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Jul 17, 2023

What is it about that Titleist Vokey T

Published on By On Wednesday at the 2023 Memorial Tournament, I looked into Sam

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On Wednesday at the 2023 Memorial Tournament, I looked into Sam Burns’ staff bag, and I was surprised to see that he recently switched into a new Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks T-Grind prototype 60-degree lob wedge.

Shame on me for being surprised, I guess.

According to a Titleist representative, and confirmed by GolfWRX's "What's in the Bag?" database, 31 players inside the OWGR top-100 currently use a Vokey T-grind – or, at least, they carry a T-grind weekly as an option depending on course conditions (tour players often carry a higher-bounce option and a lower-bounce option, then make a game-time decision).

As we found, the list of T-grind users includes Xander Schauffele, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Cameron Smith, Will Zalatoris, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas, Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom Kim, Jason Day, Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley, Tom Hoge, Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk, Adam Scott, Patrick Reed, Keith Mitchell, Min Woo Lee, Taylor Montgomery, Harold Varner III, Kevin Kisner, Nick Taylor, Brendan Todd, Davis Riley, Gary Woodland, Davis Thompson, Trey Mullinax and Sadom Kaewkanjana.

Yeah, that's an extensive list of players using a very specific wedge grind.

Also of note, LPGA stars Jin Young Ko and Nelly Korda use a Vokey T-grind wedge, and Fred Biondi won the 2023 Men's NCAA Golf Championships with one, too.

So, what is it about that T-grind?!

Back in 2020, GolfWRX.com spoke with Titleist Vokey rep (and master wedge stamp artist) Aaron Dill to understand more.

"The T-grind started with the collaborative efforts of both Bob Vokey and Tom Pernice," Dill said. "Tom has an incredible short game and ability to articulate feedback that Bob trusts when designing and studying soles. Together they created the T; today one of the best low bounce offerings we have.

Thanks to a bit of sun glare on Spieth's wedge at the 2023 Waste Management, you can really see the shaved areas of a T-grind.

And here's another angle…

And here's a look at Justin Thomas’ T-grind wedge from the toe perspective…

So, what does this mean for everyday golfers??

For amateur golfers, in my opinion, the T-grind movement simply means that you should absolutely get a wedge fitting!

Pro golfers turn to the T-grind wedge because that's what suits their delivery pattern and the typical course conditions on the PGA Tour. The reality of the situation is that most golfers do NOT play golf on the same type of closely mown, tight fairways that professional golfers do. Most amateur golfers also aren't as savvy when using a lob wedge in an open-faced orientation, and they don't have the same precision level of ball striking, in general – most golfers are a bit steeper, or have less consistent low points in their swing arcs, thus making them more prone to hitting skulls and chunks.

The T-grind is a niche offering that became available to the public in early 2023, but it should simply be used as an option to try during testing.

In an article posted by Titleist itself, the company writes:

"Wedge grind is the manipulation or removal of material from the sole of the club, helping to improve contact with the turf. Grinds allow for more creativity and consistency around the green, letting you play with ball spin, flight, power, and other factors…

"It's important to use the right wedge grinds for your swing type and course conditions, so you can be prepared to hit every kind of wedge shot. Vokey offers many wedge grind options for different situations.

"For instance, the L grind is ideal for firm conditions and sweeper swing styles, the M grind offers the most playability, and for some players, the best Vokey grind for sand is the K grind, with the highest bounce."

My translation for that is that every golfer should try different wedge grinds to see what suits them best.

Buying a random wedge with a random grind and bounce is a surefire way to get random results from your wedge game.

Take back control of your wedge game by picking the RIGHT grind, instead!

Typically, lower-bounce grinds are better for firm conditions, or for those who take little-to-no divot on pitch shots. Higher bounce wedges, on the other hand, benefit golfers who play in softer conditions, or have steeper swings.

There's no perfect wedge fitting system, though, because every golfer is slightly different. The only fact is that wedge grinds truly matter, and the best way to ensure you have the right wedge grinds in your bag is trial-and-error under the supervision of a professional fitter or instructor.

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He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

Scott

Jun 4, 2023 at 7:41 pm

Disagree completely about this being just for pros or elite amateurs and especially about not being for the local muni. Our local muni is a goat track with hard packed areas around the green, sometimes bare dirt in spots, and firm bunkers. Many times I’ve needed to open up a wedge and have skulled it on that hardpan. I need it much more there than at lush well manicured & watered courses.

While certainly no pro I actually learned how much easier that is to do with the T-grind. Don't let conventional wisdom dictate your bags. I’ve got a 9 wood and a T-grind in my bag. Conventional wisdom says I’ve got plenty of swing speed to not need a 9 wood yet am not accomplished enough for a "pros" t-grind wedge. Both couldn't be more wrong. Probably my 2 favorite clubs that save me strokes every round.

Bob

Jun 3, 2023 at 5:47 pm

This wedge is only for a handful of golfers on a handful of courses.

g daddy

Jun 2, 2023 at 1:15 pm

The reason is simple, bounce is really not needed for all short game shots. In fact for many short game shots, bounce is the enemy. Many pros have an option with little bounce – like the T grind on a 60* and then they also have an option with more bounce (usually in the 56*) for when they want to use it. They’re covering their bases – it's just smart. Amateurs should use this method too.

Jbone

Jun 2, 2023 at 12:56 pm

If pros were competing at the local muni they would probably be opting for a different grind. Great club for playing nicely manicured courses.

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Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-10S, 60-04L)Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper 130X (46, 52), KBS HI-Rrev 2.0 125S (56, 60)

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