Equipment Review:
Wilson Staff Smooth Driver,
Wilson Staff FYbrid 5-Wood,
Wilson Staff Tw9 Wedges
Wilson Staff 2009 Tour Cart Bag
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, London Ontario Golf

One of the most entertaining and revealing interviews I’ve conducted in recent times took place with Wilson Sporting Goods' Global Director of Golf Research and Development, Bob Thurman. You can read that interview in its entirety here at London Ontario Golf - http://www.londonontariogolf.com/reviews/general/general-interview_with_bob_thurman.htm .

I’m impressed with the way Wilson Golf handles the release of its new gear each year. There’s a calculated game plan which adds to any player’s arsenal without confusing the big picture.

Again in 2009, Wilson Staff has come out with some gear which I rank amongst its very best. That says a lot for one of the oldest golf club manufacturers in the world. Without further adieu, let’s take a peek at some top-notch gear from Wilson Staff which rivals any other gear in its class this golf season.

Wilson Staff Smooth Driver

The local golf crew recognizes me as a Wilson Staff iron man. I was surprised recently when Mike Weir’s brother, Jim Weir, jokingly called me a “Wilson Staff man.” Yet, despite some awesome offerings from Wilson in terms of the big dog, I had yet (during recent times) been able to find a Wilson Staff driver that perfectly fit my game – until now. Enter the Smooth driver.

Wilson Staff’s Smooth driver features smooth, rounded edges rather than sharp geometrical lines, hence its name. In fact, it borrows its shape, name and aesthetics from aerodynamic automobiles possessing the same smooth characteristics. And baby, can this driver drive the pill. A 460cc driver, the Smooth has a large, smooth sole and a lower, elongated face for easy launch and workability. It’s a driver for golfers of all abilities, thanks to its options.

A large sweet spot, thanks to proprietary variable face, is twice as wide as a constant thickness face. Weight is then moved further back in the head as loft increases, in order to maximize stability and improve launch conditions appropriate to each loft. I tested the 9° model with stiff Fujikura 360 E-Fit shaft for a stronger swing and mid-launch trajectory with lower spin – perfect for my swing speed at 103-115 mph.

The Smooth feels absolutely as stable as can be at address. I like the alignment mark on the head, too. Keeping the ball down on a windy day was a breeze, and playing a high cut when needed was a cinch. This is an extremely workable driver, and is as long as any I’ve tested this year when hit on the screws. With such a large sweet spot, that means most of the time.

The Smooth is available in 10.5° and 12° lofts, too, and with regular and extra-stiff shaft options, all matched to maximize production off the tee.

A round of applause for Wilson Staff, because in my books, this is their best driver since the Dd6+ - and their best driver to-date since the move from persimmon woods. That speaks volumes.

The Smooth sells for $369.

Wilson Staff FYbrid 5-Wood

Last season, we reviewed Wilson Staff’s innovative fairway wood-hybrid-FYbrid system. You can read that review here - http://www.londonontariogolf.com/reviews/equipment/equipment-wilson_staff_fybrid_clubs.htm . This time around, we review the Wilson Staff 5-Wood from the FYbrid family.

It has been a few years since I’ve had a 5-wood in my bag, but I’ve got the bug again after seeing what Wilson Staff Tour player Padraig Harrington did with this club at the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

With the tournament on the line, Harrington manned-up and ripped a 5-wood into a 30 mph wind, 249 yards onto the par-5 17th green and putted for eagle, locking up the tourney. Steve Elling of CBS Sports online offers his account of the heroic shot here - http://www.cbssports.com/golf/story/10909120 .

As luck would have it, the day I tested the Wilson Staff 18° FYbrid 5-wood, the wind was blowing into my face at about 30 mph. Perfect. So was the 5-wood: it cut the pill through the wind like a hot knife through butter.

Here’s the skinny on this club. A unique sole design with heel, toe and central reliefs creates a rail system that prevents the club from bouncing into the ball at impact. The UST V2 shaft is a winner and perfectly twinned with this 5-wood. The tip is a bit larger than I’m accustomed to playing, and the shaft feels slightly thicker with the standard Golf Pride Dual Durometer grip, but combined it all works wonderfully in this club. Wilson really did its homework – just ask Harrington.

I found the Wilson Staff FYbrid 5-wood to promote a mid-trajectory, but again, playability is a strength of the FYbrid system. Fade, draw, stinger – they will all be part of your arsenal with this club in your bag.

So, I’ve added a 5-wood to the mix this season. You can too, with an affordable price of $149.

Wilson Staff Tw9 Wedges

On the golf course, I live and die by Wilson Staff wedges. The Tw7 wedges, which Harrington had a hand in designing, are superb. Enter the new, improved Tw9 wedges. Within one session at the range, I was hooked, thanks largely to their outstanding feel.

Tour-milled grooves for shot-stopping spin from precise distances are cut into each Tw9 wedge. New, lower-lofted cavity back options help bridge the gap between the PW and SW. The 60°, 58°, 56°, 54° and 52° loft options feature tour-preferred shapes with smaller heads. The 48° and 50° loft options feature a slightly larger, cavity-back with the same playability of a player’s blade.

Almost as soon as he put the Tw9 wedges in his bag, Harrington won the 2008 Open Championship and PGA Championship. As soon as I hit shots with them, I put them in my bag, too, for all of the aforementioned reasons plus this: an elastomeric coating in the milled recessed areas provides softer impact across the entire face of the wedge. Never will you hit a softer feeling wedge. I love the anti-glare gunmetal finish, too.

The key, of course, to any wedge is keeping the grooves sharp. I regularly change up my wedges to maximize my short game. The Tw9 grooves are cut as sharp, deep and wide as USGA standards allow: a 32.5° angle and square edges (standard grooves are 42.5° and rounded edges) provide maximum spin and control around the greens.

Looking for new wedges this season? The Tw9 sells for just $119.

Wilson Staff 2009 Tour Cart Bag

Looking good on the course is just as important as scoring low. This applies to your golf bag, too. The new Wilson Staff Tour Cart Bag is just the ticket. It has more functions than a Swiss Army knife, and it’s just as sharp looking.

There are seven colour options in the 2009 Tour Cart Bag line – I chose the black/red model. This bag has everything, including a new shape 14-way divider to protect your shafts and clubheads; flat, rounded back for stability in the cart bracket; large padded strap; and comfortable weight at 8.3 lb.

The ’09 Tour Cart Bag with 9 in. x 10 in. top is very ergonomic, with an easy grab 3 balls holder; outsider putter well with quick shaft clip; large pass-through front handle; glove Velcro holder; two umbrella holders (front and back); and quick hood. It also features large storage capacity, with nine closed pockets; a valuable, NoH2O pocket with phone and key holders; large insulated bottom front pocket; and two large side pockets.

The Tour Cart Bag from Wilson Staff sells for $149.

About Wilson Golf

Since 1911, Wilson Golf has designed, manufactured and distributed premium and recreational golf equipment throughout the world. Wilson Golf irons have won 61 Major championships, more than any other iron manufacturer in history. Wilson Staff's Zip Ball, Di9 iron and the Wilson Staff Smooth driver were honoured with Golf Digest's Hot List awards in 2009. Wilson Staff, Profile, ProStaff and Hope consumer brands continue that tradition today by delivering the highest quality golf equipment to all golfers to enhance performance on the golf course and overall enjoyment of the game.

Wilson Golf is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world's leading manufacturers of sports equipment by Amer Sports. Consumers can log onto www.wilsonstaff.com or call 1-800-267-7506 for more information.