SM10 54 D v F grind

[Lord Helmet]

Been struggling with my Opus 54s all summer.  What started out as a promising endeavor late fall 2024 and early 2025 has gone sour to the point I dont want to pull it to hit a shot.  Historically, the 54 has been my 'goto' for 85yds for a comfy 3/4 into greens.  Used it all around the green, etc (love the hot low shot with high spin variety).  Im not sure what or where it went sideways but here we are.  Yesterday, forced myself to use it and I bladed 2 out 3 over the green into water.  Triple BOTH times as I was so flustered to try and salvage a bogey or even double.  Even with those ugly holes I managed a 81, which is not ok with me.  And I can point right back to the 54. (Third shot was chunky as I overcompensated for the blades)

 

Some additional things:

Ive played Vokey forever, so Opus is new to me.

Other wedges are 58d and 62t SM10

Other wedges have s200 in them, 54 has Modus 115w

 

Typing that out there are some obvious things that could be messing me up.  Different shaft, etc...and I acknowledge them all.

 

I just got back from Miles of Golf where I hit the 54/14f and 54/12d off mat and grass with a fitter watching me.  (Fitters tell me with wedges they listen first then proceed to look at divot, strike, shot stats).  I hit both well TBH.  Grass was wet due to overnight and AM rain.  I prefer the d off the grass. Fitter stated he felt F was tad bit better sound (crisp) v tiny bit clicky in d.  Divot was deeper in d, and f was smaller bruising of grass and thinner.

 

I dont know where Im going with this lol - more just venting about the struggles with the 54s Opus.  Im a firm believer that the T, wedge, and putting game are the 3 most important areas in the game (other than mental) and if you lose confidence in an area it can bleed and impact your game.  I have 0 issues with the 58d or 62t in my hands.

 

What say you?

[BigZoots]

6 minutes ago, Lord Helmet said:

Been struggling with my Opus 54s all summer.  What started out as a promising endeavor late fall 2024 and early 2025 has gone sour to the point I dont want to pull it to hit a shot.  Historically, the 54 has been my 'goto' for 85yds for a comfy 3/4 into greens.  Used it all around the green, etc (love the hot low shot with high spin variety).  Im not sure what or where it went sideways but here we are.  Yesterday, forced myself to use it and I bladed 2 out 3 over the green into water.  Triple BOTH times as I was so flustered to try and salvage a bogey or even double.  Even with those ugly holes I managed a 81, which is not ok with me.  And I can point right back to the 54. (Third shot was chunky as I overcompensated for the blades)

 

Some additional things:

Ive played Vokey forever, so Opus is new to me.

Other wedges are 58d and 62t SM10

Other wedges have s200 in them, 54 has Modus 115w

 

Typing that out there are some obvious things that could be messing me up.  Different shaft, etc...and I acknowledge them all.

 

I just got back from Miles of Golf where I hit the 54/14f and 54/12d off mat and grass with a fitter watching me.  (Fitters tell me with wedges they listen first then proceed to look at divot, strike, shot stats).  I hit both well TBH.  Grass was wet due to overnight and AM rain.  I prefer the d off the grass. Fitter stated he felt F was tad bit better sound (crisp) v tiny bit clicky in d.  Divot was deeper in d, and f was smaller bruising of grass and thinner.

 

I dont know where Im going with this lol - more just venting about the struggles with the 54s Opus.  Im a firm believer that the T, wedge, and putting game are the 3 most important areas in the game (other than mental) and if you lose confidence in an area it can bleed and impact your game.  I have 0 issues with the 58d or 62t in my hands.

 

What say you?

Sounds like a shaft issue to me. I think the weight and timing of the shaft plays a bigger role in the blades and chunks vs the grind. 

[Lord Helmet]

3 minutes ago, BigZoots said:

Sounds like a shaft issue to me. I think the weight and timing of the shaft plays a bigger role in the blades and chunks vs the grind. 

 

Most likely so yes.  S200 feels way different than modus 115w.  I like both but Im missing consistency - and for the last decade I had same shafts in all of my wedges.

[SlothofDespond]

I've been playing a 54D for a decade (with a 58D above it). I think the first was an SM5(?), I just order a new one whenever the grooves are cooked. Whatever the difference in models has been negligible. For me, it's great so long as the turf isn't totally dried out. I play in New England so that's rare. I suspect if I played in, let's say Texas, I would be carrying something with less bounce.

 

Did you look at the S? Roughly, it's sort of middle ground between the F and D.

 

With all that said... I'm not sure I would write off a wedge after one bad day either. Or would have moved away from a wedge that worked in the first place. Or would use anything but the shafts I'm used to used. But I really hate changing shafts in irons/wedges more than clubheads.

Edited July 14 by SlothofDespond

[Lord Helmet]

10 minutes ago, SlothofDespond said:

I've been playing a 54D for a decade (with a 58D above it). I think the first was an SM5(?), I just order a new one whenever the grooves are cooked. Whatever the difference in models has been negligible. For me, it's great so long as the turf isn't totally dried out. I play in New England so that's rare. I suspect if I played in, let's say Texas, I would be carrying something with less bounce.

 

Did you look at the S? Roughly, it's sort of middle ground between the F and D.

 

With all that said... I'm not sure I would write off a wedge after one bad day either. Or would have moved away from a wedge that worked in the first place. Or would use anything but the shafts I'm used to used. But I really hate changing shafts in irons/wedges more than clubheads.

 

All of what you say is true. Knowing my sm5 were running low (I did have multiple sets and was on my last) I started the new wedge process this time last year.  Really took my time, hitting everything I could.  Guess in the back of my mind I was always thinking Vokey would be where I landed - just so familiar in feel, performance, and reliability.

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, Lord Helmet said:

Been struggling with my Opus 54s all summer.  What started out as a promising endeavor late fall 2024 and early 2025 has gone sour to the point I dont want to pull it to hit a shot.  Historically, the 54 has been my 'goto' for 85yds for a comfy 3/4 into greens.  Used it all around the green, etc (love the hot low shot with high spin variety).  Im not sure what or where it went sideways but here we are.  Yesterday, forced myself to use it and I bladed 2 out 3 over the green into water.  Triple BOTH times as I was so flustered to try and salvage a bogey or even double.  Even with those ugly holes I managed a 81, which is not ok with me.  And I can point right back to the 54. (Third shot was chunky as I overcompensated for the blades)

 

Some additional things:

Ive played Vokey forever, so Opus is new to me.

Other wedges are 58d and 62t SM10

Other wedges have s200 in them, 54 has Modus 115w

 

Typing that out there are some obvious things that could be messing me up.  Different shaft, etc...and I acknowledge them all.

 

I just got back from Miles of Golf where I hit the 54/14f and 54/12d off mat and grass with a fitter watching me.  (Fitters tell me with wedges they listen first then proceed to look at divot, strike, shot stats).  I hit both well TBH.  Grass was wet due to overnight and AM rain.  I prefer the d off the grass. Fitter stated he felt F was tad bit better sound (crisp) v tiny bit clicky in d.  Divot was deeper in d, and f was smaller bruising of grass and thinner.

 

I dont know where Im going with this lol - more just venting about the struggles with the 54s Opus.  Im a firm believer that the T, wedge, and putting game are the 3 most important areas in the game (other than mental) and if you lose confidence in an area it can bleed and impact your game.  I have 0 issues with the 58d or 62t in my hands.

 

What say you?

Wedge fitting is so much more than bounce number. There are two key things that are often overlooked in wedge fitting, one is face contact, the other is the amount of shaft lean the player has in their technique. Most people focus on the back edge of the sole, but the most important part of wedge fitting is matching BOTH edges of the sole to the player’s technique. Based on what you’ve described hitting the D and F grind the F is better for you. The easiest and best way to fit for a wedge is to use a sharpie and color the sole of the wedge. Hit a few shots to see where the sharpie has worn from the sole. This will show what edge, leading or trailing, is being used. From there you can work out what sole grind and amount of bounce is better. The more a player uses the leading edge the more bounce they need. The more a player uses the trailing edge the less bounce they need. Another option for a leading edge player is to grind the edge to make it duller and less susceptible to digging.

Edited July 14 by hammergolf

[Jc0]

10 hours ago, Lord Helmet said:

 

Most likely so yes.  S200 feels way different than modus 115w.  I like both but Im missing consistency - and for the last decade I had same shafts in all of my wedges.

 

What are your normal iron shafts? The s200 weighs 128 so if you like that in your other wedges the 115 is way to light which is why you're probably having thin issues. You can probably grab a vokeys pull for cheap of eBay. 

 

If you want to switch I would go f grind. I've played both. Probably had better turf interaction with the d but overall the f was just more forgiving. You're never going to manipulate the club enough before just going up a loft. There is a reason 0 pros play the m or d grind in approach wedges.

[Lord Helmet]

After deliberating and talking with the fitter again and thinking more about it - we decided to go D grind with smooth grind lines via wedgeworks. Also ran thru the situation with wedge works. Gives me the best of both worlds from 3/4 85yd sq face down to greenside sand and rough where I might open the face.  I love to use my 54 around the greens so this will have heel grind for opening face.  The smooth grind will allow it to play like F on those 85yd approaches.  

 

My sm5 I had the F in 54/14 and other than firm turf it was fine for me, although manipulating the face around the green was also tricky.

 

Hope I end up being happy with it.

 

S200 shaft.

Edited July 15 by Lord Helmet