks V Grind (lack of) finish options
Like other recent Vokey WedgeWorks releases, the V Grind is available raw only. You know, you’re right; it would have been nice to see it available in Tour Chrome, Jet Black, Nickel, and, of course, Slate Blue.
(Guys, we’ve talked about this. If you were going to break out Slate Blue (the best finish, this would have been the time.)
I’m working the phone, sending texts, calling in favors, but despite my best efforts, the Vokey team is about as cooperative as Jerry Lundergaard.
Maybe in 2025.
For now, the Vokey WedgeWorks V Grind is available in 58 and 60 degrees in a raw finish only for both right- and left-handed golfers.
Like any other Vokey SM10 wedge, the WedgeWorks V Grind can be customized with:
- Eight unique toe engravings
- Stamping options | 10-character Straight/Freestyle stamping; 15 characters around the toe; and two lines of 10 characters each
- Custom paint-filled | Loft and Grind markings and BV Wings logo
The stock shaft is a True Temper Dynamic Gold S200. The stock grip is a Titleist Universal 360. Like other SM10 wedges, the WedgeWorks V Grind can be ordered with any shaft, grip, shaft band or ferrule in the Titleist/Vokey catalog.
Available now through golf shops worldwide and Vokey.com.
Retail price is $225.
