Based on recommendation from local Titleist rep and fitter, they put the average golfer in a 56.10S. For a good sand wedge.

Based on recommendation from local Titleist rep and fitter, they put the average golfer in a 56.10S. For a good sand wedge.

S grind is good for general purpose but is, honestly, atrocious for soft sand (I'm more of a "digger" as of late). I carried a 54-10S (set to 52) as a "gap wedge" for 3 years (mainly because it works better vs 50-08F or 52-08F) and tinkered with a 54-12D (set to 52). The shortcoming of the D grind is off hard lies. For 6 months now I have been using a 54-14F (set to 52). It swings better vs 52-12F and works in a wide variety of conditions and I've had a few "sneaky pars" with it. My pitching wedge has remained as 48-10F set to 46 probably for 4 years now (upgraded to SM10 last year).

I've been using K grind since 2018. Have tinkered with a 58-12D (set to 56) on and off. The K grind gets under the ball better on firm lies and also better in soft sand or thick grass. D grind is better for open face shots and full swings by about 2-3 yards but overall the K grind stays in the bag. 14* is way too much bounce on either F grind or K grind.

K-grind is specific for thick turf and SAND

I've been going between K grind bent 2* strong (60-14K to 58) and D grind. D's biggest advantage is flop shots and sometimes it works better off firm lies. I can play K grind, as I described, from a tight lie but play it back.

For my "gap" wedge, I play a 54-14F bent to 52. Swings better vs 52-12F. The shortcoming of S grind is long bunker shots from soft sand and the shortcoming of D Grind is firm lies.

What you see in my thumbnail is my wedge setup has pretty much returned to where I started out almost 2 years ago (with one enhancement: 62-08M set to 61 for firm lies and the obvious upgrade to SM10 in Apr 2024). K grind at 56-58 loft has been a fixture since 2018; however, been tinkering with various forms of D grind between 52-58* (54-12D and 58-12D) since 2023. For almost 6 years had been using a PM grind 64/10, aka “Phil 64”. I’ve been playing a 62-08M for 4 months at stock.

In 2023, had to see what all the hype was about T grind. Played it as a lob wedge mainly for hard lies. And then a local clubfitter talked me into a low bounce K; a little more versatile vs T grind because I could also play on some soft lies. So the combo had been 58-12D (56-57*) and the 60-06K with the 64.

48-10F at 46 has been a fixture as a PW for over 3 years now. I had played a 54-10S (52*) for almost 2 years as a gap wedge because it worked better vs 52-08F; the weak point was it was mediocre for long bunker shots. 54-12D at 52 was ok for long bunker shots but the shortcoming was firm lies. 52-12F seemed to fit the bill for versatility but the main issue is it didn’t hit as well as a 54-12D at 52*.

I briefly had a GT2 7 wood but found out that my 910F hit better. The fitter let me try out a 58K* (even trade) it did better out of soft sand at 59* but was absolutely atrocious off tight lies. I returned it and got a new 54-14F and set it to 52*; swings way better vs 52-12F and it is very versatile. I also have been doing very well with 58-12K. Took the 60-14K and 54-12D back and got a GT2 13.5 (which works great with a Diamana 70 shaft at 42.5 and with a +2 head weight). The 62-08M at 61* is actually way more versatile vs 60-06K (did get 8 months of use on and off). What goes around comes around. 46-52-58-64 with 62-08M at 61*; Torrey Pines is toast.

Since my last post, 60-14K and 62-08M (58-61) have been a fixture; however, I saw a Wedgeworks 58V in the demo bin. The V grind worked pretty well on the course yesterday on various lies. The K-M combo is for course conditions.

K grind picks the ball better vs D grind. Been using K grind on and off for 7 years.

My last golf round on Friday plus a practice session, more or less cemented my sand setup. General purpose for sand is 58-10V. I carry 58-14K (57*) and 58-06K for unknown course conditions. The standard K grind actually carries better out of soft sand vs V grind but the latter has a little more roll. As far as pitching and chipping the 58-06K is very versatile and works better in firm sand vs the V grind or M grind; however, one has to be more of a "sweeper" in soft sand. I've been using a little more forward shaft lean so I tend towards being a "digger". I bent the 62-0M back to stock so I will be evaluating it vs my "Phil 64" tomorrow (I've been alternating between the two).

I was playing 60-06K at 59* and one thing it did better vs V grind is stop the ball better. The practice session showed the 58V and low-K are equal, except the latter gets under the ball better on short pitches played back.

I'm one that tinkers with lofts a bit to get desired bounce. The ultimate aim is drop in replacements for course conditions. 48-10F at 46* has been my pitching wedge for some time since the bounce is ideal for full swings.

I swing a 54* sand wedge bent to 52 much better vs a 52* gap wedge. I played S grind for ages but the shortcoming is long bunker shots in soft sand. D grind works in most cases but the shortcoming is a firm lie. I've been using 54-14F at 52* and it is a good universal "gap wedge".

I've been playing a 57-58* loft for greenside bunkers with a 64 for deeper bunkers with minimal real estate to the pin. M grind's shortcoming is soft sand; 62-08M at 61* is good for firm bunkers; however, I have had a PM grind 64/10 for 7 years now and it is basically a go to for deep greenside bunkers.

Torrey Pines is what turned me on to K grind in 2018. 58-14K at 57* or 60-14K at 58*. I'm locked in with 58-14K at 57*. It's biggest advantage over D grind with the same loft is it carries a little further out of soft sand. For open face shots and full swings, D grind is better.

V grind is a bit more versatile (at stock loft) vs D grind. I saw one in the demo bin about 2 months ago and just got a tax refund. It's almost equal with low bounce K on firmer lies. Good in soft sand but K grind carries a little farther and sticks. V grind does roll a little bit. It is a choice for a "Sunday bag" and I play it with low bounce K at a certain executive course.

What's in my thumb nail covers all course conditions. I just got the 58-06K over the weekend on a return (at a more of a "mom and pop" store) for a 60-06K (which I set to 59*). It was almost a trade off between the 60 and 62-08M (61*). I had the "mom and pop" guy set the loft of the 62-08M to stock yesterday because the intent is to compare vs the 64 and the 58-06K. There is a playground sandbox that has soft sand and the 64 was better. The 58-06K also works better out of the "Miramar practice bunker" (which is hard pan) and the chipping green by the clubhouse vs 62-08M.

What's in my bag is good for everything. 54-14F bent to 52, 58-1K bent to 56, 58-06K and 64. The V grind beats D grind hands down but the 58-14K is more versatile.

The S-grind is very versatile. When my wedge gapping use to be 48, 52, 56, my 56 was F-grind with a 14 bounce, because, like you, I had read the F-grind is the most-used sand wedge grind on Tour, and the 14 bounce was near what I was use to in my past sand wedge. However, when I got fitted for clubs, my wedges switched to 46, 50, 54, and 60. The 54 is my sand wedge, and I went with the S-grind, with 10 bounce, due to the versatility and liking the option of opening the face on flop shots. The S-grind, with the heel relief, allows for more versatility. Something you may want to consider.

I would focus more on the bounce you want. My SM10 is 60.06 K grind. My SM09 is 60.04 L grind. I can not tell the difference in grind when hitting them. I only use my 60 around the green, I never use it for full shots.

What one sees in my thumbnail is a bag of clubs that is pretty universal. The attached image is my bunker arsenal.

My wedge gap is 46-52-58-64. The 46 loft is 48-10F. The 52 loft is a 54-14F. The 58 is 60-12D.

If I play Torrey Pines, I will bring the 58V and 58-06K. The D grind works better off hard lies vs the V grind and they are even in moderate sand; however, the V grind works better in "fluffy" sand. The low bounce K and D grind are pretty close to equal on hard pan and where the former works better is hard sand; however, if I play back in my stance with D and "dig", I can pop it up. Open face is where D wins. Low bounce K does work in soft lies if one sweeps. The odd ball club is a custom forged wedge from a local vendor.

Update: "Cleaned house" (got enough trade-in for TSi1 23 and 29 hybrids) to buy back an SM10 58-14K that I already traded in. The attached image is my entire greenside bunker arsenal for the 58* loft. 60-12D came about because I "cleaned house" on the top end (T200 PW, Vokey 46-10F and 50-12F at 44-48 in an attempt to "tighten gaps; I have been carrying 48-10F set to 46 and a 54-14F set to 52 since I upgraded to SM10 last year). I have been playing the V grind and low bounce K since tax time and it has been a pretty good combo. My combination for 3 years (2021-2024) had been 54-10S (set to 52) and 58-14K set to 56*. Actually a pretty lethal combo between Mar 2024-Mar 2025 had been a 58-12D and a Wedgeworks 60-06K. My local fitter talked me into low bounce K early 2024. In 2023, had to see what all the hype was about T grind so I had one in my bag alongside my standard K grind. Plus been trading off between 58-14K and 58-12D set at the same loft in 2023-2024. The non-Vokey in the image is a custom forged 58/12 from a local vendor with Callie grooves that I've had since 2022. The K grind sometimes works better off tight lies vs D grind but where the latter works better is flop shots.

The attached social media post is a blog I created, called the "Lou Grein Manual Golf Swing". I do have a video of the 60-12D wedge out of the same bunker and it stopped 2 feet from the pin; unfortunately, during the excitement, my language got a bit "colorful."

The images below are:
Left.... general short iron setup with 46-52-58-64. The 3 Vokeys are all 2* strong.

Right.... my greenside bunker arsenal. 58V 58-06K a pair. 60-12D and a local vendor (Scripps Golf) 58/12.