WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Wilson’s new Staff Model line of irons features three models: the Staff Model Blade, Staff Model CB, and the Staff Model XB. Each of the 8620 carbon steel irons were designed to fit together to address the increasing desire for combo sets. “When you sit the irons side-by-side, you’ll notice the consistent design across all models, while each model has individual nuances to differentiate between each iron,” said Ben Hanser, CAD engineer at Wilson Golf.
RELATED: Wilson Staff Model, Staff Model X golf balls – what you need to know
PRICE & AVAILABILITY: The new Staff Model XB iron will be available next month with a Nippon Modus Tour 110 stock shaft option – R (110g), S (110g) – and a Golf Pride Z grip. The full set will have an RRP of $319.00 per iron in 4-PW. A 2 and 3-iron, plus GW are available through custom fit purchases along with additional stock and premium shaft offerings. The new Staff Model Blade and CB irons will be available next month with a True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115 stock shaft option – R (114g) and S (115g) – and a Golf Pride Z grip. X (116g) is available through custom fit only.
Staff Model Blade – RRP $289.00 per iron with 4-PW.
Staff Model CB – RRP $289.00 per iron in 4-PW.
A 3-iron is available through custom fit purchases along with additional stock and premium shaft
offerings. A GW is also available in the CB line-up only.
3 Cool Things
1. Power play: “Wilson has a long history of great performing irons, and we’ve taken part of that heritage and combined it with modern craftsmanship to produce what I believe to be the best iron family the brand has ever produced,” Hanser said. “Adding a players performance iron in the XB to the Staff Model family allows more people to fit into the range.”
Wilson ran more than four thousand face optimisation profiles across five impact locations before deciding on three for the new XB iron: one for the 2 to 5-irons; another for the 6 to 8-irons and one for the rest of the set. The hollow-body construction also allows for the use of tungsten in the 2 to 7-irons (19 to 27 grams), to be positioned in the low toe area to raise stability.
“Topology optimisation is an incredible tool that effectively tells us where to position mass internally to maximise performance and from this, we developed unique rib configurations for each loft in the XB,” Hanser said.
To assist sound, urethane was injected into the internal cavity to reduce vibrations at impact while the faces are precision milled for consistency then bead blasted to reduce glare. To aid with turf interaction, the sole camber features more curvature in the sole than most irons. Combined with a relatively short blade length, this allows the heads to be quick in and out of the turf.
2. Bring the blades: Yes, the muscle-back blade iron still has a place in the game, although they should solely be used by those with mad ball-striking skills. If that sounds like you, Wilson’s latest version of its Staff Model iron features some subtle, yet meaningful refinements.
Chief among them is a shortened blade length and reduced offset that produces a more compact profile and minimises the area beyond the scoreline – resulting in a tour-inspired aesthetic. The variable hosel length also enables more precise mass distribution for centre of gravity locations better players can take advantage of.
3. Feel with forgiveness: Building on the previous generation, the Wilson R&D team refined the head of the Staff Model CB by shortening it and softening its edges to better align with the Staff Model Blade’s profile. The hosel length also matches the Blade for visual consistency, complemented by an improved hosel-to-face transition for a cleaner, more seamless look.
Further sliding towards the Blade, the offset was reduced and a straighter, narrower sole enhances turf interaction. The design also features a slightly longer blade length and a thinner topline.
