Although he is nearing 80 years old and has done almost everything there is to do in wedge design,Titleist master craftsman Bob Vokey continues to work on the “almost everything” with the same passion he’s displayed since first getting wedges in the hands of Andy Bean at the 1997 St. Jude Classic. Sometimes that means creating a full new line of Titleist Vokey wedges and other times it means coming up with a modest tweak that he knows players will like.
It was the latter that led Vokey to create the SM7 Blue Slate wedges, which will be available through golf shops and vokey.com starting Jan. 31. As for why adding such a seemingly simple extension to the line, Vokey said simply, “A player has to love their wedge when they look down at it.”
The finish is applied like a PVD finish, but with a unique material and more time-consuming process that produces a more durable finish with a deep blue color.
“Very often wedge finishes can be beautiful, but they won’t last,” Vokey said. “At the same time, the most durable finishes often aren’t stunning. Slate Blue combines the two. Not only will golfers love their wedge when they see it in the shop, the finish will last through the course of normal play.”
As with all other Vokey SM7 wedges (Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel and Jet Black), the Slate Blue is available in all 23 loft, bounce, and grind options in both right-hand and left-hand models. If that sounds a little too overwhelming to sift through, the company provides assistance via its Wedge Selector tool on Vokey.com.
The stock offering features a Nippon Modus3 125 shaft and custom BV Wings New Decade Multi Compound Black Grip. Most custom shafts and grips are included at no upcharge and additional customizations such as character stamping are available for an additional fee above the $199 selling price.