Titleist Vokey SM6 wedge review

The Titleist Vokey SM5 was one of our favourite wedges from last year, begging the question, ‘how on earth are they going to improve on that’?

Also read: Best Golf Wedges

REVIEW: TITLEIST SM5 WEDGE

Last year’s iteration offered consumers numerous bounce and loft options to suit every swing type – and this remains in 2016, with a few speciality grinds being taken away to simplify the process.

BEST ON TEST: WEDGES 2016

For the SM6 wedges, Titleist focused on trajectory control, which was achieved mainly through moving the CG directly behind the ball. This also brings the CG of the wedge in line with your other irons, allowing for more continuity through the set.

Looks

46 – 52 degrees: In order to lower the CG, as you normally strike these irons lower on the face, Titleist took material off the back of the club and moved it further down. You can therefore see a small ridge on the backside of the club. The head is more compact compared to the SM5 in order to help bring the CG lower.

54 – 56 degrees: CG was already behind the ball at this loft, so the irons look very similar to the SM5 model. Again, the shape of the head is very similar to last year’s iteration, maintaining a relatively classic wedge head shape.

58-62 degrees: As you hit the ball higher on the face with lofted clubs, CG needs to be raised, so Titleist cut out a channel in the back of the club, which is evident when turning the club over. The head shape and profile remains consistent to the SM5, albeit with a slightly more rounded toe. 

We had the wedges in a black finish (it’s also available in silver and grey), which oozed class in the bag. The branding and overall feel of the club is that of a premium golf club.

Feel

The SM5 boasts a fantastic feel, and the SM6 is similar, but slightly more solid. It seems to have a deeper, richer feel to it. A pleasure to hit.

Performance

Moving the CG to the optimal position makes a huge difference in regards to consistency. Because we were finding the middle of the bat more often, we found dispersion, spin, trajectory and distance improved.

This also allowed us to shape shots and manipulate ball flight with ease – always useful to have in the arsenal.

In the spin department, we saw an improvement from full shots and around the greens thanks to new TX4 grooves. Lower lofts have narrower and deeper grooves, while in the higher lofts utilise shallower and wider grooves, in order to get premium spin rates. A new parallel face texture has also been employed, for consistent groove edges.

This is definitely in the top few wedges on the market when it comes to spin, no matter the shot you are playing.

Players can get fit to five different grinds with the SM6, and it is remarkable the difference you will experience from getting the club properly tweaked to your swing. We found the biggest difference was how easy it is to get through the shot when fitted to the correct grind, and it seemed to iron out the occasional duff chip that creeps into every player’s game on occasion. It also makes a big improvement when you start to build your wedge department, in regards to gapping. 

FEATURE: TITLEIST WEDGE FITTING

Depending on the grind you choose, players will be able to pick a club that will fit their style of play regarding manipulation. If you like to open or close the face around the greens, there’s a grind that will allow you to do so, and vice versa.  With the right grind, it opens up a treasure chest when it comes to versatility. 

Out of the sand, the SM6 is once again a top performer. Bags of spin, and a decent amount of forgiveness on offer.

Verdict

Hard to find any chinks in the armour. The Titleist Vokey SM6 takes last year's impressive offering up another level, in almost every department. 

Moving the CG to an optimal position vastly improves consistency, on all types of shots, while you will also notice an improvement in the spin department. 

In order to make the most of this wedge, make sure you get custom fit at a professional centre.

As you would expect, another world class wedge from Titleist. 

Head to the Titleist website for more information.