Help identifying these Wilson Staff Tour Blades

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

I bought a set of Wilson staff Tour Blades recently, and I am am having trouble identifying the year. The "Pilgrim" stamping makes me wonder if they were a custom order.

They look like the Mini Bullet Backs from 1976, but they are shafted with DGS300 shafts, and the stamping is slightly different (I don't think the Mini Bullet Backs were stamped with "Tour Blade", just "Staff"). Mine also have a very straight toe, which I don't think the Mini Bullet Backs had.

The shafts had labels with the serial numbers on, if anyone knows how to make sense of those.

One final thing, they have the exact same ferrules as my FG-J8 irons, which I think were FG-17s for the Japanese market and thus date from around the same time as the FG-17s.

The irons also came with a Staff Tour Blade SW (Special 56), which I doubt was part of the original set as it has a bore through shaft, but I think dates from the mid-Eighties. This makes me wonder if the irons are from the same period.. Also, as you can see in the photographs below, the Special 56 has a ton of offset; I probably won't hang on to it.

Do any of you have any information on this model? Any help would be appreciated? Thank you in advance.

The SW:

And if you've made it this far, the irons set up really nice, and the PW is a great club to chip with. Haven't had time to hit them properly yet.

[NRJyzr]

You find all the interesting stuff, Catchy.

I think it's safe to say these are custom. They look like FG-51s combined with 76-77 Staffs, if not the original Bulletbacks, with a square toe grind reminiscent of the Golden Ram TW282s.

Sadly, Wilson doesn't have their old records, we'll never know for certain.

The SW could be the standard Fluid Feel set SW. I don't think the plug is for an actual bore-thru, Wilson drilled the hosel all the way through at a smaller diameter as part of their method to move the CG farther from the hosel, the plug is said to help with feel. Possibly.

Excellent find.

[Foozle]

Some pictures of my '76 Staffs to help comparison. These have "Dynamic by Wilson" S flex shafts.

[Foozle]

Some pictures of my '76 Staffs to help comparison. These have "Dynamic by Wilson" S flex shafts.

[BIG STU]

Catchy--- I am not a Wilson guru but have never seen a toe grind like that on a set of staffs. Along with the Pilgrim stamping those have to be custom jobs. I have never seen that much offset on a Wilson wedge but did you not tell me one night that the Japanese like more offset on wedges than we do ? I know that wedge for me would be shank city made me draw up just looking at it.

[NRJyzr]

@Foozle Those are some reasonably attractive sticks.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Thanks for posting those. Very useful. Like NRJyzr said, they are some reasonably attractive clubs!

Comparing them to the clubs I have, the "bullet gouge" (not sure that's the right term) appears slightly longer on yours, and the font for "Staff" is different. I also think the sole and muscle pad on your is thicker, but without comparing them side-by-side I can't be sure about that.

So that leads me to discount mine as being '76 Staffs, and lean more towards a custom job inspired by the '76 staffs.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

The muscle is like the FG-51s, isn't it, except with the bullet gouge added. I was really pleased to come across these as not only are they good specs for me, but also they were pretty cheap because they they are a non standard version. Including postage, I paid about $80 for them, which is pretty good for Wilsons here. A good set of classic Wilsons are normally priced 3 or 4 times higher than that, though whether they sell or not is a different matter.

I was also eyeing a set of '73 Apexes, 2i-Equalizer with Apex 4 shafts, but the shafts were a bit short for me, and the ferrules corroded, which made me wonder about the condition of the shafts. So I went for the Wilsons instead.

Yep, the SW might actually be a custom job as well, or a release for the Japanese market. Crazy offset, and really too much for me. It's nice to chip with, but I can't see myself playing it.

[NRJyzr]

 

FWIW, the term I've heard for the 76 Staffs is "crease." It sounds good so I've been running with it.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Ah. Crease is more appropriate than gouge. I was going to go with "nick", but it's a bit more than just a nick or notch, but not really deep enough for a gouge.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Just remembered this listing on Yahoo! Auction (Japan). Now the crease and muscle in these irons look identical to mine. However, the font for "Staff" is different (the font in the listing below is similar to that on Foozle's '76 Tour Blades), but they appear to have a pretty similar toe grind to mine.https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/l599472987

[Foozle]

Catchy,

I think I will stick with bullets! Keeps the Wilson tradition going and "crease backs" just doesn't have the same ring to it! ?

I agree with all your comments.

Comparing to mine, the sole on your 9 iron does look narrower than the 6 iron I pictured. Also the muscle back on my '76's progresses up through the set and by the time you get to the wedge (just visible in my bag picture) it has rounded the toe into the top line whereas yours seem to stop on the toe.

My conclusion would be you have a very (notch above reasonably!) attractive custom set. Very cool! ?

 

[rgk5]

Those are a custom grind set of 1977 Tour Blades.

[Nard_S]

Neat find.

 

[braincramp52]

Special ordered for John Wayne!

[Fellaheen51]

Don't know what further can be offered at this point. Other than Foozle's descriptive above got me curious. So went downstairs to have a look at my set of '76 Staff crease gouge nick notch Mini-Bullets. Confirming his comments about the muscle and shape of the toe. Also took a sole measurement: 5 iron = 1.6 cm, PW = 2.0 cm. Near as I can tell while attempting to read the minuscule rule this early in the a.m. These have been collecting dust for a couple of years. Don't even remember where I found them, likely a thrift store/rummage sale pickup on the cheap. Never have hit a golf ball with one. They're shafted Dynamic R, so I'd at least have a chance. To many old iron sets (less than prior), not enough time or game.

Would concur with the ""reasonably attractive" assessment. Custom set for Billy Pilgrim is your anser.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Great to have so much information coming in! Fellaheen's picture was interesting, because it seems that the length of the crease gouge nick notch Mini-Bullets excavated area on the back of the '76 muscles varies in length, being longer in the long and mid irons than the short irons, whereas its uniform on mine. Same ferrules though, I notice.I hadn't made that connection, but I like it! I will call these my John Wayne set, for when I need True Grit to hit the next shot, and my ball flight is a Searcher for the hole.

As for Billy Pilgrim, all I can say is that "so it goes" is a frequent refrain of mine on the golf course after another ball of mine sails out of bounds...

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

A little follow-up to this. I played nine holes today with these Wilson irons in the bag, minus the SW with the massive offset. It wasn't a persimmon and blades round, as I was using my modern woods and a couple of modern wedges. Anyway, first hole, downhill and downwind (a one-clubber at least)I hit a PW from 140 yards out to 4ft, which led to a birdie. I'm in love with these irons already!

I find the square toe makes them easy to aim for some reason. They feel great, and the straight leading edge in the short irons set up well for chipping. I like to bump and run whenever possible, so I use my short irons a lot around the greens.

I did have a "so it goes" moment off the tee on the seventh...silly driver!

One addendum. I was using an old flanged bullseye putter today. I've been using it to practise with for a few years, but never taken it to the course until today. It certainly requires concentration and a good stroke, but I might stick with it for a while as I managed 13 putts in nine holes. Good chipping certainly helped, but I didn't miss anything inside 6ft, and made a couple of hairy, breaking par saves with it. It was also good for lag putts, and for Texas Wedge shots around the green, which I like to play but some putters are better suited to these shots than others.

[papajohns]

Hi I have a set of Wilson staff Blades and would like to know what the stamping numbers on the hosels means??

[papajohns]

On 6/12/2020 at 7:32 PM, Fellaheen51 said:

Don't know what further can be offered at this point. Other than Foozle's descriptive above got me curious. So went downstairs to have a look at my set of '76 Staff crease gouge nick notch Mini-Bullets. Confirming his comments about the muscle and shape of the toe. Also took a sole measurement: 5 iron = 1.6 cm, PW = 2.0 cm. Near as I can tell while attempting to read the minuscule rule this early in the a.m. These have been collecting dust for a couple of years. Don't even remember where I found them, likely a thrift store/rummage sale pickup on the cheap. Never have hit a golf ball with one. They're shafted Dynamic R, so I'd at least have a chance. To many old iron sets (less than prior), not enough time or game.

Would concur with the ""reasonably attractive" assessment. Custom set for Billy Pilgrim is your anser.

Hi I have a set of Wilson staff Blades and would like to know what the stamping numbers on the hosels means??

[Swingingk]

18 hours ago, papajohns said:

 

Hi I have a set of Wilson staff Blades and would like to know what the stamping numbers on the hosels means??

Interesting markings.  I've not seen anything like that on a Wilson iron before.  Maybe it's the angle of the picture or something but that design looks new to me as well - I don't think I've ever seen a Staff iron that looks like that.  Could you post some more pictures please?  What shafts are in them?

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

21 hours ago, papajohns said:

 

Hi I have a set of Wilson staff Blades and would like to know what the stamping numbers on the hosels means??

 

I can't make the stampings out very well. Is it a series of numbers? Do all the irons in the set have that same stamping?

[papajohns]

39 minutes ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

I can't make the stampings out very well. Is it a series of numbers? Do all the irons in the set have that same stamping?

They are a series of number and are all the same on all hosels

[Foozle]

1 hour ago, papajohns said:

They are a series of number and are all the same on all hosels

The head is very similar to the Fg55.

My suspicion would be the hosel stamps are a custom order reference for a set based on the Fg55?

[papajohns]

17 hours ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

I can't make the stampings out very well. Is it a series of numbers? Do all the irons in the set have that same stamping?

 

14 hours ago, Foozle said:

The head is very similar to the Fg55.

My suspicion would be the hosel stamps are a custom order reference for a set based on the Fg55?

No they aren’t FG55 the font is different on the soles also the head is a little larger

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

17 hours ago, papajohns said:

They are a series of number and are all the same on all hosels

 

Like @Foozle, I suspect the numbers on the hosel refer to a custom order, though I didn't think Wilson's custom order numbers were as long as that. Non-US market club?

 

No idea on the head shape, though I do think the FG55 looks similar.

 

 

[papajohns]

2 minutes ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Like @Foozle, I suspect the numbers on the hosel refer to a custom order, though I didn't think Wilson's custom order numbers were as long as that. Non-US market club?

 

No idea on the head shape, though I do think the FG55 looks similar.

 

 

The fonts on the sole are completely different to Wilson and look like Miura fonts, there is no Wilson on the sole only the club number and seem very different from any other Wilson irons

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

3 hours ago, papajohns said:

The fonts on the sole are completely different to Wilson and look like Miura fonts, there is no Wilson on the sole only the club number and seem very different from any other Wilson irons

I agree that the font for "Staff" is unusual, but the "Wilson" doesn't look that strange to me.

 

As for no "Wilson" on the sole of the club, I did have some staff Dynapowers (Eighties reissue, I think) that didn't have Wilson on the sole, but my FG-J8s and Custom Staff Blades from, I think, the early Eighties both have "Wilson" on the sole.

 

My more modern period FG-62s didn't have Wilson on the sole, only the club number. Could yours be a later Staff model?

[papajohns]

3 minutes ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

I agree that the font for "Staff" is unusual, but the "Wilson" doesn't look that strange to me.

 

As for no "Wilson" on the sole of the club, I did have some staff Dynapowers (Eighties reissue, I think) that didn't have Wilson on the sole, but my FG-J8s and Custom Staff Blades from, I think, the early Eighties both have "Wilson" on the sole.

 

My more modern period FG-62s didn't have Wilson on the sole, only the club number. Could yours be a later Staff model?

Ah thanks do you think these are FG62 then?

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

No, no way. Very different (mine are pictured below, but I no longer own them).

 

I was thinking Nineties or Noughties, but when I had a quick look at Wilson irons from that period I didn't think anything matched yours as closely as the FG55s.

 

If--and it is an "if"--they are custom, that might explain the larger head shape and lack of a Wilson stamp on the sole.