84-86 Wilson Staff Fluid Feel compared to their "vintage" counterparts?

[cold_war_era_golfer]

This summer I've really gotten into golf and collecting old blades.

 

I have 58, 59, 62, 65, 66, and '67 Wilson Staff Fluid Feels.  I also have a set of '84-86 which I know many love.  

For those of you with a more "fluid feel"(haha) how do you think the 80s Staffs compare to the more vintage ones?

I prefer the look of the vintage ones and unfortunately my game does not have the ability to detect subtle differences.

 

Did technology jump much from say 1965-1984?

Edited November 7, 2020 by coldwareragolfer

[Stephen8802]

I have '56s, '67s, '84s, and Goosenecks. I think the '84s are the best pure blades; I'm not sure if it is because I like the weight distribution or its because I've hit about a hundred thousand balls with them and that is what feels like a golf swing to me. If I had to guess, I'd say that the design of the '84s is better and the clubs are easier to hit consistently. I've actually worn out a few of my '84s and am in the process of replacing the 7/8/9/wedge. I picked up an 8 recently, but that set will stay in rack until I come across the rest. 

 

I think the '67s are close to the '84s and the '56s swing heavy; they go the right way, but the clubs just feel off a bit compared to what I'm use to. I hit them all pretty well though and have come to the conclusion that it doesn't make much difference to me which ones I hit. I know you didn't like the Goosenecks, but they are the only set I have that are radically different. The play more like my DCIs than my other Staffs. I played them last week and, like every other time I've played them, was able to hit some shots I didn't know I could still hit.

 

I accidentally picked up a partial set of Dyna Weights recently as part of a lot I bough for some M43s. They are half Dynapower, half 1940's, and totally cool. I especially like the Pitching Niblick and will get that out to play soon. When you run out of Fluid Feels, you can jump back a decade and pick up some Top Notch.

 

[Shallowface]

I think the older clubs tended to run a bit heavier, D4 being more of the standard swingweight of the 1960s as opposed to D2 in the 1980s.  Also, even though I have always been a fan of the 1984 Staffs (essentially a remake of the 1967 model) my experience has been that the fit and finish of the late 70s and early 80s Wilson clubs was not at the same high level as the ones from the 1960s, just as was true with many other manufactured products of those times. 

 

All that said, those that still survive today were likely the best of those that were manufactured during that time.  As far as differences in technology between, say, the 1967 and the 1984 models, I'd say there is none.  The design and weight distribution are virtually identical, and the main difference would be the Staff Pro shafts that were standard in the 1967s versus the Dynamic shafts that were standard in 1984, and I would consider those differences negligible.     

[cold_war_era_golfer]

12 hours ago, Shallowface said:

I think the older clubs tended to run a bit heavier, D4 being more of the standard swingweight of the 1960s as opposed to D2 in the 1980s.  Also, even though I have always been a fan of the 1984 Staffs (essentially a remake of the 1967 model) my experience has been that the fit and finish of the late 70s and early 80s Wilson clubs was not at the same high level as the ones from the 1960s, just as was true with many other manufactured products of those times. 

 

All that said, those that still survive today were likely the best of those that were manufactured during that time.  As far as differences in technology between, say, the 1967 and the 1984 models, I'd say there is none.  The design and weight distribution are virtually identical, and the main difference would be the Staff Pro shafts that were standard in the 1967s versus the Dynamic shafts that were standard in 1984, and I would consider those differences negligible.     

Thanks for adding to discussion I was afraid it was going to die off.

 

You make great points.  I agree with all of them.

[BladesOShanter]

I gamed '80s Staffs but always preferred to late '50s-early '60s designs. They were heavier, meatier, and remind me somewhat of GIRs believe it or not.

[BladesOShanter]

The '60s Staffs after '64 we lighter I think. Like many here I have a lot of those in my basement.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

I’ve narrowed my preference down to about 63-67 since I started this thread.

 

I had an incredible round with a set of 1966 Dynapowers last fall.