Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 Irons Review

Wilson Staff just released their new FG Tour F5 irons. These irons are aimed at better players who want the distance features found in most new irons as well as the feel and feedback normally associated with forged irons. Wilson Staff's target market for these irons is the single-digit to 18 handicap golfer.

The new WS FG Tour F5 irons are forged from 8620 carbon steel and Ni-Cr plated and deliver uncompromised quality in feel, feedback and response. Wilson Staff has also taken the Speed Sole distance technology found in their super game improvement D200 irons and incorporated it into the long and mid irons of these new forged beauties.

The Speed Sole technology thins the transition between the sole and the face which helps maximize the time the ball stays on the face (CT) thus increasing ball speed which translates into more distance. In testing, the Speed Sole delivered ball speeds that were 1 - 2.7 mph faster than other forged clubs.

A stabilizing bar has been added in the cavity back of each club to support the thinner clubface. The stabilizing bar helps to deliver better consistency across the hitting area for less shot dispersion and more forgiveness, without compromising much in the way of distance.

The new FG Tour F5 irons replace Wilson Staff's FG Tour M3 line, introduced only a couple of years ago. A two year life cycle is a long time in the golf industry, where companies introduce two or three new sets a year. There are a few noticeable changes, the biggest being a significant reduction in offset; It is now more like the V4 irons.
I had the opportunity to try out a set of the new Wilson FG Tour F5 irons with graphite shafts and was very surprised. Aesthetically, I have seen few irons that look better at address. The top line is a little thicker than my Miuras, but what isn't these days? The minimal offset and the way the club sits when you put it down on the ground inspires power and confidence at address.

The added distance you gain from the technology in the sole is at least one club, possibly two. I am hitting the 7-iron about 15 yards further than I did with my Miura CB 501 7-iron. This added distance is not from boosting up the loft (or down as it were). Compared to the competitor's irons listed below, the F5 irons have the same or more loft than all of them.

The few times I tried to shape a shot, it was easy to move the ball both left and right. Hitting it high or keeping it low was not a problem either. Mishits (and there were many) neither stung the hands nor resulted in a significant loss of distance. Hit it pure and it's like slicing butter (with a warm knife).

The Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 irons are available in both right and left hand. A typical set makeup consists of 8 irons: 4-9, PW, and GW. A 3-iron is also available (in right hand only). Stock shaft choices include True Temper Dynamic Gold XP steel shafts in regular, stiff and extra-stiff flex and the Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage LB 85 graphite shaft available in regular or stiff flex. The grip is a Lamkin Crossline.

Since introducing the F-C-D line of golf clubs (Feel, Crossover (formerly Control) and Distance), these new irons would fall somewhere between Feel and Distance, which would make them Crossover, right? In the words of Michael Vrska, Wilson Golf Global Director of R&D, "All of our 'C' products feature great distance technology and a proven feel technology. Crossover is more descriptive of the category, and easier to understand. The F5's literally cross over the Feel and Distance categories." My question Mr. Vrska is this: if these are categorized as "C" irons, why is it not C5 instead of F5?

As far as competitors go, I would put the new Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 irons in the same class as the Titleist AP2, Mizuno JPX 850 Forged, Callaway Apex Pro and TaylorMade PSi Tours. They will definitely hold their own against any of these. These irons won't be available at retail until January 2016 but for more information on Wilson Staff's new FG Tour F5 (should be C5) irons, you can visit their website at www.wilson.com.