When it comes to the best golf wedges, the Vokey range is, arguably, the most recognized and iconic, with the line introduced over a decade ago and used by many professionals out on Tour.
Like most premium offerings in the wedge department, there are plenty of grinds, loft and bounce options available and, right now, the Titleist Vokey SM9 Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel and Jet Black are currently 17% off at PGA TOUR Superstore!
Aesthetically, the SM9 keeps its classic look at address and, when we struck full shots in testing, the shaping and lack of offset, we thought, inspired confidence. Away from the full shots and around the green, they were extremely inviting, with the lower lofted wedges having a slightly straighter leading edge that helps with alignment on full shots and the transitioning into the irons.
Obviously, the grinds, lofts and bounces will be personal preference so, to get the maximum amount of performance out these wedges, we would recommend a fitting beforehand. However, if you know your specs, then there really aren't many better options out there.
So, looks-wise, they are some of the best and, when it comes to the element of performance, we were quick to deduce that they are some of the most forgiving wedges anywhere on the market, with the specs and progressive centre of gravity (CG) design allowing for a larger sweet spot.
You may wonder how the SM9s have more forgiveness than their predecessors... Well, the progressive centre of gravity has been refined further to move the CG up the face as the loft increases to optimise performance from higher strike locations. This has been achieved by adding weight to the back of the toe that isn't visible at address, while the hosel length also increases by loft.
A well-balanced option that made it into our Editor's Choice Awards for 2023, the Titleist Vokey SM9 offers excellent all-round performance which, for under $150, is excellent value in the run-up to Christmas.
