Titleist seems to be continuing the pursuit of perfection with its latest Vokey SM8 wedges, which are the logical successors of the SM6 line that was launched back in 2016. Four years later, Titleist is pushing its Progressive Center of Gravity concept even further with the new Vokey SM8 wedges, which are completely redesigned and innovative, being literally renovated, making for lower-lofted wedges that are engineered to blend easier into one’s set.

When it comes to Titleist’s Vokey line, any respectable golfer will instantaneously recognize the magic word, and he will know that you’re talking about wedges. That’s how iconic the Vokey family is, and since we’re talking about a Titleist product, it comes as no surprise that Vokey is just another word for performance wedges. The SM8 is actually more than that, making for the company's most performance-driven wedges yet, and yes, that caught our attention.

The Vokey SM6 was already the PGA’s number one wedge, and the SM8 is literally built on that solid foundation, taking control and precision to the next level due to refined cosmetics, shapes, sole grinds, and, marking a first for Titleist, composite materials also known as multi-material technology, everything aimed at boosting performance as much as humanly possible. The Vokey wedges can be best described as the industry standard, by which most golfers judge other wedges, just as Titleist’s Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls set the standard in the golf-ball niche. The company leads the way in wedge technology starting way back with the Spin Milled wedges, due to their quality and spin performance, which derives from Titleist's methodic manufacturing process, which makes sure each wedge built is properly tested for groove dimensions and all that jazz. There are 3 essential performance factors that one should consider before buying a new wedge, and yes, that applies even to the Vokey SM8: first, there’s trajectory control and distance, followed by shot versatility and then spin depreciation and groove wear. Another thing to contemplate about wedges is that they make for the most versatile tool in any respectable player’s bag, and that’s due to the fact you can hit all types of shots with a proper wedge, ranging from touch shots around greens to full swings.

A high-quality wedge must deliver total control when it comes to scoring, but it must also be perfectly capable of recovery shots under all conditions. It comes as no surprise that shot choice, player dynamics and conditions play a big role in choosing the ideal short game tools, and in this regard, Vokey’s SM8 wedges are basically the most off the shelf option in golf in 2020. Due to the high-quality control standard in the entire manufacturing chain, the Vokey SM8 wedges are proof that spin equals stopping power, i.e. you'll be able to benefit from complete spin control shot after shot. The next question is: okay, the SM6 was totally awesome, so what's up with the SM8? Why change an already perfect thing? Here’s what’s new in the Vokey SM8, but let’s begin with the director of wedge R&D Kevin Tassistro:

“Overall, guys just kept telling me how easy it was to hit every type of shot they wanted to hit. They just felt like they were getting more of out of the wedge—and that’s because Kevin and his team were able to push that CG forward out in front of the face, to a place we never would have imagined 20 years ago.”

The CG thing is basically out of head CoG, and that’s due mostly to the Vokey’s SM8 multi-material construction, which makes for the biggest overhaul regarding wedge design for the company since Titleist introduced its legendary Spin Milled grooves back in the day. The Vokey SM8 marks a first for Titleist’s North American customers, as the 58 to 62-degree wedges feature tungsten weights located in the toe, in an effort to push the center of gravity out of the head and forward beyond the face, in order to deliver more rotational control. It's worth mentioning that Titleist already built several composite-material wedges for the Japanese market in the past, and when asked why the SM8 has the tungsten weight technology hidden, the company said that, let us quote: “it’s to keep with the classic styling associated with Vokey Designs.”

The Vokey SM8 wedges are available for purchase in Jet Black, Brushed Steel, and Tour Chrome finishes, and there’s a Raw option via custom order, for $159.99 MSRP, in six grinds and 23 options.