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