As you might recall from my review of the PGA Merchandise Show in January, I was quite impressed with the new Wilson Golf products coming to market. So much so, that I decided to put my money where my mouth was! In March, I replaced my set of 2017 TaylorMade M2 irons with a brand new set of Wilson Staff C300 irons.
To be totally honest and transparent, these are the first Wilson Golf clubs to ever enter my bag. Like many golfers, I have spent years looking down on Wilson Golf as the Kmart golf product of the world. I mean how could a serious golfer ever play anything other than TaylorMade, Titleist, or Ping? Yes, I admit it! I’m a golf snob and when it comes to my golf clubs; I don’t want anything but the best, and that list has never included Wilson Golf.
So, I made the switch and for the past four months, I’ve been exclusively playing the Wilson C300 irons. I opted for the non-forged model, as a higher handicapper forged irons typically aren’t an option for me. I’m looking for maximum forgiveness because without accuracy, power is nothing. I think what had drawn me to the new C300 irons from Wilson Staff is that they have been designed to provide both accuracy and power.
That design is built around Wilson’s Power Holes technology, it’s the design element of cut-through sections on the perimeter and in particular, the sole. The new C300 irons feature two rows of cut-outs in the sole for a total of 11 power holes surrounding the sole, topline and toe perimeters of the club. The idea is, less material that directly contacts and supports the face, the more the face will deflect at impact for a higher spring-like effect or coefficient of restitution.
A close up look at the Power Hole Technology in the Wilson Staff C300 irons
Wow, that’s a lot golf industry technical jargon! Let me dumb it down a bit, Wilson has placed as many Power Holes as possible, all around and through the head of the club to create explosive distance across the entire face, propelling not only your perfectly hit shots farther and straighter, but also creating a level of forgiveness so your bad shots will be more accurate as well. The irons are filled with a special formulation of TE031 urethane, Power Holes serve double duty providing golfers with maximum distance and forgiveness.
So, what’s the scoop? Over the past 4 months since making the switch, my scoring average is down and I’m hitting more greens. The best evidence I can provide in terms of how effective my new irons are is the reaction from my playing partners. Either at the range or early in the round someone tends to notice I’m playing a set of Wilson’s. That’s usually followed by a few snide remarks about a blue light special at Kmart, or something along those lines. It’s amazing just how many golf snobs are out there! However, by the time I finish the round at some point throughout they tend to become a believer.
What makes them a believer? First and foremost, I think it’s the sound of the club at impact, I’ve never heard a sweeter sounding club on impact with the ball. Throughout a round, I’ll have several moments of glory on the course, and without fail, my playing partner will instantly react to not only the great shot I just hit but the sound from the club, by this time, if they didn’t already know I was playing Wilson irons, they do now.
The biggest issue with the C300 irons is that they’re made by Wilson. It’s unbelievable the amount of prejudice that exists towards the brand. It’s crazy when you think about because when it comes to golf equipment, Wilson Golf is the O.G.! Looking at history, Wilson golf clubs are what all the legends of golf used at one time or another; Palmer, Nicklaus, Snead, and Sarazen all used Wilson irons in their prime. In fact, Wilson Staff has claimed more major championships than any other brand, with a total of 61 majors won.
Wilson C300 Irons Ratings
Accuracy
Distance
Forgiveness
Look
Sound
Feel
Price
Conclusion
Like most of you reading this article, when looking at new irons, I typically only research the Big 3, Ping, Callaway, and TaylorMade in making a purchase. However, having tried them all, I kept coming back to Wilson, and the numbers backed up my feelings. For me, the Wilson C300 irons were the longest, best feeling, sounding, reassuring at address, straightest clubs of the bunch. After overcoming my initial prejudice towards the brand, the choice was simple. The next time you get fit for a new set of irons make sure to include Wilson. In a blind test, I’m willing to bet Wilson will come out on top more times than not!
Rob Spellman, is an avid golfer and publisher of Golf Aficionado Magazine, he is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and the Golf Travel Writers of America.