With the calendar reading 2022 and the PGA Tour set to resume play this week at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii, several brands will start releasing new gear to Tour players. Typically, the pros are given access to clubs before they are made available at retail, and that’s happening once again.
Titleist announced Monday that pros at the winners-only Sentry Tournament of Champions will have a chance to use the yet-to-be-released Vokey Design SM9 wedges for the first time in competition.
Titleist has not released a new wedge since the launch of the SM8 (from $159.99 at PGA Tour Superstore) in January 2020, so the arrival of the SM9 is not surprising, but Titleist is still tight-lipped with the details on the new model.
The most significant difference between the SM8 and its predecessors, the SM6 and SM7, was the position of the center of gravity. Starting with the SM6, the center of gravity progressively rose as lofts increased to improve distance control and help golfers flight shots lower. In the SM8, Titleist lengthened the hosel and added tungsten to the toe of the sand wedges and lob wedges to move the center of gravity forward, as well. The company said this helps players square the face for more consistency.
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The SM8 wedges were available in chrome, brushed steel and jet black, and in six sole configurations. The wide variety of sole grinds helps fitters and players find the ideal bounce and configuration to match playing conditions and the way a particular player swings. While finishes often vary from year to year, it is hard to imagine that Titleist would offer significantly fewer grinds in the SM9 lineup.
There are 39 players in the field this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, including several Titleist staff players such as Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Cam Smith, Max Homa and 2021 FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, so several new SM9 wedges could wind up in play in Hawaii.
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