Vokey SM5 vs. SM4 Wedges

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By Michael Z

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  1. Michael Z

    Michael Z
    Dublin, OH

    Hi, all. I was looking to buy new wedges for this season. I currently play a 50* (bent to 49.75), 54* (bent to 53.3) and 58*(bent to 57.5) in older versions. What I'm wondering is whether or not it is a good decision to buy the new SM5 or save some money and buy the old SM4 model.

    Spin: I'm really looking for something that will grip onto the ball a lot longer and produce more spin along with added distance control. For me, spin is really crucial on full shots and I love to see the ball take one hop and stop. I'd like a club that has grooves that won't wear down too much, even if I practice with the wedges a lot. I tend to focus most of my game around short shots around the green, and I have noticed that in the past the grooves of my wedges have worn down really quickly and easily from practice. I would love a club that I can practice countless hours with but still have lots of spin.

    Control: Control over the golf ball with wedges is really important to me. Because I'm not a high-spin player, I really focus on controlling the wedge distances so I can still hit it close. Being able to hit a ball a certain number and say, "Yup, that's the one," immediately after impact is really important to me. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd love a wedge that I can feel distances with easily, whether it's because of the weight of the head or the shaft.

    Turf Interaction: I've always been a digger with wedges, usually taking long divots. My angle of approach has always been steep, which might be one of the reasons I am lacking spin. I don't play on necessarily soft conditions; I just dig a lot, so I'd love a wedge that I feel glides through the turf with maximum spin.

    Looks: Regarding looks, I'm really not that demanding. I do like, however, a rounder face for high degree wedges because it gives me the confidence to open up the club face for high shots or bunker shots. I'm also not too picky with the finish of the club. I've played with a satin/chrome finish for all my years, but I'm curious to see what a darker black finish is like.

    Playability and Tolerance: Obviously, I'm not a professional golfer. I get into trouble sometimes, and I need to hit a variety of shots high, low, medium, running, etc. As I stated before, I love the confidence of opening a club face as well as shutting it if I need the ball to run. I also hit off of many different lies. With this being said, I'd like a wedge that will tolerate a lot of beating and still perform perfectly.

    Thanks so much!

    Michael

  2. Tom B

    Tom B
    Northborough, MA

    Mike, I've got SM4's, 58 & 52. I tried a 58 SM5, for a round the other day, and will definitely be buying this club. I tried the M grind, as it seems to offer the ability to play from the fairway (or dig if you have to)and rough normally, but with opening it up it uses the bounce more for the sand, and I use it a lot from around the green in the rough. Go somewhere that you can try different ones, and the different grinds to see what is best for you type of game and the shots you want to make. They all offer different advantages. I found that the SM5 does offer significantly more spin using it around the green, short bunker and rough shots, and is pretty close to what it used to be before the groove rule was changed again. It seems to bring me back to being able to flop it out of rough around the green and get it to stop quicker than the SM4. If that is not something you require, you could stick with the SM4. To me though I'll be getting a 5, as it's worth that extra spin I used to get flopping it.

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