In the Workshop with Bob Vokey
July 5th, 2007
We visited with Bob Vokey recently as he went to work in the Titleist Tour Department workshop in California. Voke can be found here most days when he’s not out on Tour working with players. Be sure to check out these photos from our visit…
Voke chooses a head as he prepares to make another wedge for play on Tour.
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Just curious as to what the numbers mean that are written with a Sharpie on the bottom of the wedges?
Those numbers indicate the weight of the head (in grams).
Thanks for sharing more of Mr. Vokey’s work. Will the TVD wedges ever be sold in golf shops, or is it more likely to be part of the rumored Vokey Custom Shop service? Thank you.
Any plans to release a new version of the Spin Milled wedges?
For Nick and Artist-
Our policy is to refrain from talking about future products that may or may not be in development. Please visit Titleist.com regularly for the most up-to-date official product news. Thanks.
Great pics! What is the finish on Johnson Wagner’s wedges? Maybe it’s the light but those appear to have a different look than most Vokey Design wedges I’ve seen.
The wedges in the photos are in an unfinished state. Johnson prefers a Tour Chrome finish, which will be applied after the grinding process has been completed.
Just wondering if there was anything similar to “Scotty’s Custom Shop” where I could send a wedge in to be refinished and put through the spin milled process as I could with a Scotty Cameron putter. I have a 60° Vokey that I love. It looks great at address and I can work wonders with it, but the face is just getting too worn down and I’m not getting any spin. Just wondering if there’s anything I can do, thanks!
This service is not offered. Since you seem to be satisfied with the specs on your current wedge, we recommend replacing it with a new wedge that has the same specs.
Thank you very much for giving us an inside look at Bob’s studio! His impressive pro wedge collection shows his dedication to his craft by having examples available for everyone he’s ever worked with in order to make suitable backups. Just amazing stuff. One question: Are all of Mr. Vokey’s hand grinds done pre-finishing, then finished over after shaping?
No, not all.
Great studio photos. Especially like the rack with all the taped wedges for pros — a who’s who. Also love the finished photo with stampings, like Cameron snow. What is the X stamp? Does Mr. Vokey doodle/customize wedges with stamping for his pleasure and artistry or because others request it? Will there ever be a registry/authentication of the special wedges, like Cameron? Thanks!
Voke doesn’t spend a lot of time doodling with stamps on wedges…he’s too busy at the grinding wheel!
Thanks for the great views on BV’s shop. Wondering how many guys on Tour use a wedge with more than 60° loft? Also what tournament requires the most attention to wedges due to unusual turf conditions?
We can’t speak for everyone on Tour, but none of our Titleist ambassadors uses a wedge with more than 60° loft on a regular basis. Wedges receive a lot of attention from the players leading up to the major championships, both because of the significance of the events and due to the fact that course conditions are different from what they typically see week-to-week on Tour.
What are the specs on the stamp set? How deep are the letters?
I love my Spin Milled Oil Can wedges — I have three — but I’d really like one at 47°. Is there any way to have one custom made? And if not, why don’t you make a loft lower than 54°? Thanks for the ever beautiful work!
Many of the players we work with find that they derive maximum benefit from Spin Milled grooves on shorter shots from around the greens.
What happens to all of the wedges after the Tour players are done with them? Are all Vokey heads made with the same metal? What is the difference between having a DG Wedge Flex vs. an S400 installed assuming they are the same length? Voke must be very passionate about his work, right? If Voke was told he could only design 2 final wedges to be remembered by, what would the finish, grind and other specs be? Thanks for your time and I really enjoy reading this blog!
The Tour players are free to do whatever they wish with their wedges when they are done with them, we don’t keep track. Vokey Design wedges are cast with 8620 carbon steel and are currently offered in both Tour Chrome and Oil Can finishes. The DG Wedge flex is a re-branded S200, so it would play slightly softer than an equal length S400. And yes, Voke loves making wedges. If he was down to his last two wedges, the specs would match the preferences of the player he was making them for.
Do you make a Spin Milled 50° wedge and sell it to the public? If not, could I special order one through a Titleist Sales rep in Australia?
Thanks,
Roger
We do not currently offer a 50° Spin Milled wedge for sale through golf shops.