Equipment
Titleist Vokey SM6 wedges: What you need to know
- Vokey SM6 wedges use what’s called a Progressive Center of Gravity, a weighting strategy that positions each wedge’s center of gravity (CG) in a distinct location, depending on loft. It was achieved by altering the shaping of the back of the new wedges.
- In the low-lofted wedges (46, 50, 52), Vokey SM6 wedges have a CG that’s lower than SM5 models. It’s aligned with the desired impact area, which increases ball speed by an average of 1.5 mph for 3-5 yards more distance, according to Titleist.
- The mid-lofted SM6 wedges (54, 56) use a mid-CG design that looks similar to Vokey’s SM5 wedges.
- The high-lofted SM6 wedges (58, 60, 62 degrees) have a high-CG design. Since golfers tend to contact their high-lofted wedge shots higher on the face, the new models will create more consistent launch conditions, and a lower-launching, high-spinning trajectory that can lead to increased stopping power.
- Along with better feel, the progressive CG design will improve wedge distance gapping, according to Titleist.
- Vokey SM6 wedges are available in five different sole grinds (L, M, S, F, K), which have been slightly tweaked from SM5 models.
Grinds
- The M grind (available in 54-08, 56-08, 58-08, 60-08, 62-08) has less bounce than SM5 models, and is best for golfers who like to manipulate the face opened or closed to play different wedge shots. In the 62-degree loft, the M Grind replaces the T Grind.
- The S Grind (available in 54-10, 56-10, 58-10 and 60-10) has increased bounce compared to SM5 models in the 58- and 60-degree models, and is best for golfers who play most of their shots with the clubface in a square position.
- K Grind wedges (available in 58-12 and 60-12) have 1 degree more bounce than SM5 models, which will help golfers resist digging when used in the square position.
- The L Grind, most notably used by Jordan Spieth and Jimmy Walker, has increased camber on its sole to help golfers improve versatility. It’s available in 58-04 and 60-04.
Grooves
- The SM6 wedges use Titleist’s new TX4 grooves, and its clubfaces have a machine-milled, parallel face texture. SM5 grooves had a radial face texture, which cut into the edges of the groove. According to Titleist, the new grooves are more consistent, and create sharper grooves that can increase spin as much as 200 rpm. As in the SM5 line, each groove is 100 percent inspected at the company’ manufacturing facility.
Pricing, Availability, Finishes, and Custom Options
- The SM6 wedges ($149 MAP) are available in stores March 11 in three finishes: Tour Chrome (plated), Steel Gray (plated) and Jet Black. The Jet Black finish is applied through a QPQ (quench, polish, quench) procedure, and will wear to a raw finish over time.
- The wedges can be custom ordered in a wide range of custom options (shafts, grips, shaft bands, ferrules, stampings and paintfill) through Titleist’s WedgeWorks program.
Specs
Equipment
Then and now: Comparing Rory McIlroy’s current setup to his record-breaking 2019 Canadian Open victory
In Rory McIlroy’s first appearance at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, he crushed the record books to earn his 16th PGA Tour title in dominating fashion, winning by seven shots over Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson.
McIlroy’s score of 22-under-par 258 is the lowest 72-hole score to date at the Canadian Open, and his closing 61 is also the best final-round score in the history of one of golf’s oldest tournaments. Finally, with his win in 2019, McIlroy became only the sixth player to win the career Triple Crown, adding to his victories at the U.S. Open in 2011 and The Open Championship in 2014, joining Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods in a coveted list.
So, with that, why not compare his current setup to the clubs he used to break all the records?
Driver
2019: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees @8), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X (45 5/8 inches)
McIroy led the Tour in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in 2019; he’s doing the same in 2026. Between now and then, McIlroy has switched from the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX (a shaft with slightly more feeling in the tip) to the original Fujikura Ventus Black 7X, having just made the change to the heavier version from playing the 60X.
What’s interesting about McIlroy’s 2019 setup is that the weighting on his driver is actually set in the high-draw setting, using the T-Track weighting system, whereas in the Qi4D, he’s currently using a heavily rear-weighted setup. (Two 13-gram weights in the rear and only two 4-gram front weights.)
The TaylorMade M5 driver he played in during his Canadian Open win was the company’s first head that they claimed to design to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit, and then injected with tuning resin to bring it back in bounds.
Fairway woods
2019: TaylorMade M6 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX; TaylorMade M5 5-wood (19 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8X; TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood (18 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9X
The TaylorMade M6 fairway wood that McIlroy was using during the 2019 season is still in the bag of some of the best golfers on Tour in 2026. Just check out Justin Rose’s winning setup from the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. This year, though, McIlroy has still been searching for his top-end-of-the-bag setup, having played both the new Qi4D and the Qi10, which he won the Masters with.
The same shaft swap can be seen in the fairway woods as the driver, along with slightly less loft on the 5-wood.
Irons
2019: TaylorMade P750 (4) Buy here, TaylorMade P730 (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
2026: TaylorMade P760 (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
The biggest difference between McIlroy’s custom set and the stock P730s is the groove design. While the P730s were constructed with 14 MX-9 grooves on their milled faces, McIlroy’s proto heads instead use the higher-spinning, 16-groove layout of the TW2 grooves. Other big differences between the sets are that McIlroy’s 7- and 8-irons have thinner toplines, are 1 degree stronger in loft, and are 1/4 inch longer than the original P730 builds.
With McIlroy’s 4-iron, the switch from P750 to P760 sees a transition to a two-piece construction with Speed Foam in it, which allows McIlroy to launch the ball slightly higher, with more workability.
Wedges
2019: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48-09SB), TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09SB, 56-09SB, 60-LB09), Shafts: Project X Rifle 6.5
2026: TaylorMade MG5 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB, 60-08LB @61), Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)
Between 2019 and 2026, McIlroy’s focus on his short game has been much more apparent. It was the reason why he switched back to the TP5 golf ball, to help with launch, spin and control with his wedges leading up to his career Grand Slam victory in 2025. The most apparent changes to McIlroy’s wedge setup are his lofts and bounce. He’s slowly delofted his pitching to a sand wedge, but has increased the loft on the lob wedge, bending his current 60-degree to 61. With that, adding more loft to his lob wedge also slightly increases the bounce and leading-edge sit point, so, as a result, he plays a lower-bounce lob wedge compared to 2019. The MG5 wedges are also softer than the first Milled Grind option from 2019. McIlroy also no longer plays the full-face grooves found on the Hi-Toe.
Putter
2019: TaylorMade Spider X
2026: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Notice anything similar. Yes, the copper finish on Rory McIlroy’s Spider X putter in 2019 is a slightly more reflective finish than the recently released torched PVD finish. McIlroy was using the True Path alignment system, but now uses only a single white sightline.
Ball
2019: 2019 TaylorMade TP5 (#22)
2026: 2025 TaylorMade TP5 (RORS)
As mentioned above, McIlroy had transitioned from the TP5 to TP5x golf ball since his victory in Canada in 2019, but now is black with the same style of golf ball as his victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
Grips
2019: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
2026: Golf Pride MCC
Interesting, McIlroy actually used Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Cord grips during his victory in 2019 (it was during a 2+ year switch to the corded TV) as opposed to his usual MCC grips, which he has played for most of his career.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @Putt4Dough is selling some prototype wedges from Vokey Wedgeworks. These include a 54 degree wedge with the M grind and a 60 degree wedge with a T grind.
From the listing:
(1) Titleist Vokey Proto Wedge 54M with a Tour Issue DGS400 shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet (logo down). Standard length, lie, and loft. BB&F ferrule. Raw wedge in good condition. No initials. Price is $200 shipped. Buy both wedges for $380 shipped.
(2) Titleist Vokey Proto Wedge 60T with a KBS Tour 130X shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet. Standard length, lie, and loft. Raw wedge in good condition. No initials. Price is $200 shipped. Buy both wedges for $380 shipped.
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 70 6.5
5-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80 TX
Irons: Srixon ZXiU (23 degrees), Srixon Z785 MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 100 6.5 (4), KBS Tour 130 X
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (50-08F, 54-10S, 58-04T @59)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey Dual Force Rossie II
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Mark
Jan 28, 2016 at 12:08 pm
I doubted Davemac’s £145 RRP for the UK market but an e-mail from Titleist today confirmed it. Our Pro was ringing the rep to ask why a 30% price rise when inflation in Britain is negligible and clubs are struggling to keep members….and cutting his order. Crazy pricing and wholly unjustified.
Gary
Jan 27, 2016 at 11:09 am
Basically copying the idea of Dynacraft golf VLS wedges from 2013 in which there are two adjustable weights in their 52, 56, 60 deg. wedges. Move the heavier weight (17 gram) higher in the head for lower launch or put it lower in the head for higher launch.
Bar
Jan 27, 2016 at 11:00 am
3-5 yards more with a wedge? is that including half , three quarter , and bunker shots, The lunatics have definitely taken over the asylum.
Ryan
Jan 26, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Am I the only person on here that hates a raw finish or a wedge that ends up that way? Why do I want to spend all of that money on something that’s going to rust? I never have glare issues and I don’t think that there is a spin benefit, so can anyone shine some light on this for me?
Mike
Jan 26, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Love rusty wedges!
Alex
Jan 26, 2016 at 5:58 pm
I think most people just like the look of a raw or “rusted” wedge. If you haven’t had an occurrence with glare from chrome plated wedges I assure you, you will. There is nothing worse than in the middle of the afternoon with the sun right above you, and you have a short sided bunker shot and you open up the face of your wedge and you are literally blinded.
Matto
Jan 26, 2016 at 11:34 pm
They won’t rust if you treat them well.
Got my raw SM5’s as soon at they came out. Not a speck of rust on them.
KK
Jan 28, 2016 at 3:46 am
In all honesty, I think its the idea of playing what the pros play. Look at the wedges in the WITB pics on this site. A ton of tour pros have wedges with rust marks on them. Tour pros practice so damn much, they are literally wearing the protective finish off of the club so inevitablly the wedge is going to rust if not kept dry. Someone should post an article with some science that proves rust on a wedge produces more spin.
Removed
Jan 26, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I think the weight CG is the lower lofts is a plus if it increases ball speed, but why would I want lower launch if Im hitting a full 60°? If i wanted to hit a lower shot I would move the ball back or hit my 56° or my 52°. What is the rational behind this?
Vokey limiting my ability to have a high launch shot with my 60°? You got this wrong Bob. Who’s been in your ear? Its easy enough to shoot a ball in lower with your 60° if you want. Very easy. So dont take away my ability to hit high launch.
davemac
Jan 26, 2016 at 10:46 am
I was very keen on these, the changes look exactly what I am after. I have two SM5’s a 54 I love and a 50 that is just so so. I have been waiting to order a 58 / 60 and lowering the CG in the 50 might make all the difference, ideal
Then I looked at the price hike!
Davemac
Jan 26, 2016 at 3:38 pm
UK SM 6 Recommended Retail Price £145
UK SM5 Recommended Retail Price £109
Ian
Jan 26, 2016 at 9:17 am
200rpm more – can anyone (unbiased) confirm this?
Kevin
Jan 26, 2016 at 9:09 am
No raw finish? Let’s go BV give us what we really want!
RH
Jan 26, 2016 at 9:37 am
The article says the jet black finish will go raw.
Alex
Jan 26, 2016 at 5:59 pm
The Jet Black finish is supposed to be able to be removed easily.
Kevin
Jan 26, 2016 at 8:25 pm
I don’t want black that goes raw. I want raw. I’m confident I’m not the only one. Besides I have the black Sm5 that rusts and it’s still black so unless you work for Vokey I’m not buying what you’re selling.
Matto
Jan 26, 2016 at 11:38 pm
Yeah I’ve got the black “raw” sm5’s also. Not a speck of rust on them after all this time.
mp-4
Jan 27, 2016 at 1:02 am
Exactly. Never heard anyone request a ‘steel grey’ finish.
Why not Tour Chrome, Black and Raw?
It’s probably because of a potential problem with returns.
Can imagine people complaining about how their wedge must be defective because it rusted.
KK
Jan 28, 2016 at 3:56 am
Good point, but I’m not sure it’s returns. I would go with Bob Vokey and Titleist think that if someone has Titleist wedges in their bag that are all rusted and someone who sees them and doesn’t know they are supposed to be that way (only golf dorks like people on golfwrx know this by the way) will think: Titleist wedges cost $120+ and they rust over time, what a rip off. Thus hurting the brand integrity.
Mike
Jan 29, 2016 at 9:20 am
The SM5 wedges are available in RAW on Vokey’s Wedge Works site. Perhaps he’ll do the same with the SM6?
Slowhand
Mar 7, 2016 at 9:16 am
I bought the steel gray. It is the first year I think for that color and I like the finish. Chrome is too bright and I don’t like jet black wedges among my set of clubs. I did like the darker finish option on the SM4 but not seen that exact lighter version of dark since then. I don’t like raw wedges.
Garrett
Feb 4, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Probably will get a 1 year raw release to spike sales. Then SM7 in 2 years without raw option…so on and so forth
A
Jan 26, 2016 at 8:35 am
Where can I get fitted for these?
Mike
Jan 29, 2016 at 9:26 am
Sleepy Hollow Country Club in NY not far from New York City if you live in the northeast. They are a regional Titleist fitting account. You can hit everything Titleist has with any shaft they offer using premium balls and Trackman. I went through a wedge fitting last year with Kevin there director of instruction. And the price is way cheaper than going to the main headquarters. $175.00 per hour I think. And you can do a lot in an hour. Probably driver plus iron fitting or irons and wedges. Whatever you need.