[PHOTO: Scottie Warman]
Whether in the hands of a tour pro or an everyday hack (especially the everyday hack), the lob wedge can be a handy weapon. Why’s that? Because we miss a lot of greens and are reaching for the 58 or 60-degree probably 10 times a round or more.
Now consumers have another option in those lofts. The Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks A+ grind wedges are available in 58 and 60 degrees. The wedge is a raw finish, mid-bounce lob wedge that produces a fast feel through the turf and features a wide, contoured sole. It is designed for players with a neutral angle of attack who play in a variety of conditions. The shaft is True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S200, and the grip is Titleist’s Universal 360. Sorry lefties, this offering is available in right-handed only.
The A+ grind is related to the Vokey WedgeWorks A grind, which was born out of a collaboration between Vokey tour rep Aaron Dill and 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, who was looking for a wedge that moved through firm turf faster than his L grind. Dill took Ogilvy’s feedback and removed the ribbon on the L grind, resulting in a smoothed-out sole that cut through the ground with less resistance.
The A+ grind was created with similar modifications for players who prefer the feel of the A grind sole but needed more sole width and bounce due to their delivery.
“On tour over the years, we started seeing some loyal M grind players who were finding that sole to be a little too bouncy for their liking,” Dill said. “A+ comes from taking their gamer M grind and removing the ribbon from the centre of the sole. Those players found the leading edge of the A+ sat a bit lower, and the wedge moved faster through the ground. That helped to unlock a bit more versatility for some based on how they deliver the club to the ball.”
Among those using the A+ grind on the PGA Tour are 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott and Davis Riley, who had an A+ grind in the bag during his recent win at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
The A+ wedges utilise Vokey’s progressive centre of gravity where the CG is pushed up and forward of the face for a flatter trajectory and ease of squaring the face at impact. The company’s hallmark Spin Milled grooves remain as well. Customisation options include 10-character straight/freestyle stamping 15 characters around the toe or two lines of 10 characters each. Eight toe engravings are available as well. The wedges can also be custom ordered with a selection of shaft bands, ferrules, shafts and grips.
The grooves on my wedges are worn. Should I try to regroove them myself or just buy new wedges?
