Equipment Review: Wilson Staff Di7 Irons
by Jeffrey Reed

There’s no denying the fact, most golfers are mid- to high-handicappers. There’s also no doubt that a lot of the game-improvement irons on today’s market closely resemble shovels rather than precision-crafted golf clubs.

With these points in mind, Wilson Staff has released the newest iron in its family of award-winning clubs: the Di7 iron, billed as the “longest and straightest game improvement iron.” Designed specifically for the mid- to high-handicap golfer, the Di7 iron is the first and only game improvement iron to combine an optimum weighted, wide sole, cavity back head with a low-torque, wide tip shaft.

I’ve played the Wilson Staff Di5 irons during the past two seasons, and am now experimenting with the Di6 irons (not to mention the Pi5 2-iron, the latest addition to my bag). Both clubs perform admirably, providing maximum distance and forgiveness. And, because of their traditional yet cavity-back aesthetics, both of these clubs still allow low-handicappers like me to work the ball. Playability is still very much a part of the Di5 and Di6 irons. But now, with Wilson Staff’s release of the Di7 irons, the majority of today’s golfers will benefit from the latest in golf club manufacturing research.

Dave Deasley, president of Wilson Golf Canada, says the Di7 iron “complements our family of Wilson Staff irons perfectly – from the classic Fi5 forged irons, and the Pi5 performance irons used by Padraig Harrington, to the more recent (award-winning) Ci6 control irons. The addition of the new Di7 iron allows us to offer top performing clubs to golfers of all abilities.”

I tested the Di7 iron, and was immediately impressed with its forgiveness without any sacrifice of solid looks. Wilson Golf developed the Wilson Staff Di7 as “the most forgiving game improvement iron of its generation.” And, Wilson Staff uses thin top lines and lower blade height to offer a sleeker look than most game-improvement clubs. A big thumbs up for including this feature in the design of the Di7.

The design of the Di7 iron head promotes optimum centre of gravity location by incorporating a wider sole and thicker rear flange to pull the CG away from the face and toward the sole. In short, ball flight is high and long, while even off-centre hits still produce relatively straight ball flight. I was impressed with how easily the ball got airborne, and how softly it landed. If a high-handicap golfer can’t experience boosted confidence with this club in his hands, then it’s time to hang ‘em up. This is, indeed, a golf club made for the masses.

Like the Di5 and Di6 distance irons, the Di7 also features an Elastomeric paint coating in the back cavity which dampens vibration by up to one-third, providing a much softer feel, especially on miss-hits. This coating is exclusive to Wilson Staff, and one which has impressed me on the links.

The shaft options in the Di7 are also groundbreaking, in particular the steel shaft. Wilson Staff fits its new distance irons with the True Temper TX 105 lightweight steel shaft that generates increased swing speed for longer shots. This steel shaft also features a low torque .450 wide tip to reduce twisting on off-centre hits for straighter shots. I have to agree: this is an easy-to-use shaft, and I think it will appeal to more golfers than did Wilson Staff’s Fat Shaft technology. And for those looking for ultimate distance with graphite shafts, the Di7 is available with UST ProForce V2 shafts, a lightweight 72 g shaft for added swing speed, plus low torque and reduced twisting thanks to the V2 Tip Control Technology. I’m a big fan of the UST ProForce V2 shaft, after having also tested it in a driver and hybrid.

There are lies, damn lies and statistics, but after testing the Di7 iron, I’m sold on Wilson Staff’s numbers. The company says research including 90 golfers hitting more than 2,250 shots, combined with hundreds of Iron Byron tests (using the Iron Byron robot) involving similar game improvement clubs from Callaway, Cobra and Ping revealed, the Di7 has: the largest sweet spot in terms of carry distance; the most forgiveness on shots struck near the toe; and the straightest hits within a tight target area.

Not sold yet? Try this on for size: the Di7 irons carry a MSRP of just $599 steel, $699 graphite (4-SW).

For more information on the Wilson Staff Di7 iron, visit www.wilsonstaff.com.