Titleist Vokey SM11 vs TaylorMade MG5

The short answer

The loft ranges are close, so choose on bounce. Choose the SM11 if you want a low-bounce lob wedge (4° or 6°), a choice of bounce in your gap wedge, or a Raw, Nickel or Jet Black finish. Choose the MG5 if you want lob-wedge bounce in 1° steps, or TaylorMade’s high-bounce HB grind for steep swings and soft ground.

What actually differs

Lofts. Titleist lists the SM11 from 44° to 60°, and TaylorMade lists the MG5 from 46° to 60°, both in 2° steps. Only the SM11 comes at 44°.

Bounce at each loft. This is the real difference, and it shows at both ends of the bag.

• Gap wedges (50° and 52°). Titleist offers 8° or 12° of bounce. TaylorMade offers 9° only.
• Sand wedges (54° and 56°). Both offer a wide choice. At 56°, both list 8°, 10°, 12° and 14°. At 54°, Titleist lists 8°, 10°, 12° and 14°, and TaylorMade lists 10°, 12° and 13°.
• Lob wedges (58° and 60°). Titleist goes down to 4° and 6°, with 8°, 10° and 12° above them. TaylorMade starts at 8° and fills in 9° and 11°, up to 12°.

Less bounce generally suits firm ground and shallow swings, and more bounce suits soft turf, sand and steep swings. Wedge bounce and grinds, explained covers this in more detail.

Grinds. Titleist lists six SM11 grinds: T, M, F, S, D and K. TaylorMade’s table lists five MG5 grinds, each tied to a bounce range: LB at 8°, SC at 9° to 10°, SB at 9° to 12°, SX at 11° and HB at 12° to 14°. TaylorMade describes the HB as a “high-bounce sole for steeper swings or soft conditions.” Titleist says its F Grind “is often considered the most forgiving Vokey SM11 grind.” Grind letters are each maker’s own, so an SM11 M Grind and an MG5 SX are not equivalents.

Finishes. Titleist offers Tour Chrome, Nickel, Jet Black and Raw. TaylorMade offers Satin Chrome and Satin Chrome/Charcoal, and which one you can get depends on the loft and grind.

Grooves and feel. TaylorMade says the MG5 uses “all-new aggressive saw-milled grooves” and that the wedges “offer exceptionally soft feel, responsiveness and versatility.” Titleist says SM11 wedges “feature new technologies designed to produce cleaner contact.”

Price. Titleist’s list price starts at $199 and runs to $229 depending on configuration. TaylorMade lists the MG5 at $199.99.

Who each one suits

• The Vokey SM11 suits a golfer who plays firm courses or sweeps the ball and wants a 4° or 6° bounce lob wedge, a golfer who wants a 44° wedge, and anyone who wants to pick between two bounces at 50° or 52°.
• The MG5 suits a golfer with a steep swing or soft home course who wants the HB grind, and a golfer who wants to fine-tune bounce in single degrees at 58° and 60°.

The trade-off

The SM11 covers more ground at the low-bounce end and in the gap wedge, and has more finishes. The MG5 covers less of that range but splits the middle more finely and offers a dedicated high-bounce sole. Decide where your lowest and highest wedges sit first, then check that the bounce you want exists at that loft on the maker’s chart.

The Wedge Finder checks which wedges offer the bounce your courses call for at the loft you need, Titleist Vokey SM11 vs Cleveland RTZ 2 sets the SM11 against another tour wedge, and all wedges we have researched includes cavity-back options.