tour players using wilson staff

Discover Which Pro Golfers Use Wilson Golf Clubs on Tour and Why

When it comes to professional golfers, the choice of clubs can make all the difference in their performance on tour. One brand that has long been a favorite among many top players is Wilson Golf Clubs.

So, which pro golfers use Wilson Golf Clubs and why? Many familiar names are on the list, including Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, Padraig Harrington, and Brendan Steele – just to name a few. These golfers have all cited various reasons for choosing Wilson as their preferred brand for clubs.

“With drivers like the D7 and irons like the Staff Model Blades in my bag, I feel confident in any situation on the course. ” – Gary Woodland

Gary Woodland attributes his confidence on the course to his equipment – specifically mentioned Wilson’s impressive range of drivers and blade irons. Meanwhile, other pros have praised different aspects of Wilson’s offerings: Kevin Streelman enjoys how easy they are to work around short game opportunities; Pat Perez likes their solid construction and consistency from shot-to-shot.

The fact remains clear that many talented professionals rely on Wilson Golf Clubs during their time on tour. Whether it’s because of their innovative technology or reliable performance capabilities, these golfers put their trust into this iconic brand to bring out their best game possible.

Introduction to Wilson Golf Clubs

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. is a prestigious American manufacturer of sports equipment and apparel, founded in 1913 by Thomas E. Wilson.

One of their most successful segments has been the production of golf clubs, providing enthusiasts with high-quality products for over a century. The company’s commitment to innovation and technology has led them to design some of the most popular and reliable clubs in the game.

Their target audience ranges from beginners looking for an affordable entry point into golfing to professional players vying for tournament victories using superior equipment.

“I’ve played Wilson Staff irons since I was about eight years old when my dad gave me his set, ” said professional golfer Brendan Steele.

Many other notable PGA Tour players also rely on Wilson Golf Clubs as their go-to option on tour.

In fact, world-renowned golfer Gary Woodland recently signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Wilson that will see him compete exclusively with the brand’s woods, iron sets, wedges and Ionix bags.

If you’re considering purchasing or upgrading your current golf club selection, consider what many professionals trust – Wilson Golf Brands.

The History and Background of Wilson Golf Clubs

Wilson Sporting Goods Company is a Chicago-based sports equipment manufacturer known for producing quality golf clubs that have been used on professional tours for over 60 years. The company began as Ashland Manufacturing Company in 1913 and initially produced tennis rackets. In the early 1920s, it expanded its product line to include golf clubs.

In the mid-1930s, Wilson designed and released its most significant technological advancement in golf club design – Sweet Spot Dynamic (SSD) iron. SSD irons featured a larger sweet spot that allowed players to hit cleaner shots with more consistency, making them popular among amateur and professional players alike.

Throughout the following decades, Wilson continued innovating their products by introducing perimeter weighting technology for woods and irons which improved balance and accuracy. They also introduced clubs made from graphite shaft materials to reduce weight without sacrificing distance or trajectory control.

Today, many prominent PGA Tour professionals continue to trust Wilson’s products. Gary Woodland won his first major victory using Wilson clubs at the U. S Open while Brendan Steele has consistently ranked high in the FedEx Cup standings with his Wilson Staff FG Tour V6 irons. Furthermore, elite female golfer Suzann Pettersen relies on her customized set of boundary-breaking products designed collaboratively between herself, her coach Butch Harmon, and Wilson Labs engineers.

“The company’s enduring success lies not only in its continual innovation but also due to consistent performance across professionals who are seeking reliable results from their choice of gear. “

Top Pro Golfers Who Use Wilson Golf Clubs

Daniel Berger:

The American golfer, Daniel Berger has been a prominent player on the PGA Tour since he turned pro in 2013. He is currently ranked at #18 in the Official World Golf Ranking and is known for his impressive ball-striking ability.

Kevin Streelman:

Kevin Streelman is an American professional golfer who’s hit headlines with several good performances over the years. He joined the Professional Golfers’ Association of America back in 2004 and went on to compete successfully ever since.

Brendan Steele:

An experienced golf player from California, Brendan Steele won twice within two years; both victories came using Wilson Staff FG Tour V6 Irons irons. After joining Wilson staff in February last year (2020), he’s become more accustomed to other gear as well.

“The clubs are very solid, and everything just feels really stable. ” -Brendan Steele

Gary Woodland:

A former basketball player turned professional golfer, Gary Woodland relies on precision and accuracy to win matches. Known for being one of the longest hitters on tour, Gary selected Wilson Staff blades because they offer “precision you can’t find anywhere else”.

Names and achievements of pro golfers who use Wilson clubs

Wilson Golf has a rich history in the game that is as old as 1914 when they first started producing their wooden-shafted clubs. Since then, the company has produced several classic blades and cavity backs loved by many pros worldwide. Below are some top golfers who have used Wilson clubs on tour:

Gary Woodland

A winner of three PGA Tour titles, including the US open at Pebble Beach in 2019. Gary uses Wilson Staff Model Blades for more consistent ball flights, which offer excellent feel and control.

Brendan Steele

This American professional golfer plays Wilson’s FG Tour V6 Cavity Back Irons, which feature precise welding, unique weight distribution, off-center mass placement along with other technologies to enhance his shot-making abilities.

Kevin Streelman

A two-time PGA Tour champion playing some outstanding rounds using Wilson staff irons like cross-cavity technology which combines power-holes filled with TE031 urethane material to give you extra distance wherever it counts.

“The workability of my Distances, ” said Kevin about his experience with using Wilson golf equipment over recent years. “It’s been enjoyable making shots. ”

Marc Leishman

The Australian ace and four-time European Tour Winner uses the same iron construction due to its accuracy above all else in clubheads customized to meet his specific demands-oriented superb feel or unreal distances!

Why these golfers choose Wilson clubs over other brands

Wilson Staff has been a trusted name in the golf industry for more than 100 years. Their reputation for producing high-quality equipment with advanced technology is what brings many professional golfers to use their clubs on tour.

Golfers such as Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, and Padraig Harrington all rely on Wilson clubs to perform at the highest level of competition.

“I’ve been using Wilson clubs since I was a young kid, ” says Woodland. “Their staff puts in countless hours of research and development into their products. “

One example of this research and development can be seen in the company’s unique V-C Sole design, which improves turf interaction for better ball strike performance. This feature can be found in their C300 Irons that offer powerful distance combined with precision control.

In addition to innovative designs, the customization options available through Wilson make their clubs even more appealing to professionals. They understand that each golfer has specific needs when it comes to club length, lie angle, shaft flex, etc. , so they provide a variety of fitting options to ensure optimal performance.

The trust and satisfaction from players like Woodland and Streelman prove that Wilson clubs are an excellent choice for those looking to enhance their game on tour.

Types of Wilson Golf Clubs Used on Tour

Wilson is a well-known brand in the golfing world, used by both amateurs and professionals alike. Many players on tour have chosen to use Wilson clubs due to their versatility, quality, and reliability.

One popular type of Wilson club used on tour is the Staff Model Irons. These irons feature an innovative design that enhances precision and control for shot-making ability. The tungsten weighting in these irons also promotes optimal launch angles and increased ball speed for added distance.

The FG Tour V6 Irons are another popular choice among professional golfers. With a classic design and exceptional feel, these clubs offer consistent performance from tee to green. The milled face provides great spin control, allowing players to attack any pin location with confidence.

In addition to these irons, many pros choose to play with the Wilson Staff Model Utility iron off the tee or from fairway lies. This club offers additional forgiveness compared to long irons while still maintaining workability necessary for shots into greens.

“I’ve always been impressed with how analytical Wilson’s approach has been over recent years when it comes to producing high-level products, ” said Gary Woodland about playing their clubs.

Gary Woodland isn’t the only one as Kevin Streelman and Brendan Steele (PGA TOUR) plus Tom Grankliewicz (European Senior Tour) all currently put trust into their Wilson equipment whilst competing at a professional level too!

Overview of the different types of Wilson clubs used on tour

Wilson is a trusted name in golf equipment and has been for decades. Many top professionals choose to use Wilson clubs, and they offer a variety of options that cater to players of all skill levels.

The first type of Wilson club commonly used on tour are their irons. These include the Staff Model CB Irons, which feature forged construction and must be custom-fitted to each player’s specifications. The FG Tour V6 Irons also see regular play on tour thanks to their precision milled faces and sleek design.

Another popular choice is the Wilson Staff Driver line, featuring adjustable weights and settings designed to help players dial in their ball flight and achieve maximum distance off the tee.

“The technology advancements have been great with these drivers, ” says Kevin Streelman, PGA Tour player. “I’ve gotten better accuracy in my mishits, as well as more distance. “

In addition to irons and drivers, many pros rely on Wedges from Wilson such as the high-spinning PMP Wedges or Forged Tour wedges which come available in various lofts and grinds designed for versatility around the greens.

Finally, no discussion about Wilson gear would be complete without mention of putters like its premium Infinite Line range; known for being balanced precisely too speed across any green surface along with innovative alignment aids helping golfers setup correctly providing confidence over those clutch shots

Features and benefits of these clubs for pro golfers

Wilson Golf Clubs are preferred by many professional golfers due to their advanced features which provide a number of benefits. Some of the key features that make Wilson Golf Clubs stand out include:

Precision: All Wilson Golf Clubs feature precision-milled faces, ensuring consistent ball control and accuracy.

Durability: These clubs are built using high-quality materials such as titanium and graphite, making them strong, sturdy, and able to withstand heavy use over time.

Flexibility: The shafts on Wilson Golf Clubs come in varying levels of flexibility so each golfer can find the perfect fit for their swing speed and style—ensuring they get maximum power with every shot.

“I’ve been playing with Wilson clubs since college, I trust them because they allow me to play my best game. ” – Padraig Harrington

Customization: The wide range of options available from Wilson allows players to truly customize their bag—tailoring their set to fit their needs perfectly. Whether you’re looking for drivers or irons that cater specifically towards your strengths (or weaknesses), there is an option for you.

Wilson Golf Club Technology

Wilson Sporting Goods is a leading manufacturer of golf equipment, and their clubs are used by some of the top players on tour. Their commitment to innovation has led to the development of advanced technology that enhances performance for golfers of all levels.

Their Irons feature technologies such as Power Hole and FLX Face, which provide increased power and distance with every shot. While Wilson’s D7 Driver utilizes SuperLight design principles combined with RE-AKT Technology which improves sound resulting in better performance across different swing styles.

Professional golfers have also been known to use Wilson Clubs including Padraig Harrington who’s currently ranked as one of the top 100 players worldwide adding more credibility around the brand. Additionally other famous professional golfers like Kevin Streelman and Brendan Steele appreciate the feel, comfort, and quality provided by Wilson Golf clubs to help them succeed during competition play.

“The feel, look, and response I get from my Wilson iron sets are phenomenal, ” said Brendan Steele about his trusty Iron Clubs made by Wilson Sports goods.

In conclusion, it’s clear that many golf professionals continue to rely upon Wilson sporting gears for tournament wins. This long-standing reputation along with world class technology reinforces why any serious golfer should consider investing in a set of these outstandingly precise high-quality golf clubs that guarantee great results.

The latest technology used in Wilson clubs to improve performance

Wilson is a renowned brand when it comes to golf, and they have always been at the forefront of introducing new technologies that enhance the performance of their clubs. Some of the recent technological advancements are as follows:

CNC Milled Face: The CNC milling process allows for precise control over shaping clubface curves resulting in more consistent spin rates over time.

PWRShell Face: This innovative design increases responsiveness on impact even on off-center hits with higher launch angles and faster ball speeds leading to greater distances.

F4 Adjustable Weight System: With this system, you can control the weight distribution within your clubhead by adjusting its position helping to achieve optimal trajectory and distance all while managing shot dispersion.

“The better I feel about my equipment; the better I’m going to do. ” – Padraig Harrington

A number of tour players prefer using Wilson’s clubs thanks to their precision as well as these cutting edge technologies which give them an added advantage over normal golf clubs. It’s no surprise then that professional golfer Padraig Harrington has won many accolades with his trusty set of Wilson irons. Overall, any keen golfer wanting to take their game up a notch can certainly benefit from investing in these highly advanced yet affordable sets!

Wilson Golf Club Fitting Process for Pro Golfers

One of the reasons why pro golfers use Wilson golf clubs is because of their custom fitting process. Wilson offers a comprehensive club fitting program that focuses on various factors such as swing speed, ball flight, and personal preferences.

Their club fitters work closely with professional players to identify which club models, shafts, lengths, grips, and lofts will help them optimize their performance on the course.

This unique approach to club fitting has helped many pro players achieve success using Wilson golf clubs. Some notable names in the world of golf who have used these clubs include Gary Woodland, Padraig Harrington, Kevin Streelman, Brendan Steele, Jason Dufner and Paul Lawrie.

“There’s nothing like having confidence in your equipment” -Gary Woodland

Gary Woodland particularly advocates for the manufacturer’s’ usage where he feels confident while playing his round. He stated once that “Wilson is all about providing me options, ” he added “They can really dial things down to my specific needs. “

Overall, Wilson is a reputable brand when it comes to producing high-quality golf products including accessories like balls & gloves along with bags & trolleys too but they are widely known for manufacturing excellent quality golf clubs preferred by tour pros worldwide. ‘

How Wilson customizes clubs for pro golfers

Wilson has been a trusted name among professional golf players for years, with its innovative and customizable club designs. Customization is the key to success in competitive sports, especially in a game like golf where no two swings are alike.

The company’s process of customization starts by analyzing every player’s swing characteristics, including their ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, and face angle at impact. Once they have collected all the data about the player’s swing tendencies, they work toward creating clubs that help lower scores on the course based on advanced technology.

The next step involves building precision instruments that fine-tune every aspect of a golfer’s shot-making ability in such a way as to eliminate small errors or disparities that can cause havoc over 72 holes played across four days. The end result? A set of personalized clubs that take into account each individual’s unique needs – providing an edge on the competition!

“Our team strives to get better every day, ” says Director Of Technical Service Dan Koerner. “And in doing so we design products made to meet specific performance requirements while fitting various styles. “

No wonder some of world’s top athletes trust Wilson Golf Clubs! Even master golf champion Tiger Woods chose Wilson when he went pro back in 1996 before switching to Nike. In fact today many leading names still use these clubs include Padraig Harrington who won three major championships between 2007-2008 utilizing his Wilson Staff II irons throughout those victories.

The impact of custom fitting on a pro golfer’s game

Custom fitting is the process of tailoring golf clubs to suit an individual’s swing characteristics and physical attributes. For professional golfers, having clubs that are specifically designed for their playing style can have a huge impact on their performance on the course.

One of the main advantages of custom fitting is improved accuracy. If a golfer has a tendency to slice or hook the ball, adjustments can be made to the clubhead to help straighten out shots. This could result in more fairways hit and better positioning off the tee.

“Having clubs that are tailored to my specific swing helps me perform at my best consistently. ” – Wilson Staff Pro Golfer”

In addition, custom fitting can also provide increased distance and control. By optimizing factors such as loft, lie angle, shaft flex, and grip size, golfers may see improvements in both power and precision when hitting shots.

Wilson Golf Clubs have always been popular among professional players due to their high-quality construction and innovative designs. Many Tour pros use Wilson Staff Blades because they offer exceptional feel and workability.

Overall, custom fitting is an essential part of any serious golfer’s equipment setup. By ensuring that each club is perfectly suited to their individual needs, professionals can gain a competitive edge on the course and achieve consistent results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which professional golfers use wilson golf clubs on tour.

Several professional golfers use Wilson golf clubs on tour. One of the most notable ones is Gary Woodland, who won the U. S. Open in 2019 using Wilson Staff Model Blades. Kevin Streelman, Brendan Steele, and Padraig Harrington are also known to use Wilson golf clubs on tour. Additionally, Wilson has many up-and-coming players on their staff, such as Joaquin Niemann, Troy Merritt, and Ryan Ballengee.

What is the history of Wilson golf clubs on the professional tour?

Wilson has a long history in the golf industry that dates back to the early 1900s. The company has been involved in the professional tour since the 1920s when Gene Sarazen won major championships using Wilson golf clubs. Over the years, many other professionals have used Wilson clubs on tour, including Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Payne Stewart. Wilson has continued to innovate and develop new technologies in their golf clubs, which have helped them maintain a presence on the professional tour.

How do Wilson golf clubs compare to other brands used on tour?

Wilson golf clubs are known for their excellent feel and precision. They are designed to be forgiving on off-center hits, which is important for golfers who want consistent results. The clubs also use the latest technologies, such as Power Holes and Face Slots, to improve performance. Compared to other brands used on tour, Wilson golf clubs hold their own in terms of performance and quality. Professionals who use Wilson clubs on tour are confident in their ability to hit precise shots in any situation.

What are the benefits of using Wilson golf clubs on tour?

There are several benefits to using Wilson golf clubs on tour. First, the clubs are designed to provide maximum feel and precision. This is important for professionals who need to hit precise shots under pressure. Second, Wilson golf clubs are made using the latest technologies, which can help golfers improve their performance. Finally, Wilson has a long history in the golf industry and has a reputation for producing high-quality clubs. This can help professionals feel confident in their equipment and focus on their game.

Can amateur golfers benefit from using the same Wilson clubs as professionals?

Absolutely! Amateur golfers can benefit from using the same Wilson clubs as professionals. Wilson golf clubs are designed to be forgiving on off-center hits, which is important for golfers who are still developing their swing. Additionally, the clubs use the latest technologies, which can help golfers improve their performance. Finally, Wilson has a reputation for producing high-quality clubs, so amateur golfers can be confident in their equipment. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced golfer, Wilson golf clubs can help you take your game to the next level.

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Wilson expand Pro Golf Staff roster with two PGA Tour stars

Kevin Kisner and Trey Mullinax have joined Wilson as professional Golf Advisory Staff members along with Kevin Chappell, Kevin Streelman and Padraig Harrington.

Wilson has announced that PGA Tour winners Kevin Kisner and Trey Mullinax have joined as professional Golf Advisory Staff.

The two players have joined Wilson's growing list of golfers which includes John Augenstein, Kevin Chappell, Quade Cummins, Padraig Harrington, Brendan Steele, Kevin Streelman, Martin Trainer and Kevin Tway and LPGA Tour player Sophia Schubert.

Wilson also has a deep list of DP World Tour players in their ranks such as Marc Hammer, Alexander Knappe, Benjamin Herbert, Joakim Lagergren, David Law, Hurly Long, Craig Mackie, Jack Senior, Paul Waring and Andrew Wilson.

Kisner, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, made five top-10 finishes including a runner-up finish at the WGC Match Play and a third-place finish at the Sony Open.

The 38-year-old also made his second appearance for the United States Presidents Cup team last year. He may only have delivered half a point, but it helped Davis Love III's side win for the ninth time in a row.

"I am excited to be partnering with Wilson Golf. Wilson is a brand I’ve always respected; rooted in heritage but always looking for new ways to evolve," said Kisner.

"I’m quite particular about my equipment, and the clubs that I’ll be putting into play after extensive testing are second to none."

Mullinax is set to make his debut for Wilson at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii this week, following his win at the Barbasol Championship back in July.

This began a good run of form for the 30-year-old who reached the second stage of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He will tee it up with J.J Spaun in the first round at Kapalua on Thursday.

"As Wilson continues to grow in golf, we are excited to have Kevin and Trey join the Wilson team," says Tim Clarke, President of Wilson Golf.

"More players are putting Wilson golf equipment into play on worldwide professional tours every week, and we are excited to support their efforts in achieving their goals."

What's in the bag?

Kevin Kisner:

• Dynapower Driver
• Dynapower 3-wood
• STAFF Model Utility ( 21°, 24°)
• STAFF Model CB irons (5-9)
• STAFF Model wedges (46°, 52°, 58°)

Trey Mullinax:

• STAFF Model Utility (18°)
• STAFF Model Blade irons (4-9, PW)
• STAFF Model wedges (52°, 56°, 60°)

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Wilson adds Kevin Kisner, Trey Mullinax to its tour staff

As the hat on his head at the Sentry Tournament of Champions signaled, Trey Mullinax is starting 2023 as one of the new additions to the Wilson Golf tour staff. The company made it official on Wednesday, announcing the signing of Mullinax, winner of the Barbasol Championship last July, along with tour veteran Kevin Kisner, a longtime Callaway staff player who is expected to make his 2023 debut next week at the Sony Open.

The duo join a staff that features Padraig Harrington, Kevin Streelman and Brendan Steele, among others. Interestingly, the company press release does not mention 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland, who it appears is headed elsewhere.

MORE: 10 golfers who'll make you money in 2023

According to the release, Kisner will play 12 Wilson clubs, including the company’s new Dynapower driver and 3-wood along with Staff Model CB irons and Staff Model wedges. A pair of the company’s Staff Model utility irons rounds out his bag. Mullinax will have a Staff Model utility irons, Staff Model Blade irons and three Staff Model wedges in play. Both will wear a Wilson-branded hat and use a Wilson Staff bag. Each of the pacts are for multiple years.

“As Wilson continues to grow in golf, we are excited to have Kevin and Trey join the Wilson team,” says Tim Clarke, president of Wilson Golf, in a statement. “More players are putting Wilson golf equipment into play on worldwide professional tours every week, and we are excited to support their efforts in achieving their goals.”

The 30-year-old Mullinax captured his first PGA Tour victory at the Barbasol last summer. Kisner, who turns 39 in February, is a four-time PGA Tour winner and is coming off a solid season with five top-10 finishes including second- and third-place finishes at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and the Sony Open, respectively. He was also a member of the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team at Quail Hollow Club last September.

MORE: Sentry TOC picks—Why Xander Schauffele is just too tempting for some of our experts

“I am excited to be partnering with Wilson Golf,” Kisner said in a statement released by the company. “Wilson is a brand I’ve always respected, rooted in heritage but always looking for new ways to evolve. I’m quite particular about my equipment, and the clubs that I’ll be putting into play after extensive testing are second to none.”

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WILSON EXPANDS ITS PROFESSIONAL GOLF ADVISORY STAFF

January 4, 2023

Kevin Kisner and Trey Mullinax  headline Wilson’s growing global roster of professional golfers

CHICAGO  — Wilson Sporting Goods Co. today announced that professional golfers Kevin Kisner and Trey Mullinax have joined its professional Golf Advisory Staff. The two join Wilson’s growing roster of golfers, including PGA TOUR players John Augenstein, Kevin Chappell, Quade Cummins, Padraig Harrington, Brendan Steele, Kevin Streelman, Martin Trainer and Kevin Tway; and LPGA Tour player Sophia Schubert.

Wilson’s Golf Advisory Staff also boasts a deep roster of DP World Tour players, including new additions Marc Hammer and Alexander Knappe. Hammer and Knappe join Benjamin Herbert, Joakim Lagergren, David Law, Hurly Long, Craig Mackie, Jack Senior, Paul Waring and Andrew Wilson, as well as Paul Lawrie on the Legends Tour and Sanna Nuutinen on the Ladies European Tour.

“As Wilson continues to grow in golf, we are excited to have Kevin and Trey join the Wilson team,” says Tim Clarke, President, Wilson Golf. “More players are putting Wilson golf equipment into play on worldwide professional tours every week, and we are excited to support their efforts in achieving their goals.”

Mullinax makes his Wilson debut this week at the PGA TOUR’s Sentry Tournament of Champions after winning last season’s Barbasol Championship, while Kisner is expected to play his first tournament with Wilson at the Sony Open in Hawaii next week.

Kisner is fresh off his second-best season with five top-10 finishes including second and third place finishes at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and the Sony Open respectively. He was also a member of the United States Presidents Cup team that won its ninth-straight title and 12 th overall.

“I am excited to be partnering with Wilson Golf. Wilson is a brand I’ve always respected; rooted in heritage but always looking for new ways to evolve,” said Kisner. “I’m quite particular about my equipment, and the clubs that I’ll be putting into play after extensive testing are second to none.”

What’s In the Bag:

Kevin Kisner :

• Dynapower™ Driver
• Dynapower 3-wood
• STAFF® Model Utility 21° & 24°
• STAFF Model CB irons (5-9)
• STAFF Model 46°, 52°, 58° wedges

Trey Mullinax :

• STAFF Model Utility 18°
• STAFF Model Blade irons (4-9, PW)
• STAFF Model 52°, 56°, 60° wedges

For further information on all Wilson Advisory Staff, products, including drivers, woods, irons, wedges, putters, balls and accessories, visit: www. wilson.com and follow @wilsongolf on social.

High-resolution images for editorial use can be downloaded HERE .

About Wilson Golf

For more than 100 years, Wilson Golf has designed, manufactured and distributed premium and recreational golf equipment throughout the world.  Since 1914, Wilson Staff irons have won 62 major championships, more than any other iron manufacturer in history.  The winning tradition continues today by delivering the highest quality equipment to all golfers to enhance performance on the course and overall enjoyment of the game.

About Wilson

Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a division of Amer Sports, is the world’s leading manufacturer of sports equipment, apparel and accessories.  Through its dedication to creating products that enable athletes at every level to perform at their best, Wilson has earned its place as a leader in sporting goods for over a century.

Note – Pros often customize their equipment. This consumer product may vary from the model customized by the pro for gameplay.

BZA Public Relations on behalf of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. – Wilson @BZAPR.com  

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Wilson adds two more players to its professional golf advisory staff

Willie mack iii and alex knappe become the latest professionals to join wilson’s global golf roster.

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CHICAGO (Feb. 1, 2023) — Wilson Sporting Goods Co. today announced that professional golfers Willie Mack III and Alex Knappe have joined its professional Golf Advisory Staff. Mack joins Wilson’s PGA TOUR roster that includes John Augenstein, Kevin Chappell, Quade Cummins, Padraig Harrington, Kevin Kisner, Trey Mullinax, Brendan Steele, Kevin Streelman, Martin Trainer and Kevin Tway; and LPGA Tour player Sophia Schubert. 

“Wilson’s momentum and player adoption on worldwide tours highlights the quality, consistency and, most of all, the performance of our premium golf equipment,” said Tim Clarke, President, Wilson Golf. “Having up-and-coming players like Willie and Alex choose to play our products mirrors what’s happening on golf courses around the world: better players are trusting Wilson Golf equipment.” 

Mack III’s first tournament as a member of the Wilson Golf Advisory Staff was last weekend and he’s expected to play The Panama Championship this week.

“I'm excited to officially join the Wilson team,” said Mack III. “I've been playing Staff Model irons, wedges and golf ball for a while now, and I'm excited to now add the Dynapower driver. It looks so good and sits perfectly."  

Knappe joins the DP World Tour roster that includes Marc Hammer, Benjamin Herbert, Joakim Lagergren, David Law, Hurly Long, Craig Mackie, Jack Senior, Paul Waring and Andrew Wilson; as well as Paul Lawrie on the Legends Tour and Sanna Nuutinen on the Ladies European Tour.

“I’m very excited to be part of the Wilson Team,” said Knappe. “From testing a variety of irons, the Staff Model blades were the best out there for my game. I am looking forward to the season ahead.”

What’s In the Bag :

Willie Mack III

• Dynapower Carbon driver
• STAFF Model 24° Utility
• STAFF Model CB 5-9, PW
• STAFF Model 52° wedge
• STAFF Model 56° wedge
• STAFF Model 60° wedge
• STAFF Model golf ball 

Alex Knappe

• STAFF Model Blades 3-PW 

For further information on all Wilson Advisory Staff, products, including drivers, woods, irons, wedges, putters, balls and accessories, visit: www.wilson.com and follow @wilsongolf on social.

High-resolution images for editorial use can be downloaded HERE .

About Wilson Golf

For more than 100 years, Wilson Golf has designed, manufactured and distributed premium and recreational golf equipment throughout the world.  Since 1914, Wilson Staff irons have won 62 major championships, more than any other iron manufacturer in history.  The winning tradition continues today by delivering the highest quality equipment to all golfers to enhance performance on the course and overall enjoyment of the game.

About Wilson 

Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a division of Amer Sports, is the world’s leading manufacturer of sports equipment, apparel and accessories.  Through its dedication to creating products that enable athletes at every level to perform at their best, Wilson has earned its place as a leader in sporting goods for over a century.

Note - Pros often customize their equipment. This consumer product may vary from the model customized by the pro for gameplay.

Contact: BZA Public Relations on behalf of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. – Wilson @BZAPR.com  

Wilson unveils Tour staff line up for 2021

11.17am 20th January 2021 - Sponsorship & Events

Wilson Golf has announced its strongest roster of Tour staff players in more than a decade, with three Major winners and several Tour champions playing its latest clubs on a global basis this season. 

In total, they boast no fewer than 42 victories between them on the European and PGA Tours.

Three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington, who is set to lead Europe into Ryder Cup battle at Whistling Straits in September, has signed another multi-year deal with Wilson – making it his 23rd year with the brand and one of the game’s longest running partnerships.

Paul Lawrie, the last Scotsman to win The Open Championship in 1999, also continues his long association with Wilson. He is the first Advisory Staff member to switch to the advanced four-piece Urethane Staff Model ball, which he will play on the PGA Champions and Legends Tours.

Gary Woodland, who captured the US Open title shortly after signing with the brand in 2019, will be playing and promoting Wilson on the PGA Tour with the irons he made famous at Pebble Beach.

The increasing Wilson presence on the European Tour sees six other players signed to multi-year deals. They include 2018 Nordea Masters Champion Paul Waring, who has played Wilson clubs since 2015 and rose to a career high 66 th in the world rankings last year.

Frenchman Benjamin Hebert joined Wilson in 2019 and had a breakthrough season, rising to a world ranking of 89. Last year, he finished T3 in the ISPS Handa UK Championship and earned a top-20 finish in his first WGC event in Mexico.

Swede Joakim Lagergren, a winner during his rookie season with Wilson in 2018, has renewed his contract along with Scotland’s David Law, who also won during his debut season with Wilson clubs at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia in 2019.

Following impressive performances during the 2020 season, Englishmen Richard Mansell and Jack Senior will also continue to play Wilson clubs. Mansell joined Wilson straight from college and secured a place in the top tier of European golf after finishing fourth on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. Former Walker Cup player Senior had four top-20 finishes on the European Tour last year after earning his card the year before. 

Playing Wilson clubs alongside Gary Woodland on the PGA Tour once again will be Brendan Steele, Kevin Streelman and Kevin Tway, using a mixture of Staff Model irons and wedges carried in the distinctive Wilson red Tour bag.

On the Ladies European Tour, Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen and Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz both finished inside the top-10 in the 2020 Race to Costa Del Sol and will be playing with Wilson clubs once again this season.

Wilson has also signed David Langley to play its clubs on the EuroPro Tour in 2021. Having turned professional last season, he won the Mena Tour to get a wild card into the Omega Dubai Desert Classic event.

“This is without doubt our strongest and biggest Wilson Tour line-up across the men’s and women’s game for many years and we’re really excited to see how the players perform with our new  Staff Model  clubs and the  Staff Model balls this season,” said Doug Wright, Global Commercial Director of Wilson Golf. “The range of Wilson players’ clubs this year is also the strongest it’s ever been, with irons to suit every golfer – from the Tour pro to the higher handicapper. Also, the Tour quality of the new woods, wedges and balls is a testament to all the hard work undertaken in the Wilson Innovation Centre in Chicago and it promises to be a great year for the brand.”

Full Tour bag line-up:  Padraig Harrington  –  V6 Raw  irons, PMP RAW 52˚ wedge &  Staff Model HT  56˚,60˚ & 64 wedges,  V4 Utility  4-iron:  Paul Lawrie  –  Staff Model CB  irons 3-PW, 54˚ & 60˚ Staff Model wedges &  D9  Driver 10.5˚: Joakim Lagergren  –  Staff Model Blades  3 – 9,  PMP  60˚ wedge & V4 Utility 2-iron:  David Law  –  Staff Model CB  irons 5 – PW,  C300  4-iron,  Staff Model  52˚ & 60˚ wedges:  Paul Waring  –  V6 Raw  4-9 irons,  C300  3-iron &  PMP  Raw 48˚ Wedge:  Benjamin Hebert:   V6  irons 3-PW,  Staff Model  wedges 52˚ & 58˚:  Jack Senior  –  V6  Irons 3-9, 48˚,52˚ & 58˚  PMP Raw  wedges and  Richard Mansell  – Staff model Utility 18˚ and 21˚,  Staff Model CB  irons 3-5, Staff Model Blades 6-PW & Staff Model wedge 50˚.

For more information on all Wilson Staff products, visit  www.wilson.com .

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Wedge Reviews

The big review – wilson staff fg tour wedge.

The FG Tour is Wilson’s new forged wedge, designed in Chicago to “deliver a family of precision wedges that meet every shot requirement, course condition and style of play”. We got to try one to see what sort of performance we could coax out of it.

Wilson have this to say about their new wedge: “Designed for players of all abilities, the FG Tour wedges compliment the Tour-proven FG Tour irons, which have been used by Wilson Staff Tour professionals Ricky Barnes and triple Major winner Padraig Harrington. The wedges, which adhere to the latest groove specifications, have been designed following advice from Wilson’s Tour professionals.”

Technical Specifications

A slightly more rounded face than the modern teardrop that we see with the likes of Titliest Vokeys or Mizuno MP-T series, the FG Tour has a slightly arced leading ledge and looks very attractive at address. The face is milled across the entire width, not just the grooved area and the milling marks are biased to work best when the face is opened up while the CNC milled grooves are beautifully sharp.The top notch satin finish adds a final elegant note.

Lovely soft feeling if not quite as soft as some but a beautiful level of feedback that lets you know exactly how you have struck the ball. The quality Lamkin grip meant that nothing was hidden on all strikes; partial or full shots, perfect hits or less than perfect ones, all is all there for you.

Performance

First off you can see straight away that these wedges produce a lot of spin. All shots, from partial to full produce shots with a truckload of spin. On anything more than a half shot you can watch the ball dance on the green and on a receptive green the ball with happily rip back. Interestingly, the FG Tour seems to do this without causing too much damage although the ball is not completely untouched. The grooves are Condition of Competition conforming and Wilson say that they are the absolutely on the limit of the specifications. Since the ball spends so long on the face the natural trajectory is low for a wedge but this aids playability since your shots are less likely to be affected by the conditions.

The sole grind (below) does dictate how you can use this wedge. Although the 10 degree bounce (measured at 9.5 degrees) on the 54 degree review model is not unusual for that loft, the width of the sole and the lack of any trailing edge grind means that it really only suits full shots and chipping. If you opening the face up, the leading edge rises very quickly so that you would really only want to do this out of a very fluffly lie or very soft sand. The good news is that the 58 and 60 degree wedges do have a different sole grind that allows the face to be opened without the leading edge rising too much since this hand grind takes off some of the sole towards the heel.

The FG Tour is good is firm conditions and excellent when the going is softer. Play out of soft sand is easy, especially since the phenomenal amount of spin allows you to really throw the ball in the air and the bounce makes digging almost impossible.

This wedge is very good on full shots and frankly awesome on chips; put the ball back in your stance, lead with the heads and you can produce the type of fizzing shooter that comes off the face low, bounces once and then grabs to a halt. You know, the sort of unbelievable shot that Paddy used to stick the 18th green after dunking two in the water the first time he won The Open. Okay, we probably aren’t going to be in the same situation but it’s a high percentage shot that makes greenside play very simple and this club plays it as well as any we’ve tried.

With great feel and good looks it’s a top wedge, even if we would have liked to see the more versatile grind offered on more lofts than the 58 and 60. Wilson have showed just how much spin you can get from the new grooves and it’s a lot and it’s only when you find yourself in deep rough do the conforming grooves start to offer less spin that their non-conforming . A quality wedge from a quality manufacturer, the FG Tour is an excellent wedge and you will not be upset if it finds its way into your bag.

Nike VR Pro Dual Sole Wedge Editor Review- 56* and 60*

The Big Review – MP-63 Irons and MP T-11 Wedges

Dec 14, 2012 at 11:21 am

Any updates on these since the review? Thinking about getting a 54 & 58. The price is unbeatable at Golfsmith right now.

aidanmcgrath

Feb 21, 2013 at 7:09 pm

Really good wedges, a 58 degree is essential because as said in review the 54 is extremely hard to play with an open face off a tight lie.

Jul 3, 2012 at 1:25 pm

I just put these wedges in my bag along with FG Tour irons…I am playing the 52/08 and 56/12…and you are correct man these things impart some serious spin…playing with a FG Tour golfball I hit my 56 from about 85 yards and spun the thing back about 10 feet and did not go at it hard…was very surprised…so they will be staying in the bag…Seriously!

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Titleist launches new vokey wedgeworks 60 “a” grind wedge.

The menu of grind options just got more expansive for Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks consumers, with the addition of a “60A” wedge to the lineup.

Previously, Vokey offered seven main grind options for players with various needs :

• T Grind: The narrowest sole option, which is widely used by PGA Tour players, and has low bounce
• L Grind: The lowest bounce option, with heel, toe and trailing edge relief for maximum versatility
• F Grind: An all-purpose grind that’s best for full wedge shots played with a square face
• S Grind: A neutral grind, best for full shots played with a square face
• M Grind: A versatile grind that’s for players who want to open and close the face for various shots
• D Grind: A higher-bounce wedge that’s for players with a steep swing angle, but want to play shots from various club orientations
• K Grind: The highest-bounce wedge option, with heel, toe and trailing edge relief for versatility

Titleist has now added the “A” grind, which has actually already been played on the PGA Tour by golfers such as Tom Kim, who used an A-grind to win three times on the PGA Tour, Wyndham Clark, who won the U.S. Open using an A-grind, and Max Homa, who used an A-grind at the 2023 Open Championship.

According to Titleist, the Vokey WedgeWorks 60A wedge is a low-bounce option that’s for golfers with a shallow angle of attack, and who play in firmer conditions. It has a “smoothed-out” sole for a faster feel through the turf, helping some golfers slide under the ball easier at impact.

“The most important club for me, probably in my bag, is this A grind,” Clark said, according to a Titleist press release. “I use the SM9 60-degree A grind, which is a low bounce 60 that is very versatile. I’m able to – on tight lies, rough, wet lies, firm lies, whatever it is – hit the shot I want, and with the amount of spin I want, trajectory and everything.”  

Apparently, Geoff Ogilvy played a large part in the A-grind coming to life.

“I spoke with Geoff (Ogilvy), and we got on the topic of Australian golf courses and how they compared to courses in America, and around the world,” said Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill, in a press release. “I asked him some specific questions, which resulted in an idea to design another lob wedge grind option that complemented the firm links-style conditions that players face – not just in Australia and Europe – but globally. Geoff has always been a low bounce player in his 60-degree, so I took his 60.04L wedge and removed the ribbon, resulting in a grind that moves through the turf quickly with very little resistance.” 

The new Vokey A-grind will be available on Nov. 7, selling for $225 each. Custom options include up to six toe engravings, 10-15 character stamping options, the Flight Line alignment feature option, and custom shafts/grips/ferrules are available.

Click here to read more about why the bounce/grind of your wedge actually matters

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

In-Depth Review: Titleist Vokey SM6 Wedges

Pros: A new, progressive CG design helps the low-lofted wedges fly a few yards farther, and improves the feel of the high-lofted wedges while boosting consistency. With lofts from 46-62 degrees and five distinct grinds, most golfers will be able to find an SM6 wedge that works for them.

Cons: At $149, they’re $20 more expensive than SM5 models.

Who they’re for: All golfers.

• Price: $149 (MAP)
• Lofts: 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62
• Grinds: F (46-56), S (54-60), M (54-62), L (58-60), K (58-60)
• Finishes:  Tour Chrome (plated), Steel Gray (plated) and Jet Black (QPQ)
• Stock Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S200
• Construction: Cast (8620 carbon steel)

A glance at Vokey’s new SM6 wedges reveals that something is different. Some golfers will understand the science of why the wedges look like they do, but many won’t. Unlike a lot of new golf club technologies, however, golfers won’t need to be in the know to be impressed. I don’t talk about the “cool factor” in many of my reviews, but the SM6 wedges certainly have it.

Those curves on the back of the SM6 wedges? They create what’s called a progressive center of gravity (CG), which means the weighting of the SM6 wedges varies based on loft. The lowest-lofted SM6 wedges (46-52 degrees) have the lowest CG, the mid-lofted wedges (54, 56 degrees) have a higher CG and the highest-lofted wedges (58-62 degrees) have the highest CG. The three different CG positions match the desired impact area on each wedge’s club face — lower-lofted wedges are generally contacted lower on the face, while higher-lofted wedges are generally contacted higher on the face — to improve trajectory, feel and consistency.

Low-Lofted SM6 Wedges 

If you’ve ever wished your Vokey 46-, 48-, 50- or 52-degree wedge flew a little farther, SM6 models will. Vokey says the low-lofted SM6 wedges create about 1.5 mph more ball speed and 3-4 yards more distance, and I buy their claim after testing SM6 wedges that were built to the same specs as my SM5 models on Foresight GC2.

“Distance doesn’t matter with wedges,” you might be saying, and you’re correct in theory. Who cares if your gap wedge goes 110 or 113 yards, as long as you hit it a consistent distance. That’s not the issue, though. Improvements in golf equipment technology have irons flying farther than they ever have, which means more golfers need a club — and maybe even two clubs — between 46-and-52 degrees to bridge the gap between their shortest iron and mid-or-high-lofted wedge.

I’m one of those golfers who needs two wedges to fill the gap. I use a 9 iron that measures 41 degrees and carries about 150 yards. I also use a 54-degree wedge (bent to 55 degrees) that carries about 105 yards. I fill the gap with a 46-degree wedge (bent to 45 degrees) that carries about 135 yards. I prefer its look and feel to the pitching wedge from my iron set because I can vary trajectory more easily with it. I also carry a 50-degree wedge that carries about 120 yards.

An issue I had with the SM5 wedges (46-08 F Grind, 50-08 F Grind) is the same one I’ve always had with other low-lofted wedges. Many times when I tried to hit them a little harder to make them go a few yards farther, they didn’t. Shots often just went higher due to excess spin. I’ve seen countless golfers experience this problem, especially better players.

The biggest improvement to the low-lofted SM6 wedges is that they create a more iron-like ball flight. It’s slight, but their faster trajectory is a little bit less likely to balloon. To me, they also feel slightly softer than the SM5’s at impact.

Probably just as important as the new progressive CG design of the low-lofted SM6 wedges is something that isn’t new — the different bounce options Vokey offers in its 50- and 52-degree wedges. Both the 50- and 52-degree models are offered in F Grinds with effective bounce angles of 8 and 12 degrees. Most manufacturers offer multiple bounce options in their mid- and high-lofted models, but it’s rare to see two different options in low-lofted models.

In July 2015, I traveled to Titleist’s Oceanside, California Test Facility to learn more about the company’s 716 iron line. During the downtime, Titleist offered me an opportunity to be fit for SM5 wedges by the man himself, Bob Vokey. My steeper angle of attack theoretically made me a better fit for the 50-12 F Grind (a 50-degree wedge with 12 degrees of effective bounce), but my results were better with the 50-08 F Grind.

Vokey explained that the reduced bounce helped me contact the ball slightly higher on the face, and that improved my ball flight. That moment cemented how important it is for golfers to be fit for not just their lob wedge, but for as many of their wedges as possible.

Mid-Lofted SM6 Wedges 

The mid-lofted SM6 wedges (54 and 56 degrees) are most similar to the SM5 models, as they do not have the weight pads used in the low-lofted and high-lofted wedges. That’s because, according to Vokey representatives, the CG of the mid-lofted wedges was pretty much where it needed to be.

For that reason, the biggest change golfers will notice if they switch to an SM6 from an SM5 is the shaping. Unlike the low-lofted SM6 wedges, which are significantly smaller than SM5 models and have shorter hosels, the mid-lofted SM6 wedges are roughly the same size. There’s no denying, however, that the shaping of the SM6 wedges gives them a more streamlined look. Their toes are more rounded, their top lines are thinner and their par area, the part of a wedge’s top line that conjoins with the hosel, blends more seamlessly.

I’ve given my SM5 and SM6 54-14 F Grind wedges (bent to 55 degrees) to several golfers and had them hit shots with each one to see if they could notice a different in feel. Some told me the SM6 felt softer, while others told me the SM5 felt softer. For that reason, its hard to make an absolute statement about a change in feel in the mid-lofted wedges. I’ve had a few golfers tell me the SM5 wedges look better at address, but many more have preferred the look of the SM6.

Before moving on to the high-lofted wedges, I want to point out two more things; one is specific to the mid-lofted models, one that is not.

SM6 wedges use Vokey’s new TX4 grooves that feature a parallel face texture to increase spin and consistency.

• Like SM5 models, both the 54 and 56 are available in three different grinds (F, S and M). For the SM6 line, however, the popular M Grind has 2 degrees less effective bounce to make it more versatile from a wider variety of lies.
• All SM6 wedges also feature Vokey’s new TX4 grooves, which use a machine-milled, parallel face texture that Titleist says can increase consistency and sharpens groove edges to add as much as 200 rpm of spin. The SM6 wedges also use the same progressive groove design as the SM5 wedges. The lower-lofted wedges (46-54) use narrower, deeper grooves to displace more debris on square-face shots, while higher-lofted wedges (56-62) use shallower grooves that create more friction on open-face shots.

High-Lofted SM6 Wedges 

With a slightly higher CG, the high-lofted SM6 wedges do seem to launch shots slightly lower and with a little more spin than SM5 models, and that’s exactly what most better players want their high-lofted wedges to do. But the change likely won’t be noticed by the majority of golfers. What they will notice, however, is how much better the high-lofted SM6 wedges feel at impact. Every golfer has experienced the “clank” that occurs when a wedge shot is hit too high on the face, or toward the heel or toe at impact. With the high-lofted SM6 wedges, those shots felt softer and more solid.

Due to their higher CG, the high-lofted wedges also seemed to be a little more consistent in my testing on Foresight. Especially when hitting 50-yard shots, I saw that the 60-degree SM6 M Grind wedge seemed to land a little closer my target on mishits. Sometimes it flew 1-2 yards farther than I expected when I contacted a shot slightly on the toe or the heel; sometimes shots just held their line just a little bit better. The difference is small, but can make an difference. We’re all better at making 6-foot putts than we are 9-footers, aren’t we?

As for shaping, the new wedges don’t look the same as the SM5’s at address. They appear slightly larger, and have the same general appearance as the other wedges in the new line.

At Address: A Vokey SM6 lob wedge (60-08 M Grind)

No discussion of a Vokey high-lofted wedge is complete without mentioning their four distinct sole grinds, which Team Vokey continues to tweak based on its work with Tour players, as well as average golfers. Despite the several improvements to the new wedges, the grinds continue to be one of their main selling points. That’s how powerful using the proper sole grind can be.

Again, it’s best to get fitted, but if you can’t, the chart and list below offers a few starting points.

• If you struggle from the sand, try the K Grind (available in 58, 60). It has the widest sole of any Vokey wedge, and can work well for golfers with steep attack angles. Compared to SM5 K Grind wedges, it has 1-degree more effective bounce to help the wedge better resist digging on square-face shots.
• If you play courses with extremely firm turf conditions, try the L Grind (available in 58, 60). It has the lowest effective bounce (4 degrees), and slightly more camber than SM5 models to goflers resist digging.
• The M Grind (available in 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) will work best for golfers who like to manipulate the face open or closed, while the S Grind (available in 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) is better for golfers who tend to play more square-faced shots. The 58 and 60-degree S Grind wedges have 3-degrees more bounce than SM5 models.

Vokey Custom Options

As noted above, I don’t use a standard SM5 wedge. At Oceanside, Vokey fit me for a V-Grind that’s offered through the company’s Hand Ground Program. According to Titleist representatives, Hand Ground SM6 wedges, which make available Tour-only grinds and enhanced customization options — will be released to the public at a later date.

Do I really need a V-Grind wedge? I must admit, with a little practice I could probably use the SM6 M Grind and hit all the shots I need to hit. But I liked the performance V Grind enough to pay the extra money for it (Hand Ground wedges start at $350 each).

For golfers not willing to pay that much for a completely custom wedge, Vokey offers more affordable custom options to standard SM6 wedges through its WedgeWorks Services . Through the program, golfers can customize the shafts, grips, shaft bands, ferrules, stampings and paintfill of their wedges. I’ve had several wedges customized through WedgeWorks, and the work is always A++.

Should you Upgrade?

If you’re currently using a set of properly fit SM5 wedges, your transition from them to the SM6 models should be an easy one. Many golfers will see certain benefits from the newer wedges, as I did, but they may or may not warrant an immediate upgrade, especially if their grooves are still fresh.

An aside about buying wedges: Many tournament players purchase two sets of wedges at a time. They practice with one set and use another on the golf course, which keeps their grooves as fresh as possible for tournaments. While it doubles cost, it helps their gamer wedges last longer and adds peace of mind that they’re getting the best possible performance from their wedges on the course.

More questions?

What else do you want to know? I’ll do my best to answer your questions in the comments section.

[wrx_retail_links productid=”80″]

Review: Callaway MD3 Milled wedges

Pros : Options are plentiful with the MD3 Milled wedges. There are three different sole grinds, two finishes and a wide range of lofts (46-60 degrees). Low-lofted, mid-lofted and high-lofted wedges are each equipped with a distinct groove design that’s tailored to shot-specific needs. 

Cons : Wedge heads are not able to be customized with stampings, engravings or paint fill. Unlike Callaway’s Mack Daddy 2 wedges , the MD3 Milled are not forged. 

Who they’re for:  Anyone can play the MD3 Milled wedges, especially with the addition of the wider-soled “W Grind.”

• Lofts available: 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 degrees
• Grinds:  S Grind (46-60), W Grind (54-60), C Grind (56-60)
• Finishes: Matte Black (46-60) and Satin Chrome (46-60)
• Price: $129.99
• Stock Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300

New and improved are popular terms in the golf equipment world, but generally there’s more emphasis on the “new” part than the “improved” part. Fortunately, what’s new about Callaway’s MD3 Milled wedges also offers noticeable improvements over previous models from the company.

So what’s new and improved about the MD3 Milled wedges? Here are five things to know about them.

Throwing weight around

Each MD3 Milled wedge has four colored ports in its rear cavity. Weight was removed from those areas to give the wedges a higher-toe design that moves the center of gravity (CG) higher for a slightly lower launch and more spin — exactly what the best golfers want from their wedge shots.

For me, it wasn’t the fact I could hit the 58.9 S Grind with as much spin as I wanted; it was the ease with which I was able to alter the trajectory. With the 54.12 W Grind, I had no problem hitting the ball high to front pin locations, or flighting shots that minimized the effect of the wind.   

Shot-specific grooves

All 54- and 56-degree (pictured) MD3 Wedges have Callaway’s 20V grooves.

With the MD3 Milled, Callaway offers three specific groove patterns to optimize launch and spin based on the loft of the wedge. Pitching and gap wedges (46-52 degrees) have Callaway’s 30V grooves, which have 30-degree side walls that perform best on the more aggressive, downward strikes that are common with the clubs. Mid-lofted wedges (54-56 degrees) use Callaway’s 20V grooves, which have 20-degree side walls that excel on bunker shots and full swings. Lob wedges (58-60 degrees) have Callaway’s 5V grooves, which create maximum spin on shots around the green.

In testing, I was most impressed with the 5V groove, which does a remarkable job moving additional moisture and debris away from the ball. That came in quite handy when navigating juicy lies around the green.  

More refined grinds

The MD3 wedges are available in three distinct sole grinds: S Grind, C Grind and W Grind. My thoughts on each are below.

S Grind: The “S” is the most versatile of the three available grinds. I’m tempted to say that S stands for “Swiss Army Knife,” as there was no shot I couldn’t hit with the grind. It was the most consistent grind on full swings from the fairway and tight lies, and more than held its own out of both light and deep rough. There’s no doubt that the S Grind will fit the majority players, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with bagging the S Grind in two, three or four different wedges, depending on your bag setup.

C Grind:  This grind offers more heel and toe relief than the S Grind, creating an effectively thinner sole that excels in firmer conditions. While it doesn’t play nice with steep angles of attack, the additional relief in both the heel and toe did keep the head moving through the rough and allowed the leading edge to sit nicely under the ball at address — especially on open-faced shots. That adds versatility for golfers who hit a lot of specialty shots around the green.

W Grind:  The W Grind is ideal for bunker play, messy lies and players with steep attack angles. It was my favorite grind, because it seemed to get better the closer I got to the hole. Out of both light and deep rough, the W Grind operated like one of those old ginsu knives, but without the lame sales pitch. Getting up and down from gnarly lies around the green felt entirely too easy. And if the lie was clean and the turf was on the softer side, I had no problem hitting aggressive shots with a square or opened club face because I knew the wider sole would resist digging. Especially on less-than-full shots from inside 100 yards, the W Grind quickly earned the go-to spot in my bag.

Two finishes

The MD3 Milled’s Matte Black finish (above) will wear and rust over time, while the Satin Chrome, which is plated, will show less wear but produce slightly more glare on sunny days.

Although the MD3 Milled wedges aren’t forged — they’re cast from 8620 steel — both finishes felt fantastic with an edge in softness going to the Matte Black.

Looks to get emotional about

At Address: A 58-degree S Grind.

Last but not least, the MD3 Milled are an awesome choice if you favor a teardrop shape at address. In that regard, the MD3 Milled approaches aesthetic perfection. The slightly raised toe and marginally straighter leading edge, compared to previous models, gives the wedge a clean look that balances angular lines with subtle curves.

Notice the added sole curvature visible at address in this 56-degree wedge, which is a result of its C Grind.

For all the time we spend looking at the face of the wedge, many golfers are concerned about the appearance of the club as it sits in the bag. Some will call the cavity of the MD3 Milled is a bit gaudy, but others will see the four luminescent ports and green accents as fun and recognizable.  

The Takeaway

The W Grind will work best for golfers who play golf in soft conditions, as well as those looking for improved sand play.

The MD3 Milled are the best production wedges Callaway has released in the past decade for a variety of reasons. At $129.99, the three distinct grinds and two finish options should cover the needs of most interested golfers. The shaping of the wedges is also so beautiful at address, and I found them to look and feel as good as leading wedge models.

The lack of custom options — stampings, paintfill, etc — isn’t a deal breaker, but does leave some room for improvement. At the end of the day, however, wedges should judged on how they perform. With an improved weighting scheme and loft-specific grooves, Callaway put performance first with the MD3 Milled and it won’t go unnoticed.

[wrx_retail_links productid=”48″]

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Rebuilding Wilson Golf Part 1: What Went Wrong

• BY John Barba
• Dec 29th 2014
• Read all comments

Today begins a 3 part series on Wilson Golf from MyGolfSpy’s Forum Director, John Barba .

In Part I John examines the mistakes and missteps that led to the decline of the Wilson Golf brand. In Part II John will look at what Wilson is doing on the R&D side as well as the company’s overall equipment strategy. Finally, in Part III , John will look at the perception golfers have of Wilson, and how the company plans to improve it.

Written By: John Barba

Imagine if you will a golf manufacturer starting 2007 with less than nothing. Over the course of 7 years, sales for that company reach the mid-$120 million mark and the company finally starts turning a profit.

Oh, and along the way their equipment is used to win 3 majors and cop 2 nd place in a fourth.  Did I mention their tour staff has 3 wins worldwide this year?

Not bad for a 7-year old company, wouldn’t you say?

I bet you’d think reaching that level of accomplishment in only 7 years is borderline amazing. You’d probably think these guys must be making pretty good stuff, and you might even say, “bully for the little guy showing those big OEM’s a thing or two!”

What if this company follows 2-year product release cycles, doesn’t come out with a new driver every six months, doesn’t promise you 17 more yards every year and doesn’t go over-the-top-crazy signing Tour staff to big money deals. They preach fiscal responsibility and provide you, the consumer, with gear priced well below TaylorMade, Callaway and the gang?

And what if I told you this little company had some of the better performing drivers and fairway woods in the MGS Most Wanted reviews in both 2013 and 2014 ?  And one of the best performing irons MGS has ever reviewed?

Wouldn’t you be the tiniest bit intrigued?

I bet you would.

But more than anything, I’m guessing you really want to know who this Cinderella-story-outta-nowhere company is.

It’s Wilson.

Yep, Wilson.

“Whoa, hold on cowboy.  Wilson? They’re old people’s club. They’re the – yeccchhh – boxed-set-Wal-Mart company.  That can’t be right.”

Bet you didn’t see that one coming.

Re-Booting Wilson Golf

Okay, so maybe that “starting in 2007” line may have thrown you, but there’s a very compelling argument to be made that 2007 was the year that separates the Tale of Two Wilson’s.  The first Tale serves as a Harvard Business School-level case study on how to drive a legendary global brand into the ground and damn near kill it.  The second Tale can’t really be called a rebirth or resurrection (not yet, anyway), but it can be called a re-boot .  Wilson 2.0, if you will.

Today we’ll look at just what did happen to Wilson and how, through a series of ownership changes, an evolving golf landscape and, as today’s Wilson leadership freely admits, poor management and really, really bad decisions steered this once-proud market leader to the edge of doom and worse: irrelevance .

A bit later we’ll discuss what’s happened since the 2007 re-boot, how Wilson is trying to get back in the game and assess whether they’re succeeding.  And lastly we’ll look at Wilson’s equipment, their philosophy and what their brand is trying to be.

So, just what the hell did happen to Wilson Golf?

To understand, we need some background.

We all know the old Wilson: iconic forged irons; Snead, Palmer, Stewart, Caspar, Irwin, et al; more majors than any other brand. And we all know that Wilson seemingly fell of a cliff somewhere along the way and slipped into virtual irrelevancy.

“With any 100-year old brand there are ebbs and flows that happen,” said Wilson Golf General Manager Tim Clarke, in an interview earlier this month in Arizona.

Now there’s an understatement.

So when did the ebbing start for Wilson Golf ?  The answer can be found in 5 watershed years: 1970, 1985, 1993, 1997 and 2006, and it starts with the taste of a new generation…

The Boxed Sets of the Pepsi Era

PepsiCo bought Wilson in 1970, and its stewardship of the brand ran through 1985. During that time the seeds were planted that would ultimately send Wilson Golf tumbling from the top of the mountain to beneath the bottom of the heap.

Back then Wilson was the name in golf: world-class irons and the tour’s best players on staff.  But in the 70s PepsiCo management started taking over various Wilson business units, including golf.

“Everybody wants to make their mark,” said Clarke. “A new person comes in and he’s gonna tell you how it’s gonna be done, because the way you’ve been doing it is wrong.”

The new Pepsi people started doing what Pepsi did best – package stuff and sell large quantities of it – hence the birth of Wilson’s “boxed sets.”

Boxed sets became high dollar volume, low margin, low service SKUs sold through department stores.  Wilson sold a ton of them over the decades, creating cash flow. But the damage to the brand, the notion that Wilson was a “department store brand,” had begun.

In 1985, PepsiCo sold Wilson to a highly leveraged private equity group, and 4 years later the equity group sold out to Amer Sports, a Finnish holding company (which at the time also owned MacGregor, buying controlling interest from Jack Nicklaus in 1986). Amer still owns Wilson today.

“During that period of time there was a clump of three ownership changes in a period of 4 years,” said Clarke. “It affects your business and it affects what you stand for.”

But as I learned during my visit with Wilson management, bad business decisions didn’t end with new ownership.

“If you think back, in 1993 Wilson was on top of the mountain in irons,” said Clarke. “We had multiple tour players but we were losing market share even though we made great stuff.  We were the forging darling back then. We couldn’t make any money, but we were number one!  The perception was we were great. The reality was fiscally we were a disaster.”

Wilson’s long run at the top was about to take a sharp right turn. They were still selling tons of irons, but Callaway was making Big Bertha-sized waves. The King Cobra oversized irons came out, and TaylorMade was prepping its Bubble Burner shaft. The new girls in town were starting to turn heads.

And Wilson Golf was swimming in red ink.

Compounding Mistakes

So what do businesses do when they start losing both money and market share? They tend to make shortsighted decisions that haunt them for decades.  Wilson started trimming its Tour staff and, much to the chagrin of Pro Shops (who still sold most of the balls and equipment back then. Ask your Dad), jumped in bed with Wal-Mart.  At that time Wilson’s Ultra was one of the best selling balls in golf, giving Titleist a run for its money. In a quest to meet sales goals and secure end-of-year cash bonuses, management cut a huge deal with Wal-Mart for the Ultra.  Wal-Mart could sell the balls for roughly a dollar more than what the Pros could buy them for.

Reaction from the pros was about what you’d expect.

Now let’s fast forward to 1997. Wilson’s sales are still strong at a round $350 million but, according to Clarke, the division is still losing money by the barrel. MacGregor, doing even worse, is dumped by Amer Sports.

In ’97 Tiger makes history at the Masters with a hot new Cobra driver and later bags Titleist irons.  Adidas buys Taylormade, and TM staffer Ernie Els wins the US Open. Ping and Callaway are still flexing, and what does Wilson come out with?

“Fat Shaft worked – there’s no doubt about it,” said Clarke. “The consumer didn’t vote for it as well as we hoped because it was polarizing. Some people would just set that thing down and they were used to something tapered and were like, ‘uh-uh, I’m not gonna play it.’

It was also around this time Wilson Golf started riding the General Manager merry-go-round: 6 new GM’s in a period of 10 years, with each trying to fix what the guy before him messed up.

“That’s a lot of change,” said Clarke. “I saw us go here, I saw us go here…I’ve seen a lot of it. We just kept changing direction…whether it’s ownership changes or general manager changes, it affects your business and it affects what you stand for.

“Golf consumers are very educated. The elite followers are exceptionally knowledgeable, so you gotta stand for something.”

By the early 2000’s Wilson started standing for Game Improvement irons, with premium irons taking a back seat. Wilson continued to cut back on Tour staff and TV advertising, market share kept dwindling and the losses kept mounting.  The cash flow from the low-margin, high-volume boxed-set sales, one would think, was critical. Revolving-door management teams kept making the types of decisions that downward-spiraling businesses tend to make – bad ones.  The sales force was downsized, the marketing budget was slashed and R&D was at a standstill.

“And when you do that,” said Clarke, “sales disappear and things go south.”

Hitting Rock Bottom

2006 may have been rock bottom for Wilson Golf. From ’97 to ’06 sales nosedived nearly 55%, to roughly $153 million and the losses kept mounting, to the tune of around $15 million per year.  Was there a concern that Wilson would go the way of MacGregor?

“Oh yeah, for sure,” said Clarke.  “There are lots of sleepless nights when you’re in a business unit that’s losing millions of dollars. When I first got the position (Clarke was named Wilson Golf GM in late ’06) people would say ‘you need Amer Sport to investment-spend in you!’ And I’m like, they are! They’re covering our $15 million in losses. What do you want me to do, tell them to give me another 15?”

Wilson didn’t fall down this rabbit hole overnight.  The downward tumble started gradually, but soon turned into a 22-year long landslide and rumors started swirling that Wilson Golf could be sold off.  By Clarke’s estimate, Wilson’s market share in irons bottomed out at roughly 0.6% by 2007.

Read that again.  The brand that had, for decades, been the standard in golf and had won more majors than any other brand, was now only selling roughly 1 out of every 200 golf clubs sold in the U.S.

At that time, golf industry analyst Casey Alexander wrote, “The public perception is that Wilson no longer makes premium golf clubs.  If that perception goes on for two or three season, it will be a daunting task for management to turn the Wilson ship around.”

Is Wilson up to that daunting task, or is the brand too far gone?

“If you think about how long it took us to get the perception of ‘poor’,’’ said Clarke, “it’s going to take us probably just as long, if not longer, to get us back into the world class. We didn’t get there overnight, we’re not getting out overnight.”

Stable Management

Clarke has been the head man at Wilson Golf for over 7 years now – a relative eternity compared to the “Whack-A-Mole” management that preceded him.  Since 2006 Wilson Golf’s overall sales have dropped further, down 20% from $153 million to what Clarke estimates to be in the mid-$120 million range this year.

The difference is the color of the ink at the bottom of the ledger.  Black has replaced red.

Double-digit growth may sound impressive, but when you’re starting from a 0.6% market share that kind of growth still represents baby steps.  In the coming days we’ll look how Wilson is trying to keep the baby stepping while changing its perception; how Wilson spends its money and how important a little “luck of the Irish” was in re-booting Wilson 2.0.

In Case You Missed It

Part II – Wilson 2.0 – Rebuilding the Wilson Staff Brand Part III – So What Now, Wilson?

Golf Shafts

Apr 14, 2024, testers wanted: autoflex dream 7 driver shaft.

A Rare Masters ‘L’: Day Asked To Remove Sweater

Apr 13, 2024

Testers wanted: callaway ai smoke drivers.

• about the author
• latest posts

John is an aging, yet avid golfer, writer, 6-point-something handicapper living back home in New England after a 22-year exile in Minnesota. He loves telling stories, writing about golf and golf travel, and enjoys classic golf equipment. “The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight.” - BenHogan

Email Address

3 years ago

I recently purchased a set of Wilson Staff Model Blades and their FG Tour 100’s and these are the BEST irons I have ever played and I have played ALL brands in my 40+ years of playing golf. I also have a set of their V6 irons and they are superb! All I can say is, take the time to check out these clubs and give them a chance. It would be nice if they were sold in pro-shops but find a place where they are being demo’d and try them. Being honest…the Model Blades are the BEST looking blades on the market! Everyone that sees them will say “those are really nice looking clubs, who makes them?” When I say Wilson Staff they say “WOW”, those are nice! Two thumbs up WS!!!

2 years ago

Always liked the Wilson Staff from the 70’s and 80’s.. I recently bought some Wilson Staff irons at a garage sale 3,4,6,7,9, and PW and hit them pretty good at the driving range.. Does anyone know where I can get others like them to match the set? They are Wilson Staff RG 300

4 years ago

As I run back into this article 6 years later their march back from the brink continues. Including the 2019 US Open. That Staff Blade is still the sexiest stick out there IMHO.

I recall Adam stressing the rebuilding of the brand would take time.. Give them credit. They’re staying the course.

I’ve been in golf since the mid-1950s in Toronto. Back then, Wilson Golf Clubs were the Rolls Royce of golf clubs.. When Wilson sold to Pepsico, my teaching pro obtained a personal-use set of ‘Staffs. It was 1973. He played them once, brought them in an measured the set. They were a miss-matched pile of junk.

After the prestige of Top Notch and Staff (remember the reminder grip?), it was a sorry moment for a great company. Mike Kahn, Golfmak, Inc. St. Petersburg, Florida.

5 years ago

I just bought a set of the WS FG V6 irons. I have to say I’m impressed. Don’t overlook these irons! They fell great and look great. For some reason it’s all about the name…If I ask a young player about Wilson clubs he looks at me like “Wilson?” They think they have to play the other big name clubs…NOT TRUE! I hope Wilson can get their clubs in the hands of some more PGA players and you will see Wilson back on top. Kids that watch golf play the brand of clubs the PGA players are playing. You HAVE to get these clubs in the hands of PGA players…period!

I bought a set of Fat Shaft when they first came out. They were the easiest irons to hit. I loved them. They had great feel and were long. Wish I still had them.

6 years ago

I bought my first Wilson Staff woods in 1962. They were the greatest clubs I ever played. Then in 1967 my dad bought me a set of Haig Ultra irons, a Wilson owned company, and they were pretty much a copy of the forged Wilson Staff irons of the day. Wish I still had them. I play Titleist now, but they don’t compare to those Wilson Staff clubs. Always will be a Wilson fan! They were the best!

I’ve been playing various models of Wilson’s golf clubs for 30 years. Started with my dads fg-17 irons. Tried some hogan edge irons, didn’t like em, found a set of MacGregor jnp irons. Now I’m back to Wilson as my go to clubs. This time around I’m playing vintage gooseneck fg-53’s. I’m a fan of vintage golf equipment and nothing is better than catching a blade or a persimmon wood in the sweet spot. To me, golf is more enjoyable and rewarding with the vintage equipment. I’m also playing vintage spalding custom crafted irons….

7 years ago

“Today begins a 3 part series on Wilson Golf from MyGolfSpy’s Forum Director, John Barba.”

What day would “today” be in the above sentence?

Edward Petrowski Jr

8 years ago

Great article. Glad I got my clubs before 1970!

Myron Burrell

Got my first full set of Wilson pro staff ADs from the goodwill and instantly fell in love with with Wilson staff irons. A year later bought a mint set of 1988 fluid feels and loved the feeling of hitting the sweet spot. A few weeks later bought the DUO and would only use that ball until I found the 3 piece FG Tour. Wow. Was this a great ball but hard to find. Sadly my love affair with the Wilson brand did not carry over into the wood M3 wood line or FG Tour wedges. The woods are entirely too loud and hard the hit. The forgiveness factor in the M3 line doesn’t exist. The wedges have too sharp of a leading edge, good for slicing through rough but bad for tight lies. The FG62 line dis not disappoint, they are buttery soft but you have to make a pure strike to get the most out of them. (THEY ARE BLADES) If Wilson could build a driver and woods that their staff would play I think it would bring back their brand tremendously but until that happens Wilson will continue to be overlooked

Mike Webber

Great clubs. Been playing staffs since 1964 when I first started playing. I still feel the 1966-1971 irons were and still are the best ever. A Wilson Staff pro by the name of Butch Hansen in the Atlanta area gave me my first set. He still lives in Atlanta and so do I. We have remained close friends through the years. I wrote sports for a daily paper for 30 years. Almost lost both legs in 1978 and he remained close through it all. He still still works with my game. It used to be a 2-handicap. Not now but I still love the game. Have a garage full of staff irons. Love ’em. Wouldn’t trade them for anything. Thanks, Mike

9 years ago

I started playing at the age of 14,I’m 31 now. My first job was at a local country club. One of the members who was also a family friend gave me an old set of his late fathers clubs a set of Wilson 1200 blade irons from about circa 1978. I thought they were the greatest thing in the world. About 3 years later as the golf empire progressed and I saw all of the member and other employees buying new and fancier clubs I started to think “are these clubs outdated and not as good?” So I put them up and started to play with the new ping irons that had just came out. Now I had the best clubs that we’re currently available. These clubs didn’t improve my game any at all no extra distance no better accuracy but they were the best clubs out there. About a year after I bought them I left the pro shop for a different job and had to cut down on my play time. Years down the road I pulled out my clubs again started to play after a while I realized it really wasn’t about which clubs I had. It was about learning to hit the clubs that I had. So I took out my old 1200s got them regripped and swung away. So in short new is not always better.

Ed Hilferty

Boy I had several sets of 1976 model MB irons until several operations and injuries forced me to retire them in 2006. I have yet to find a better iron than those, of course my swing speed dropped about 25 mph with my driver since the good old days. I have gone through over 20 sets of irons since giving up my Wilson Staff’s and can’t find any that can compete with those, all’s I had to do was think the shot in my head and could pull it off, now these new clubs are everything but that. I know the ball has less spin and the irons have square grooves, but I have had all the good brand names, some in blades and some more forgiving. Nothing hits better than Staff FG (vintage) irons.

Robert Mendralla

I worked in the Wilson R&D Department for many years. I saw Jim Shenoha take his idea for the Wilson Fat Shaft from concept to completion. The design/idea came from Jim and was NOT a tennis innovation.

I see where Geoff Shackleford copy and pasted this article to his website…does anyone here read Shackelford?

I have played 50 Elite’s for a couple of years and I love the feel and the price. I think they are the best overall value and feel of any ball on the market. They are not Rock-Flites but also not Pro V’s: just a good compromise ball with a soft feel that won’t piss you off cuz you just threw a $5 bill away if you happen to hit one in the drink or OB like a Pro-V.

Played a fat shaft driver a number of years ago. It was a club you loved to look down at, that dark ruby red club head was beautiful.

One of the most beautiful set of blades I have ever seen was a set of Wilsons. This was a couple of years ago. Cant tell you the model #, but they were art.

I love Ping but I will do anything I can to support Wilson: Balls, hats, even irons if the same type of support I get from Ping is there.

Alan Walker

Wilson were the Pro’s choice in the 1970’s & 80’s. Great stable of tour players and a high % of Club Pro’s, especially those at public courses with high throughput of golfers. FG17 was one of their best blades as 1200GE & 1200TR were hugely successful models that sold well for nearly a decade. Great range of bags, gloves and accessories and of course who can forget the iconic putter 8803, R90 wedges, Snead and Berg individual models and the ‘Sandy Andy’ SW. All went pear shaped with the Fat Shaft IMO. Although I appreciate they supposedly performed well it was a design step too far for their loyal customers. Never really recovered from then on and were overtaken by innovative new kids on the block together with customization. ‘Every dog has their day’ as they say and Wilson turned left when everyone else turned right. Big shame because was an iconic brand for decades. I doubt whether it can ever be the brand it was with the retail penetration it once enjoyed.

It was not just the business decisions and the product offerings that sunk Wilson. Wilson made several poor decisions on the legal / patent infringement front. See PACER.GOV for the trial information.

John Simpson

I have been a tech in the retail golf and tennis industry since 1999. One of the things that Wilson did that confused the client was its use of Staff and ProStaff branding. In tennis, Prostaff is a premium brand, but in golf, it represents their value brand. Since over 40% of tennis players are also golfers, Wilson loyal clients got the shaft (excuse the pun), if they didn’t know better. As a tech, I sent back a high percentage of Wilson Prostaff products for broken shafts, heads coming unglued, crowns caving in and welds cracking. That reputation is hard to overcome. By the time they turned around the brand, I couldn’t sell a Wilson Staff set or driver unless it was heavily discounted. Everyone in the industry knows that at best, golf has plateaued – at worst, it is in freefall. I am seeing more and more clients just keeping their old irons and woods or buying heavily discounted or last year’s products. I wish Wilson well, but I just don’t see them ever recover their iconic place in today’s market.

John Simpson PCS Certified Class A Clubmaker GCA Advanced Clubmaker

Still have my set of Fat Shafts…backup set in Florida…love those things…can’t bear to get rid of them…hit them as well as the new stuff…but unlike others, I loved the way they looked on the ground! Was glad to see Wilson kinda rejuvenated a few years ago with equipment that was highly reviewed…now if they could somehow eradicate the relationship with Walmart.

I hope Wilson gets back to a top brand as before, I miss the brand as an old retired club Pro from the 70`s ,80`s,90`s. The original ultra ball was the best before they started to try and make different flights from an already super ball. The Wilson equipment was great ,a lot of us would like to see the company back on top.

Very interesting article. The demise of the great old (forged) iron companies MacGregor, Hogan, tommy armor & almost Wilson has been interesting. You failed to mention that Wilson came out with one of the first combination sets of irons – heavy cavity back long irons, medium cavity back mid irons and essentially blade short irons. Great idea. Never saw anyone else ever buy a set. Keep up the good work.

I appreciate Wilson Staff very much. I got rid of my PRO V1 and play the FG TOUR ball. Wilsons pro style ball. My 1963 Dynapower Clubs are still very playable. All golfers need to try the FG Tour M3 and the New V4 irons. If Wilson did the advertizing that Titleist and Taylormade did they would blow these other company s out of the water in sales. Keep hanging in there Wilson.

Larry Knotts

During the 70s I was a club professional on Wilson’s staff. They had great product & great service until Pepsi started running the show. Although the club tests are fairly good today, they’ve abandoned the green grass side & I doubt their ability to service the consumer. (The last set they built for me (1977) was nearly perfect as to loft,, lie, swing weight, etc. – but that was long ago!)

I love Wilson irons! I own a primo set of 1989 Goosenecks, a refinished set of 1979 tour blades along with a set of well used 78 tour blades. One day if I save enough coin I would love to get their new 100 yr blades. I agree with the write up. When I got into golf around 1998 or so, the Wilson Invex (or whatever it was called) was the ugliest thing ever, and Walmart, Canadian Tire had Wilson along with another once great brand, Top Flite. Keep it up Wilson!

Cool clubs I own: Hogan Apex 50, Maxfli Aussie blades, Macgregor Mt split soles etc..

Howie Alter

From the mid sixties to the mid seventies Wilson created Dynapower irons that were sleek and artististic. Players’ clubs, yet they were innovative with removable weight plugs and they were experimenting with cavities and various designs of changing the weight distribution on the back of the heads for playabilty. The bullet backs and the Venturi irons could hold their own with Mizuno and Titleist in today’s market. Bring back a heritage series of irons, bring back a chromed version of many putters like the classic 8802 and 8813 and you will recapture the interest in the brand. Glance through Jim Kaplan’s book on the Wilson history and there are many clubs that could reignite the name. There might be a few tour players who would actually choose to play them on their own without a sack of cash as an incentive.

I just bought a custom set of Wilson Staff 100 Year Anniversary forged blade irons. They are the best feeling, looking and performing irons I’ve ever owned. The Tour Staff ball performs equally as well and are much less than the big X model I used to use.

A few years ago I was looking for a new set of irons and decided on the Wilson DI-9’s only after swinging all of the big name brands, i.e. TaylorMade, Callaway, etc. Still have them and still like them. Seems like Wilson is making an effort to bring back a quality product and is getting some positive recognition.

i have collected and use wilson clubs and find them ok their shape,style and finish i believe is up with the best. my son uses an midsize set loves them,my stepson uses current model blades,rescue,3 wood and maintains a scratch +1 hcp,but on using the current driver has bubbled the crown squashing the face and bulging the top. wilson rep replaced damaged head 3 times and together they agreed the face and support design did not have enough strength for his swing,but his choice of replacement was out of left field, not a big seller but rated very high golfspy testers and only one head pressurised.

Steve Schenker

I got my and only Hole-in -one In Aruba with Wilson Fatshafts. I have had several sets. I also like the 50/50 Wilson Staff golf balls.

Steve Trust

I was so proud to get my set of Wilson Staff’s in 1981. Played the heck out of them and still have them in the Garage

Great story, fascinating. How easy do we forget and how fickle are we, I was quite happy for Wilson golf to disappear and a few other brands for that matter. We have become mesmerized by all that smoke and mirrors or have we (Taylormade sales down 40% wow)

I bag Wilson C100’s and love them. I think that Wilson has the opportunity to take over what Adams had – quality, no nonsense equipment at a value price.

Nice write up – looking forward to the other installments. Happy New Year!

I have had wilson staff clubs since 19634qnd still have them. Those are the only clubs I will play. They make the best blades FG62 and Ci11 irons and now there new line ups the best ever. People only play what they see. TM or Callaway but if golfers checked out Wilson Staff they wouldnt play those other clubs. Its perception. need to be open minded and check out Wilson Staff there is nothing better in the golf market today.

Great story.I got a set of Staffs back in 1962,forged irons and four woods ,having not played the game seriously,I went for lessons at Bethpage. when the pro saw the irons he laughed and said you have better clubs then me. Once I got to learn the game these clubs were amazing.I had them for 10 years. Once the technology changed,so did golf.

Great piece. I’m a BIG Wilson fan. They make some of the best equipment out there at the most competitive prices. I game the Duo and the Fifty, depending on conditions and can get both at extremely good prices. I fly my Wilson towel proudly.

Old man brand, maybe, but if it performs, it performs. Heck, I still drink Miller High Life.

Do not see much Wilson clubs in NZ but there Duo balls are just fantastic

I have read two of the three installments about Wilson Staff. Wonderful journalism. I am a long time believer in the brand. I have no doubt that they are over they are over the hump in terms of survival. Now it is a matter of how big they want to make their golf business.

Like another person mentioned I find their advertising a bit silly for a serious golf brand. I hope that changes going forward.

Still, just very cool to see an iconic brand make it in todays marketplace.

Wow what a trip down memory lane. By the way I’m that Dad you should ask. For the first 20 years of my less than glorious golfing career serious golfers either played Wilson or Mac Gregor. Period. Being a Nicklaus guy I always gamed Jack’s clubs. Still think the Muirfields were the best irons I ever played. Neither of the icons ever successfully transited to cavity backs or metal woods at least IMHO. Moving forward Wilson always manufactured great balls and still do from the Smart Core to the Duo. Their recent wood entries are OK. Just bought a D100 which is pretty good but again the fact that it doesn’t have an adjustable hosel (to allow for shaft changes) will eventually prevent it from being a permanent gamer.

The article is pretty much on target. PepsiCo had too many MBA’s trying to re-invent the wheel and didn’t adapt fast enough to club fitting. Add the fact they went to the off course arena early(partly do to the Buddy Orange/Sherman Anti trust law suit) and you had a recipe for disaster.

Where does the duo stack up against nxt tour? I’m looking to switch golf balls . anyone have suggestions? 10 handicapper here.

I like me both; duo is softer, has better feel and less expensive. That’s my winning trifecta.

The duo is a very good ball. I have played it for 2 years. Went from playin the prov1x to it. Oh. I am 61 a 5 handicap and still have a 103 mph driver speed. Don’t let people tell you it is for slower swing speeds.

Back when, I picked up a box of ProStaffs ’cause they were cheap, played them for years ’cause they were good.

Raised a few eyebrows :)

Mike Schiller

I’ve been involved with the game since 1962, back then the greats played Wilson Staff! One of them being my golf hero Arnold Palmer. As a caddy I always knew if a guest came with Staff’s in his bag he was a better than average player. I think there was nothing prettier in golf than the Wilson Staff irons and woods back in the 60’s, they were clean looking and the W/S logo on the club always indicated quality. The Red and White Staff Bag was coveted by caddies, as it usually meant your player could keep it in the short grass. I do hope to purchase the putter made famous by Arnie, now known as 8802, I love the feel and look and hope to add one back into my bag. I should have NEVER given up the one I had as a kid. Thanks for this great article, looking forward to the next installment, being born and raised in Chicagoland I sure hope Wilson can make a comeback to being a leader again in the golf industry. Just need Wilson to redevelop relationships with club pro shops!

My ex-wife’s uncle gave me a set of Wilson Staff irons back in the early 70s. They were a great set of irons. Played them for a number of years. I remember when the Fat Shaft driver came out. I hit it at a demo day and actually hit it pretty well. There was just something about looking down that shaft that just flat turned me off on it. I too wish they would drop the WalMart connection. It definitely hurts their image IMHO.

Great observations.

I had a front seat to the destruction of the Hogan brand in the mid 90’s. The story follows a similar plot. Numerous ownership changes, management changes, geographic changes… lack of a cohesive niche strategy. One day it’s “green grass only”, the next it’s custom fitting, then apparel, a new golf ball, Metal woods, then retrench to irons and wedges… all without sufficient air cover from advertising and tour endorsements.

Unless Microsoft or Google decide to start making golf equipment, it’s tough to compete with the massive advertising and sponsorship budgets of the industry leaders. The money just isn’t there for second and third tier golf brands to go head to head with Titleist, Callaway and Taylormade… successful brands pick a niche, putters, hybrids, drivers, irons, wedges and put a focus on winning in that category. Wilson and Hogan both failed to realize they were outgunned and kept at strategies which ignored the relative financial strength required in the new world order.

Now the only remnant of the Hogan brand is the word “Apex” carved into some Callaway irons… at least Wilson has lived to play another day.

I left out NIKE… who has piled on the golf business and driven the cost of being relevant even higher…

Roland Isnor

Great article and I will read with interest the forthcoming installments. But, there is more to marketing golf clubs than producing good clubs. I play Bobby Jones hybrids and they are the best clubs in my bag. I’ve played Adams and Taylor Made, etc. But, I hit the Bobby Jones hybrids absolutely the best. But, they don’t have a big market share. Golfers are very image conscious…snobs, if you will. 30 handicappers will play $2,500 matched Pings just to say they do. And, who doesn’t use an Odyssey putter now. Although I think Padrig Harrington is a Wilson Staff golfer, If theyn can get Tiger or Rory in their stable, they will become instantly credible again. Until then…nobody wants to play clubs or balls that are sold at Walmart. It’s not a good image. Good luck to them though.

Interesting article I too played the 1971 blades for 20 plus years nothing like them. Today’s players can’t hit them they are not as forgiving as today’s equipment. I just picked up the new wilson putter very nice. The FL tours are a winner. Let’s hope they make it

Interesting article…I grew up with Wilson like many here and play the original FG Tours now.. I didn’t know the extent of their WalMart relationship, but their mass marketing, Pepsico ownership was disastrous. Never understood the move to low margin mass marketing. Brands work years to earn top end status. To squander that status was baffling. They got out of forged clubs entirely for awhile. That’s when I went elsewhere. The Fat Shafts were a good attempt at reclaiming some technology edge but were ugly…I mean the Cleveland VAS were good clubs but were equally ignored in the market. Anyway, the mass market approach was a marketing blunder of epic proportions. I’ve shared this story before but was at the range of a private club and the guy was next to me was getting ready for a corporate event. He had a set of old Ultra clubs and snapped two of the heads off of woods in 10 minutes. Wilson lost a customer permanently with their junk lines. I love the Staff stuff, particularly the forged irons and wedges. Gamed a Staff mallet for a couple years that worked great at my old club. Point is, their Staff lines are very competitive quality wise and at a better price point than the majority of the competition. To be fair, years ago I was wanting to play and was tight on funds. I ended up buying a set of Mizuno cast irons with graphite shafts. Worst clubs I’ve ever hit. Numb feel and shafts that loaded up unpredictably and made clubbing accurately impossible. Now, years later I love the quality Mizuno puts out and am aware the junk line was just that. But for a few years that was my perception. Wilson has the same problem on a much bigger scale. I hope they can make it back into the upper echelon in peoples minds. The current management is making some better decisions (even if some of the commercials conflict with the image of being a serious club builder). I really hope they survive this.

Great article…I’ve definitely seen more from WS in the past couple of years. It appears marketing budgets are starting to come back, always a good sign.

It’s definitely a tricky situation to be in. I’d have to imagine that brand awareness is extremely high, the biggest struggle is most likely favorability. That is definitely the most challenging needle to move…but they find themselves in a good position given the over-encumbered nature of their competitors.

Rack up a few more wins…let your competition continue to implode (TaylorMade cannot sustain their marketing budgets for much longer with negative ROI), add in some great reviews and don’t fall into the 6 month release cycle and they will definitely keep climbing.

Undershooter30

Great article John! I love all the new wilson stuff I’ve tried and even shot my lowest round of the year (-3) with a wilson duo. Crazy to me since I usually play tour balls. Look forward to reading part two and three!

Great review. Wouldn’t it be best for them to change their name and start over keeping the technology they have?

I have been the Wilson Duo for two years and people will not believe me that it is a good two core ball and performs as good as any in a low end ball. At times I am amazed how it checks on the greens. A few friends on mine have started hitting Wilson clubs again and they do well with them. I hope the recovery continues. Good article.

I play Wilson Staff V2 irons , FG balls , wedges, fybrid , and would not trade them for any others on the market.I intend to demo the D200 woods Jan.15th. I was raised on Wilson Staff irons and balls. I believe they will return to the King of The Hill .. Thanks to Tim Clarke ,Mike Verska . Fine Wine Takes Time.

p.s. ‘don’t knock it till you’ve tried it’

Why you don’t talk about Wilson was the first to create the slot in iron golf who was copy by TM

Very good article. Keep up the good work, as I enjoyed reading it. I almost purchased a set of Wilson Staff gooseneck irons back in the late 1980’s. Back then, Wilson had some nice sets in pro shops. I’m glad that they are making a comeback, and also that they are doing it by selling top notch product at prices that are a bit lower than other premium OEM’s.

Shiddygolfer

I keep putting the DXI 3 & 5 woods back in the bag they are just awesome off the tee. Under $40 bucks at some sites like BG is great too. I haven’t tried the new fg tour ball but the last version fg tour x was fantastic. Really missing that ball but the duo is also fun to hit in the cooler weather. It’s like wacking a tennis ball with a bat and half a club longer on the irons. My buddies who swing smartly under 100 gain a lot and some a full club. Sounds crazy but it truly is a great ball.

I began playing in an era when almost all the top players in the game played clubs made by Wilson, MacGregor, or Hogan (and maybe Spalding). I think we have to give Wilson credit for still being around some 60 years later when all the others are basically gone. I’ve owned four sets of Wilson clubs myself… although that was years ago… and think their W/S logo is timeless in it’s appeal. It would be wonderful to see Wilson regain some credibility with lower handicap players.

Played with the old langers masters loved them still have them in the garage

I brought the FG V2 tour irons and the VISOR putter and I went from 7 to 5 in a week and a half. Shot my lowesr scores in my playing history with 75, 72, 72, 74, 74, 77 in consecutive rounds. Wilson have won.more majors than any other brand – enough said.

Great write up John. Wilson does make some nice gear again, hope more people give them a shot.

Played Wilson clubs back in the 80″s and would love to give the tour 100 blades a try as they look gorgeous but struggle to find a retailer so I can get fitted here in the UK . Will keep an eye on their other products & hope they work hard to think of us low handicappers as well as the Walmart crowd. It’ll take a long time to get back to being taken seriously but good luck to em .

i too, grew up with ‘staffs in the bag- and have always maintained the distinction between Wilson and Wilson Staff. i remember too, that even at their lowest they were making great stuff- ci6 and ci7 were highly reviewed, to the point where i bought a set of ci7’s in ’08 over Titleist, TM, Callaway, etc., and still game them- really good clubs, and I’ll probably keep them until i can justify the layout for a good forged player’s/game improvement set along the lines of fg tour v2, jpx forged, ap series, cb3, etc…

oh- p.s.- the forged blades they occasionally release are absolutely gorgeous! more, please!

Amen andrew! I still game my Ci7 irons. And I’ve coveted the FG Tour V2’s since they came out. I have a nostalgic place in my heart for the brand that I learned to golf with. Even though I’ve strayed at times, I always have bagged something Wilson. And even though I get better putting results with a big ‘ol mallet, nothing looks prettier than an 8802 style blade putter.

Great article, I game the tour m3 irons, the fg tour tc wedges and both staff balls(duo this time of the year in the northeast) Great to see this classic brand making a comeback and putting out the best value in equipment these days!

I live near their Corporate Office in Chicago, so during demo days, I get to see the newest items very often very understated. I own a set of D-100 and just love them. When I bought them, the shop owner said the he had sold 3 sets in the last week,so people are buying. They have a great set of wedges as well. Like to see them drop the “Wal-Mart” product line to get back their “Golf Swagger”

Great article. Look forward to reading more. Just picked up a dozen Duos to test them out in cold weather. Would try the irons if a local demo day is offered. My first set of clubs were Wilsons so a nostalgic brand for me.

Great start to the articles John, looking forward to the rest of them. Follow up question, or maybe it’s going to be answered in the rest. Why/When did Wilson differentiate to Wilson vs. Wilson Staff?

From what I’ve been able to find – the Wilson Staff rebrand was sometime around 2005 or so, my guess would be to differentiate high end equipment from the standard offering.

ScooterMcTavish

This differentiation goes back to even the 60’s where department store models (i.e. X-31, Blue Ridge) were differentiated from Staff models (i.e. Turf-Riders, Fluid Feel).

Even in the 80’s, the Wilson brand had the “hacker’s” balls such as the Aviator and Ultra, while the better ball (i.e. the wound TC3) was sold as “Wilson Staff”.

However, it should be noted that even Wilson’s “mass merchandise” products in the 80’s were still of good quality.

Problem was for the casual golfer that they could not differentiate between the pro-line and mass merchandise products. Companies such as Acushnet did a much better job with differentiating brands such as Titleist for pro-line, and Pinnacle for us mere mortals.

Unfortunately even the mass market “Wilson” stuff became such poor quality in the 90;’s-2000’s (i.e. Wilson “Maximum” $5/doz golf balls), that there was almost no way to wash the stink off of the Staff brand.

Although their forays into irons have certainly improved, with everything from the modern (Di series, FG series) to the traditional (FG-59, FG-100), I think the most substantial thing they’ve done to rebuild the brand was their golf balls. Consumers can now distinguish the Duo, 50 Elite, and previous iterations like the C:25 from mass market junk like the Ultra and Velocity.

However, rebuilding the confidence of pro shops and specialty retailers will take time – I hope that Wilson reinvests some of its “black ink” into refreshing these sales channels. I’ve seen some of this happening already, and hope they continue.

I would love to know how the Duo golf ball is ranking in sales vs other brands. I own a golf shop and sell the Duo 10-1 over all others

Stogiesnbogies

The Duo and the Fifty Elite are both excellent balls for mid-high ‘cappers – especially those with slower swing speeds. I play both of these balls as well as the Callaway Supersoft and love them all.

It’s truly ashame what became of their brand regarding clubs and it will indeed be difficult to re-attain their previous “elite” status.

Jeremy Girard

I’ve met Tim and his team and its amazing to see Wilson Staff turn around the ship. The 14 products were great and 15 models even better. Best part is they are going about growth in a measured approach.

Very interesting story John. For me, I only started golfing in 2007 so I am not too familiar with their past. I just think when you walk into a Wal-mart and see the Wilson name on the golf clubs there, it makes it very difficult for me to take them seriously as a brand, no matter what anyone else says.

txgolfjunkie

Wilson did produce a great golf ball in the ultra. Now I laugh when I find one on the course and throw it back in the weeds. I don’t game the fg tour v2 irons, but I steered my 10 handicap brother in law to purchase then and he loves them. Heck, just plaster Meghan Hardin all over their stuff and it will sell.

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Titleist ProV1 Golf Balls

Check out best custom Masters gear at Augusta National

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A tradition unlike any other, the Masters offers an ideal setting for golf manufacturers – and players – to show off their creative side. When the PGA TOUR heads to Augusta National for the season’s first major, anything and everything is on the table when it comes to custom golf bags, clothing and gear.

There is a plethora of options for inspiration, and some stick to the traditions for stimulation: the Masters green jacket donned by patrons across the property, blooming azaleas lining Amen Corner or the iconic logo, a yellow United States outline with a red flagstick pinned in Georgia. Others go off-piste, thinking outside the box (like Waffle House-themed golf shoes in years past).

Some of the items promoted by the pros at Augusta National are available for purchase, or through company giveaways, while others were made specifically for players or caddies at the event. Take a look below at the best gear seen both at Augusta National and what is available for those watching at home.

TaylorMade traditional staff bags

TaylorMade’s 88th Masters edition staff bag sees a clean and traditional green-and-white color scheme with subtle design notes paying tribute to the ethos of the first major of the year. The company opted for the classic TaylorMade logo on the sides of the bag, while the more modern “T” logo is created with pink azaleas on the front. The handle displays commendation to Amen Corner with gold flags numbered 11 to 13 highlighted with a halo. Across the white sections of the bag, embossed azaleas bring a subtle 3D effect. In contrast, a collection of birth orange peaches lines the bag’s pockets, synonymous with Georgia’s state fruit.

(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Callaway colorful staff bags

For 2024, Callaway decided on a fully white bag with the traditional Masters green as trim. The bag’s main feature is a floral collage of pink, purple, red and orange azaleas on each side of the bag. The same can be said for the headcovers and putter covers.

Spieth’s standout nametag

The 2015 Masters champion is known for his unique black-and-neon blue AT&T staff bag seen weekly on the PGA TOUR. However, Augusta National allows Jordan Spieth to change things up. This year’s Masters sees Spieth’s familiar caddie Michael Greller carrying a green-and-white version of the bag but with one standout feature. On the front of the bag is a metallic gold, flashy nametag displaying “Jordan Spieth.”

(Andrew Redington & Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Viktor’s vivacious clothing script

(J.Lindeberg)

Thomas’ custom Premiere Series FootJoys

The 15-time PGA TOUR winner debuted a slick pair of custom PLAYERS Championship spikes for TPC Sawgrass earlier in the season. This week in Augusta, Justin Thomas has been seen wearing a pair of Premiere Series FootJoys with a custom light pink azalea on the heel and a green-and-white gradient sole.

Gear available for those watching at home

Tp5x pix season opener.

The TaylorMade Pix range for TP5 and TP5x golf balls has offered various versions of logos from supporting college teams to Nelly Korda’s donut-printed design. This year for the Masters, TaylorMade has opted for unique placements of peaches across the golf ball. Each fresh “batch” comes in a textured box similar to the skin of a ripe Georgia peach.

(Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Callaway Chrome Tour Major Series

Similar to the Pix design, Callaway’s Chrome Tour balls are available in a number of different designs. The Masters edition for 2024 has a springtime-inspired flower pattern celebrating the iconic April major championship.

Under Armour Drive Pro LE Golf Shoes “Patron’s Pack”

Look back to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, and between the storms Jordan Spieth was seen with a custom pair of Under Armour Drive Pro golf shoes. Fast forward to April, and Under Armour has released a Masters-themed version of the shoes that both Spieth and Maverick McNealy spent months designing. This version sees white-and-tan mesh with a classic Masters green-and-yellow trim and outsole. The insole features a Masters green checkered pattern with a playful Under Armour-branded pimento cheese logo.

(Under Armour)

PUMA PHANTOMCAT NITRO “Garden”

The aptly named “Garden” edition of the Puma PHANTOMCAT NITRO features a white leather design with green trim. The green-and-white sole of the golf shoe displays a black azalea with their re-imagined, bright yellow FLEXSPIKE.

(Puma Golf)

COBRA DARKSPEED Season Opener X Driver

While the term “Darkspeed” may contradict the colorful palette synonymous with the Masters, Cobra combines the iconic azalea blooms with the all-black look of DARKSPEED. The sole of the driver shows black-shadowed outlines of the Rhododendron with traditional green-and-yellow trim.

(Cobra Golf)

Alistair is a senior staff member at the PGA TOUR. Born and raised in England, he played golf professionally on the European Alps Tour before joining the PGA TOUR. Follow Alistair Cameron on Twitter .

Wilson Iron Tour Players

Which Tour Players Are Using Wilson Irons?

Currently, there are 3 PGA Tour players playing 3 different models of Wilson Irons in their bag.

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