Tl;dr: Titleist wedges are some of the most pure and high performing clubs in golf. They’re sleek, versatile, and designed for intermediate to advanced golfers who want maximum shot making around the greens.

Titleist wedges can improve your short game overnight… assuming you’re the type of golfer they’re designed for. Otherwise, they can make golf much more challenging.

Today, I want to make it easy for you to understand if you should or should not play Titleist wedges. If you’re the type of golfer who can benefit from them, I’ll help you understand the three most important factors when buying new wedges.

After playing these clubs for more than 20 years and achieving a +2 handicap, I’m confident in helping you make the best decision for your short game. Because let’s get real, it’s easy to get confused with M grind, F grind, loft, bounce, full sole wedge, and other complicated golf jargon.

What are Titleist Wedges?

Titleist is one of the most popular names in golf with both amateur and professionals alike. The company has everything from drivers, woods, irons, wedges, putters, and golf balls.

They’re most well known for their wildly popular Titleist Pro V1 golf ball line. It’s a ball that signals to fellow players, “I’m a good golfer and take the game seriously.” This is a ball I’ve played since I was in high school (which is nearly 20 years ago) and still swear by them today thanks to the maximum shot-making versatility.

Another piece of equipment I’ve used for decades from Titleist are their Vokey design wedges. They are created by Master Craftsman Bob Vokey who is a legend in the game and are the clubs that I’ll focus on today. Keep reading to learn why me (and some of the best players in professional golf) think these are the best wedges in golf.

What to Consider When Buying Titleist Wedges

Titleist only makes one series of wedges - Vokey. Every year or two they release a newer model, and we’re currently on the SM9. I’ve played them all the way back to the late 90s (yeah, I’m that old) and used to leave them in a soapy bucket of water overnight to rust. The logic at the time was that more rust led to more backspin, and better performance.

While that theory has been debunked, these wedges are as solid as ever. Each year, Titleist makes some great updates to make them some of the most playable in golf. It’s easy to see why they’re trusted by wedge wizards like Justin Thomas, Jordan Speith, and countless other PGA Tour pros.

But before pulling the trigger to play the same clubs as your favorite professional golfer, make sure to consider these essential questions.

Are You the Right Handicap?

The biggest thing to consider when shopping for wedges is making sure you buy the right ones for your swing and skill level. While I’m a massive fan of Vokey wedges, I’ll be the first to say they are not the right clubs for everyone. Due to the design and construction, these wedges are geared toward intermediate to advanced golfers. These wedges are not made for beginners who are just learning the game and need some extra forgiveness.

Titleist wedges have a smaller clubhead than most wedges, which makes them less forgiving on mishits. However, it does make them much more playable to hit high flops, spinners, and other crafty shots around the green. These wedges also do not have a more forgiving model or a cavity back design (like some Cleveland Golf gear). Instead, they only have the Vokey SM9, which is a traditional blade like wedge.

Due to the design, they’re also not a wedge meant for distance either. So if you play a set of graphite shaft, easy to hit cavity back irons, it’s a very difficult transition as they’re heavier and less forgiving.

Needless to say, they’re made for avid golfers who have plenty of speed and a consistent swing above all else. But if you fit these criteria, they’re some of the best looking and highest performing wedges in the game.

How Many Wedges Do You Need?

If you’re the right type of golfer for Titleist wedges, the next thing to consider is how many wedges do you need. In case you’re newer to the game, there are four types of wedges:

• Pitching wedge (PW): This wedge comes with every iron set and is not typically replaced with a custom wedge except with very skilled golfers. This wedge is best for full wedge shots, more so than around the green.
• Gap wedge / Utility (GW): This wedge might come with your iron set, but oftentimes something you’ll need to buy separately. It’ll help you fill the gap between a PW and SW.
• Sand wedge (SW): This wedge might come with your iron set as well, but it’s common for golfers to upgrade for a custom wedge like the Vokey. It’s used for all types of shots around the green including bunkers, pitch shots, flop shots, and full shots.
• Lob wedge (LW): This wedge doesn’t come with iron sets but a common club with lower handicap golfers. It’s used mostly for creativity greenside shots, flop shots, and bunker shots more than full shots.

Most golfers carry three to four wedges, depending on skill level and short game preferences. I carry four wedges: the PW & GW match my irons (including the same shafts).

The SW & LW are Titleist wedges that are spaced out, so each wedge fits a certain distance range in my game. Make sure to consider which wedges you need - whether it’s a GW, SW, LW, or several.

What Type of Bounce and Finish Do You Want?

Once you determine which Titleist Vokey wedges you need, you’ll want to consider two more things; the bounce and finish.

Titleist defines wedge bounce as “the angle created between the leading edge and the lowest point of the sole or trailing edge. This angle forces the club to “bounce” or skip out of the turf, quicker, and easier as it contacts the ball. The greater the wedge bounce degree, the higher the leading edge is off the surface at address. Having the proper wedge bounce and grind option promotes optimal contact, control, and ball spin.”

There are three types of wedge bounce; low, mid, and high bounce, which I’ll describe more below. Additionally, you’ll want to consider the finish of the wedge as Titleist offers three models; Tour Chrome, Jet Black, and Brushed Steel. This is more of a personal preference as the finish won’t impact the performance.

Different Types of Titleist Wedges

Titleist only makes Vokey wedges - unlike its competitors that make several types of wedges.

For example, Callaway Golf makes Jaws wedges which are similar to Vokey in terms of looks and performance. But they also make the Callaway CB wedge, which is a cavity back model and designed for higher handicap golfers. These wedges have more MOI and CG positioned for better impact even if you mishit on the heel or toe of the club.

Each wedge has:

• Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip
• Maximum greenside versatility
• Deeper grooves than the SM8 series
• Ultimate consistency and precise distance control
• Great fit for precise players who want the utmost quality

The only two things you need to think about when it comes to buying Vokey wedges are loft and bounce. Titleist makes 25 different models in their lineup with different loft/bounce combinations and tour-proven grinds. From 46 degrees all the way to 62 degrees, so it’s easy to find the right wedge(s) for your game.

Bounce is the second number you’ll see stamped on a wedge. For example, if you see 50.10 - that means the wedge has 50 degrees of loft and 10 degrees of bounce. Different swings and conditions work better with more or less bounce.

Low Bounce

The lowest bounce option wedges typically have 4–6 degrees of bounce. They’re best if you play in firm turf conditions and sand that is more compact than fluffy.

Benefits:

• Perfect for firm turf conditions.
• Only offered in lob and sand wedges.
• Better if you have a sweeping swing type and take more shallow, bacon sized divots (or hardly a divot at all).

Be Aware:

• These are a terrible idea if you play in a lot of soft, fluffy conditions.

Mid-Bounce

Mid-bounce wedges typically have 7–10 degrees of bounce. They’re best if you play on normal turf conditions and the preferred bounce by most golfers, as they’re extremely versatile.

Benefits:

• Ultimate bunker club.
• Ideal for higher lofts in your set.
• Available in PW, GW, SW, and LW models.
• Great for most playing conditions and a variety of shots around the green.

Be Aware:

• It’s best to always have at least one mid-bounce wedge in your bag for maximum versatility around the greens.

High Bounce

The highest bounce wedge has more than 10 degrees of bounce and is ideal for soft turf and fluffy sand. High bounce wedges prevent the leading edge of the club from dragging, and a perfect fit if you’re someone who has a steeper angle of attack (known as a digger vs. a sweeper). Benefits:

• Easier to generate more spin.
• Great if you take a deeper divot.
• Perfect for soft playing conditions.

Be Aware:

• If you’re more of a sweeper, stay away, as more bounce will work against your natural swing pattern.

Features to Look for in a Vokey Wedge

As you can tell, there are some choices to make when it comes to picking the right wedges.

First is loft - it’s best to space your wedges out equally. For example, here is a look at my wedge setup:

• PW (46 degrees)
• GW (51 degrees)
• SW (55 degrees)
• LW (59 degrees)

Having each wedge spaced out 4–6 degrees will ensure you don’t have a big distance gap, which makes it easier to hit all types of shots. This ultimately should ultimately lead to lower scores.

The second thing to consider is the bounce, as it can make golf a lot easier (or, a lot harder). I don’t know about you, but even after 25 years of playing this stupid awesome sport, I’m not trying to make the game any more challenging. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes I made in my own career was using wedges that had the wrong bounce. Now, I have two mid-bounce wedges and a higher bounce to suit most playing conditions and my swing type. Make sure to do a little research to figure out which loft(s) you need and what bounce suits your swing the best.

Finally, don’t forget to factor in the finish, too. All the Titleist wedge loft/bounce combinations are available in each of the three finishes. The Tour Chrome is the only one that won’t rust over time and will maintain its look much longer than the Jet Steel or Brushed Finish.

How to Choose the Right Titleist Wedges

Now that you have a solid understanding of Vokey wedges, let me help choose the right one for your game by using real life examples.

Steve: 15 handicap

Steve has been playing a while and trending toward a single digit handicap in the next 6–12 months. He takes a mid-size divot and wants help in his longer shots and chips from around the greens. He plays jet black irons and the Titleist TSR 2 driver.

Features Steve should look for:

• S Grind or D Grind
• Mid-bounce gap wedge (7-10 degrees).
• Jet black finish to match the rest of his set.
• Gap wedge (50 or 52 degrees) so it is 4–6 degrees apart from his PW.

Titleist Wedge Examples: Titleist Vokey SM9 Jet Black Finish

Mick: 10 handicap

Mick is a very consistent golfer and loves playing tons of different golf courses when he travels for work. Sometimes they’re soft turf conditions with fluffy sand, other times they’re firm conditions.

Features Mick should look for:

• Whatever finish he likes the best.
• Mid-bounce (7-10 degrees) as they’re the most versatile in all types of playing conditions.

Titleist Wedge Examples: Titleist Vokey SM9 Brushed Steel or Tour Chrome

Justin: 5 handicap

Justin plays a lot of golf and wants a new GW, SW, and LW.

Features Justin should look for:

• Mid-bounce in his gap wedge for longer, full swing shots.
• One wedge (LW or SW) with less bounce and one with more to suit all types of playing conditions.

Titleist Wedge Examples: Titleist Vokey SM9 Brushed Steel or Tour Chrome

Find the Best Titleist Wedges for You

Titleist makes incredible wedges if you can make solid contact consistently. Otherwise, they might not be the right fit for your game (yet) but with some lessons and practice, can help your game in the future.

If you’re the right type of player, they can take your short game to new heights and shoot lower scores fast. Each club face of these new wedges will provide maximum spin, more controlled ball flight, and exceptional feel on partial shots too. If you’re not sure what Titleist wedge is right for you, make sure to contact a Curated Golf Expert today.