Since the beginning of time, finding the middle ground, the sweet spot, the Tiger strike, holes 2 through 5, etc., has been the North Star for anyone who has ever picked up a golf club. To make any equipment do what it is designed to do, it is important that players get that category (at least irons and wedges).
On my Vokey SM11 with Tour Rep. Aaron Dill, AD used the grind, the right center of gravity and one width to help me get it almost every time — I mean while the action is wrong.
Now, most of you might be thinking, “So finding a sweet spot is important? Thank you, Captain Obvious.” But the illusion of only needing skill to acquire it is a misconception. With the right fit and the right tool, it’s possible for any player to get here – even with a high handicap. Now I will say that the level of consistency in that strike is going to be much higher with short irons that are wedges. The shaft is short, most shots don’t require “full send” speed and you have loft to help with travel.
Titleist Vokey SM11 Tour Chrome Wedge
Titleist Vokey Design’s new SM11 wedge features a new precision CG position on each mill, meaning all wedges will now perform the same way with the same strike.
When Vokey implemented the new CG package in SM11 it created opportunities for me that I would have had to manage in the past. For example, I can get wedges that I hit well but the CG didn’t improve the strike; meaning the ball would come out very high or I would get a wedge to hit down but there was no consistent hitting pattern. Now the SM11 has a CG package that stays in the same position on all wedges and even more on the surface (and the holes to improve) which keeps the ball very low in the high places. Simply put, a set of be-cake-and-at-it-too wedges that support me regardless of my ability.
How to find a set that does it all
This is where all my research and reaching out to people like Aaron came in handy. I’ve always been a good wedge player but there’s no doubt that I was fine with each setup. I always struggled to find a set that had one shot in it, that being a low drive lane with enough spin to stop it dead instead of back. The ball plays a part in this but if we just focus on the wedges for now, my SM11 44.10F, 50.08F, 54.12D and 58.08M now all have it. In this case, for me, the 10 o’clock swing, hitting all four wedges with a low window. Gone are the days when I made that swing and looked up and saw the ball doing something else. It’s also important to mention that having wedges that keep you in that 2-5 groove section gives you a sense of control over your golf ball.
Just look at the numbers from the 1-vs.-1 test I did last week with SM11 against my old players (SM10):
44: (SM10) 24 launch, 132 bearing, 8825 RPM / (SM11) 21 launch, 132 bearing, 9350 RPM
50: (SM10) 26.5 launch, 117 bearing, 9735 RPM / (SM11) 25 launch, 119 bearing, 9700 RPM
54: (SM10 M-Grind) 29 launch, 103 bearing, 10100 RPM / (SM11 D-Grind) 26 launch, 105 bearing, 10300 RPM
It may not seem like a biblical climb in numbers, but with shots from 130 and in it is huge. That low flight, slightly increased spin and feeling in control of the shot further allows my floor and ceiling to rise. I can say that about a ton of clubs these days. I usually get a lot of value out of scaling down, which is more important but when I find a tool that does both — I’m in.
So the next time you get fit, make sure you find clubs that get you into that “sweet spot”. It may take some soul-searching and ego-throwing, but I guarantee your scores will go down. And isn’t that all that matters?
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