New Wilson golf club releases in early 2020

Following on from the success of the D7 irons in 2019, Wilson has launched a forged version to give better players the benefits of their incredible distance technology. The D7 Forged irons deliver tour-level feel with distance delivered through Power Hole and Power Chamber technologies, all wrapped up in a compact head and thinner topline for tour-level appeal.

Now in its third generation, Wilson's Power Hole technology and specifically the hole placement has been optimised for the forged heads. The technology works by reducing the amount of the face, which is 'unsupported', contact time between the ball and the face is reduced for more efficient energy return, enhanced ball speed and greater distance.

Any time you cut a hole in a golf club, it needs to be filled. Wilson uses a proprietary innovation to fill the Power Holes as well as the entire chamber behind the face. This is what gives the D7 forged irons their incredible sound and feel.

Wilson is making huge gains in the better player market with its new Staff Model line - however, where most of use see Wilson (whether they like it or not) is in the game improvement and game enjoyment category. The new Launch Pad irons (and the wider family of product) follow on from the gain made in the elite category to bring new levels of confidence and enjoyment to the beginner and improving golfer.

The concept is a simple one; pack as much technology into the clubhead as possible, without worrying about cosmetics (not at first look anyway), to help get the ball airborne, while delivering distance, forgiveness and confidence. However, when you take a closer look, especially from the top, you see that all the technology is hidden in plain sight, behind a stunning matte black finish.

The sole of the Launch Pad long irons effectively floats above the turf, resulting in a higher launching ball flight and is designed to put long irons back in your bag. Teamed with traditional game-improvement sole widths across the shorter irons the launch pad is a full set of irons to give you the confidence to pull off any shot that's needed.

The whole set features a hollow construction to support an incredibly thin face for maximum ball speed and increased distance. A lightweight shaft helps maintain clubhead speed through the downswing and impact zone.

Wilson makes no apologies (and nor should they) about jumping on the huge success of their Staff Model Blades after Gary Woodland won the US Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach with the irons. As well as a utility iron Wilson has launched the stunning Staff Model wedges, including a High Toe version which is very much in vogue on OTur and in the retail market place at the moment.

They are billed as tour inspired, and tour-proven the Staff Model wedges have been designed alongside some of the best players in the world who provided direct feedback on design and performance.

Both models feature a soft forged construction from 8620 Carbon Steel which provides a soft touch and incredible feel around the greens. Each groove is then maliciously machine-engraved onto the face at a higher density pattern for more consistent contact with the ball.

The High-Toe model allows the club to be played at varying degrees of open or closed configurations thanks to the face shape and sole width. This gives the golfer complete control over the amount of face that contacts the ball for precision where it's needed.

The equation to more distance, in principle, is simple: hit it harder, hit it further, and it seems that this year all the manufacturers are focusing on this theory. Some are using supercomputers to refine aerodynamics to the nth-degree, Wilson however just put the club on a massive diet in the hope that you'll just be able to go a little harder at the ball.

Using lightweight components in the Launch Pad driver results in a total club weight of just 272-grams which translates into an effortless increase in clubhead speed for greater launch angles and distance. Useless unless you're playing from the fairway though, so Wilson has addressed this too!

The Launch Pad driver is designed to solve golf's most frustrating problem - the dreaded slice off the tee. The moderate hosel offset (which gives the face more time to return to square through impact), combined with 13 grams of weight in the heel side of the club will put an end to the slice in your game. The driver is also built 2-degrees more upright than standard to help promote a draw shot shape.

Fairway woods (similar to long irons) are not very often the answer to the question 'what's your favourite golf club?'. However, that is all about to change for the game improvement, and game enjoyment categories as Wilson reveal their new Launch Pad fairway woods (and wider product family).

If amateur golfers were going to provide manufacturers with a wish list for fairway woods, more distance, and easier launch would be near the top - and these are the areas which the Launch Pad addresses.

Wilson put the Launch Pad fairway on a diet. Lightweight components including the head, shaft and grip result in a super lightweight fairway wood which translates into an effortless increase in clubhead speed and distance. The added speed imparts more spin on the ball to help it get in, and stay in the air for longer.

As a bonus, the Launch Pad fairway woods feature a moderate hosel offset to promote a closed face at impact and neutralise any fade bias for more control and accuracy.

There's a gap in the market, but is there a market in the gap? Wilson believes there is, one that's been left by the hybrids offered by their competitors and have chosen to fill it with their new Launch Pad FY-Brid. Not a typo! The name will ring a bell with a particular generation of golfers.

Hybrids are marketed to a specific golfer, typically one who struggles with their long irons. However, they're designed and build in a step-down approach from fairway woods, or a step-up approach from irons sets. The FY-Brid is currently the only club on the market at 41 inches long, and 19.5 degrees of loft and Wilson testing shows this is the easiest-to-hit combination of loft and length for 10-handicap golfers and up.

As part of the Launch Pad family, the new FY-Brid incorporates all that technology too. Designed to be light from the outset, the use of lightweight components results in a super lightweight golf club which translates into an effortless increase in clubhead speed for more ball speed and distance. A moderate hosel offset combined with 13-grams of weight in the sole of the club promotes a closed face at impact and neutralise any fade bias.