GOLF HIGHLIGHT: MR. BOB VOKEY

It’s Saturday, the boys are out, and the 56° is ready to earn its keep. There’s a particular comfort in that club — the quiet confidence that if things get tight, it won’t flinch. Any Saturday built around the short game owes a nod to the man who reshaped it for modern golf: Bob Vokey.

For many years now, wedge play has felt approachable. The shots seem learnable and even fun to experiment with. That sense of possibility traces back to someone who never expected to become golf’s short-game architect.

The Unlikely Beginning

Bob Vokey’s name appears on more wedges than any designer in history, yet his entry into golf was nearly accidental. Born in Montreal in 1939, he didn’t begin as an engineer or clubmaker. He was a mechanic — grease, gears, and problem-solving under the hood.

Wedge design found him in California in the 1970s. He learned the craft the long way: grinding heads by hand, testing on range mats, speaking with golfers of every skill level. He wasn’t chasing Tour validation; he was chasing what helped real players hit better shots.

That early shop work shaped a simple belief: you don’t decide what golfers need in a meeting room. You learn it by watching them miss, adjust, and try again.

The Breakthrough

When Vokey joined Titleist in 1996, wedges sat in the shadow of drivers and irons. Three years later, the first Vokey Design wedges reached the market, and they immediately felt different. Players didn’t switch due to hype. They switched because the clubs told the truth.

They offered feedback. They let golfers feel turf, sand, moisture, and grain. They unlocked shots most had only seen on television. For the first time, a wedge felt designed for real conditions — grass, dirt, pressure, and nerves.

Spin Milled: A Turning Point

The launch of Spin Milled in 2005 changed the category. Precision-cut grooves and face textures created consistent spin and trajectory from a wide range of lies. The shift was so dramatic that in 2010 the governing bodies rewrote the groove rule in response to the performance leap. Many Tour players held on to pre-2010 Vokeys until the last legal moment, treating them like irreplaceable tools.

Legacy isn’t a tagline. It’s when the sport changes its rules because of your work.

He Didn’t Just Make Wedges — He Gave Golfers a Language

Before Vokey, wedge fitting was folklore. Terms like bounce and grind lived in Tour vans, not weekend foursomes. Most amateurs chose wedges by loft and brand.

Vokey shifted that thinking. Golfers began understanding grinds as reflections of how they play. The recreational player started evaluating course turf, attack angle, sand depth, preferred shots — and how a wedge could match those tendencies.

He made the short game intentional.

Proven Where It Counts

For more than two decades, Vokey wedges have been the most-played wedges on the PGA Tour, contributing to thousands of wins. The best players in the world choose what gives them the most creativity, and Vokey wedges expand what is possible.

A low-skipping spinner into firm greens, an open-face high floater, a clipped trap-draw pitch into the wind — his designs don’t simply allow these shots. They inspire them.

Vokey’s process wasn’t trend-driven. He began with the problem: turf interaction, launch windows, versatility, and different swing shapes. He listened first — to Tour pros, to amateurs, to anyone with a wedge story. Then he shaped metal.

The wedges that carry his initials are not monuments. They are a record of humility, iteration, and respect for the craft.

Mr. Vokey

So here we are, 56° in hand, the boys watching, one shot separating bragging rights from back-nine regret. It’s worth remembering the man behind that confidence.

The modern short game — its vocabulary, nuance, and imagination — traces back to a mechanic from Montreal who believed the smallest club in the bag could open the biggest part of the game.

Short Game 101: Wedge Terms That Matter

Bounce (°)

What it is:
The angle between the leading edge and the lowest point of the sole.

Why it matters:
Bounce helps the club glide through turf or sand rather than dig. The right bounce matches your swing and course conditions.

Low Bounce (4°–6°): Tight lies, firm turf, shallow swings. Precision over forgiveness.
Mid Bounce (7°–10°): Versatile choice for neutral swings and mixed conditions.
High Bounce (11°+): Soft turf, fluffy sand, or steeper attack angles. Reduces digging.

Grind

What it is:
The shaping of the sole — where material is removed to change how the club sits, opens, and interacts with the ground.

Why it matters:
Grind influences shot versatility. It affects how easily you can open the face, alter trajectory, and control spin.

Common Vokey Grind Letters

F Grind: Best suited for players who keep the clubface square at impact. It features a traditional sole and performs exceptionally well on full-swing shots.

M Grind: Designed for shotmakers who like to manipulate the face. It offers versatility and makes it easier to create different trajectories and shot shapes around the green.

S Grind: A strong option for neutral to firm turf and for players who tend to take a moderate divot. It includes heel relief that supports controlled open-face shots without overexposing the leading edge.

K Grind: Ideal for softer course conditions or bunker play. It is the most forgiving grind in the lineup, with a wide sole that glides smoothly through sand and soft turf.

D Grind: Made for golfers with a steeper attack angle who benefit from additional forgiveness. It delivers high bounce with the ability to still hit a variety of shots, reducing the risk of digging.

Cracking the Code: What the Numbers Mean

Example: 56.10S

56 = Loft
10 = Bounce (10°)
S = Grind

Understanding these three elements turns wedge selection into a personal fit rather than a default purchase.

Learn More

Explore the latest Vokey SM10 lineup — including grinds, bounce options, and fitting tools — at:
https://www.vokey.com/sm10

The right wedge is the one that matches your course, your swing, and your imagination.

Everything = Everything