Tour Blog : Vokey Design

Vokey Ultimate Guide to Wedges: Wedge Bounce Explained

NADAMS — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 15:00:00 GMT

What is bounce on a wedge? Titleist went to Bob Vokey to explain what wedge bounce really is and how it can make a huge impact on your short game.(read more)

Video: The Vokey Team on Groove Wear and Spin Performance

Rick V., Team Titleist Staff — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 17:46:00 GMT

How can you tell if it's time for new wedges? Use these pro tips from the Vokey R&D team as they test different levels of groove wear and spin performance.(read more)

Inside the Brand New Titleist Tour Truck

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 13:23:00 GMT

Titleist's PGA Tour reps have moved into their new home away from home—42-foot-long Titleist Tour Truck. Learn more about the Titleist Tour Trailer specs.(read more)

Breakthrough at Bay Hill

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 12:51:00 GMT

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PGA TOUR:

Having already earned four victories on the European Tour, Tyrrell Hatton (Pro V1x) secured his first career PGA TOUR title with a one-shot victory under challenging weekend wind conditions at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The overnight leader by two shots, Hatton closed with a 2-over 74, and finished with a 4-under 284 victory total, bringing the total number of Titleist golf ball victories to 17 through the first 22 events on the 2019-20 PGA TOUR. That is 77 percent of all events and more than eight times the nearest competitor with 2.

Hatton topped a leaderboard that included just four players under par for the event, including last week’s Honda Classic winner and Titleist Brand Ambassador Sungjae Im (Pro V1x, TS3/9.5 driver, TS2/13.5 fairway metal and 818H2/19.0 hybrid, T100/4-PW irons, Vokey Design SM8 gap/52.08F, sand/56.08M and SM7 lob/60.04L wedges, Scotty Cameron T6 STR putter), who finished solo third, two shots back.

In fact, eight (8) of the 12 players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success. Matthew Fitzpatrick (Pro V1x), who finished in a four-way tie for ninth, produced the only sub-70 round of the weekend with a Sunday 69.

Another Strong Showing for Sungjae Im

Statistically, Im finished among the top 10 in at least eight major categories trusting his Pro V1x and a full bag of Titleist equipment from tee-through green, including: Birdies (15/T5); SG: Off the Tee (3.652/8th); Driving Accuracy (64.29%/T5); SG: Tee-to-Green (10.524/4th); Greens in Regulation (58.33%/T9); SG: Around the Green (5.259/4th); Scrambling (66.67%/T7); and Sand Saves (81.82%/T5).

Click here to learn more about what's in Sungjae's bag.

EUROPEAN:

It was an all-Titleist golf ball playoff at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters where Jorge Campillo (Pro V1) defeated David Drysdale (Pro V1x) with a birdie on the fifth extra hole.

The pair played the 18th hole six times on the day. It marked the second career European Tour crown for Campillo who has now won in consecutive seasons after securing the 2019 Trophee Hassan II.

Drysdale was seeking his first win in his 498th career start. The pair tied in regulation at 13-under 271, one shot clear of three players, including Titleist Brand Ambassador Niklas Lemke (Pro V1x, TS3/9.5 driver, TS3/15 fairway metal, 712U/2, 718 CB/3-4, and 718 MB/5-9 irons, Vokey Design SM8 pitching/48, sand/52 and lob/58 wedges), Jeff Winther (Pro V1x) and Kalle Samooja (Pro V1x).

In addition to topping the golf ball count with 105 players (73%), more than six times the nearest competitor, Titleist was also the field favorite in utility irons (31/37%) and wedges (207/40%). Add Campillo to the growing list of winners on the European Tour and around the world who chooses to play a Titleist — despite their association with a competitive brand that also makes a golf ball.

ASIAN:

It was an all-Titleist three-way playoff at the Bandar Malaysia Open where Trevor Simsby (Pro V1x) won the weather-shortened event for his first career Asian Tour crown in just his 12th start; after several delays, the players were informed on Saturday that the tournament was to be officially reduced to 54 holes.

The 27-year old closed with a 2-under par 70 to finish tied in regulation at 13-under 203 with Titleist Brand Ambassador Andrew Dodt (Pro V1x, TS3/9.5 driver, TS2/15 fairway metal, 718 T-MB 3-iron, T100 irons, Vokey Design SM7 pitching/46, gap/52, dand/56 and lob/60 wedges, Scotty Cameron Futura X putter) and Jarin Todd (Pro V1).

All three players returned to the par 5 18th hole with Todd bowing out first by failing to make birdie on the first playoff hole. Simsby won on the next hole, converting a 4-foot putt for birdie.

Titleist was the top choice in golf balls (104/67%), hybrids (32/33%), utility irons (20/24%), irons (42/27%) and wedges (181/41%).

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A Four-Tour, Worldwide Sweep Marks 31 Wins for Titleist in 2020

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:31:00 GMT

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WGC:

The winner of the WGC-Mexico Championship rallied from two shots back with four holes to play, reeling off three straight birdies [Nos. 15-17] to capture his eighth career PGA TOUR title.

The winner closed with a 4-under 67 en route to an 18-under 266 victory total.

It also marked his second World Golf Championship title, having also won this same event in 2014. He advances to No. 8 in the Official World Golf Ranking following the victory.

Quoting the Winner:

“The putter was really hot. I felt like I was hitting a lot of really good putts, hitting it on my lines, and your speed has to be perfect. I felt like I was able to dial it in. It definitely helped me out today because I didn't hit the ball that great on the front, had a lot of up-and-downs just to kind of hang around there.”

Winning Short Game Success:

The champion switched to the Scotty Cameron Tour Rat putter from a competitive brand at the Presidents Cup and it hasn’t come out of the bag since. In the five PGA TOUR events in which he has participated since the Presidents Cup, he has posted a win, at P2 [Sentry T of C] and a T6 at Farmers Insurance Open. In addition to co-leading the field in Birdies (25) this week, he also was first in Putts Per Greens in Regulation [1.523] and SG: Putting [11.824].

The winner also carried three Vokey Design wedges, including new SM8 sand [56] and lob [60] models. This was the first week he was carrying the new SM8 lob wedge and just the third event with the SM8 sand wedge. He finished third in Scrambling [78.57%] and fourth in SG: Around the Green [3.203] in his winning effort.

The Golf Ball Choice of the World’s Best:

In addition to the WGC-Mexico Championship winner choosing to play the Titleist Pro V1 when he has the option to play any golf ball, so did one of the players who finished in a tie for 3^rd. Unlike the winner — who is a free agent — the European Tour player plays the equipment of a competitive brand throughout the bag, except the golf ball. Like the winner – he has more trust in the consistency and performance of Titleist and the Pro V1 for his golf ball success – and chooses to play it without compensation.

Winning the World Over:

With a four-tour, worldwide sweep, Titleist golf ball players have already accumulated 31 wins around the globe in 2020, more than five times the nearest competitor (6). And two more wins on the PGA TOUR [WGC-Mexico Championship & Puerto Rico Open] brings the 2019-20 season total to 15, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 2.

PGA TOUR:

It was an all-Titleist 1-2 finish at the Puerto Rico Open where Viktor Hovland (Pro V1) rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to edge Josh Teater (Pro V1x) and capture his first career PGA Tour title in dramatic fashion. The 22-year-old former U.S. Amateur champion who turned professional last June, finished the week with a 20-under par 268 victory total, one shot clear of Teater, who was also seeking his first PGA TOUR win.

Hovland and Teater were two of 118 Titleist golf ball players in the field of 144 (82%) - that’s 110 players more than the nearest competitor with 8. Titleist was also the top choice from tee-to-green, with more players trusting Titleist drivers, fairway metals, hybrids, utility irons, irons and wedges than any other brand.

AUSTRALASIA:

Anthony Quayle captured the Queensland Open by topping an amateur with a par on the first hole of an all-Titleist Pro V1x playoff. It marked the first professional win for Quayle.

Titleist was the choice across every major equipment category, including golf balls [112/85%], drivers [60/46%] and putters [60/46%]. Of the 15 players who finished among the top 10 and ties, 14 of them chose a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x for their success. The playoff participants finished regulation at 15-under 273, two shots clear of runners-up and fellow Titleist golf ball loyalists Brad Kennedy and Jake Higginbottom.

SOUTH AFRICA:

Garrick Higgo concluded a successful rookie season by claiming a come-from-behind one-stroke victory over fellow Titleist Pro V1 player Haydn Porteous in the season-ending Tour Championship. It was the second win of the year for Higgo, who started the final round one shot behind overnight leader Ockie Strydom (Pro V1). He claimed the Sun City Challenge last June. Thriston Lawrence (Pro V1) finished solo 3^rd.

Of the 41-player field, 35 were Titleist golf ball players (89%).

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Adam Scott Tops World-Class Field at Riviera CC

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 13:49:00 GMT

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PGA TOUR:

Titleist Brand Ambassador Adam Scott held off a world-class field on a world-class golf course to capture The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Scott closed with a one-under par 70 en route to an 11-under par 273 victory total.

Having just notched a victory at the Australian PGA Championship in December, the win is the 14th of Scott’s PGA TOUR career and his 31st across the worldwide professional tours, moving him into No. 6 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Scott also won this event in 2005, but that victory was not considered official because it had been shortened to 36 holes after heavy rain soaked the course.

This week was considered the strongest regular season field on the PGA TOUR in 13 years, with 9 of the top 10 players in the OWGR teeing it up.

WHAT’S IN ADAM SCOTT’S WINNING TITLEIST BAG?:

Pro V1 golf ball, TS4 (10.5°) driver, TS2 (16.5°) fairway metal, 716 T-MB (3) utility iron, 680 MB (4-9) irons, Vokey Design SM8 pitching (48.10F), gap (52.12F @ 10), sand (56.10S) and lob (60.06K) wedges, and Scotty Cameron Xperimental long putter.

JUST THE STATS:

Trusting his Titleist equipment from tee-through-green, Scott was among the leaders in just about every major statistical category, including topping the field in Greens in Regulation at a 72.22% (52 of 72) clip. He tied for first in Birdies (21), and was 3rd in SG: Tee to Green (10.357) and SG: Approach to the Green (6.247). He also recorded and average Driving Distance of 305.2 with his Titleist TS4 driver.

According to Titleist Tour Representative J.J. VanWezenbeeck: “Adam switched to the TS4 driver at the ZoZo Championship due to head size, shape, and improved launch to spin ratios. This week, following a conversation with Adam, he decided to switch to a shaft [Mitsubishi Kurokage S Tini 80] he had previously played for increased stability. He felt the shaft went a little far and he lost head feel. We went on course with lead tape to get the ‘feels’ to match up, then weighted the head to his preferred swing weight after testing.”

While there were only four Titleist TS4 drivers in play at The Genesis Invitational, three of them [Scott, Max Homa/T5 and Russell Henley/T17] were in the bags of players battling for the championship on Sunday. The TS4 is an ultra-low spinning design and complement to the TS2 and TS3 [the most played model on the PGA TOUR]. The TS4 features a 430cc head volume, which is smaller than the size of the TS2/TS3, both 460cc.

According to Wezenbeeck: “While most golfers find their best fit in a TS2 or TS3 driver, there is a small percentage of players out there with distinct performance needs, such as aggressive spin reduction. The TS4 is for those golfers who create too much spin because of the way they deliver the club head. We know through player testing that TS4 provides these players greater distance consistency versus what they were seeing in a higher-MOI product.”

TRIPLE SWEEP:

After sweeping every major equipment count at 13 PGA TOUR events in 2019, Titleist secured a third straight in 2020 at this week’s The Genesis Invitational. From golf balls, to drivers, fairways and hybrids, to utilities, iron sets, wedges and putters – Titleist has now been the top choice of more players across every category at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.

Sung Kang (Pro V1x, TS3/9.5° driver) and Scott Brown (Pro V1x) were among three players who tied for 2^nd. Brown switched to the 2019 Pro V1x for the first time this week.

CHAMPIONS:

Scott Parel (Pro V1x) overcame a three-shot final round deficit, closing with an 8-under 63 to win the Chubb Classic by two shots over Bob Estes (Pro V1x).

It marked the third career victory for Parel, who tied a tournament record by carding a 17-under 196 victory total. Kevin Sutherland (Pro V1x) and Bernhard Langer (Pro V1) tied for third as each of the top four finishers trusted Titleist golf balls for their success.

In fact, Parel topped a leaderboard on which 11 of the 14 players who finished among the Top 10 and ties played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball.

AUSTRALASIA:

Titleist Brand Ambassador Michael Sim (Pro V1x, TS4 driver, 718 T-MB 2-iron, T100 irons/3-PW, Vokey Design SM7 wedges, Scotty Cameron Squareback putter) captured the Queensland PGA Championship, surviving a four-hole sudden death playoff with a winning par against good friend and roommate for the week Scott Arnold (Pro V1, Vokey Design SM7 wedges). Sim birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.

Titleist full product line players Michael Hendry, Dimi Papadatos and Brad Kennedy finished in a tie for third with Titleist golf ball loyalist Chang Gi Lee. In fact, all 13 players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success.

Titleist Introduces New Vokey Design SM8 Wedges – One Giant Shift Forward in Wedge Performance

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 14:03:00 GMT

Bob Vokey has reached a new height of innovation with the introduction of his Vokey Design SM8 models, the most accurate and forgiving Vokey wedges yet.(read more)

When Should You Replace Your Wedges?

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 14:47:00 GMT

Testing shows that wedges significantly wear out after 75 rounds. Learn how long yours are lasting and when you should replace your golf wedges with Titleist.(read more)

A Day in the Life of a TOUR Pro: Custom Wedge Stamping with Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill

Zack R., Team Titleist Staff — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 13:59:00 GMT

Frank and Mike Fasano from Golficity stopped by the Titleist Tour Truck at Liberty National GC during the Northern Trust and met up with Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill, the master-craftsman behind many of the wedges you see gamed by Titleist Brand Ambassadors on the PGA TOUR, to learn how the best in the world personalize their short game tools.(read more)

Hand Crafted: The Story of Bob Vokey

Rick V., Team Titleist Staff — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 14:07:00 GMT

Who is Bob Vokey? Learn more about the "Master Craftsman" and how he has created the most popular and best preforming wedges in golf with Titleist.(read more)

Titleist Tips: An Experiment for Chipping it Close

Rick V., Team Titleist Staff — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 19:05:00 GMT

Titleist staff member Mark Crossfield and his friend Dan Hendriksen run an experiment to see how playing with launch and spin on the short shots might reveal a solution that you didn't know was there for your golf game. (read more)

U.S. Open Tips: Hitting a Flighted Wedge Shot on No. 7 at Pebble Beach

Rick V., Team Titleist Staff — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 18:18:00 GMT

Titleist staff member and co-founder of WedgeCraft, Layne Savoie shares some techniques you can use to hit low, wind-cheating wedge shots just like the pros will hit at the par-3 7th Hole during this year's U.S Open at Pebble Beach Golf links.(read more)

Bob Vokey Introduces New 54°and 56°D Grind Models to WedgeWorks

Rick V., Team Titleist Staff — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:40:00 GMT

Based on the incredible popularity of the Vokey SM7 D Grind, Bob Vokey has been experimenting with lower-lofted models. Learn about his all new D Grinds.(read more)

Inside the Ropes with Team Titleist at the 2019 PGA Championship

Robert.Follmer — Fri, 17 May 2019 21:58:00 GMT

Earlier this week, Team Titleist was on site at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, NY to bring you all of the sights and sounds from the practice tee, the Titleist Tour van and inside the ropes AT The 101st PGA Championship during practice round action on the famed Black Course. (read more)

Titleist Tips: How to Use Bounce on a Sand Wedge

Rick V., Team Titleist Staff — Wed, 15 May 2019 18:13:00 GMT

Wedge bounce is the angle between the leading edge and the turf, measured in degrees. Proper use of wedge bounce offers forgiveness on wedge shots.(read more)