Demo Days: Wilson 2005

Ahh demo days, they’re almost like a rite of spring. Along with warmer temperatures and snow melting, golf companies emerge like bears out of hibernation, eager to let consumers try out their products. Today I tried products from Wilson Staff a company eager to break out of the “weekend warrior” mold and into the ranks of mid to low-handicappers. Wilson has some interesting new products: a combo set of forged irons, composite metal woods, new golf balls, and putters to round out a complete golf bag. Along with new products, Wilson has also bolstered their tour presence by endorsing Padraig Harrington and Jesper Parnevik. So just how much has Wilson improved?

Irons
The big star of Wilson’s 2005 line are their forged Fi5 irons. These are a combo set of irons which are a true muscleback in PW-8, and a forged cavityback in 7-3. These are definitely players clubs. The ones I was hitting were shafted in True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S300 shafts with standard Wilson full-cord grips. These clubs have a very thin top-line, no offset, and small head size. I usually play forged musclebacks so am very used to the look. While these irons did feel slightly harder at impact than my usual set, it was still a pleasant feel. Off-center hits produced a slight loss of distance and accuracy, but not enough to be unplayable. These clubs were very easy to work both ways and the musclebacks produced a low, penetrating ball flight. My only complaint is that once the set reached the cavityback irons, ball flight seemed very high. This is fine in the 3 and 4-irons, but higher than I prefer in the 6 and 7-irons. This would make a great transition set for mid-handicap players who want players clubs, but aren’t ready for harsh long and mid-irons.

Metal Woods
Wilson’s big buzz-word for their metal woods is “nanotechnology.” What that’s doing here I’m not exactly sure since it’s more of an electrical engineering term, but it seems to entail the melding of different materials (carbon fiber, steel, titanium) into golf clubs. Composite drivers are all the rage these days, world No. 1 Vijay Singh has switched to a Cleveland model and this is Wilson’s offering into the world of composites.

Wilson’s drivers have traditional titanium faces and soles, but carbon fiber crowns which helps to move the club’s center of gravity down. This lower center of gravity helps to achieve a higher launch angle which translates into increased distance. These drivers come in two sizes, a 400cc “Performance” Pd5 and a 460cc “Distance” Dd5. Both drivers have deep faces which places more of the sweet spot behind the club’s center of gravity and gives them a slimmer look at address despite their large head sizes. One benefit of the Pd5 performance drivers are the variety of custom shaft options to tweak ball-flight from brands such as Aldila, Grafalloy, and Fujikura.

I chose a Pd5 with an S flex Aldila NV 75 shaft and went to town. At address, the club head sits nicely, but is closed by 1° or 2°. One drawback I found with these drivers is the sound. At impact they are loud, not really the normal “tinny ping” I’m used to with traditional titanium drivers, but a very loud “THWACK” that sounds like a car engine misfiring. However, what matters is distance and this driver was very acceptable. However, even with a 7.5° head the ball flight was higher than I am used to. If you have a naturally low launch angle or trouble getting your drives airborne, these may be the clubs for you.

Fairway Woods
The one club in Wilson’s lineup which impressed me the most was their new composite FwC fairway woods. These clubs feature identical composite construction as the Pd5 and Dd5 drivers and are available in lofts of 15°, 17°, 21°, and 24°. The heads are large for fairway metals, but their deep faces and light weights help inspire confidence at address. The most important feature of any fairway wood is the sole, and this model strongly resembles the Titleist 970 fairway wood the holy grail among modern golf club collectors. The sole does not have a prominent scallop; but a wide, flat one which makes it very easy to pick up balls off the deck without digging. The shape is so good, any player, regardless of handicap, can easily hit the ball off the deck with these woods. Although the construction and weighting of these clubs is similar to the drivers, I didn’t find the ball flight to be excessively high. It was a perfect medium-high trajectory that I like with my fairway metals. These are definitely a worthy purchase and on par with any other manufacturer.

Hybrids
I can hit my long irons accurately and get good distance with them. So, I must say that I’ve never been a big fan of hybrid clubs because I’ve never felt much control or workability. However, hybrids aren’t really intended for that. They’re meant to help get the ball high in the air and an appropriate distance. Wilson’s Hb5 hybrids are a nice complement to their iron sets. These hybrids look more like metal woods than irons and have a large head size and low center of gravity. The large head also makes it difficult to hit a shot fat and encourages players to hit down on the ball. A well struck ball produces a high ball flight which lands softly, a great alternative on long par-3’s or for second shots on par-5’s. As an added bonus, Wilson will exchange these hybrids for long irons when purchasing an iron set.

Conclusion
Wilson’s has some excellent products on the market for 2005. Their forged irons are everything a low handicapper could ask for, and their metal woods are on par with anything from the major manufacturers. While Wilson’s new products are definitely tour quality, their price points are competitive with the major brands. The Fi5 irons retail for $799, the drivers for $299, and the fairway woods for $199. Will this be enough to allow Wilson to compete with the major manufacturers? Only time will tell. However, next time you’re looking for a club give a Wilson offering a try.

Photos: © Wilson Staff