Wilson Staff.... from zero to hero

[Cally4life]

I'm ready for some C300 forged. Wilson really coming on. I might seriously be gaming a lot of Wilson this season or fall. Anyone know expected release dates/area

[kobe882]

Very sad day for me. I play a Wilson M3 hybrid which i love. I teed off with it today and after the shot I noticed that the face had cracked ☹️.

 

Are there any wilson reps on here? Not sure if it is even something they could replace as its not the newest model.

 

Horrible timing too, club championship is 1.5 weeks away.

[rfarrell51]

I'm hoping they have some plans for a V6 Utility Iron. I've seen some positive comments on the V4 Utility.

[rex235]

Maha-

 

"LH availability is bad for every OEM. Ping included"

 

Wilson made the corporate decision NOT to make the FG Tour 100 irons LH, when this iron "claimed" to celebrate Wilson's 100 years in Golf. That's 100 years, and Wilson decides... RH ONLY..

 

All those players who played their irons, who even had custom clubs ground for them. Men and Women, RH and LH. PGA/LPGA Tour winners, and Major champions. Wilson even had iron models named after the number of majors. it kept it's custom grinds in 3 ring binders, available to those who had a Wilson account...

 

Yes, Wilson had LH Staff members who won Tour Events, but they chose NOT to market them. ?They are statistical "anomalies"

 

And some corporate marketing agency counters with Co$ts and says...

 

"Our suppliers can't justify the costs to make any LH FG Tour Forged 100 iron models. Our margins are razor thin, and any milling/grinding costs for these LH models are prohibitive."

 

We've worked the numbers. We no longer have the workforce staff, and...."

 

the LH market is TOO SMALL.".

 

 

 

Or something to that effect. One Wrxer is quoted as saying "tiny". Another says "miniscule"...

 

Never mind that by choosing exclusion, Wilson gave an obscene gesture to their own past history, and their own past workforce, and every LH golfer who ever bought and used a Wilson Staff golf club.

 

Successful, or not.

 

RH Only? Why throw your history away?

 

 

 

 

PING would NEVER have made that decision.

[scagnetti]

Very sad day for me. I play a Wilson M3 hybrid which i love. I teed off with it today and after the shot I noticed that the face had cracked ☹️.

 

Are there any wilson reps on here? Not sure if it is even something they could replace as its not the newest model.

 

Horrible timing too, club championship is 1.5 weeks away.

 

the best thing someone told me a while ago to do, is see if you can find someone on the ground at the next (couple) tour stops to go straight up to the van, and they have rep lists to refer to. sometimes can even take an order, I was told...

 

W/S has great stuff and I was looking for 3 year old clubs (D100 hybrids); my friend works at a club in Kansas City who said that he had a member that needed a V2 4 iron or something, and the member just went up to the tour van at The Colonial or something and requested it. ten days later, evidently, the rep delivered it to his door.

[mahonie]

Very sad day for me. I play a Wilson M3 hybrid which i love. I teed off with it today and after the shot I noticed that the face had cracked ☹️.

 

Are there any wilson reps on here? Not sure if it is even something they could replace as its not the newest model.

 

Horrible timing too, club championship is 1.5 weeks away.

 

That is a real shame. Love my M3 hybrid too and if I was on your side of the pond I would lend you the head for your club champs.

 

I haven't seen it in the flesh, but from photographs the FG Tour F5 seems to have a similar profile if slightly larger.

[Halebopp]

Very sad day for me. I play a Wilson M3 hybrid which i love. I teed off with it today and after the shot I noticed that the face had cracked ☹️.

 

Are there any wilson reps on here? Not sure if it is even something they could replace as its not the newest model.

 

Horrible timing too, club championship is 1.5 weeks away.

 

That is a real shame. Love my M3 hybrid too and if I was on your side of the pond I would lend you the head for your club champs.

 

I haven't seen it in the flesh, but from photographs the FG Tour F5 seems to have a similar profile if slightly larger.

 

Having tried both, the m3 and F5 hybrid days apart about a month ago, they felt completely different for me. The m3 had its stock R.I.P. Phenom shaft and the F5 had the stock Fubuki shaft. I wouldn't recommend buying F5 based solely on liking the m3. It is completely possible the difference was in the shaft though.

 

Looking at eBay, there's a fair share of m3 hybrids available at affordable rates.

[Mahamilto]

Maha-

 

"LH availability is bad for every OEM. Ping included"

 

Wilson made the corporate decision NOT to make the FG Tour 100 irons LH, when this iron "claimed" to celebrate Wilson's 100 years in Golf. That's 100 years, and Wilson decides... RH ONLY..

 

All those players who played their irons, who even had custom clubs ground for them. Men and Women, RH and LH. PGA/LPGA Tour winners, and Major champions. Wilson even had iron models named after the number of majors. it kept it's custom grinds in 3 ring binders, available to those who had a Wilson account...

 

Yes, Wilson had LH Staff members who won Tour Events, but they chose NOT to market them. ?They are statistical "anomalies"

 

And some corporate marketing agency counters with Co$ts and says... "Our suppliers can't justify the costs to make any LH FG Tour Forged 100 iron models. Our margins are razor thin, and any milling/grinding costs for these LH models are prohibitive." or We've worked the numbers. We no longer have the workforce staff, and...." or the LH market is TOO SMALL.".

Something to that effect. One Wrxer is quoted as saying "tiny". Another says "miniscule"...

Never mind that by choosing exclusion, Wilson gave an obscene gesture to their own past history, and their own past workforce, and every LH golfer who ever bought and used a Wilson Staff golf club.

Successful, or not.

RH Only? Why throw your history away?

 

PING would NEVER have made that decision.

 

Wilson tossed aside that tradition when they lost their rep the first go around. It is next to impossible to rebuild a brand, and entirely impossible to do so when catering to a niche market that will inevitably lose you money.

 

The reality is that the LH club market breaks even at best, and thats only for TM and Cally. There is a reason the only companies making LH stuff in volume are the ones that fill the big box stores with new product every 6-8 months.

 

I appreciate Wilson for coming back into the big boy market. Their stuff since the first FG Tour line has been on par with Titleist and other player cavities. I was on staff with them for a different sport and they are class act; their golf department does genuinely care... they just care about their jobs and keeping their doors open more than making LH offerings for a select few.

 

Oh... and I am also left handed... just learned to play RH due to lack of LH offerings. First set was a RH wilson blade form the 60s. So its not that I don't feel your pain, but "back in my day" it was no different... they just had less competition and that gave them more wiggle room.

[kobe882]

Very sad day for me. I play a Wilson M3 hybrid which i love. I teed off with it today and after the shot I noticed that the face had cracked ☹️.

 

Are there any wilson reps on here? Not sure if it is even something they could replace as its not the newest model.

 

Horrible timing too, club championship is 1.5 weeks away.

 

That is a real shame. Love my M3 hybrid too and if I was on your side of the pond I would lend you the head for your club champs.

 

I haven't seen it in the flesh, but from photographs the FG Tour F5 seems to have a similar profile if slightly larger.

 

Having tried both, the m3 and F5 hybrid days apart about a month ago, they felt completely different for me. The m3 had its stock R.I.P. Phenom shaft and the F5 had the stock Fubuki shaft. I wouldn't recommend buying F5 based solely on liking the m3. It is completely possible the difference was in the shaft though.

 

Looking at eBay, there's a fair share of m3 hybrids available at affordable rates.

 

Luckily i found one on the BST here.

[kobe882]

Very sad day for me. I play a Wilson M3 hybrid which i love. I teed off with it today and after the shot I noticed that the face had cracked ☹️.

 

Are there any wilson reps on here? Not sure if it is even something they could replace as its not the newest model.

 

Horrible timing too, club championship is 1.5 weeks away.

 

That is a real shame. Love my M3 hybrid too and if I was on your side of the pond I would lend you the head for your club champs.

 

I haven't seen it in the flesh, but from photographs the FG Tour F5 seems to have a similar profile if slightly larger.

 

I came to the same conclusion as you over the last few days. The f5 looked to have a similar profile. Another option i found that was similar is the callaway apex hybrids.

 

I like the m3 so much because i have it dialed in to play a specific yardage, which i feel most hybrids are just ment to go as far as possible and it really takes a while to find the right one that you are confindent in, and fills a specific gap.

 

Luckily i found a replacement m3 on the BST here for pretty cheap so i should be good!

[braincramp52]

Maha-

 

"LH availability is bad for every OEM. Ping included"

 

Wilson made the corporate decision NOT to make the FG Tour 100 irons LH, when this iron "claimed" to celebrate Wilson's 100 years in Golf. That's 100 years, and Wilson decides... RH ONLY..

 

All those players who played their irons, who even had custom clubs ground for them. Men and Women, RH and LH. PGA/LPGA Tour winners, and Major champions. Wilson even had iron models named after the number of majors. it kept it's custom grinds in 3 ring binders, available to those who had a Wilson account...

 

Yes, Wilson had LH Staff members who won Tour Events, but they chose NOT to market them. ?They are statistical "anomalies"

 

And some corporate marketing agency counters with Co$ts and says... "Our suppliers can't justify the costs to make any LH FG Tour Forged 100 iron models. Our margins are razor thin, and any milling/grinding costs for these LH models are prohibitive." or We've worked the numbers. We no longer have the workforce staff, and...." or the LH market is TOO SMALL.".

Something to that effect. One Wrxer is quoted as saying "tiny". Another says "miniscule"...

Never mind that by choosing exclusion, Wilson gave an obscene gesture to their own past history, and their own past workforce, and every LH golfer who ever bought and used a Wilson Staff golf club.

Successful, or not.

RH Only? Why throw your history away?

 

PING would NEVER have made that decision.

 

Wilson tossed aside that tradition when they lost their rep the first go around. It is next to impossible to rebuild a brand, and entirely impossible to do so when catering to a niche market that will inevitably lose you money.

 

The reality is that the LH club market breaks even at best, and thats only for TM and Cally. There is a reason the only companies making LH stuff in volume are the ones that fill the big box stores with new product every 6-8 months.

 

I appreciate Wilson for coming back into the big boy market. Their stuff since the first FG Tour line has been on par with Titleist and other player cavities. I was on staff with them for a different sport and they are class act; their golf department does genuinely care... they just care about their jobs and keeping their doors open more than making LH offerings for a select few.

 

Oh... and I am also left handed... just learned to play RH due to lack of LH offerings. First set was a RH wilson blade form the 60s. So its not that I don't feel your pain, but "back in my day" it was no different... they just had less competition and that gave them more wiggle room.

 

There are tons of offerings for us lefties from most companies except Wilson and Mizuno. If a person can't find something they like between Ping,Titleist, Callaway and Taylormade I think you might be too damn picky! :) Hell, half of Canada plays left handed. Wilson has went downhill since it became subsidiary of the Finnish group of Amer sport. Just my .02. I'd still like to hear why you think Ping has crappy offerings for lefties since they make everything for lefties that they do for righties.

[Mahamilto]

True, but Canadians only play golf lefty because of Hockey. And the American and Asian markets are both larger and predominantly right handed. The smaller companies, the ones that don't want you to buy both their club and their ball and their bag and hat and towel...

 

They don't make lefty clubs... because its a losing battle.

 

The TM/Titleist/Cally of the world can lose a touch on the club if they may get you to buy the ball and shoe... And they two do frequently come together. Playstation and Xbox is like this... every console loses money, but the games and accessories are straight profit.

 

It doesn't and won't make sense to them, and ultimately they are a business and must make fiscal, and not emotional, decisions.

[rex235]

Maha-

 

Have read your responses, and agree with most of what you've said.

 

Let's remember what the title of this thread is ..... "Wilson... from Zero to Hero"

 

It became a Wilson lovefest on how their FG Tour 100 Forged iron model, even though an ancient 2014 relic, was actually a hidden gem, and that everyone should try the FG Tour 100 Forged irons.

 

Don't take my word for it, go back and read the threads.

 

What Forged (Richard) and I have agreed upon was Wilson golf took their place in golf history, and ran it into the dumpster long ago.

 

"Vijay, for a long term contract, we need you have to play the FatShaft. irons.."

 

It isn't about whether Callaway, Titleist, Taylor Made, or any other OEM made LH equipment (...believe me, all of these models {and more} have had some ground time, from the Tour Preferred to the S2H2 to the 681..)

 

It's about Wilson having the audacity to make an iron model which specifically references it's 100 year history in the game, all the technological advances it brought to it's forged irons, and then...

 

...running up the RH ONLY flag.

 

As if Wilson never made any LH golf clubs at all.....

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, they're actual 1958 LH Wilson Staff Dynapower irons... "Fluid Feel" and arrow stamps, and all... The LH 1930s Gene Sarazen 4* Sand Iron remains in mint condition.

 

So now it's 2017, and everyone is waxing nostalgic about how Wilson is "back in the game", and you should try their product.

 

Twenty three years ago, when I wrote Jan Thompson, then CEO of Wilson Golf, and opened with this...... "I would like to buy your product, BUT I CAN'T!"

 

Their response was simple... No LH Remakes....'69s, '71s, and no '58 Dynapower SWs.

 

"We just don't have the suppliers".. Larry J (RIP), of Wilson Golf

 

".. Will send you W/S buttons for your '71s" John M (RIP), of Wilson Golf.

 

But of course, when we finally get around to a person at Wilson, we get the news...

 

"We've just closed our Custom Club Department, with the Records. We can no longer offer you any data on our past Custom Club services. It was a Corporate Decision."

 

Yes Maha, it was a Fiscal Decision....bereft of any Emotion at all.

 

So be kind, and not tell me how I'm supposed to want to play Wilsons V4, or V5, or V6 LH iron models, because "Wilson is back"

 

No LH FG Tour 100 Forged irons?

 

We didn't leave them. They left us.

 

Rule #1- If you don't take care of the customer-

 

 

 

...someone else will.

[xkilgorextroutx]

 

 

We didn't leave them. They left us.

 

 

 

[rex235]

We didn't leave them. They left us.

 

 

 

 

 

Kilgore-

 

Agreed.

 

It's still Zero.

[Mahamilto]

I'm sure it is frustrating to a lefty who would live to try then again, but it doesn't change the fact they have made a meteoric rise back to major player.

 

That was the only intended point.

[rex235]

Maha-

 

This thread was about the "rediscovery" of Wilson...particularly the FG Tour 100 Forged iron model

 

"I'm sure it is frustrating to a lefty who would live to try them again."

 

Yes,, but trust me...

 

 

 

...You'll never know how much.

[yebritas]

wilson have some good irons but in my opinion is way behind PING. the new g400 and those Iblades are great clubs

[dunn]

Agree the wilson irons are beautiful at address....in stores around here theyre still getting a pretty penny for em.....not much discount....V5 looked great as well

 

 

V6 looks awesome but like someone said try and sell em and youll be screwed....

 

They arent behind anybody just not mainstream......making a heavily perimeter weighted cb iron isnt a mystery, lol

[dukeman]

Forged4ever or other FG59 expert

 

I have a set of the 59 model that was private labeled for Edwin Watts. They don't say FG 59 on them, they just say Tour Blade.

 

Does anyone know if this is the same club as the FG 59 with just different cosmetics? Or is this a completely different club e.g. different shape, different metal, etc. ?

[Forged4ever]

Forged4ever or other FG59 expert

 

I have a set of the 59 model that was private labeled for Edwin Watts. They don't say FG 59 on them, they just say Tour Blade.

 

Does anyone know if this is the same club as the FG 59 with just different cosmetics? Or is this a completely different club e.g. different shape, different metal, etc. ?

Aoologies as I was off of the board for a few days-

 

Duke and I spoke via messaging and to answer if anyone else was wondering, yes, the Staff blades that say simply "Tour Blade" on the face back were special ordered for Watts.

 

I've been trying to find a 9+ set for years to no avail however the set that the Dukester has do not really fit his specs so I'm buying em!!

 

WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

I'm elated??

 

Though I'll probably never be able to effectively swing/Play a blade, I've wanted those so badly cuz that's almost exactly how my 78 Tour Blades looked that I Played till I went to Mizzy in 1987

 

Almost Exactly as mine had no Staff crest and "Tour Blade" in the position that it is for the Watts irons!!

 

Sooooo, it's starting off as a great week, haha

 

Thanks Duke?

 

Youda Man!!

 

My Best?

Richard

[rex235]

Duke-

 

+1 with helping out Forged.

 

Great Find!

 

Most definitely... RHO.

[Forged4ever]

I was rummaging through some old pics and dug these up from 2013, lol

 

Damn, you either really gotta love the Masters or Staff to bag these babies, lol

 

They only made like 8 sets

 

Thank the Good Lord??

 

Stay well Gals & Gents?

 

All the Best?

RP

[kobe882]

I was rummaging through some old pics and dug these up from 2013, lol

 

Damn, you either really gotta love the Masters or Staff to bag these babies, lol

 

They only made like 8 sets

 

Thank the Good Lord??

 

Stay well Gals & Gents?

 

All the Best?

RP

 

I could see a packer fan bagging those too

[Cruisin1966]

Been playing the FG Tour V6's over the past month. Love the feel and look of the clubs. Still learning my distances, but very pleased so far

[rex235]

I was rummaging through some old pics and dug these up from 2013, lol

 

Damn, you either really gotta love the Masters or Staff to bag these babies, lol

 

They only made like 8 sets

 

Thank the Good Lord

 

Stay well Gals & Gents

 

All the Best

RP

 

Forged-

 

It's stunning. 8 sets!

 

 

..and Wilson couldn't be bothered to make ANY LH FG Tour 100 Forged iron sets.

 

"Lets run over our history, back up, and run over it again."..

[mikedejong]

I was rummaging through some old pics and dug these up from 2013, lol

 

Damn, you either really gotta love the Masters or Staff to bag these babies, lol

 

They only made like 8 sets

 

Thank the Good Lord

 

Stay well Gals & Gents

 

All the Best

RP

 

I could see a packer fan bagging those too

As a Packer fan, and WS fan.. no chance!

[Forged4ever]

I was rummaging through some old pics and dug these up from 2013, lol

 

Damn, you either really gotta love the Masters or Staff to bag these babies, lol

 

They only made like 8 sets

 

Thank the Good Lord??

 

Stay well Gals & Gents?

 

All the Best?

RP

 

I could see a packer fan bagging those too

Absolutely!!

 

Very Nicely Played?

 

My Best?

RP

[scagnetti]

Playing as a single, I was paired with an awesome Singaporean tourist that bagged a set of the recent FG Tour M3 forged irons. Such a great guy, I told him I had heard about the irons [

plays them, says they're his favorite irons of all time] and of course being a badass, lemme hit 'em and I thought they were, indeed, amazing. Soft but crisp, and with a great ease of workability, even from a hack like me...

 

So I found a set on eBay...

 

 

 

We will be reunited in the States in about 6 weeks...

[Jordan Speeth]

I got my V6's on Monday and took them to the range on Monday to hit side by side with my Bridgestone J15MB's. The results were really surprising. I was expecting improvement across the board but there was none, in any category. Distance and dispersion were roughly the same and the feel was nowhere close to the Bridgestones. I've been in love with these J15 blades since I got them and every time I try to improve on them, I'm reminded about how well I did with the head/shaft combo (Modus3 120) on these. I really thought the V6's had the potential to knock them out of the bag but it just didn't happen and it showed so little promise that I didn't even want to take the chance and go to the expense of changing shafts. I just sold them on eBay. I'm going to give the MP18 a shot when they come out and if that doesn't do it, I'm done ho'ing for a while. I guess I should just be happy with the bag I've spent so much time and effort putting together. It's working as well as it's going to.