Equipment
5 things you need to know about Titleist’s new Vokey SM7 wedges
We first spotted Titleist’s new Vokey SM7 wedges on Tour all the way back in October, and many of the big name Titleist staffers have already made the switch (Titleist reports that over 100 Tour pros are currently using the SM7 wedges). For many pros actually, they switched so long ago that it’s now a distant memory.
That being said, since October, the public has been in the dark about technology, the new designs, the new “D-grind,” release dates and pricing. The wait is over, as Titleist has finally announced the launch of its new SM7 wedges.
Read below for the 5 major things you need to know about Titleist’s new SM7 wedges, and see what GolfWRX members are saying about them in our forums.
The CG shift continues
A 46-degree F grind: SM6 (left) vs. SM7
With its Bob-Vokey-designed SM6 wedges, Titleist introduced a progressive center of gravity (CG) design throughout the set, which was visible by the curvature on the back cavity of the wedges. That meant in the lower-lofted wedges, CG was lower in the club head to increase ball speed and produce a more iron-like ball flight, while the CG in the higher-lofted wedges was placed higher in the club head in order to increase spin and lower ball flight, providing greater control around the greens. These CG locations were also meant to be placed in the area that golfers struck at impact — a bit lower on the club head in the lower lofts, and higher on the higher lofts — for a better feel.
Titleist says it didn’t go far enough with the CG shift, however. So with the new SM7 wedges, CG is even higher in the high-lofted wedges, and even lower in the low-lofted wedges. That will mean more spin with the sand and lob wedges compared to the SM6 wedges, and more ball speed with the pitching and gap wedges.
More spin… in some
With the new SM7 wedges, Titleist is reporting up to a 100 rpm increase in spin due to tighter tolerances with its Spin Milled machining process… but only with the plated wedges (Tour Chrome and Brushed Steel), as opposed to the Jet Black raw wedge. The new black finish has gotten even blacker with black paint fills and graphics, but the grooves in the black wedges do not utilize the spin-increasing, groove-cutting process.
Like Vokey wedges of the past, a proprietary heat treatment is applied to each of the wedges to increase durability and spin throughout the lifetime of the wedge.
The new D-grind
Along with the familiar F, S, M, K and L grinds, Titleist has a new D-grind in its SM7 line. Titleist says the “D” relates to the nomenclature of the “TVD” grinds of the past. More specifically, Titleist says this grind is a mix between the grinds of its previous TVD-M wedge and the SM4 58-12 wedge.
The D-grind has a high measured bounce, but also has a crescent-shaped grind to offer the player greater versatility (open-faced shots, different shots around the green, etc.). Think of the D-grind as a hybrid between the high-bounce K grind and the versatile M Grind — you get the benefits of higher bounce, with the versatility of a crescent-shaped sole.
Titleist says the D-grind was modeled after the most popular custom grind that Aaron Dill (Titleist’s PGA Tour rep and wedge maker) would grind for his Tour players each week. Now, it’s a stock option for the consumer in the 58 and 60 degree options.
Fitting expansion
What’s the point of having a bunch of grinds and bounce options if you don’t get fit, or at least try them out first before you buy?
Titleist has long stressed the importance of fitting for the serious golfer, and it says the short game is an area that can see rapid improvement in a short time. As such, the company is expanding fitting availabilities for consumers as part of the SM7 wedge launch.
In 2018, Titleist’s Vokey Scoring Kit — which includes 13 different wedges with different grinds and a shag bag full of Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls — will be available at over 1400 facilities. The company will also be running over 5,000 events, with access to a trained Titleist fitter, so golfers can get dialed in with the correct wedges. Lookout for events and “Titleist Thursdays” near you to get fit for Vokey SM7 wedges.
Pros are switching in droves
Titleist staffers Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Bill Haas, Webb Simpson, Brian Harman and Andrew “Beef” Johnston have already switched into the SM7 wedges. If you want to know what specific wedges they each switched into, with thoughts from Aaron Dill about why each of them switched, click here.
Also Patton Kizzire recently won the 2018 Sony Open using three SM7 wedges. Click here for his specs.
Release Date and Pricing
Titleist’s new SM7 wedges, available in three different finishes and in 23 different loft-grind-bounce options, will hit stores on March 9, selling for $149 each. They can also be customized for specs and personalization on the Vokey website.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about the wedges in our forums
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
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Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
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Don
Jan 22, 2018 at 8:42 pm
My first shank rating. Not that these wedges aren’t gorgeous and spin like crazy around the green, but enough already with the money grabs. All the marketing speak for the SM6s is regurgitated with the SM7s ‘but better!’ and yet the data tells a different story.
I got fitted this summer for the SM6s and the Cleveland RTX-3s. Wound up buying the Clevelands due to more consistent full swing outcomes. The SM6s were harder to hit straight and the distances varied more depending on where you hit it on the face. They were incredibly hi-spin around the greens (skip-skip-stop) though, and I’m thinking of getting a 58 degree SM6 now that the price has dropped to $119 but no way I’d buy an SM7 at new wedge prices. Those days of buying the newest offering ‘just because’ are over.
Ollie
Jan 23, 2018 at 10:11 am
+1
WIMB
Ping G400 LST 10 deg (set at 9.4) Tour 65X
Titleist 917 f2 16.5 deg (set at 15.75) Diamana Ltd White 80X
Calloway Apex Hybrid 19 deg Kuro Kage Black Stiff
Titleist 718 T-MB #4 Project X PXi 6.0
Titleist 718 CB 5-PW DG S300
Titleist SM6 50.12F, 56.08M, and 60.08M S200 FOR NOW
33″Odyssey White Hot Rx #1Putter OR 35″ Scotty Cameron Del Mar Limited Edition Buttonback Putter
Bridgestone B330S
ParGuy
Jan 22, 2018 at 4:26 pm
Can I get a couple of these wedges in zinc die-cast…. for $50 each?
Kevin Sparby
Jan 22, 2018 at 2:54 pm
All I got from this is that SM6 wedges will be marked down for clearance now! WOO HOO! Daddy’s gettin’ new wedges!
Cornwall1888
Jan 22, 2018 at 2:19 pm
100rpm increase in spin? Wedges spin at over 10,000 so this is a less than 1% increase
I don’t think there is much more they can do with wedges ‘technology’ wise
If you need new wedges fine but if not they are basically sm6 with a different look
ParGuy
Jan 22, 2018 at 4:28 pm
How about a hollow wedge filled with elasomer jello that will muffle my miss-hits?!! 😛
Kurt
Jan 22, 2018 at 1:27 pm
These are the ultimate wedges and I intend to buy every one of them for my WITB show and tell bragging rights. :-p
vern urich
Jan 22, 2018 at 1:18 pm
CAN NOT WAIT!!!
Brian
Jan 22, 2018 at 1:01 pm
$150 for cast wedges. That’s all I needed to see.
Stephen Finley
Jan 23, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Had no idea they were cast. Are they really?
Josh
Jan 22, 2018 at 11:42 am
Typo alert: “Aarol Dill”??
ParGuy
Jan 22, 2018 at 4:31 pm
Aarol Dilly Dilly?