Clubs

Each grind is a specific shaping of the wedge’s sole—the part that interacts with the turf or sand—crafted to optimize performance for particular shots.

Each grind tweaks the sole’s interaction with the ground. High-bounce grinds (K, D) excel in soft stuff—sand, wet grass—by resisting digging. Low-bounce grinds (L, T) shine on firm turf or tight lies, letting you get under the ball cleanly. The F, S, and M sit in the middle, offering flexibility across conditions. Bounce and grind choice depend on your swing (steep or shallow), the shots you play (square or open-faced), and the courses you tackle (soft or firm).

F Grind (Full Grind)

Design: A full, traditional sole with moderate to high bounce and minimal shaping. It’s the least “ground-down” of the grinds, keeping a wide, flat surface.
Purpose: Built for full swings with a square clubface. The bounce helps prevent digging, making it forgiving on soft turf or in bunkers with moderate sand.
Best For: Players who like straightforward, full shots and don’t manipulate the face much. It’s the most popular sand wedge on the PGA Tour for its all-purpose reliability.
Typical Bounce: 8-14 degrees, depending on loft (46°-56°).

S Grind (Standard Grind)

Design: A full sole narrowed slightly by grinding down the trailing edge, giving it a faster feel through the turf. It has moderate bounce.
Purpose: Balances stability on full shots with some greenside versatility. The trailing edge relief lets you open the face a bit without raising the leading edge too much.
Best For: Golfers who play mostly square-faced shots but want a touch of flexibility. Works well in neutral to firm conditions.
Typical Bounce: Around 10 degrees (54°-60°).

M Grind (Multi-Purpose Grind)

Design: A crescent-shaped sole with heel, toe, and trailing edge relief. It’s Bob Vokey’s personal favorite for its adaptability.
Purpose: Made for shotmakers who open or close the clubface to shape shots. The relief lets the club sit low to the ground when opened, ideal for flops or spinners.
Best For: Players with a shallow, sweeping swing who love versatility around the greens. Shines on firm to average turf.
Typical Bounce: 8-12 degrees (54°-62°).

K Grind (Kamper Grind)

Design: The widest, fullest sole with a curved (cambered) shape and the highest bounce in the lineup.
Purpose: The ultimate bunker club. The wide sole and high bounce prevent digging in soft sand or lush rough, offering maximum forgiveness.
Best For: Players with a steep swing or those facing soft conditions—think fluffy sand or soggy turf. Great for escaping deep bunkers.
Typical Bounce: 14 degrees (58°-60°).

D Grind (Duo Grind)

Design: A high-bounce option with a crescent shape, blending the M Grind’s versatility with extra forgiveness.
Purpose: Offers spin and control for steeper swings while still allowing face manipulation. The bounce keeps it from digging too much in soft conditions.
Best For: Golfers with a steep angle of attack who want a mix of forgiveness and shot-making ability. Soft turf is its playground.
Typical Bounce: 12 degrees (58°-60°).

L Grind (Low Grind)

Design: A narrow, crescent-shaped sole with significant heel, toe, and trailing edge relief, resulting in very low bounce.
Purpose: Built for precision and maximum versatility on firm ground. The low bounce and relief let you open the face wide for high, soft shots like flops.
Best For: Skilled players with shallow swings who thrive on tight lies or hardpan. Requires precise contact due to low forgiveness.
Typical Bounce: 4-6 degrees (58°-60°).

T Grind (Tour Grind)

Design: The narrowest sole with the most aggressive heel, toe, and trailing edge relief, paired with low bounce.
Purpose: A low-bounce version of the L Grind, offering ultimate shot-making flexibility. It hugs the ground for crisp contact on any lie.
Best For: Elite players with shallow swings in firm conditions or shallow bunkers. Loved by pros like Jordan Spieth for its versatility on links-style courses.
Typical Bounce: 4-6 degrees (58°-60°).

The sand wedge is designed with a wide sole and a feature called “bounce”-the angle between the leading edge and the lowest point of the club. This bounce allows the club to slide through the sand rather than dig into it. By striking the sand about an inch or two behind the ball, you create a small explosion of sand that propels the ball upward and out of the bunker. The sand essentially acts as a buffer, carrying the ball with it.

If you try to hit the ball cleanly-like you would with a normal shot from the fairway-you risk either skulling it (hitting the top of the ball and sending it screaming across the green) or digging too deep into the sand, leaving the ball stuck. The sand-first approach gives you control and spin, helping the ball land softly.

The grooves on the face of a sand wedge are deeper and more pronounced than on other clubs. These grooves grip the ball through the sand, adding spin. That spin is what makes the ball stop quickly after landing, rather than rolling off the green. It’s less about the sand itself and more about how the clubface interacts with the ball once the sand carries it up.

Sand Wedge: Deep, aggressive grooves to maximize spin through sand contact. The spin helps control the ball’s landing on the green.

Lob Wedge: Similar or even sharper grooves, often with tighter spacing. The extra spin pairs with the high loft for shots that stop dead, especially on flop shots.

Wedges often have a higher CG (center of gravity) than other irons, which promotes a steeper descent angle for the ball, improving stopping power.

Wedge grinds refer to the shaping or modification of the sole (the bottom part) of a golf wedge to improve its performance for specific shots, turf conditions, or player swing styles. Grinding removes material from the sole, heel, toe, or trailing edge, altering how the club interacts with the ground.

It works in tandem with the wedge’s bounce (the angle between the leading edge and the sole’s lowest point), but grind focuses more on shape than just angle.

Full Sole Grind:

Minimal material removed, keeping a wider, flatter sole.
High effective bounce, great for soft conditions or bunker shots.
Best for players with steeper swings who take bigger divots.
Example use: Getting out of deep, fluffy sand.

Heel Grind (or Heel Relief):

Material is shaved from the heel, allowing the clubface to open more without raising the leading edge too high.
Ideal for flop shots or shots where you need to lay the face open.
Suits players who like versatility around the greens.

Toe Grind:

Material removed from the toe area, often paired with heel relief.
Helps when opening the face or hitting shots from uneven lies.
Common in lob wedges for creative shot-making.

Trailing Edge Grind:

The back edge of the sole is ground down, reducing bounce slightly.
Makes the club sit lower to the ground, good for firm turf or tight lies.
Favored by players with shallow swings who sweep the ball.

C-Grind (Crescent Grind):

A curved, crescent-shaped grind with heel and toe relief.
Offers moderate bounce and tons of versatility for opening the face or playing from various lies.
Popular among skilled players for finesse shots.

S-Grind (Standard Grind):

A balanced, all-purpose grind with some trailing edge relief but a fuller sole.
Works well in neutral conditions and for straight-faced shots.
A go-to for golfers who don’t want extreme specialization.

Low Bounce Grind (L-Grind):

Significant material removed to create very low bounce (e.g., 4° or less).
Perfect for firm conditions or players with shallow swings who don’t dig much.
Risky in soft turf—can dig too deep.

Wide Sole Grind (K-Grind):

Extra-wide sole with high bounce.
Designed for soft conditions, especially bunkers, where it glides rather than digs.
Forgiving for less-skilled players or steep swingers.