What is it about that Titleist Vokey T

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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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Tour Edge has proven that its Exotics line pushes the limits of club performance over the years. This year, the Exotics line has two new hybrids to suit your game and help you hit more greens or fairways. The E723 is a hybrid designed for maximum forgiveness and high launch while its sibling, the C723, is adjustable and made for players looking to work the ball.

To listen to the full review, click on the YouTube or podcast link below or search GolfWRX Radio on your favorite podcast platform.

The C723 is exactly as Tour Edge describes — compact and adjustable — for the more skilled player who is looking to add a hybrid to the bag. I love adjustable hybrids so you can dial in the performance to your setup with ease. The 19-degree head I was hitting can play between 17.5 and 20.5 degrees of loft with the lie angle ranging between 57 and 60 degrees. Now the loft and lie are not fully separate and some loft settings only have a specific lie, but still very useful.

The C723 went right to the course and on the first hole I noticed a flatter trajectory that had a more boring flight off the tee. Shots off the deck are actually easier to elevate than I thought but again offer that flatter ball flight. Ball speed is great and distance is effortless when you strike it in the center, or close to it. I also noticed impressive distance on shots off the toe when you would expect to see a bigger decline in a smaller club head. Shot shape is very neutral, and the C723 isn't looking to help you draw the ball. Forgiveness on off-center shots is better than you would expect and shots stay online fairly well. Overall, this is a great option for players looking for a players hybrid that offers adjustability and added distance.

If your hybrid needs include distance, higher launch, and forgiveness, then the E723 might be the hybrid for your bag. I might actually like the larger look of the E723 hybrid compared to its smaller sibling, it gives you the confidence that you don't have to hit perfect shots to see great results.

Out on the course, or range, you can immediately see the launch difference as the E jumps up and off the face quickly. The flight is high, and I could tell the descent angle was steeper than the C. The Ryzersole gives you solid turf interaction on tight fairway lies and gets through that nasty rough fairly easily. Just like the C723, this hybrid offers some really good ball speed even when you miss the center. Those off-center shots stay online really well thanks to the weight in the head being back and low. Draws are much easier to hit with the E723 and straight shots wanted to fall just a little left of target.

Sound and feel are great with both heads and shots are met with that familiar stainless steel "ting" that we know so well. I think the E723 fits a wide range of players that can benefit from some extra distance and a little higher launch to reach those greens in two.

Tour Edge has again done a really good job with giving golfers some exciting hybrid options with the new Exotics. Whether you are looking to work the ball and adjust your hybrid to fit your bag or you just want a hybrid that is long and easy on your poor swings, I think you need to try out an E723 or C723 hybrid.

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Callaway Golf has this week introduced its new night mode Paradym drivers.

Along with the new sleek black design, the drivers feature the same benefits offered in all previous Callaway Paradym drivers (read our launch piece here for more on the Paradym).

As a reminder, the drivers feature a 360-degree Carbon Chassis designed to promote unprecedented weight redistribution for maximized distance. The Triaxial Carbon crown and Forged Carbon sole are 44-percent lighter than a titanium chassis. This massive weight savings is repositioned both forward in a bid to enhance ball speed and toward the back of the clubhead for increased forgiveness.

Callaway's A.I. designed Jailbreak system seeks to provide stability in both the horizontal and torsional direction, while with a 33-percent lighter weight design, the designers enhanced stability in design for faster ball speeds.

The driver heads feature a refined shape with high MOI and adjustable perimeter weighting. Per Callaway, from a 15g sliding weight, players can experience an average of 12 yards of shot shape correction.

The Callaway Customs Night Mode (Paradym and Paradym Triple Diamond) clubhead profile is sleeker and darker in a limited edition design, and the drivers are available to purchase from June 14th for a price of $699.99 per driver.

Lofts: 9, 10.5 degrees

Shafts:

Paradym: Project X HZRDUS Silver – Custom Night Mode Cosmetic (regular), Project X HZRDUS Black – Custom Night Mode Cosmetic 60 (stiff)

Paradym Triple Diamond: Project X HZRDUS Black – Custom Night Mode Cosmetic 60 (stiff, x-stiff)

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

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Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Callaway 2021 combo set

From the seller (@icemakr): "Callaway 2021 Combo set 5,6 Apex Pro Forged 7-Pw TCB Forged shafted with KBS PGI 100 S+. New Callaway grips , Lightly used condition 7 iron bent to 33*. $775 shipped + $20 east of the Mississippi."

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Callaway 2021 combo set

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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