The Surprising Club That Could Hold The Key To US Open Success

As the best golfers in the world descend on Oakmont Country Club for ‘the toughest test in golf’ at the 125th US Open, much of the focus will be on driving accuracy due to the narrow fairways and lush long rough. However, it’s around the greens where I feel this prestigious event could be won or lost and where a far less celebrated club could hold the key to success - the lob wedge. While the Titleist Vokey SM10 wedges often dominate the wedge count each week on tour, it’s one of the brand's more specialized Wedgeworks designs that I think could be the secret to winning the third major championship of the year.

The club that could hold all the answers is the Titleist Vokey Wedgeworks K* grind. As standard, Titleist Vokey wedges are offered in six grind options, one of which is the K grind. This is regarded as the ‘ultimate bunker club’ amongst the models, thanks to a wide, full sole with enhanced camber. The K* grind was born from tour players wanting the forgiveness on offer from the K grind or Low Bounce K grind, but with some hand-ground heel and toe relief.

The addition of trailing wedge relief helps this wedge sit flush to the turf no matter what lie you face and allows the club to glide through the turf smoothly, particularly for those with a shallow angle of attack. Players will be able to manipulate launch and spin by opening and closing the face, all while the narrow ribbon of added bounce on the sole will reduce any digging on the pristine fairways and surrounds of Oakmont on shots played with a square face. This adaptability is paramount at a course like Oakmont, where a "stock" shot is rarely an option.

While it remains unclear heading into the tournament who will actually have one of these wedges in the bag, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg are all players who have used one of these wedges in the past. While these players typically opt for a T grind Vokey week-in-week-out on the PGA Tour, the conditions and deep bunkers this week make me think at least one of them may choose to add the K* grind to the bag.

Oakmont is infamous for its difficulty. The course is a brute, with lightning-fast, undulating greens and penal rough that can swallow a golf ball whole. This year, the rough is reported to be as thick and long as ever, and with 175 bunkers on the golf course, having a lob wedge that offers complete versatility around the greens is of paramount importance. Having personally used the K* grind, I can attest to the creativity this wedge offers, albeit not quite in the same conditions or under the same pressure that the players will be facing this week.

“Over the last few years, some of the best players in the world began testing this grind” explains Vokey Tour Rep, Aaron Dill. “It was players like Justin Thomas who were instrumental in helping us identify the right angles and width changes in the sole, making it as playable as it is today. The success of this sole has continued to spread, encouraging many around the globe to test and untimely game this new sole configuration.”

With greens rumoured to be running close to 16 on the stimpmeter and gnarly rough and run-offs to navigate around the greens, the players are going to need a host of shots in their locker to give themselves the best chance, and getting up-and-down.

The wide sole will also play a crucial role in being able to splash the ball out of the greenside bunkers with plenty of height and spin, while also posing as a huge benefit if the weather turns and the surrounds soften out. Winning a US Open demands a huge amount of concentration and mental strength, so having this wedge in the bag that players can trust to hit all the shots could be the difference between holding the trophy at the end of the week or not.

As the leaders march down the back nine on Sunday, keep a close eye on those at the top of the leaderboard and what wedges they have in the bag. While many other manufacturers offer some superb wedge options, I just have an inkling that a couple of players challenging for the lead may just have one of these wedges in the bag.